Latest Contributions by Bud

In an SQL Expression or a database view on a file geodatabase: If I understand correctly, we can't access the XY coordinates of a point feature using SQL. For example, something like this: x_coord(shape) --would resolve to 665,478.140 meters Could that functionality be added as a function in the FGDB engine/SQL syntax? I'm aware that a workaround would be to store the X and Y coordinates in static fields in the FC via a calculation attribute rule. But it would be a lot of work to implement that for all FCs in all FGDBs. Doing it in SQL would be better. Thanks. ... View more

When we create views using the Create Database View (Data Management) tool, we can't use the forward slash operator '/' in the SQL definition. For enterprise and mobile geodatabases, we can work around the issue by creating the view through an SQL client instead of using ArcGIS. But for file geodatabases, the database is inaccessible outside of ArcObjects. So, the only way to do things like create a database view is through ArcGIS using the Create Database View (Data Management) tool. We need to be able to use forward slashes in FGDB views to do basic math like divide numbers and fields.  It looks like Esri has known about the issue since 2015 (although FGDB views are a recent development). See: BUG-000085841. So that makes me think Esri isn't able to fix this bug. If that's the case, then could Esri provide a workaround for division in FGDB views, such as adding a DIVIDE() function to the FGDB database engine? divide(10, 2),  --would resolve to 5. divide(field_A, field_B) That would give us a way to divide numbers and fields in FGDB database views. ... View more

In the Esri Community "Latest Activity" feed: (link to post) The content of the underlying post is included as a preview in the feed. As such, line breaks get automatically removed from the text to squish it into the preview section. Instead of line breaks simply being removed, could they be replaced with a space? That would help with readability. Thanks. ... View more

Could Esri consider providing a driver for connecting to FGDBs in an SQL client? For example, I can connect to other data sources like MS Access MDBs/ACCDBs in SQuirreL SQL using a JDBC driver: https://stackoverflow.com/questions/74683263/connect-sql-client-to-an-ms-access-database-instead-of-using-ms-access-sql-text . There are other options too, such as using ODBC in RazorSQL or Toad Data Point. Likewise, it would be great if we could do something similar for FGDBs, since we don't have any full-blown SQL querying options for FGDBs inside of ArcGIS. Other than database views, which have limitations and known bugs (such as the division symbol ‘/‘ not being supported). Query layers aren't supported for FGDBs either. I'm aware that FGDBs are proprietary and are usually only accessed from within ArcGIS. But that doesn't mean it's impossible for Esri to come up with a way to query FGDBs using a JDBC driver, or something like that, using the FGDB API…so that we could do more in-depth SQL querying in a proper SQL client. ... View more

For enterprise geodatabases, we're able to see the SQL definition of the view in the view's properties in Catalog: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bp_3ewY27u0&t=222s Implemented: ArcGIS Pro should allow you to see the SQL used to create a database view But that doesn't seem to work for file geodatabase views. There isn't a Definition section in the view's properties:   Could that SQL Definition functionality be added for file geodatabases too? And of course, we also want to be able to edit view definitions in Catalog too:  Database View: Edit SQL definition in Catalog. Thanks.   I'm using ArcGIS Pro 3.0.3. ... View more

When creating a database view in a file geodatabase using Create Database View (Data Management) tool: Is there a way to put comments in the SQL? What's the syntax? ... View more

I wonder if it would be useful to have an ArcGIS file type that’s kind of like a .LYR file, except you can view and edit the definition in a text editor. Or edit the definition text directly with Python. For example, it might be a full blown SELECT query, with SELECT, FROM, and WHERE clauses. It could be thought of as an .SQL file for ArcGIS. Maybe it would be similar to a query layer, except it’s a file, and works for all supported ArcGIS layer & table types. Not just enterprise geodatabase feature classes/tables. ... View more