Standard method for enabling Z in existing feature class

[Kyle_LocGov]

Question: Will the "Feature Class to Feature Class" geoprocessing tool add z awareness to a feature class and not change it in any other way? That's what I need to do on all our City data.  

More Context: We recently bought a Trimble R2 so we can update Public Works assets with more accurate x,y, and z values using Field Maps but our existing dataset is not z enabled. I need to make our existing database z aware but there are many domains and subtypes related to Public Works that I need to preserve during any conversions or exports while enabling z values.

Before going ahead with trying "Feature Class to Feature Class" on the entire dataset I wanted to ask if this is the best method. I tried the tool on one feature class to test and it seems as though the schema all remains in the new feature class after the conversion. The alias did not come through to the new version, which is fine but I don't want to lose anything important. 

[GIS-Cambria]

Have you tried the Projections and Transformations Toolbox/Define Projection? I don't think this will force a new copy of your dataset. Defining a project changes the current projection information but does not reproject features.

[Kyle_LocGov]

And add a vertical coordinate system in the process? 

[GIS-Cambria]

It will allow you to add a vertical CRS but I don't think it will by default enable existing features to be Z aware. Just makes the dataset have a vCRS. Maybe not the solution you are looking for. I just tested it on a non Z feature and it didn't even add a VCRS even though the tool completed with success. The Z and M are still greyed out and the tabs for CRS only show XY CRS. Depending on your GIS data storage you might be able to hack the references in a RDBMS (I did this in MS SQL by altering the behind the smoke and mirrors SDE table info and xml columns.). Maybe someone else can offer a GP solution that will not create new output.

[Kyle_LocGov]

Hey there, 

Thanks a lot for the input. After working with it for awhile, I don't think the feature class to feature class tool adversely affected our data or changed it in any other way besides adding z values, which I did in the environments of the geoprocessing window.