Metadata disappears from SDE geodatabase feature classes

[GregoryTseng]

Hello, I have a problem with FGDC metadata in feature classes that reside in SDE geodatabases.

All interaction between Desktop and SDE happens with version 10 products.

Here is what happens:
1. I have a feature class with FGDC metadata (has not been upgraded to ArcGIS Metadata)
2. I merely want to edit the ArcGIS Metadata so that its title is identical to the FGDC counterpart.
3. I use ArcCatalog and the new metadata editor to put a title in the ArcGIS Metadata.
4. I see that the title has been updated, and that the FGDC metadata has not been changed.
5. I click to another feature class, look at its metadata, and click back to my original feature class.
6. The title in the ArcGIS Metadata has disappeared, along with the entire FGDC metadata record.

This happens with Service Pack 1, Service Pack 2, and the recently released Service Pack 3.

Has anyone experienced this?

[stevecater]

We are having the same problem. Our Metadata just disappears. ArcMap 10 SP3, Sequel Server 2008. After adding metadata (by the way it takes forever for the metadata to load in Catalog, sometimes 30 seconds for a few tags). The metadata somehow gets deleted after saving. Validating only deletes the metadata. This is extremely frustrating to have to constantly add the metadata over and over again hoping it works. exporting and importing does not work either. Upgrading the metadata does not fix the problem.

[GregoryTseng]

We are having the same problem. Our Metadata just disappears. ArcMap 10 SP3, Sequel Server 2008. After adding metadata (by the way it takes forever for the metadata to load in Catalog, sometimes 30 seconds for a few tags). The metadata somehow gets deleted after saving. Validating only deletes the metadata. This is extremely frustrating to have to constantly add the metadata over and over again hoping it works. exporting and importing does not work either. Upgrading the metadata does not fix the problem.

Can someone from Esri address this problem? Thanks.

[NicholasWiegand]

I am having these same problems. If anyone has discovered a solution could you please share? And if someone from ESRI could chime in and at least let us know that you are aware of the problem.

Nick Wiegand

[VinceAngelo]

The best way to make sure Esri is aware of an issue is to contact them.  These are "User Forums,"
where users can offer advice to each other.  While there are frequent Esri staff contributors, most
of us who do post here don't have access to or training on the Tech Support infrastructure that
creates and tracks bugs. 

When you contact Tech Support, they can add you to the tracking database for known issues or
collect more information so that the issue can be reproduced.  It's far more likely that a bug which
can be reproduced will be fixed, and the more folks who are attached to the defect increases the
probability that a QFE patch will be generated and released (vice waiting for the next general
service pack).

- V

[PeterMarckmann]

On this issue I have found a work-around that works for me. We are on sql 2008 spatial, SDE 10. This does not fix data that was lost but for me I can import without problems.

My workflow is as follows (all functions are performed using gptools and not ArcCatalog buttons):

Export source using "xslt Transform" and "exact copy of.xslt" (found in...\Metadata\Stylesheets\gpTools)
Upgrade exact copy xml (even if you think it's upgraded, do it anyway).
Upgrade target on SDE (even if you think it's upgraded, do it anyway).
Import exact copy into target.

works for me, hopefully you should be good to go.
Afterwards I run additional transforms to inject our generic contact and constraint blurbs.

[HunterCarver]

Has anyone seen this issue with 10.1?  We had a number of feature classes that had metadata and lost it but not all feature classes lost it.  We are SQL Server 2008R2.

Most of our featureclasses that had this happen just sitting in SDE.  Only thing I can think that acts on them is our Geodatabase Maintenance routine (Compact/Rebuild Indexes/Analyze).  Could that cause lost metadata?  Could this be affected by moving in and out of feature dataset?

-Hunter