In a scenario where GIS data is to be maintained in ArcMap for the foreseeable future due to custom legacy ArcMap tools for which are not yet available in ArcGIS Pro some datasets cannot be used by some Esri offerings. Annotation is the relevant example here. We have a need to maintain annotation in ArcMap for now, but a also a need to publish the annotation to a feature service, which requires an upgrade to this dataset..... which precludes editing it in ArcMap. So this tool is not a fit: Upgrade Dataset—Data Management toolbox | Documentation.
Conceptually what we are exploring is whether we can have the legacy ArcMap friendly annotation format be retained in the system of record enterprise geodatabase. Then create a second publishing geodatabase, which will be upgraded to serve out the annotation via a feature service. This is easy until you consider maintaining the publishing database with changes in the system of record legacy database. Is it possible to incrementally update the publishing database with changes from the system of record enterprise geodatabase? We are happy to write the process, but not entirely sure how well we can translate the anno, specifically with what is tucked away in the 'Element' blob field as it appears to be different in the two versions of annotation.
The first two hurdles we see in a quick investigation to use an ArcPro customation to incrementally updating the :
1. The legacy anno feature is not considered a ArcGIS.Core.Data.Mapping.AnnotationFeature, but a simple Feature.
2. It does not appear the legacy anno uses CIMTextGraphic, or at least I am not clear on how to extract it using Pro's SDK.
Does anybody have any insight into:
1. The viability of the general approach.
2. Alternative approaches we should consider.
2. How to overcome the first two hurdles encountered.
Thank you in advance.
