Layer to KML is not naming properly, possible bug

[ScottFinck]

I am using ArcGISPro 3.2.2. The Layer to KML tool is not handling the names of point data the way it should. This used to work a few months ago. I don't know if we were using a different version then. I am using clamp features to ground and do not return single composite image. I set up the label color, size, expression and turned the labels on. They display properly in ArcGISPro. When I export the layer to KML, every feature name when viewed in Google Earth is the same because it is using a different field than the site_name field I specified to use. I have found a workaround by going to the layer properties>display>drop down and select the field I want to use for labeling. However, if I set up an expression in this area, it names everything based on the object ID for some reason. I need to be able to use an expression to properly name my features. This issue is not only happening to me but with everyone else in my group. I wrote a python tool to see if maybe the Layer to KML tool is broken but it does the same thing. That leads me to believe that there is a bug in the software. I would greatly appreciate if anyone had some insight to this issue. Thanks!

[ScottFinck]

I have tried to no avail to create a python script tool as a workaround for this bug. It seems that there is no way to manually specify feature naming fields in the arcpy.conversion,LayerToKML command. 

[RyanRasmussen]

Two fellow analysts are experiencing a similar issue. We are attempting to convert a shapefile with custom labels created in VB Script to display several columns of information to share for others to use in Google Earth. The layer to kml tool in pro works normally and our shapefiles displays correctly (labels and symbology). When we use the kml in Google Earth pro, the labels are incorrect or missing entirely. The symbology is displaying correctly.

[ScottFinck]

I think this problem is related to the latest version released in November.

[RyanRasmussen]

We are on version 3.2.2 as well and it looks like it first started week of 01/31/2024 when we tried it on a project as the previous version created the prior week on 1/23/2024 was correct.

[ScottFinck]

One other thing could work for you... you can use the Return Single Composite Image option and it will create the names properly. But, the label quality it creates in Google Earth makes it not suitable for my purposes. Not to mention, I definitely need to have separate features in the KML.

[RyanRasmussen]

Yeah, we definitely need higher quality for our projects. Thank you for the suggestion though.

[BrodieChisholm]

I am experiencing this same problem when trying to use the Map To KML conversion tool (labelling not carrying over from ArcGIS Pro - another field is being labelled in the KML/ Google Earth).

I am trying to run the tool as part of a Python script - must have been due to the recent ArcGIS Pro update as highlighted above as I didn't have this issue last year up to October/ November.

Has anyone found a solution? 

[ScottFinck]

The tool is broken whether you use it from the Geoprocessing pane or call it with a script. I tried that as a workaround as well. In fact, it is more unusable with a Python script than it is using it manually. I will be glad when they fix this. There is no solution as far as I can tell.

[LarsArneson]

I'm having issues with the labels being different in the exported KMZ than they are displayed in Pro. I've looked around but haven't found a solution yet.