File Geodatabase Compatibility

[EdwardBlair]

I got a Utility Network asset package as a file geodatabase from Schneider Electric.   This opens and behaves as expected in ArcGIS Pro.   When I try to open several of the classes in ArcCatalog I get "Unable to instantiate class for XML schema type: ArrayOfFieldGroup".

Is there a problem with this FGDB, or are File Geodatabases not guaranteed to be sharable between Pro and ArcGIS 10x?

Thx,

Ed

[AyanPalit]

@EdwardBlair ArcGIS Utility Network can be viewed and accessed through ArcGIS Pro. ArcMap/ArcCatlog is not compatible with Utility Network.

[EdwardBlair]

Ayan -

Thanks for the info, but my question is specifically about the File Geodatabase data structure.  Is there something about a File Geodatabase created or edited in ArcGIS Pro that makes it incompatible with use in ArcCatalog?

Ed

[AyanPalit · Accepted solution]

@EdwardBlair Basic File Geodatabase data structure is the same. Note that there are several enhancements and capabilities in ArcGIS Pro that are not backward compatible with ArcMap. 

https://pro.arcgis.com/en/pro-app/latest/help/data/geodatabases/overview/types-of-geodatabases.htm 

https://desktop.arcgis.com/en/arcmap/latest/manage-data/geodatabases/types-of-geodatabases.htm 

Examples of where this incompatibility may surface: 

• File GDB implementation of ArcGIS Utility Network, Trace Network, Parcel Fabric, Pipeline Referencing. All these solutions were developed primarily for ArcGIS Pro and comprise of GDB objects that can only be read by ArcGIS Pro.
• GDB functions like Attribute Rules, Contingent Values. 

[RichardFairhurst]

The overall file geodatabase is still compatible with ArcCatalog/ArcGIS Desktop, but the individual feature classes and datasets within it can be rendered incompatable with the enhanced features listed by Ayan.  While all editing has to be performed in ArcGIS Pro to take advantage of the enhanced capabilities as intended by the data designer, it is still possible to create a simple feature class in that file geodatabase or in SDE that duplicates the schema without the enhanced capabilities and use the Truncate and Append tools in ArcGIS Pro to create a feature class that can be opened in ArcCatalog/ArcMap for a version of the feature class used for viewing publication only purposes.  Of course it then has to undergo scheduled updates to periodically be synchronized with the edit version thereafter and cannot otherwise remain current with the edit version.

[EdwardBlair]

Ayan -  Thanks for the additional detail.   This helps.  

Ed