Connecting to the default version of a dbo-schema geodatabase from ArcGIS Desktop

Unless otherwise specified, connections to an ArcSDE geodatabase from ArcGIS Desktop are made to the sde.DEFAULT version. Therefore, when you connect to a geodatabase stored in the dbo schema, you must manually change the version to which you are connecting. You can change to either the default version, dbo.DEFAULT, or another transactional or historical version.

Steps:

1. Start ArcMap, open the Catalog window, then double-click the Database Connections folder in the Catalog tree.
2. Follow the instructions in either Making a direct connection from ArcGIS Desktop to a geodatabase in SQL Server or Making an ArcSDE service connection from ArcCatalog to a geodatabase in SQL Server to make a connection to the geodatabase. However, do not close the Spatial Database Connection dialog box.
3. Click Change in the Connection details section of the Spatial Database Connection dialog box.
4. Click the dbo.DEFAULT transactional version on the Connection Details dialog box.
5. Click OK to close the Connection Details dialog box.
6. Be sure that Save the transactional version name with the connection file is checked.
   Note:

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

7. Click OK.
8. Type a new name for the database connection.
9. Press ENTER.