ArcFM Solution Object Converter

The ArcFM Solution Object Converter allows you to convert objects, feature classes, feature datasets, or geodatabases to use ArcFM (or Designer) custom geo-objects or revert to Esri objects. The Object Converter button is enabled when one or more objects are selected.

When running the Object Converter, the user connecting to the database in ArcCatalog must choose a version that he or she has edit privileges on. This is necessary because these tools start an edit session before they make changes to the database. That way, the user can cancel at any time and changes to the database will be rolled back. Although it's not required, we recommend that the user log in as the owner of the data. This is because when the user converts to Designer objects, the tool creates a new dataset and feature classes and adds Designer-specific fields to existing features.

When converting to Designer objects, the option to cancel the conversion does not roll back changes already made to tables; tables must be manually updated to restore their original state.

When converting to Designer objects, several Designer-specific fields are added to each feature and object class. You may wish to omit certain classes (e.g., MMSystemTables) from this type of conversion. The NONDESIGNEROBJECT model name allows you to do this. Assign the NONDESIGNEROBJECT model name to any feature or object class you wish to omit when converting to Designer objects using the ArcFM Solution Object Converter.

If a feature class has a custom extension, it will NOT be converted. The custom class extension must be removed before the feature may be converted. Lasso and Map Inset feature classes are also omitted from conversion.

Extended Data: All Designer Extended Data tables must be Esri objects. Do not convert these to ArcFM objects.

Work Functions: When you convert to Designer objects, all Work Function field values are automatically set to NULL. You may use the Mass Attribute Update tool to set this value to 0 if your GIS doesn't support NULL values.

Select the objects, feature classes, feature datasets, or geodatabases to be converted.

On the ArcFM Solution toolbar, select the ArcFM Solution Object Converter button. You may press the Esc key to dismiss the Object Converter dialog.
Select the format to which you want to convert the object(s) or geodatabase.
Click OK.
If the object has already been converted to your selected format, a screen indicating this will appear. Click OK.
If the object has not already been converted, a confirmation screen displays. click Yes if you want to continue the conversion.

A status bar will indicate the progress of the conversion. You may click Esc to cancel the object conversion.
A confirmation screen displays when the object has been successfully converted. Click OK.

Changing the GUIDs of objects is significant. Objects converted with this tool are only viewable with ArcFM Solution products. A free program called ArcFM Solution Object Reader is available from Telvent Support to view converted objects on machines where ArcFM Solution products are not installed.