Create Database Connections in a folder with ArcGIS Pro

Question

Mind you we are using an older version of Pro (2.9.3 currently) so I am not sure if this has been improved upon, but I doubt it since I could not find any other mention of this in the Community.

With ArcCatalog you can browse to a folder and create and new database connection there. With ArcGIS Pro that is not an option. I can create File Geodatabases or Mobile Geodatabases, but there is not a new Database Connection option like there is in good old ArcCatalog. Instead I have to create a connection in my Project then copy it to this location I want. That is more steps and I don't know why this was never implemented in ArcGIS Pro but I think this is a justifiable ask to add this to the context menu as shown in the attached screenshots. This would make working with the software much more user friendly in my opinion.

If there is a reason why Esri chose not to add this functionality to the context menu I would like to hear what that is. Otherwise why not implement this handy option?

Thanks for reading and considering this!

bfindlay · Answer

Hi Dan, thank you yes.

In hindsight I should have done that from the start. It appears @RobClark3 has already done that. Here is the link to that Idea for anyone who stumbles upon it here. Vote it up!

danretired · Answer

You could always start an Idea with your suggested needs.

ArcGIS Ideas - Esri Community

bfindlay · Answer

Hi Dan,  thanks for your reply.

Yes I am aware I can do this like I said by creating a connection in my project then coping it to this location I want, but it is kind of annoying since this is a couple extra steps. It is much easier to do this in ArcCatalog (one right click to create) vs ArcGIS Pro (3 clicks - one to create, one to copy, one to paste). I am also aware there is a geoprocessing tool (Create Database Connection) in ArcGIS Pro (AGP) just as there was in ArcCatalog. I am just saying if the functionality is there why doesn't Esri make it available in multiple ways? Why make things harder?

Perhaps that is because the Esri roadmap is to move everyone to Branch Versioning so editors don't need to make database connections. However administrators still need to make connections to manage database schemas etc. and in my organization we store our connections in a location all admins have access to, rather than store secured connections locally on their computer device (in their AGP project) which would be a less secure approach I would argue.

So I don't get why ArcGIS Pro can't do the simple things ArcCatalog can do, especially when the functionality is still very relevant. In my opinion software should provide multiple ways to do things, and this context menu functionality is not a big ask. I just find it a little annoying that functionality like this is removed and it makes it harder for people to migrate to the new software in my opinion.  Personally I think Esri could have done a better job making it easy to transition to AGP, and this is just one of the multitude of examples.