Make Mosaic Datasets Backwards Compatible

[RobChasan]

Created a mosaic dataset in Pro 10.4.1.  It cannot be viewed or used in ArcMap/ArcCatalog 10.3.1.  Apparently it is not backward compatible.   Please fix this.  Mosaic datasets have been around for some years now and the consumers of them shouldn't have to be on the same version as the advanced, authoritative data creator.

[KoryKramer]

Rob Chasan‌ To clarify, you created the Mosaic Dataset in Pro 1.4.1, correct?  Is there any error message when trying to display it in ArcMap 10.3.1?  You say that it can't be viewed or used.  Do the layers show up in the Table of Contents, but nothing is displayed, or ArcMap does nothing with it?

Where is the mosaic dataset stored - file geodatabase or enterprise database?

As far as I can tell, there shouldn't be any incompatibility issues between a mosaic dataset created in Pro 1.4.1 and ArcMap 10.3.1, unless you're running into something *like* BUG-000101468: The mosaic datasets created using ArcGIS GIS Server .. 

I'd recommend logging a case with Technical Support to troubleshoot the issue. 

[RobChasan]

I should have been more specific.  This is when creating the mosaic dataset in a file gdb. An error message pops up in ArcMap and the layer does not even appear in the TOC.  A case was logged and an ESRI support analyst confirmed this behavior.  Apparently there is some documentation somewhere suggesting this might be normal behavior, if I understood the analyst properly.  Try it out yourself and see what happens.

[KoryKramer]

Rob, do you have the case number?

[KoryKramer]

Never mind, Rob.  I found the case and the enhancement for better documentation about backward compatibility of mosaic datasets created in newer versions to older versions.  So, the documentation is one thing, and that definitely would be helpful, but your Idea here stands to actually make Mosaic Datasets backward compatible.  Thanks for the clarification.

[MichaelVolz]

In terms of backward compatibility, I would want that functionality to work between different versions of ArcMap as well as original poster's idea that was comparing different versions of ArcMap compared to ArcPro.  This functionality would be for those shops that still need to upgrade ArcMap, but have not yet adopted ArcPro due to the architectural changes between the software.

Is there a way to determine the version of ArcMap/Pro that the RMD was created in?

[MarkMindlin]

We have noticed the similar issue:

Steps to reproduce:

- in ArcCatalog 10.3.1, create file geodatabase, create mosaic dataset, add raster jp2 to the mosaic dataset.

- in ArcMap 10.3.1, add data i.e. the mosaic dataset, make sure it works, remove data.

- in ArcMap 10.5.1, add data i.e. the mosaic dataset, open Footprint layer, start editing, edit field MinPS to any value, save edits, stop editing? close the app.

- in ArcMap 10.3.1, try to add data i.e. the mosaic dataset, make sure an error message appears "Error opening mosaic dataset"

[MahindaAbeykoon]

I am also doing lots of testing on creating ARM in 10.5.1 and using them in 10.3.1. before we convert our 2 TB raster datasets to ARM.

I did the same steps Mark did, except I edited MinPS and other fields in ArcGIS 10.3.1. version.

I was able to read it in ArcGIS 10.3.1 and also I was able to read it in ArcGIS 10.5.1.

If ARM are built in ArcGIS 10.5 + versions, ESRI confirms 'no backward compatibility', prior versions cannot read them. As per my tests so far, If you need to work with all the versions, create them in 10.3.1. and edit them in 10.3.1. ArcGIS 10.5.1. You may miss advanced raster functionality in 10.5.1.

Thanks!

[KoryKramer]

This blog was published today and I wanted to share it to those following this idea as it may be highly relevant: https://community.esri.com/community/gis/imagery-and-remote-sensing/blog/2019/03/13/mosaic-datasets-... 

[KoryKramer]

https://support.esri.com/en/download/7705

[MichaelVolz]

Kory:

Has the Mosaic Dataset Compatibility Patch been incorporated directly into 10.7.1?  I ask because I get an install error when applying this patch to 10.7.1.