mosaics created using ArcMap 10.5 cannot be opened with previous versions?

[FranklinAlexander]

I have recently upgraded to ArcMap 10.5 and created several mosaic datasets using this version. Other people in our office, however, who are still using previous versions of ArcMap are getting the following errors when trying to open the mosaics:

"Error opening mosaic dataset"

                   ----and----

"Could not add the specified data object to the map"

I make it a practice to put all mosaics I create in a version 10.0 Geodatabase to account for any compatibility issues, but that doesn't seem to be the problem. Does anyone know what could be causing this and what the work-around might be?

[FranklinAlexander]

Scott,

I opened a ticket with esri about the issue and there response was that mosaic datasets are not backwards compatible. In my experience though, it depends on whether the update was a minor update, ie 10.4.0 to 10.4.1, or a major update ie 10.4 to 10.5. Our solution, since I work for a large state agency with hundreds of licenses and people don't always have the same version of ArcMap on their laptop, was to created all new mosaic datasets using version 10.3. that way anyone that has 10.3 or later will be able to open them. For those who have an earlier version and wish to view the datasets, it is a good excuse to upgrade! 

Esri did give me a link to a patch you can install for version 10.4.1 to access  mosaic dataset created in version 10.5. 

https://support.esri.com/en/download/7467.  According to esri there is no patch available for older versions.

[JamieAndrews1]

Franklin,

Were you able to install and use this patch? Esri provided me with the same patch, but it crashes my ArcMap. I can't open ArcGIS or ArcCatalog with the patch installed.

[FranklinAlexander]

Jamie,

It’s been a while, but if I recall correctly, the patch will only work with ArcMap version 10.5. If that is the version you installed the patch on, then I can’t say what the issue is. I can’t recall if I tried to install the patch on my computer, but probably not since I changed positions around that time and was no longer working with imagery. Our solution was to stick to a slightly older ArcGIS version for creating mosaic datasets for greater compatibility. Sorry I couldn’t be more help, but I ended up having to open a ticket with esri over the issue.

Franklin(Gene) Alexander

Research Assistant/Web Developer

[JamieAndrews1]

Ok, thanks Franklin. I will attempt to install it on my 10.5 install and see if that works instead.

[KoryKramer]

More info on mosaic dataset compatibility: https://community.esri.com/community/gis/imagery-and-remote-sensing/blog/2019/03/13/mosaic-datasets-...