Importing a replica schema

This topic applies to ArcGIS for Desktop Standard and ArcGIS for Desktop Advanced only.

You've generated a schema changes XML file with the Compare Replica Schema command, and now you'd like to apply these changes to the relative replica. The Import Replica Schema command lists schema differences contained in the schema changes XML file and allows you to choose which ones to import.

The second panel of the Import Replica Schema wizard reports the schema changes in the following columns:

• Apply—The check box along the left side allows you to choose whether or not you want to apply the changes.
• Data—The data where schema differences were detected.
• Change—The type of schema change to be applied to match the relative replica, for example, if the delta file had one more field than the replica, it would list the change as Add Field.
• Details—The actual schema to be changed, for example, the name of the field to be added or deleted.

One row is listed per schema difference. For example, if two new fields were added to the same table, this table is listed two times. This list is also sortable, so you can quickly separate the adds from the deletes.

The default is to perform a union of the schema changes between the two replicas. This means that by default, delete operations are checked off, and add operations are checked on. This way, performing a default schema synchronization will not result in a loss of data.

Schema changes can be listed in two different ways:

Optional—Optional schema changes appear with the apply check box checked. You can decide whether or not to apply the change.

Can't Apply—Schema changes that can't be applied are listed with the apply check box unchecked and unavailable. The purpose of listing the schema change is to alert you to the difference. An example is a case where the replica importing the schema has deleted a topology that still exists on the relative. This is a valid schema difference, but since rebuilding a topology requires unversioning the data, it can't be applied.

Some changes can be applied to individual replica geodatabases but have no effect on data synchronization. For example, adding or removing an attribute index is not detected or even synchronized during schema synchronization. A replica may have indexes that the relative replica doesn't have, but since data synchronization is not affected, this difference is ignored.

How to import a replica schema

Steps:

1. There are two ways to access the Import Replica Schema command.
   • In the Catalog tree, right-click your geodatabase connection, point to Distributed Geodatabases, and click Import Replica Schema. Right-click geodata services published through ArcGIS for Server to access remote geodatabases.
   • In ArcMap, click the Import Replica Schema button on the Distributed Geodatabases toolbar. Remote geodatabases are accessed in ArcMap through map services that have the geodata access capability enabled.
2. Browse for the replica schema changes file.
3. Use the combo box to select the replica schema to import and click Next.
4. The second dialog box lists the differences between the two schemas. Check the check boxes under the Apply column for the changes you want to apply to the replica schema.
5. Click Finish.