Making a direct connection from ArcGIS Desktop to a geodatabase in PostgreSQL

You have the option to use a direct connection from ArcGIS Desktop to your ArcSDE geodatabase. Perform the following steps to set up a direct connection from ArcGIS Desktop.

Steps:

1. Expand the Database Connections folder in the Catalog tree. This can be accessed in one of two ways:
   • Start ArcMap, ArcScene, or ArcGlobe, open the Catalog window, then double-click the Database Connections folder in the Catalog tree.
   • Start ArcCatalog and double-click the Database Connections folder in the Catalog tree.
2. Double-click Add Spatial Database Connection.

   This opens the Spatial Database Connection dialog box.

3. In the Server text box, type the name of the server on which the PostgreSQL database resides.
4. Type sde:postgresql:<name of the server> in the Service text box. If you are making a direct connection to a local PostgreSQL database, type sde:postgresql:localhost.
   Tip:

   You can provide environment variables as part of this connection string. Variables are appended to the connection string and separated by semicolons.

   For example, if you want to specify the port through which PostgreSQL is communicating and the location of SDEHOME, which in the case of direct connections is the client installation directory, you could type sde:postgresql;PGPORT=99999;SDEHOME=c:\Program Files\ArcGIS\Desktop.

5. In the Database name field, type the name of the database to which you want to connect.
6. If using database authentication, type your user name and password.
7. Uncheck Save username and password if you do not want your login information saved with the connection.
8. If using operating system authentication, click the Operating system authentication button.
   The database authentication information becomes unavailable.
9. Click Test Connection.

   If the test is successful, the button becomes unavailable. If the test fails, you cannot access data in the geodatabase until you provide the correct information or the database problem has been resolved.

10. Click OK.
11. Type a new name for the spatial database connection.
12. Press ENTER.

Note:

If there is an existing connection to an ArcSDE geodatabase in the ArcGIS Desktop instance, any subsequent connections matching the original server, instance, and authentication mode properties will use the original connection properties. This means that if you connect to the same ArcSDE geodatabase with a connection file that does not save user name and password or version and there is already a connection to the same ArcSDE geodatabase server and instance that does save the user name and password or version, you will not be prompted to fill in the missing properties; the properties from the original connection with the saved login or version will be used.