Quick Tips for Esri Frequently Asked Questions

Does FME support the Geodatabase or ArcSDE formats?

Yes - FME supports Esri File and Enterprise (ArcSDE) Geodatabases. Please see Tutorial: Getting Started with Geodatabase and Geodatabase Transformations to get started.
 

I have installed FME Form, but the Esri formats are greyed out. Why?

Do you have ArcGIS installed and licensed? See Using ArcGIS Pro with FME Form

If using an older version of FME (2021 and prior), check the banner in the bottom bar of FME Workbench. Have you installed 32-bit or 64-bit FME? Or go to Help > About on the toolbar and check if you have installed 32-bit or 64-bit FME. See this troubleshooting article for more details. 
 

How do I connect to an Esri Enterprise Geodatabase (ArcSDE) from FME?

Please see How to Create and Manage Esri Geodatabase (ArcSDE) Connections in FME.

Can I use FME on Linux to access my Geodatabase?

To read a File Geodatabase you can use the FME File Geodatabase Open (API) format. This format is available on Linux. In order to modify your Geodatabase, however, FME needs to access a licensed ArcGIS product on the Microsoft Windows platform. So you need an FME Windows installation. It is possible to access an Esri Geodatabase hosted on a Linux machine from an FME Windows installation. 

Can I use the FME Form with a 32-bit Esri product, like ArcFM or ArcGIS Desktop?

Please see Notes on FME and Esri Versions and Compatibility. You will need to upgrade your Esri software or use the last available version of FME that supports 32-bit Esri products, which is FME 2021. Please note that Safe Software does not offer support for versions of FME older than three years after their public release date. Please see our Support Policy. 

Do you support SDE30?

SDE30 is a legacy format and we recommend that you install ArcGIS and use the Esri Geodatabase ArcSDE format. For more details please refer to Esri Legacy ArcSDE (SDE30) Deprecation