Connecting to a specific geodatabase version

There are several reasons you would create a connection to a specific version of a geodatabase.

• You are connecting to a geodatabase in a user's schema in Oracle.
• You are connecting to a geodatabase in the dbo schema in SQL Server.
• You frequently edit the same geodatabase version.
• You frequently view or compare data with a specific historical version of the geodatabase.

By default, the Spatial Database Connection Properties dialog box in the Catalog window connects to the sde.DEFAULT version. To connect to a different version, follow these steps:

Steps:

1. Start ArcMap, open the Catalog window, then double-click the Database Connections folder in the Catalog tree.
2. Follow the instructions in one of the following topics to make a connection to the geodatabase. Test the connection, but do not close the Spatial Database Connection Properties dialog box.

Making a direct connection from ArcGIS Desktop to a geodatabase in DB2

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

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

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

Making a direct connection from ArcGIS Desktop to a geodatabase in SQL Server

Making an ArcSDE service connection from ArcGIS Dekstop to a geodatabase in DB2

Making an ArcSDE service connection from ArcGIS Desktop to a geodatabase in Informix

Making an ArcSDE service connection from ArcGIS Desktop to a geodatabase in Oracle

Making an ArcSDE service connection from ArcGIS Desktop to a geodatabase in PostgreSQL

Making an ArcSDE service connection from ArcGIS Desktop to a geodatabase in SQL Server

3. Click Change in the Connection details section of the Spatial Database Connection Properties dialog box.

   This opens the Connection Details dialog box.

4. Click the version to which you want to save a connection. This can be a transactional version or a historical version. Note that the default version for geodatabases stored in user schemata in Oracle (<user_schema>.DEFAULT) and the default version for dbo-schema geodatabases in SQL Server (dbo.DEFAULT) are also transactional.
5. For transactional versions, click This connection refers to a transactional version, and choose a version from the list.
6. For a historical version, click This connection refers to a historical version, and click either Connect using a historical marker or Connect using a specific date and time. For each of these options, specify the historical marker or date and time you want to use.
7. Click OK to close the Connection Details dialog box.
8. If you do not want to connect to this version of the database each time you start ArcGIS Desktop, uncheck Save the <transactional or historical> version name with the connection file.
Note:

If you uncheck Save the version name with the connection file, the next time you connect to the geodatabase through ArcCatalog or ArcMap using this connection file, you must choose the desired version.

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