Why Would GpMessages and ImportLog Save Outside of the Project's Home Folder?

Question

Hello,

It is my understanding that system folders (e.g. GpMessages, ImportLog, Index) created by an ArcGIS Pro project should remain within the project's home folder (Change current settings for a project—ArcGIS Pro | Documentation). Could someone explain why GpMessages and ImportLog would start saving in another folder? In my case it is often the next directory up.

In the following example, the project's home folder is set to C:\Users\JesseSchewe\Desktop\Test_Projects\2026-901\Spatial\2026-901_ArcPro_CreateChecked (Photo 1).

Photo 1

At one point, GpMessages did save to that home folder (Photo 2).

Photo 2

But down the line, GpMessages and ImportLog will jump to the next directory up, C:\Users\JesseSchewe\Desktop\Test_Projects\2026-901\Spatial (Photo 3).

Photo 3

I've also seen it where the home project listed in Options\Current Settings jumps to the next directory up without it being told to. If anyone has any insights on to why the home folder would change or why the system folders would save outside of the home folder, I would be happy to hear them!

Thanks,

Robert_LeClair · Answer

Is this a custom Pyton script tool by chance?  If so, then you do see the "view details" message immediately after running the tool, close out of the tool, then you go back to geoprocessing history and the "view details" tool message is gone, right?

There are some details in the following links about GP tool messages and how that works:
Script tool messages | ArcGIS Pro documentation
Understanding messages in script tools | ArcGIS Pro documentation

mody_buchbinder · Answer

I have a related question

I have a gptool that return very long geojson string (not as a file but as a string).

When I run my tool with the “view details” open I can see the messages and after the tool is done I can see the long output screen.

After I close the “view details” each time I try to go to history and check the tool output again Pro just get black and I must kill the process.

Why is that?

Thanks

Robert_LeClair · Answer

ArcGIS Pro writes GPMessages and creates the ImportLog folder in the project’s Home folder (the Home folder is also where Pro stores other “managed” project items). If you ever changed the Home folder, Pro does not move existing managed items from the old Home folder to the new one—so you can end up with GPMessages/ImportLog “outside” the folder you’re currently expecting. This is documented behavior: the Home folder “contains… geoprocessing messages” and changing it “does not move or copy” items from the previous home folder. Change current settings for a project—ArcGIS Pro

Your Default Toolbox is on Microsoft OneDrive.  Esri cautions that cloud storage services such as OneDrive are not supported unless stated otherwise, which can contribute to inconsistent behavior when items are referenced from synced locations. Projects in ArcGIS Pro