idea Introduce a 'Lite' Attribute Table in ArcGIS Pro Ideas

Introduce a 'Lite' Attribute Table

RTPL_AU — Mon, 31 Mar 2025 17:04:33 GMT

Please offer a 'Lite' version of the attribute table.

This version should not auto update, auto scroll, auto sort, auto-anything, no scroll momentum, no fancy animations.

Call it ArcMap Mode if you will.

When you just want to get stuff done quickly, the current version just seems to get in the way all the time and basic edits or actions just take longer than they should.

Every single thing that happens that is not directly required or requested by the user is a waste of time and energy. Keep the high-sugar-full-fat version as a selectable option for those who do government contracts based on time not outcome.....

Re: Introduce a 'Lite' Attribute Table

JohnGuilfoyle — Wed, 26 Mar 2025 15:10:36 GMT

It would be helpful to be able to update the Attribute Table Field
Visibility and Order with a tool like Update Layer Symbology from another
Layer.

The Network Analyst Stops Attribute Table contains 65 fields and I only
need to See or Edit 9. There should be a tool to set the fields,
visibility, and order.
Also, there should be a way to set the default fields, visibility, and
order for new Network Analyst Routes when created.

Re: Introduce a 'Lite' Attribute Table - Status changed to: Needs Clarification

SimiBasu — Fri, 28 Mar 2025 02:00:24 GMT

Re: Introduce a 'Lite' Attribute Table

RTPL_AU — Fri, 28 Mar 2025 02:08:54 GMT

Hi @SimiBasu

Please let me know exactly what I need to clarify.
The key request is to have an Attribute Table display in ArcGIS Pro that doesn't constantly try to do stuff while working in it.
~~Bugs~~ Features like having it constantly redraw and re-sort while you are editing rows make it very inefficient.

There are a few good points from @JohnGuilfoyle but I think they should be in a separate Idea as they are about enriching the functionality whereas this Idea is strictly about making the display as simple and performant as possible while working in it.

In case there is still a misunderstanding of what I mean with Attribute Table, it is this thing:

Re: Introduce a 'Lite' Attribute Table - Status changed to: Open

JesseCloutier — Fri, 28 Mar 2025 13:09:12 GMT

Re: Introduce a 'Lite' Attribute Table

JesseCloutier — Fri, 28 Mar 2025 13:12:17 GMT

Our apologies, @RTPL_AU! The update to a Needs Clarification status was unintentional and performed by our Esri Community team rather than the ArcGIS Pro Ideas Managers. I've updated the status back to Open.

Re: Introduce a 'Lite' Attribute Table - Status changed to: Needs Clarification

AlyciaRajendran_esri — Mon, 31 Mar 2025 18:16:55 GMT

Hi @RTPL_AU ,

I just need some clarification on some things.

First, what version of Pro are you using?

You've listed quite a few things here:

This version should not auto update, auto scroll, auto sort, auto-anything, no scroll momentum, no fancy animations.

Can you please give me an example of when these things are occurring?

When are we auto-updating your table without you asking us to first? Are you working with Utility Networks? Do you have domains and subtypes? Attribute rules?

Does a scroll happen after the table refreshes? What you doing before that happens?

We do not auto-sort, please submit a bug with Support.

With some more information, we can figure out the right solution.

Thanks!

Re: Introduce a 'Lite' Attribute Table

RTPL_AU — Tue, 01 Apr 2025 01:36:53 GMT

Hi @AlyciaRajendran_esri

Don't over think it; it can be with a simple 10 object fgdb layer open.

When you change symbology, the attribute table redraws. The larger the dataset the longer it takes (I am talking milliseconds on a powerful computer, but it wastes time and is distracting).

When you edit something in the attribute table and had it sorted before, it will resort when you finish the edit.

I just need an attribute table view that is dumb, like it was in ArcMap where nothing is redrawn, refreshed, resorted without my explicit clicking of a button to have it do something.

