Geodatabase Rights

[MichelleCouden]

We have file geodatabases that are very data sensitive. Is there a way to put Read only rights on a geodatabase?? Where people can see them and work with them but they can't hurt the data or change it.

[JoshuaBixby]

Are you talking about using and working with this data within your organization or about sharing this data with others?

[MichelleCouden]

The geodatabase is in our group. It would be people in our group using the data. I did find that you have to create the geodatabase with an administrator which then changes the database to an SDE. Then you can create locks on the SDE.

Michelle Couden

Cartographer

Certified GIS Analyst

TPP Wellness Contact

Transportation Planning and Programming

Traffic Analysis Section

(512)486-5136

Watch for Cyclists!

[JoshuaBixby]

File geodatabases and enterprise geodatabases (formally known as "SDE") are totally different beasts.  Speaking to file geodatabases, since they are implemented as a folder on a file system with files in it, you could manage the folder permissions.  If you want to make all of the data in the file geodatabase read-only, such an approach works.  If you want to select data sets within the file geodatabase to make read-only, the situation gets more complicated.  Have you looked into License a file geodatabase—Help | ArcGIS Desktop.

As you state already, you could move the data from a file geodatabase to an enterprise geodatabase, but that involves work to setup and manage.

[MichelleCouden]

We have an IT department here so they would change the rights to the folder that holds the geodatabases. We were just wondering if that changes how the geodatabase works in Pro or ArcMAP. Your saying that would be the easiest way.

I will read the link.

If we changed them to enterprise database how much work are we talking.

Michelle Couden

Cartographer

Certified GIS Analyst

TPP Wellness Contact

Transportation Planning and Programming

Traffic Analysis Section

(512)486-5136

Watch for Cyclists!

[JoshuaBixby]

Does your organization use enterprise geodatabases already?  If the answer is, "no," then it will be quite a bit of work.  If there are other groups that have deployed it and they can help, setting up another enterprise geodatabase could be done fairly quickly.

[MichelleCouden]

Yes, we have another department that already has enterprise geodatabases. The only thing is we work for Texas Department of Transportation. Our ArcMAP is run on a server, so that thousands of people can use the system throughtout the state. Hope that makes sense. Since, they control the data we are thinking they have to create the enterprise geodatabases for us. We are thinking to just change rights on the folder that holds the geodatabases, so that editing is controlled. Thank you so much for your help and time.

Michelle Couden

Cartographer

Certified GIS Analyst

TPP Wellness Contact

Transportation Planning and Programming

Traffic Analysis Section

(512)486-5136

Watch for Cyclists!

[PeterKing]

Another option is to install ArcSDE Personal which uses (SQL Express) on you local machine. This is a very basic "Enterprise" DB that you could then assign permissions to and it allows multi-user editing. The install is included with your ArcGIS Desktop media. 

[MichelleCouden]

Thanks Peter. That is something we might consider.

Michelle Couden

Cartographer

Certified GIS Analyst

TPP Wellness Contact

Transportation Planning and Programming

Traffic Analysis Section

(512)486-5136

Watch for Cyclists!

[YungKaiChin]

Because it is a file geodatabase, it can works like folder. You should be able to place it on a network drive and set Sharing and Security on the folder level. It is recommended to create a window group for editors, writers, or creators of the data, and set Everyone's permission to allow Read.

Your IT should know how to do it, if not ...

Right click > Properties

Sharing tab > Advanced Sharing > (Add/Modify users and/or groups)

Security  tab > Edit > (Add/Modify users and/or groups)