Alternatives to using SDE command line tools - Blog Discussion

[ChetDobbins]

With the release of 10.2 and plans to deprecate the ArcSDE command line tools, you may be wondering how current tasks that use these tools can be completed elsewhere. This blog provides some workflows that have alternate user interface tools in ArcCatalog/ArcMap that will make transitioning as seamless as possible.

http://blogs.esri.com/esri/supportcenter/2013/10/04/do-this-not-that-alternatives-to-using-sde-comma...

We are very interested in hearing feedback from everyone who uses the ArcSDE commands, including questions, concerns, and ideas for making this successful. You can also contact Esri Support Services for specific ArcSDE commands that do not have comparable replacements.

This document outlines the planned changes in platform and functionality in the ArcGIS 10.2 release and
includes a reference to ArcGIS 10.1 deprecation notes.
http://downloads2.esri.com/support/TechArticles/W26496_W25918_DEPRECATION_PLAN_FOR_ARCGIS_101_and_10...

[PF1]

With the release of 10.2 and plans to deprecate the ArcSDE command line tools, you may be wondering how current tasks that use these tools can be completed elsewhere. This blog provides some workflows that have alternate user interface tools in ArcCatalog/ArcMap that will make transitioning as seamless as possible.

http://blogs.esri.com/esri/supportcenter/2013/10/04/do-this-not-that-alternatives-to-using-sde-comma...

We are very interested in hearing feedback from everyone who uses the ArcSDE commands, including questions, concerns, and ideas for making this successful. You can also contact Esri Support Services for specific ArcSDE commands that do not have comparable replacements.

This document outlines the planned changes in platform and functionality in the ArcGIS 10.2 release and
includes a reference to ArcGIS 10.1 deprecation notes.
http://downloads2.esri.com/support/TechArticles/W26496_W25918_DEPRECATION_PLAN_FOR_ARCGIS_101_and_10...

The only limitation I have run into so far: Fine grained DBMS permissions at the table/layer level. 

In arcsde you could grant or revoke 'edit' permissions with either insert, update, or delete:

sdetable -o {grant | revoke} -t <table> -U <user>
-A <SELECT,UPDATE,INSERT,DELETE> [-s <server_name>]
[-i {<service> | <port#> | <direct connection>}] 
[-D <database_name>] -u <DB_user_name>
[-p <DB_user_password>] [-I] [-q]

The closest python script tool available appears to be the Change Privileges tool which only allows grant/revoke at the 'edit' or 'select' level:

The RDBMS equivalent commands for the Edit parameter are Update, Insert, and Delete. All three are granted or revoked simultaneously by the Edit parameter.

I run into this frequently as often times we would only like to 'update' features and restrict the 'insert' or 'delete' capabilities.

[VinceAngelo]

The versioning model doesn't support access resolution beyond {NO_ACCESS, READ_ONLY, READ_WRITE}. This is a design feature.  You could not circumvent it with 'sdetable -o grant'
previously either (if all the  required permissions weren't present for all tables, then the entire
feature class [or feature dataset] had  the next lowest access, if any).

At 10.2, if you have simple feature classes (non-versioned tables, not registered with the
geodatabase), you can use Catalog to right-click Manage... Privileges..., and it will offer the
traditional four checkboxes (SELECT, INSERT, UPDATE, DELETE) by user.

So it seems as if your request is either impossible or already available.  Do you have access to
10.2 to see if this meets your requirements?

- V

[PF1]

The versioning model doesn't support access resolution beyond {NO_ACCESS, READ_ONLY, READ_WRITE}. This is a design feature.  You could not circumvent it with 'sdetable -o grant'
previously either (if all the  required permissions weren't present for all tables, then the entire
feature class [or feature dataset] had  the next lowest access, if any).

At 10.2, if you have simple feature classes (non-versioned tables, not registered with the
geodatabase), you can use Catalog to right-click Manage... Privileges..., and it will offer the
traditional four checkboxes (SELECT, INSERT, UPDATE, DELETE) by user.

So it seems as if your request is either impossible or already available.  Do you have access to
10.2 to see if this meets your requirements?

- V

Hi Vince,

We have a lot of backend processing and scripts which update data.  Much of the data is not registered as versioned, but is registered with the GDB.  So we frequently grant just 'update' to many accounts to necessary feature classes or tables. 

I have seen those check boxes you refer to but have not tried them yet.  Unfortunatly though those would not be script-able with python so thier use is limited for ad hoc purposes that are hard to track and baseline changes. 

