License issue, any way around this?

[ChrisBrannin]

I am going through and adding fields to featureclasses when I came across this error. We have 2 licenses (Standard/Basic) and on the basic level I get the error and on the Standard level it runs just fine. I am wondering if there is any way around this without upgrading or having to switch licenses just to run my script. I am also worried that by running this with the standard license that I will not be able to ever run it with the basic. I understand the obvious answer is to upgrade but I thought I would see what some other options are.

ExecuteError: ERROR 999999: Error executing function.

The application is not licensed to create or modify schema for this type of data

Failed to execute (AddField).

Thanks!

Chris

[DarrenWiens2]

What is the type of data you are trying to create or modify when this error occurs?

[ChrisBrannin]

it's just an addField on a featureclass table in a GDB.

[DarrenWiens2]

I don't think this is a licensing level issue. You can certainly add a field with basic licensing.

edit: is this an SDE GDB? if so, you will have issues with basic licensing.

[ChrisBrannin]

It's not an SDE GDB... That's why I thought it was strange. But i tested it with the Standard license and there was no issue.

[RebeccaStrauch__GISP]

I'm assuming your Standard and Basic licenses are concurrent/floating and not single-user?  If so, check out

Accessing licenses and extensions in Python—Help | ArcGIS for Desktop

With will let you build in the ability to check if the Standard license is available, checkit out, run your program, and then check it back in.  If it's a fairly short script, that may work (unless your Standard license is always tied up, or if they are standalone/single-user...in which case, this wouldn't help).

[ChrisBrannin]

It is concurrent and usually tied up during the day for testing but could work overnight. Do you know if I alter the tables with the Standard will it make it so the rest of my data then will need a standard license to be altered in the future?

[RebeccaStrauch__GISP]

You can take a look at the functionality matrix Functionality Matrix for ArcGIS 10 and Server | ArcGIS Blog  to see if the specific task you are trying to do is supported by the Basic level or not.  I know there are some restrictions with what you can do with "Distributed Geodatabases"  and multi-user databases, but I agree  with Darren, you should be able to add a field....but it does depend on what type of data you are working with.  (rasters and images may have license level restrictions).  Are you using Spatial Analyst with your Standard license for example....may be the extension that is needed and not the level. 

Also, maybe there is a data lock and therefore schema lock on the data that could block it (can not change schema if anyone is in the file or if it is being used).  things like that.  Also, if it's versioned, I recommend rolling it back (i.e. reconciling and getting rid of versions) and getting the status ID = 0 before changing a schema.  This might be more than you are dealing with, but wanted to mention.

btw - typically you shouldn't mark your own response as "helpful" unless it has something that is helping resolve the issues or will help others. 

[ChrisBrannin]

That's why I am wondering if there is something strange with creating a FGDB with one license level and then trying to alter it with another. I'll take a look at the matrix but it seems really wrong that I wouldn't be able to do something basic like add a field. Regardless of which license level I was using. Thanks for the info(I also didn't mean to mark my post as helpful, sorry).

[RebeccaStrauch__GISP]

No, which level creates it, or which machine (unless it's a permission issue???) should NOT (oops...missing "not" in first version)matter.

In case it's a permission thing....have you tried copying it over to the Basic machine and running it local...making sure the permissions are set?  if it works that was, then I would look at the permissions for the file between the machines.