Synchronize Mobile Cache

[PeterSmith3]

Hi, I've created a mobile cache in Desktop 10.1 and copied it onto a SD card and placed it in a tablet.

I've use Mobile Project Center to create a project and successfully created some new point data in the field.

I can see these new points on the project on the tablet.

However, when I try to synchronize the mobile cache back to the original .mxd, no data is uploaded. I get a 'green tick' to show that the operation has been successful. But I'm obviously going wrong somewhere.

If I open Mobile Project Center on my PC, I can see the point data. But I can't see where I'm going wrong.

Can anybody give me some help or advice please?

[KennethMack]

In the ArcMap doc, does the attribute table have the new points?

[PeterSmith3]

In the ArcMap doc, does the attribute table have the new points?

No, I can see them in the Map Cache File. But, even though I get the 'green tick' when I Sychronize the Map Cache, nothing gets uploaded into the attribute table in the ArcMap doc.

[AkhilParujanwala]

Here are my findings, just some food for thought.

1) Not registering the feature class or feature dataset as versioned.
When data is synchronized to the server, the data will appear in the business table.
But this mean you can't use ArcMap to edit the data. Use must register the data as versioned.
When I look at the attribute table in ArcMap I do see the data.
When I use SQL Management Studio, I do see the data also.

2) Registering the feature class or feature dataset as versioned, without moving edits to base.
When data is synchronized to the server, the data will not appear in the business table.
You can use ArcMap to edit the data.
When I look at the attribute table in ArcMap I do see the data.
When I use SQL Management Studio, I don't see the data in the business table. Instead the data is present in the delta tables and it would need to be compressed or reconciled. (Not entirely sure, I have read the documentation).

3) Registering the feature class or feature dataset as versione, with moving edits to base.
When data is synchronized to the server, the data will appear in the business table.
Synchronization takes much longer.
When I look at the attribute table in ArcMap, I do see the data.
When I use SQL Management Studio, I see the data in the business table.

In all of my cases, the data does show in the attribute table.
I do not use ArcMap to perform the synchronization, each of my computers (tablets, laptops, desktops) have code in the Mobile Application to perform a synchronization wireless or wired. I have not tried synchronization using ArcMap in over 1.5 years. Maybe there is a bug? Can you try synchronization through your Mobile App?

[KennethMack]

AkhilP, your post is interesting, because here is what I found: 

I added some points and attributes to a new operational layer in Mobile; when I synchronized back using ArcMap Desktop, I did get all the data.  So far so good.

I disconnected and added some more points in the Mobile app.  Meanwhile, I also added a point on the desktop, and edited an attribute of an existing point.  Then I synched, with both Upload and Download options checked in the tool.

Result: I disconnected and when I opened Mobile, the point I added on the Desktop was NOT in the mobile.  However, the edited attribute WAS changed.

I repeated this, just adding another point in desktop and changing another attribute, and the same thing resulted.  Edited attribute was visible in Mobile, but not the new point.

Reading your post, perhaps I need to register the gdb as versioned?  It is just a file gdb.

[KennethMack]

Following up on my previous post above, I found this in the help for the synchronize cache gp tool:

Usage

• This tool synchronizes a mobile cache and its associated attachments (if available) with its data source via a map document; this map document is the one that the mobile cache is extracted from. When the tool synchronizes changes between a mobile cache and the map document, this tool checks if the map document has the same schema as the mobile cache by comparing their checksums. The checksum is calculated based on the schema of the selected map layers' data source. If the schema has changed, you will not be able to synchronize changes.


• By default, the extent to upload or download changes is based on the map document's full extent.


• Only vector layers based on geodatabase data sources (file-based and enterprise) can be synchronized between the mobile cache and its data source. By default, all layers will be examined, and all edits will be checked in.


• If the data source is a versioned geodatabase, this tool first uploads edits from the mobile cache to its data source, removes the mobile cache, then re-creates the mobile cache for the specified version.

Note the last bullet point.  This leads me to believe that if you don't use a versioned database, you may have to upload (check in) synchonizations only, then manually create a new mobile cache.  Just synching it, and checking download as well as upload, will not do the trick.

Maybe this should be reported as a bug, to get solved?

[AkhilParujanwala]

I use a SQL Server for my Geodatabase.
I don't believe a file geodatabase is able to register featureclasses as versioned, you may want to check that.

I was also considering to use a File GDB, but opted not to since, I would have to re-code a lot.

I am currently using a non registered as versioned dataset, meaning I can't modify the data using ArcMap. This may pose a problem in the future for me. So I am going look into ways of Registering a feature dataset as versioned on the fly, and then unregistering on the fly, using ArcObjects. But this will be in a few months, since I know we want to edits points in ArcMap but be able to synchronize with ArcGIS mobile without issues. I am trying to find a happy balance for my applications.

Good luck!

[AdamCottrell · Accepted solution]

I use a SQL Server for my Geodatabase.
I don't believe a file geodatabase is able to register featureclasses as versioned, you may want to check that.

I was also considering to use a File GDB, but opted not to since, I would have to re-code a lot.

I am currently using a non registered as versioned dataset, meaning I can't modify the data using ArcMap. This may pose a problem in the future for me. So I am going look into ways of Registering a feature dataset as versioned on the fly, and then unregistering on the fly, using ArcObjects. But this will be in a few months, since I know we want to edits points in ArcMap but be able to synchronize with ArcGIS mobile without issues. I am trying to find a happy balance for my applications.

Good luck!

You should still be able to edit in ArcMap with data that is not registered as version.  The draw back is that you will not be able to undo or redo.  If you open the Editor's Toolbar option, you will see a versioning tab.  You can uncheck "Edits a version of the database with the ability to undo and redo."  Then you will be able to start an edit session and modify the data in your SDE database.

I hope this helps.

[AkhilParujanwala]

Wow, I had no idea about that. Thanks ABCottrell!
I can finally edit my non versioned data.

[NickDeMerchant]

Hi folks,

I have a unique problem (i think) that has to do with synchronizing.... First off, I am using the latest ArcGIS mobile 3.1 with an enterprise geodatabase 9.3 in SQL.  I am also using ArcGIS server 10.  The data is versioned with globalID's.  here's my issue:

I have 4 different services that are slightly different however for the most part, the feature classes exist within all 4 services.  I havecreated 4 seperate ArcGIS mobile projects through project center.  What I am finding is when I collect data in one project, I am able to sync this data no problem back to the database and can see it fine within the service and mxd.  The problem I am having is when Iopen up another project, re-sync all of the data layers, at times, features are not showing up even though I just sync'd them and they exist in the database.  Even when I look at the service used in project 2 (second project opened), the data appears to be there.  It's just not viewable from ArcGIS mobile. 

It's a strange one but very important to us as our users need to be able to go between projects and expect the data to be there on their mobile devices.

Has anyone have any ideas?

Thanks for any help on this,

Nick