That was new news to me though regarding the 'design feature' with versioned datasets.  It seams many of the traditional database capabilities are truly limited when using SDE versioning and I try to stay away from it as much as possible.  Something as simple as a unique constraint on a primary key field is a prime example...

Appreciate the feedback!  Thanks!

Regards,
Patrick

[JoshuaBixby]

I wasn't sure whether to post the following comments here or over in the Blogs, so I erred on doing both.

I don't mean to be contrary, but I just can't get excited about replacing one suite of simple, script-able tools with an assortment of scattered and mostly GUI-driven tools.  For example, how is replacing several of the sdemon commands (-o info -I users/locks, -o pause/resume, -o kill) with tabs in ArcCatalog a step forward?  I realize the tabs in ArcCatalog are going to be convenient for the casual SDE administrator, and I think providing them brings some value, but providing them as the exclusive means to manage geodatabases is a step backwards.

I am not necessarily advocating for keeping the command line binaries around, I just think nearly all of the functionality should exist through non-GUI means in one form or another.  If Esri wants to migrate away from command line binaries to ArcPy/Python; great, I will work with that.  I just can't work with managing thousands of users scattered across hundreds of geodatabases using tabs in ArcCatalog or some other GUI-only option.

[RL]

I have an interesting observation and wanted to share with you guys and see if you experience the same thing.

I am on ArcSDE 10.2, with Oracle 11.2.0.2.0, OS is RHEL6.1.  I was excited that using ArcGIS for Desktop there is an option to create a database view. So I followed the steps listed here
http://resources.arcgis.com/en/help/main/10.2/index.html#/Create_a_database_view_in_ArcGIS_for_Deskt...

and created a simple database view of one of my SDE feature layers.

I also created a similar view using SDE command line tool like I used to do in 10.0 and before.  Both methods created the views. However, I discovered that in the view created using the desktop tool, the objectID field data type is Long Integer, whereas the view created by the "traditional" SDE command line tool is ObjectID data type.

There are some advantages of having it as the "object ID" data type, especially using the view in ArcGIS services, etc.

I wonder if anybody else notice this?  Is this "long integer" thing a bug? or is it by design choice?  I hope to see some documentation about this, but haven't find any. I am very interested hearing how you guys think about this....
Thanks
Rong

[LukeBehling]

Hello Rong,

Have you found away around this problem. It now appears that I cannot export from my spatial views since the OBJECTID field is seen as Long Integer? I've tried altering the view in SQL to no avail and am now stuck.

Thanks

[DanMcCoy]

See discussion here for more info:

https://community.esri.com/ideas/8897#comment-42312 

[CarmenDurham]

The blog here was very helpful:
http://blogs.esri.com/esri/supportcenter/2013/10/04/do-this-not-that-alternatives-to-using-sde-comma...
but I found what I really needed way down in the comments/questions from others.

Please consider compiling an all-inclusive document that provides all the alternatives to using the sde command line tools as a reference.  There are a lot of SDE admins who are very much "part time database admins" who probably don't get to read all about the changes until we are forced to (like upgrading to 10.1 "SDE", SQL 2012,  and trying not to install SDE executables).  Trying to search through the Online Help seems to make me bounce around to different locations and therefore more confused. I don't think I am alone.

I really, really miss the "ArcSDE Configuration and Tuning Guide for SQL Server" .pdfs that used to be created like this:
http://downloads2.esri.com/support/documentation/sde_/1009ArcSDE_Config_GD_SQLServer.pdf

I do like the GUI options for basic admin tasks - I will be able to hand over some of these tasks to others.

I found the following UC videos helpful even though I had seen the equivalent of these in older versions!:

Geodatabase Admin - Intro (helpful for seeing where new tools are located even if topic isn't new):
http://video.esri.com/watch/2735/geodatabase-administration-an-introduction

ADministering SQL SErver Geodatabase  (notice it says nothing SDE - but is) - Shannon S. seems to always answer my questions.
http://video.esri.com/watch/2616/administering-your-microsoft-sql-server-geodatabase

Thanks,
Carmen

[JoshuaBixby]

For example, how is replacing several of the sdemon commands (-o info -I users/locks, -o pause/resume, -o kill) with tabs in ArcCatalog a step forward?

I have to eat one of my earlier statements.  I have since learned that ArcPy now supports AcceptConnections, DisconnectUser, and ListUsers as of ArcGIS 10.1.  The sdemon functionality for listing locks and stats still appears to be missing.


As an FYI, there is another related enhancement request someone referenced on the ArcGIS Ideas site:
NIM095119 - SDEMON:Create geoprocessing tools or arcpy functions for operations performed when using the 'sdemon' command.