Better table organization in ArcMap and Map Services

346
2
07-05-2012 09:06 AM
Status: Open
RonnieRichards
Occasional Contributor III
One thing that I have never understood is why are tables so mistreated in ArcMap. You cannot even find them sometimes.
  • They are always listed on the bottom of the workspace (data source tab)
  • They are only visible in the data source tab 
  • When published in a map service they are always on the bottom of the map table of contents. Therefore any changes to the map service (add or remove layers) has instant impacts to published table ID's breaking any query tasks written against them.

Please allow us to place tables in Group Layers. This would allow users who want to expose tables in services some better organization and management.

Also better management and organization of tables would allow those desktop map users who might inherit any Map Document would not even know the tables are there unless they become inspector gadget and go browse the data source tab (one of the most useless tabs unless you need to change a version). 

Please create a table manager or similar tool to browse all tables in the Map Document and allow tables to be placed in Group Layers for better organization in published services.

 

2 Comments
BradFindlay
A good suggestion rgrichards. Perhaps ESRI could add a "List Tables" tab to the table of contents might be one way to do this.