FME Error when writing to relationship class in ArcSDE Geodatabase writer type

Question

I'm working in the FME workbench through ESRI Data Interoperability extension (ArcGIS 10.4.1). I'm writing to an SDE geodatabase with relationship classes established. When attempting to setup the relationship between a table data stream and feature classes in FME, I get the following error:

"Unexpected execution path. Please contact Safe Software GeodatabaseRelationshipFeaturesPipeline::GeodatabaseRelationshipFeatures(SortFactory): A fatal error has occurred. Check the logfile above for details. Some error has occurred closing the pipeline factory, see previous warning None of the edits made during the edit session were saved."

I'm fairly certain that I have all feature type parameters set correctly to write feature relationships from the source fgdb fc's and sql server non-spatial table data to the destination relationship class. The relationship specific attributes set include:

-geodb_feature_has_relationships = Yes
-geodb_oid - set on each dataset from counter transformers
-geodb_type - set to geodb_relationship
-geodb_rel_origin_oid - renamed from fc geodb_oid
-geodb_rel_destination_oid - renamed from table data geodb_oid

A feature merger transformer was used to build relationship (O:M), then the merged output port was connected to the relationship class writer.

The translation was working prior to setting up the relationship (when connecting the source fc data streams to the writer polygon fc, and the source non-spatial table data stream to the writer table. Now the translation fails even after disabling the relationship workflow portion of the workspace. The same error is thrown every time.

Answer 1

I investigated this, and the only instance I can see of this error message occurs when there is an unrelated relationship class and a table/feature class in a Geodatabase with the same name. This is permitted in a geodatabase, but the FME reader/writer doesn't seem to like that scenario.

I imagine that the problem still occurs, even though you have disabled that part of the workspace, because the relationship class still exists.

I suspect that if you deleted the relationship class, then the original workspace would function correctly again.

Alternatively, you could rename either the relationship class or the feature class, to give them different names. Then the full relationship should work properly.

If you find this is the case, please do report it to the support team, quoting PR#37873. That way you'll be informed when the issue is fixed. If not, I would still contact the support team anyway, because it's unlikely to get a satisfactory answer without development assistance.