What are the best practices to remove true curves from a geodatabase feature class?

Answer

True or parametric curves are created when editing geodatabase feature classes with certain geoprocessing tools such as Buffer, Clip and Union. Once the true curves are in the geodatabase, they only display and act as true curves in ArcGIS clients that support true curves, and not in non-ArcGIS clients such as ArcIMS. Working on a geodatabase feature class in unsupported clients can result in discrepancies, such as causing errors when creating a topology, or failing to export the feature class containing the true curves.

The following are some best practices to remove true curves from a geodatabase feature class before using it in workflows that do not require them.

• Use the Densify tool
  The Densify tool adds vertices along line or polygon features and replaces the curve segments of true curves with line segments. Refer to ArcMap: Densify for more information.
• Export to a shapefile
  True curves are not supported on shapefiles. If a geodatabase feature class containing true curves is exported to a shapefile, the curved features are transformed to simple line features with vertices to capture the curved shape. Refer to How To: Export true curves from a geodatabase to a shapefile for more information.
• Export to a FeatureSet or JSON
  Starting with ArcGIS REST API 10.3, polylines and polygons with true curves are supported as curve objects in tools that uses the ArcGIS REST API such as FeatureSet. Refer to ArcMap: Working with feature sets and record sets for more information.