Full functionality for .gpkg in ArcGIS Pro

[CordulaGöke]

At the moment, there are limitations on what is possible with .gpkg files. I can only load them to new maps (and then move them to existing maps), I can edit, but I cannot add columns or drag&drop them into the map as QGIS does.  Since I never use gdb, the ultimate wish would be that I can choose them as default output format/WS instead of .gdb for all tools.

[SSWoodward]

Thanks for the idea @CordulaGöke.

We'd love some more information about it.  Classes in geopackages can have fields added or removed, and can be dragged into the map just like a gdb feature class or table.  How are you trying to achieve this and what version of ArcGIS Pro are you using?

[RTPL_AU]

@SSWoodward  https://www.geopackage.org would be a start.

As it is an open standard there shouldn't be any reason for ArcGIS to not support the full functionality matrix of geopackages - other than those pesky politics or marketing reasons...

I currently have to use QGIS a fair bit to support clients that use gpkg and I'm sure I'm not the only one.

[CordulaGöke]

@SSWoodwardI work in ArcGIS Pro 3.2.2 and use a .gpkg produced in QGIS.

1 Classes in geopackages can have fields added or removed: I open the table and would continue with "add" which is greyed out. Similarly when you rightclick on the field name to delete. If you e.g. use calculate and define a new field, it throws an error.

2 Can be dragged into the map: I try to drag and drop from file explorer and get the following message:

 In QGIS it is possible.My gpkg has only 1 dataset, so I assume you would load all in QGIS if there were more. I just tested from catalogue view, and it really worked to add the dataset, so that is great. That changes the main complaint to that you cannot use the right-click-"add to Map" method, only "add to new Map" and adding from the explorer.

3 as default output format/WS instead of .gdb for all tools: Forcing people to set a default gdb does not help to promote ESRI products, more the opposite. People try to find out how to navigate through the restricted framework and often produce a folder which is called LayerName_ARCGIS and LayerName_QGIS/MapINFO It is extra work,  leading to unnessary uptake of storage space and could be easily avoided if all could agree to use gpkg for exchange. This requires for the occasional user that gpkg is really easy to handle and appears more prominently in the tools as an option. There might be .gdb functionalities that it does not cover everything a .gdb supoorts, but from my point of view it is really a good format for big datasets and just one file which makes it great for exchange.

[CordulaGöke]

@SSWoodward Something that I forgot to mention is, that it is often not possible to neither use the .gpkg layers directly nor export with the normal geoprocessing tools (I haven't used datainteroperability). It does not indicate inapropriate input types. When exporting I get both for QGIS and R produced .gpkgs:

ERROR 002809: Field OID in transekt_points2 is of an unsupported type for the output workspace.

When using tools the messages vary.