Working with ArcSDE data

In this topic

ArcSDE data connections

Working with ArcSDE data requires a connection to an ArcSDE database. In geoprocessing, you can use either a stored ArcSDE connection file or a property set to make the connection.

Creating a connection file

The two ways to create a connection file are as follows:
  • Use the Spatial Database Connection wizard from the Database Connections node in the Catalog tree. Follow the instruction in Adding a database server to ArcGIS Desktop to make a direct connection.
  • Use the Create ArcSDE Connection File (in Data Management toolbox) tool .
In both cases, a file with a .sde extension is created.

Using the Create ArcSDE Connection File tool

You can use the Create ArcSDE Connection File tool in the Data Management toolbox to create a .sde file on disk. The following code example shows how to create the file:
[C#] 
public void createSDEConnectionFile(IGeoProcessor2 gp)
{
    IVariantArray parameters = new VarArrayClass();
    parameters.Add(@"C:\temp");
    parameters.Add("flames.sde");
    parameters.Add("wilma4");
    parameters.Add("5940");
    parameters.Add("vtest");
    parameters.Add("true");
    parameters.Add("toolbox");
    parameters.Add("toolbox");
    parameters.Add("true");
    parameters.Add("sde.DEFAULT");

    IGeoProcessorResult result = null;

    try
    {
        result = (IGeoProcessorResult)gp.Execute(
            "CreateArcSDEConnectionFile_management", parameters, null);
        string conn_file = result.GetOutput(0).GetAsText();
        // Use the connection file for further geoprocessing.
        // ...
    }
    catch (Exception ex)
    {
        // Print exception and error messages.
    }
}
[VB.NET] 
Public Sub createSDEConnectionFile(IGeoProcessor2 gp)
    
    Dim parameters As IVariantArray = New VarArray
    parameters.Add("C:\temp");
    parameters.Add("flames.sde");
    parameters.Add("wilma4");
    parameters.Add("5940");
    parameters.Add("vtest");
    parameters.Add("true");
    parameters.Add("toolbox");
    parameters.Add("toolbox");
    parameters.Add("true");
    parameters.Add("sde.DEFAULT");
    
    Dim result As IGeoProcessorResult2 = Nothing
    
    Try
    result = (IGeoProcessorResult)gp.Execute("CreateArcSDEConnectionFile_management", parameters, null);
    Dim conn_file As String = result.GetOutput(0).GetAsText();
    ' Use the connection file for further geoprocessing.
    ' ...
    Catch(ex As Exception)
    ' Print exception and error messages.
    End Try
    
End Sub

Using a connection file

Once you have created a connection file, the catalog path to the .sde file is used as the workspace in geoprocessing. See the following code example:
[C#] 
public void SDEConnectionFile(IGeoProcessor2 gp)
{
    gp.SetEnvironmentValue("workspace", @"C:\St_Johns");
    IGpEnumList fcs = gp.ListFeatureClasses("*", "", "");

    // Set the workspace to SDE for ValidateTableName.
    gp.ResetEnvironments();
    string wks = @"Database Connections\Bluestar.sde";
    gp.SetEnvironmentValue("workspace", wks);

    string fc = fcs.Next();
    string outfc = "";
    IVariantArray parameters = new VarArrayClass();

    while (fc != "")
    {
        // Validate the output name.
        outfc = gp.ValidateTableName(fc, wks);

        // Copy the features from D:/St_Johns to the SDE workspace.
        parameters.Add(fc);
        parameters.Add(outfc);
        gp.Execute("CopyFeatures_management", parameters, null);
        fc = fcs.Next();
    }
}
[VB.NET] 
Public Sub SDEConnectionFile(ByVal gp As IGeoProcessor2)
    
    gp.SetEnvironmentValue("workspace", "D:\St_Johns")
    Dim fcs As IGpEnumList = gp.ListFeatureClasses("*", "", "")
    
    ' Set the workspace to SDE for ValidateTableName.
    gp.ResetEnvironments()
    Dim wks As String = "Database Connections\Bluestar.sde"
    gp.SetEnvironmentValue("workspace", wks)
    
    Dim fc As String = fcs.Next
    Dim outfc As String = ""
    Dim parameters As IVariantArray = New VarArray
    
    While Not fc Is ""
        
        ' Validate the output name.
        outfc = gp.ValidateTableName(fc, wks)
        
        ' Copy the feature classes from D:/St_Johns to the SDE workspace.
        parameters.Add(fc)
        parameters.Add(outfc)
        gp.Execute("CopyFeatures_management", parameters, Nothing)
        
        fc = fcs.Next
        
    End While
    
End Sub
Whether you use the Desktop Wizard or the geoprocessing tool to create the connection file you have to use the stored *.sde file.


See Also:

Geoprocessing considerations for ArcSDE data
Connecting to a geodatabase



To use the code in this topic, reference the following assemblies in your Visual Studio project. In the code files, you will need using (C#) or Imports (VB .NET) directives for the corresponding namespaces (given in parenthesis below if different from the assembly name):