How do I connect to a database without ArcSDE?

Direct Connect

ArcGIS 8.1 users can connect to and use spatial data directly in an Oracle 8i or Microsoft SQL Server database without having to use an ArcSDE application server.  This method of connecting directly to your spatial database without using an ArcSDE application server is called "direct connect".

The choices between using an application server (ArcSDE) or using direct connect to access spatial data residing in an Oracle or SQL Server database are discussed in Chapter 4 of the Understanding ArcSDE book.

An ArcSdeServer license is needed to make a read/write connection.  Direct Connect will not check out a license, it merely verifies that a license is available.   If no ArcSdeServer license is available, the connection is read only.

Requirements to obtain read and write access to the database:

  1. A license manager must exist that contains an ArcSDE feature.  This license manager can contain both ArcGIS features and ArcSDE features or it may contain only ArcSDE features.

  2. You must create and set an ESRI_ARCSDE_LICENSE_FILE variable to point to this license manager: @server (where server is the license manager with the ArcSDE feature).

Can I use the ESRI_LICENSE_FILE environment variable?
 

Yes, but if you use the ESRI_LICENSE_FILE variable instead of the ESRI_ARCSDE_LICENSE_FILE variable for direct connect, the ESRI_LICENSE_FILE server will dictate which license manager you are using for ALL your ArcGIS applications.  This variable setting will override the license manager chosen during installation, and the license manager set in the Desktop Administrator.

Make sure you have the necessary ArcGIS features on this server if you choose to use the ESRI_LICENSE_FILE variable.

The ArcGIS applications (ArcMap, ArcCatalog, ArcGIS extensions) are not affected by the ESRI_ARCSDE_LICENSE_FILE variable.  The license manager in the ESRI_ARCSDE_LICENSE_FILE variable can be different than the license manager specified during installation or specified in the Desktop Administrator.  The ArcGIS applications will continue to use the license manager you specified during your ArcGIS installation and to change your license manager in the ArcGIS Desktop Administrator.

For Direct Connect requirements and information, please refer to the 'Connecting to a database without ArcSDE' section in the ArcGIS installation guide (install.htm) located on your ArcGIS CD.