Spatial Database Connection with ArcCatalog

[VinceAngelo]

*All* of the elements in that software stack were retired last decade:

• ArcSDE 8.1 (2004)


• Oracle 8i (2006)


• Solaris 2.8 (2007)


• ArcGIS Desktop 8.3 (2008)


• Windows 2000 (2010)

It seems a bit late to be attemping initial install now.  I doubt it's even
possible to generate a keycode for any of the Esri stuff anymore.

- V

[SandipSawant]

Yes its very true Vangelo,
But currently we are working on this legacy system and planned to import this data on upgraded version on ArcGIS 10 and Oracle 11g. So need this information deadly for migrating the data.

Let me know if anyone can help here.

[VinceAngelo]

"Legacy" implies that there's data in the system.  Is there?  Under what user?
Is there an application server running?  On which host?

Direct Connect was introduced with ArcGIS 9.2, so there's no chance at all
to connect on Oracle's TCP/IP port from an 8.3 client.  You'll only be able
to connect via the application server service -- Is it running on the default
port?

I hate to say it , but you're best route to getting data out of your old database
is likely to be through shapefiles.  This is bad for many reasons (type conversion,
string truncation, column name truncation, numeric null loss,...), but there isn't
a whole lot of overlap across so vast a chasm of time.  You might get lucky with
'sdeexport' files, but modern ArcSDE binaries might have trouble with the level
of conversion necessary to manifest a table in 10.0.  ASCII transfer could work,
but I haven't tried to compile against an 8.x library in years, and my tools are
the only ones that could generate the ASCII output with coordinates attached.

- V

[SandipSawant]

Thanks for your response.

Yes, if i understood your concern correctly then, I want to connect it with application server service only.
Like here I am having ArcCatalog installed on Windows 2000 Server through which I want to connect ArcSDE-Oracle database which resides on unix machine.
For port number, when i see in services.sde like below, currently default (esri_sde) is commented.

#esri_sde               5151/tcp
bcxo2t                   1521/tcp

What are the impact or changes on existing work if i uncomment and use default? or can I use 1521/tcp in services here? ofcourse I tried this and its giving me an error of "....operation failed"

[VinceAngelo]

1521/tcp is the Oracle listener port.  ArcSDE should not ever be run on that port.
It *can't* be run on that port if Oracle is present.  Odds are, your existing install
is either non-functional or never-functional.  This will, shall we say, make it more
difficult to extract data. 

Are you sure there *is* data to extract?  No point in going through the pain of
an ancient configuration to discover nothing is present.

- V

[SandipSawant]

yes data is exists in the system. And our interest is to take export of existing built metadata,relationships and import into new version. This will really help us to build new metadata and do the further enhancements.

But then if i go with "esri_sde 5151/tcp" port then will it be possible to gain the connection?
And what about the other impact? at which other part should I do these changes? Or else for temporary purpose I can uncomment this port and then after exporting the metadata i can restore this port? is that okay?

Also is this a only thing or any other steps i need to do?
Thanks for your quick responses....

[VinceAngelo]

I doubt that metadata built in 8.1.2 would be compatible with anything recent,
but let's not go there.

The best way to find out if there's an active ArcSDE application server running
on 5151 is to try connecting to it.  Given the state of $SDEHOME/etc, I have my
doubts (service start should fail if the etc files are mangled).

The other side of this is that you shouldn't ever connect as the SDE user, and that
the SDE user shouldn't ever store data.  Though, given the other issues, I wonder
if that had been done correctly either.   You certainly won't need the "@tnsname"
password suffix.

What you really need is someone to walk you though this, but Tech Support ended
on this package 9+ years ago.  If you've got support on the 10.x node, you may
just have to explain and ask for help.

- V

[MarcoBoeringa]

Sandip,

I can't even fathom why the Dutch KPN telecommunications giant (yes, I noticed the Dutch "ptt.nl" postfix on the Host name, and since I live in the Netherlands, I am well aware the PTT company being the ancestor of the modern day KPN) wants to extract metadata from a 10 year old, maybe even non-functional, legacy database, but if you really have so little experience to tackle such an issue, I would definitely point the client to ESRI Netherlands, instead of trying to have the work done across half the globe...:

www.esri.nl

If anyone can help them out, it is them. ESRI Netherlands (I am not working for them) provides extensive support services to many Dutch companies and governmental organizations, and has experienced support staff... Communication will be far easier as well... It may save you and your client major headaches.

Anyway, if I understand it well, you just need to get access to 1) XML metadata, and NOT geometric data / Feature Classes, or 2) the Geodatabase schema??

If 1) is the case, I wouldn't even bother with trying to establish a connection using ArcCatalog.

The data for all of this is stored in the Geodatabase System tables, and if you can access the Oracle instance, I guess you should be able to extract the data using standard Oracle tools. If I remember well, XML metadata was stored in some binary column, Vince undoubtedly can tell. You may be able to extract the data using XPath and some programming language.

If 2), much of the schema is again stored in the Geodatabase System tables. You should be able to read much of the most important schema information from them using ODBC.

Be aware that the Geodatabase System tables underwent a major change in structure in ArcGIS 10. Much of the information you will find for 10 won't be of any use for understanding 8 structure, the 9.x documents may still be of some help though.

These old ESRI ArcGIS 8 and 9 PDFs may be of some help:

Understanding ArcSDE (ArcGIS 😎
http://downloads.esri.com/support/documentation/sde_/706Understanding_ArcSDE.pdf

ArcSDE Configuration and Tuning Guide (ArcGIS 😎
http://downloads.esri.com/support/downloads/ims_/sdeupdate_arcims_downloads/config_tuning_guide_orac...

Administering ArcSDE for Microsoft SQL Server (ArcGIS 9)
http://resources.esri.com/help/9.3/geodatabase/pdf/mssql.pdf

[MarcoBoeringa]

But then if i go with "esri_sde 5151/tcp" port then will it be possible to gain the connection?
And what about the other impact? at which other part should I do these changes? Or else for temporary purpose I can uncomment this port and then after exporting the metadata i can restore this port? is that okay?

Also is this a only thing or any other steps i need to do?
Thanks for your quick responses....

There isn't any impact of uncommenting the "esri_sde 5151/tcp" port line in the Windows service, other than opening up the TCP/IP port on your local PC for a possible communication from your locally installed ArcGIS to your remote ArcSDE Application Server ** if it is running ** and accessible from your local PC.

So try it, and see if you can create a connection from ArcCatalog 8.3. If not, most likely the ArcSDE Application Server isn't running, or using a non-default TCP/IP port number (so other than 5151).

You may find this thread and the document I posted there of some use for better understanding the ArcSDE Application Server versus Direct Connect:
http://forums.arcgis.com/threads/83644-quot-The-ESRI-Geodatabase-Framework-quot-PDF?p=295462&viewful...

[SandipSawant]

Thanks Vince.
I am able to make the connection now 🙂
Just uncommented the string and started the services using sdemon.
Now moving on next step to make export metadata, relationship class.

Would welcome the any steps & tips on this 🙂

Marco,
Thanks for the comments. But let's not discuss the sensitive data/policies of company. May be my mistake of publishing non-required things here.