idea Warn user when configuring fields via layer list in ArcGIS Pro Ideas

Warn user when configuring fields via layer list

AllenDailey1 — Fri, 21 Jun 2024 15:56:22 GMT

My idea is for ArcGIS Pro to display a warning message when the user opens Fields view either via a layer in the layer list or via the catalog. The message would say something to the effect that field configurations for a layer and field configurations for a feature class (like in Catalog) are unrelated. Maybe use wording like what is used in documentation on this page: https://pro.arcgis.com/en/pro-app/latest/help/data/geodatabases/overview/create-modify-and-delete-fields.htm

Here is a screenshot of the part I'm referring to:

I have been using Pro for a long time, but I only learned this just today, the hard way. I put a lot of time into configuring aliases and data types (e.g. I specified that a numeric field should be percentage with only one decimal place) for a layer. I need to use this data in a different file geodatabase and aprx (for this project, I have sort of "dev" and "prod" aprx's and file geodatabases). It was only after I had copied the feature class to the new geodatabase and tried to configure symbology in the new map that I discovered that none of my field configurations were there. I did a lot of troubleshooting to try to figure out what happened. I did online research and eventually found the above documentation. So I guess I have to do all that work over again. That's super frustrating. I feel like the part that I shared a screenshot of, above, should be way higher up on that documentation page! It's almost near the bottom. How is anyone going to know about it?

I really wish that field configurations/aliases were not disconnected between a layer and the source feature class. I have no use for this scenario, myself, and I feel honestly sad that if I were to do further tidying-up of fields in a feature class (source data) in the future, the changes would not carry through to a map I'm already using the layer in.

Anyway, if this functionality stays in Pro, it would be EXTREMELY helpful to make it more apparent to users. Thanks for reading.

Re: Warn user when configuring fields via layer list

SSWoodward — Tue, 07 May 2024 19:52:42 GMT

Thanks for the Idea @AllenDailey1

These settings can be saved as a .lyrx file and recycled. Have you given that strategy a try?

Saving a layer file documentation

Re: Warn user when configuring fields via layer list

AllenDailey1 — Tue, 07 May 2024 19:46:46 GMT

Thank you, @SSWoodward .

Oh yeah, I had forgotten about .lyrx. I probably want a more permanent/ingrained solution for my current case, but that's a helpful reminder.

Thank you,

Allen

Re: Warn user when configuring fields via layer list

SSWoodward — Tue, 07 May 2024 19:52:21 GMT

Awesome! Glad to help connect the dots.

For some context about why the disconnect exists. If these two properties were connected, it would mean data would only be able to be used and displayed appropriately in a single map at a time. The disconnection allows a single dataset to be used in multiple maps, by multiple people and projects, without a struggle ensuing between the display settings in each map.

Re: Warn user when configuring fields via layer list

AllenDailey1 — Tue, 07 May 2024 22:25:52 GMT

Thank you for your comment. That does make sense!

Re: Warn user when configuring fields via layer list

Bud — Tue, 07 May 2024 22:37:41 GMT

For future reference, the related post: ArcGIS Pro Data Design Field Alias From Contents or Catalog Not the Same