Convert file geodatabase to SQL Server Express geodatabase in 10.1

[GerardAshton]

I'm a beginner, and I have a file geodatabase with a fairly small number of shapes in it. (I also refer to some background images.) I'm interested in converting it to a SQL Server Express geodatabase in ArcGIS 10.1. This is a single computer, single user environment. My reasons for doing this are to understand the database environment better, and gain any modest performance improvements this might lead to (although performance is adequate). None of the copy/paste or drag & drop actions I would expect to work in ArcCatalog work (or they're not even available).

[VinceAngelo]

You'd need to create or enable an Express-based geodatabase instance before
you'd be able to connect to it or add data to it.

While understanding how databases interact with Esri software is a laudable goal,
you're unlikely to gain any performance (modest or otherwise) by moving data
from a file geodatabase to SQL-Server Express.

- V

[GerardAshton]

You'd need to create or enable an Express-based geodatabase instance before
you'd be able to connect to it or add data to it.

While understanding how databases interact with Esri software is a laudable goal,
you're unlikely to gain any performance (modest or otherwise) by moving data
from a file geodatabase to SQL-Server Express.

- V

I have created an Express-based geodatabase, but am unable to figure out how to copy the data from the file geodatabase to the express geodatabase.

[VinceAngelo]

There's probably a dozen ways to accomplish this (hundreds if you consider different
intermediate data formats), but the easiest would be a "drag-and-drop" operation from
Desktop or Catalog.  You would need the right license level (Standard or Advanced,
not Basic) to write to an ArcSDE-based geodatabase.

- V

[MarcoBoeringa]

One thing to take note of when converting from a file geodatabase to an ArcSDE based (SQL Server Express in your case) database, is the user permissions. With a file geodatabase, you don't have to worry about database user or Windows accounts etc. With an enterprise geodatabase, albeit "personal" ArcSDE, you do... If you don't setup a proper system for database users and permissions on Feature Datasets / Classes using roles, you may be unable to access data even though already converted and inserted in the database unless you set proper permissions. This is especially true if you run multiple accounts on the same computer, e.g. administrator or restricted users.

[GerardAshton]

All the data was created and used from my administrator account.

I just can't seem to figure out what I should drag to where.

[AsrujitSengupta]

Quick links for reference:
http://resources.arcgis.com/en/help/main/10.1/index.html#//003n0000002v000000

http://resources.arcgis.com/en/help/main/10.1/index.html#//003n0000002w000000

You'll find many such links available.

You can simply Copy/Paste data from one geodatabase to another too!

Regards,