ESRI Geodatabase Read/Write

[KHoward]

As of Version 10.6, Alteryx supports connecting to ESRI File GeoDatabases from the input tool but it doesnt support writing to a geodatabase.  This is something we would really like to see implemented in a future version of Alteryx.  Those of us working with ESRI products and/or any of the ESRI online mapping systems can do our processing in Alteryx and store large files as YXDBs, but ultimately need our outputs for display in ArcOnline to be in shapefile or geodatabase feature class format. Shapefile have a size limit of 2 GBs and limitation on field name sizes. Many of the files we are working with are much larger than this and require geodatabases for storage which are not limited by size (GDB size is unlimited, 1 TB max per feature class) and have larger field name widths (160 chars).  Right now, we have to write to one (or many) shapefile(s) from Alteryx, then import them into a GDB using ArcMap or ArcPy.  This can be an arduous process when working with large amounts of data or multiple files.

The latest ESRI API allows both read and write access to GDBs -- is there a way we can add this to the list of valid output formats in Alteryx?

This idea is an extension of an older idea:

https://community.alteryx.com/t5/Alteryx-Product-Ideas/ESRI-File-Geodatabase/idi-p/1424

[_richardr]

I would like to have the option to output to ESRI File Geodatabase format.  Any chance this will ever happen?

[LauraS]

When we implemented the ability to read an ESRI file Geodatabase their API only supported the Read functionality and not write.   We will do some digging and see if anything has changed in their API and will consider it for a future release.  This definitely not the first time we have had the request, thanks for your feedback.

[gregory_w_jones]

Any update on the addition of this functionality?  Being able to write to File Geodatabases would really streamline our workflows.

[stevenm]

 We would also very much appreciate the ability to be able to output data as a feature class within a File Geodatabase.  We already realize you can export to a Personal Geodatabase, but all of our analyses are done within a File Geodatabase, and we don't want to be restricted by the 2gb limit of a personal geodatabase.

[alterfish]

File Geodatabases are the preferred ESRI geodatabase format and have become the defacto GIS industry standard. Forcing us to use the nearly obsolete personal geodatabase and its inherent limitations forces us to keep one foot in the past.

Thank you for considering this enhancement.

[StephenR]

Please add this support to Alteryx.  Currently I am running an arcpy script with the Run Command tool to perform this function.  I believe export is supported by the latest API.

[StephenR]

This is very much needed.  The geodatabase is the new standard data storage type for Esri and it has significant advantages over shapefiles.

[StephenR]

Here is the link to the ArcGIS 10.0 API for File Geodatabases introductory seminar from the Esri Developers Summit 2015.  The API does support creating file geodatabases.  This is something that we really need to have implemented within Alteryx.

[simon]

I think this is low on their prio list. I asked for this 3 years ago!

[StephenR]

Yeah, we're hoping to just keep adding the drops in the bucket.  I think several people have asked over the years and Alteryx is just using an old API.  I had trouble reading gdb's in the v11 beta, so I'm hoping that means they will have to update to the latest Esri API and will take some initiative on the output as well as the input.