Open feature class with extension in Pro?

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02-09-2022 11:44 AM
EthanBodin1
New Contributor III

We have feature classes with ArcGIS 10.x vintage feature class extensions. Is it possible to open them in ArcGIS Pro?

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Robert_LeClair
Esri Notable Contributor

Ethan - I'm not familiar with COM extensions used in the ArcMap days but found this on the internals -

Resolution: The behavior you're seeing makes sense if this is indeed a class extension. Class extensions are registered at the geodatabase level (so it exists in the geodatabase, not in your desktop application). Any machine which accesses that geodatabase will need to have the DLL files used by that extension locally on their machines. In most cases, you probably do; However, ArcGIS Pro is a 64bit application and you'll not have the corresponding 64bit DLL. This will result in the 'Unable to create object class extension COM component' you're seeing.

Unfortunately, ArcGIS Pro is not compatible with class extensions written in ArcObjects. So if you plan on keeping this same functionality, the class extension will need to be re-written in the ArcGIS Pro SDK (migration from ArcObjects to ArcGIS Pro SDK is significant, often it requires a complete re-write).

Thoughts - if you use ArcMap, can you create a new file geodatabase and copy/paste the contents from the original geodatabase to the new geodatabase?  Then use the new geodatabase in ArcGIS Pro?  Or if behaviors are not involved, you could export to shapefiles and import into a new file geodatabase.

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Robert_LeClair
Esri Notable Contributor

What are the extensions?  Like ArcInfo coverages?

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EthanBodin1
New Contributor III

I see I was not clear and all the answers so far reference support for different types of data sets. I'm talking about a geodatabase feature class that has a COM extension, aka object class extension or feature class extension, like referenced in this article: https://support.esri.com/en/technical-article/000015312

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Robert_LeClair
Esri Notable Contributor

Ethan - I'm not familiar with COM extensions used in the ArcMap days but found this on the internals -

Resolution: The behavior you're seeing makes sense if this is indeed a class extension. Class extensions are registered at the geodatabase level (so it exists in the geodatabase, not in your desktop application). Any machine which accesses that geodatabase will need to have the DLL files used by that extension locally on their machines. In most cases, you probably do; However, ArcGIS Pro is a 64bit application and you'll not have the corresponding 64bit DLL. This will result in the 'Unable to create object class extension COM component' you're seeing.

Unfortunately, ArcGIS Pro is not compatible with class extensions written in ArcObjects. So if you plan on keeping this same functionality, the class extension will need to be re-written in the ArcGIS Pro SDK (migration from ArcObjects to ArcGIS Pro SDK is significant, often it requires a complete re-write).

Thoughts - if you use ArcMap, can you create a new file geodatabase and copy/paste the contents from the original geodatabase to the new geodatabase?  Then use the new geodatabase in ArcGIS Pro?  Or if behaviors are not involved, you could export to shapefiles and import into a new file geodatabase.

EthanBodin1
New Contributor III

Thank you for confirming what we've observed. We will be rewriting our applications in ArcGIS Pro (and removing the feature class extensions) wanted to be sure of the impacts during the transition.

DanPatterson
MVP Esteemed Contributor
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Robert_LeClair
Esri Notable Contributor

Technically ArcInfo coverages are not supported in ArcGIS Pro but there are small workarounds.

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DanPatterson
MVP Esteemed Contributor
Robert_LeClair
Esri Notable Contributor
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