Cannot figure out how to do branch versionning

[PierreMasson]

So we want to publish our data and have users edit it throug a feature service. We want it to be branch versionning with sync enable.

First, I have a question that needs to be answer once and for all. Is the geodatabase that serve to publish the feature service is basically obselete after the publication is done since all edits must be done on that feature service after that (base on what I read on that link)? 

My understanding is that we are never going to be able to reconcile the data in the original database. Can someone clarify this please?

Ok second problem. I created an enterprise GDB on our MSSQL Server (2019 v15.0.2104.1).

1. I create one dataset with a simple feature class in it.
2. I set the GDB connection property to manage branch versionning
3. I set the Feature Data set to branche versionning too.
4. Then if I add the Feature class to my map, I cannot edit it, cannot create a version, everything is disable, feature class is not editable.. Again refering to this link, this should be normal behavior.
5. So I do Publich Web Layer. In the Share as web layer form, there is no check box "Version managment" visible. All the videos I've watch doing demos of this have that check box. Why it`s not there?
6. So I go ahead anyway with the publication.. 
7. Then I can edit that feature layer no problem, but there is no versionning capabilities available.

What am I missing? Please help.

[George_Thompson]

What version of ArcGIS Enterprise are you publishing to?

Also are you the owner of the datasets being published; https://pro.arcgis.com/en/pro-app/latest/help/data/geodatabases/overview/publish-branch-versioned-da...

You can have both Branch and Traditionally versioned data in the same enterprise geodatabase. You just cannot have the same features (as you have mentioned) be both "traditional & branch" versioned at the same time. As mentioned, once the features are branch versioned, they should be published and edited via that service, not directly. You will also be able to reconcile / post the edits to default via the service. Also note that you can only have 1 level of versioning from DEFAULT (i.e., DEFAULT --> sub-versions). Now you can bring the branch version features to do administrative tasks like Rebuild Indexes, Analyze Datasets once they are branch versioned.

Can you provide some more context on the comment: "My understanding is that we are never going to be able to reconcile the data in the original database"?

Did my information above about reconcile / posting answer that?

[PierreMasson]

I'm still confuse about the whole thing and cannot make it work. 

What version of ArcGIS Enterprise are you publishing to?

I'm publishing to our organization on ArcGIS Online. I tried our own hosted portal too. same result. Our ArcGIS server version is:
Current Version: 10.91
Full Version: 10.9.1

Also are you the owner of the datasets being published?

Well not sure.. I think I am since I have created the enterprise gdb, the Feature dataset and feature class.

Here is how I created my enterprise GDB. My user is sysadmin on our MSSQL instance.

But once branch versionning is set up here is what I have in the version managment

I'm not even sure of the procedure of how to set up my GDB branch versionning.. I try to redo it to get screenshot to reply to here and I get this error when setting branch versionning on the Feature class.

Can you provide some more context on the comment: "My understanding is that we are never going to be able to reconcile the data in the original database"?

Well you said, "once the features are branch versioned, they should be published and edited via that service, not directly". Where is the data stored once published? Somewhere on the datastore of the ArcGIS server? If edits are perform on the feature layers, will this data can be brought back (reconcile) to the original GDB that served to do the publishing?

Thanks in sdvance for your help

[George_Thompson]

Ok, thanks for the additional information.

Branch Versioned data cannot be published to ArcGIS Online, that will not work. Once it published to Enterprise and working, you can create an item in ArcGIS Online to edit. Note - if you edit the branch versioned feature layers in Online it will edit the DEFAULT Version. 

Do you have any other layers in the Pro map that you are using for publishing that are NOT branch versioned also?

If you only have 1 of the branch versioned layers in the map, does it publish successfully?

For your last paragraph:

"Where is the data stored once published?"

• If the data is published as referenced, the data is stored in the Enterprise Geodatabase (EGDB)

"Somewhere on the datastore of the ArcGIS server?"

• It is only stored on the ArcGIS Server / DataStore if the data is copied as part of the publishing process.

"If edits are perform on the feature layers, will this data can be brought back (reconcile) to the original GDB that served to do the publishing?"

• If you make edits on a Hosted layer (i.e., not in the EGDB) there is not "versioning" mechanism available.

Overall, once you get the layers published with Version Management enabled, you will be able to reconcile / post.

[PierreMasson]

Thank you for the quick answer.

Branch Versioned data cannot be published to ArcGIS Online, that will not work.

Good to know. Thanks.

Do you have any other layers in the Pro map that you are using for publishing that are NOT branch versioned also?

Only have one feature class in the map, the FC is branch versionnied and so is the database connection.

If you only have 1 of the branch versioned layers in the map, does it publish successfully?

I tried publishing it on our ArcGIS Enterprise protal.. Still no "version managment" check box available.

When I move forward with the publication, the Feature Service becomes a Hosted Layer on our ArcGIS server. Why is it "hosted"?

I went to check if the version managment thing is enable on the server and it is.

Thank you for helping figure this out. 

[George_Thompson · Accepted solution]

Ok, thanks for the screenshots. On the "Share as Web Layer" dialog box, you MUST have the "Reference registered data" option checked, NOT the Copy All Data. See screen shot below....

If you select the green arrow option (not Vector Tile), does Version Management show up?

[PierreMasson]

Ok, that was a big step forward! I now see the Version Managment check box!

thank you for spoting that!

But I'm not out of the wood yet... 

I get an Anylize exception when doing the sharing that my Layer's datasource must be register with the server.

So I do "Register data source with the server" but I can't do it because the server validation won't pass.

We did add GDB to the data store before, I don't know where I can configure this..

Here what I can see on our server

Everything seems to be working fine but I can't add anymore data store.. I will use one of our existing GDB/DataStore to publish branch versionned data and do my tests with that for now. But if you can help with this issue it would help us better organize our data.

Thank you very much

[George_Thompson]

Glad we got past the first major hurdle..... I am not sure on the registration issue.

Based on the connection information, are you using O/S authentication?

If so, you may need to make sure that the ArcGIS Server account has access to layers in the EGDB.

[PierreMasson]

I tried Windows and database authentification.. No luck.. I try to understand who knock on the door of who and where to go to manage that.. 

[PierreMasson]

Ok we found out the user that was running the ArcGIS Server and added that user has sysadmin of our MsSQL server and it worked! I mean the register data store problem is no more! 🙂