ArcGIS Pro Data Design Field Alias From Contents or Catalog Not the Same

Question

Using 2.9.3.  I set up field alias names from the Contents pane through Data Design/Fields  When I look at the same layer in the Catalog pane and go to Data Design/Fields, the aliases are blank.

When I first open the Field design from the Contents pane and then open it via the Catalog pane, the selected tab stays the same but the contents of the tab changes.

Shouldn't the contents of the view be the same and the aliases entered appear in both?

Via the Contents Pane

Via the Catalog pane

SSWoodward · Answer

A layer and a feature class are two distinct concepts.  A layer is a reference to a feature class.  Layers in a map are configured independently of the data that they reference.  These two concepts are intentionally disconnected since the data source can be used in many maps and projects simultaneously.  If layer settings propagated to the data source, or vice versa, it would not be possible to use a single dataset in multiple maps or layers, without the configurations changing in all maps, every time someone made an edit to their individual maps.

If you are looking to edit the schema of the data itself, you can either open the fields view from the data source in the catalog, or, if you prefer entering the fields view through the layer in the TOC, you can configure the data source by selecting 'Data Source' in the 'Current Layer' drop down.

Bud · Answer

For future reference, your related post: Warn user when configuring fields via layer list

AllenDailey1 · Answer

I am running into this situation in Pro 3.0.3.  Super confusing.  It would seem that you can configure fields, via the layer list, separately from the source feature class in a file geodatabase.  I have been using Pro for a long time but didn't know that this happens.  I need the source data to have my field configurations, so now I have to re-do a lot of work.  I am really unhappy with this.  It would help if Esri displayed a message when you go to configure fields via the layer list, saying that these configurations will not be made to the source data.  Very frustrating.