If you try to paste something in 10+ rows (ctrl v, down, ctrl-v, down, etc) it has to be faster than calculating the field for the same if you are quick on a keyboard. But it isn't on many occasions because at some point Pro will try to do something and either not capture a keystroke or skip a row.

Why is there momentum with scrolling? Just stop when I stop moving the scroll wheel?
Why are there bouncy animations when you grab & drag a column to re-order it?

This is NOT a support case - all the fluff around the attribute table works as designed. I want something that is designed to be simple and performant.

I think it will be simple to implement. Take all the stuff that the focus groups said will help a user and remove it.... 🙂

Re: Introduce a 'Lite' Attribute Table

BlakeMorrison — Mon, 26 May 2025 01:46:13 GMT

I've tried to kudo this idea but it seems to be disabled for some reason. Did someone do this on purpose? That seems underhanded.

I feel like @RTPL_AUs idea is really quite obvious, easy to understand and essential. If editing is available in the attribute table, it should be easy and safe to do. Currently it is hazourdous to use the edit functinonality as you never know when the table is going to refresh itself, save itself, the item order change or just the view position change.

I have colleagues who believe it is bad practice to use the attribute table for anything other than reading as it's too unpredictable. You'll never hear from them, they think it's too much hassle to communicate with Esri staff.

Re: Introduce a 'Lite' Attribute Table

RTPL_AU — Mon, 26 May 2025 02:09:27 GMT

@BlakeMorrison - Make sure you are logged in. I've had the same with other's Ideas where it seems you can get logged in/out through SSO when you least expect it.

I get the impression doing things properly is less fun than putting out fires all the time (case in point with 3.5 getting pulled) so proper UI/UX is lower on the list than pushing 50 new features every few months.
There have been complaints about attribute table performance for a decade (!! I know right?) but I only recently jumped on the Idea bus.

Re: Introduce a 'Lite' Attribute Table

BlakeMorrison — Mon, 26 May 2025 02:16:49 GMT

I'm definitely logged in. The kudos button for this idea has been disabled. Maybe something to do with "Needs clarification" status. Which btw is a hilarious joke of a response from Esri.

"please clarify"

*disappears*

@JesseCloutier Can you help out, mate?

Re: Introduce a 'Lite' Attribute Table

AlfredBaldenweck — Tue, 27 May 2025 15:31:06 GMT

Needs clarification is a classic problem.

@AlyciaRajendran_esri , could you change the status, please?

Re: Introduce a 'Lite' Attribute Table - Status changed to: Under Consideration

AlyciaRajendran_esri — Tue, 03 Jun 2025 16:14:08 GMT

Re: Introduce a 'Lite' Attribute Table - Status changed to: In Product Plan

AlyciaRajendran_esri — Wed, 02 Jul 2025 14:36:38 GMT

Re: Introduce a 'Lite' Attribute Table

RTPL_AU — Thu, 07 Aug 2025 00:46:04 GMT

Maybe a Lite version would be more likely to not glitch out.

I'm trying to work and you get this:

Pro 3.5.2 for those playing along at home.

Re: Introduce a 'Lite' Attribute Table

BlakeMorrison — Thu, 07 Aug 2025 01:09:45 GMT

@RTPL_AU , obviously a separate issue, but I'll chime in and say that I too have seen some attribute table glitches like this in the last 6 months or so. Never managed to pin down what was causing it - always assumed it was my large featuresets. There seems to be a glitch occasionally between what the attribute table shows is selected and what the rest of Pro is working with in tools, the map, etc.

Eg. Double-click a table row to zoom to a feature and the map takes you to the wrong feature.

Re: Introduce a 'Lite' Attribute Table

RTPL_AU — Thu, 07 Aug 2025 01:19:53 GMT

@BlakeMorrison
Or we can call it a symptom of the overall issue: that Pro is a bit flaky....
As you can see my extremely large dataset of 6 items must be eating all 256GB of ram I have 🤣

As I just received my annual renewal notice, I find these glitches a bit harder to swallow.

I feel as if I want to Truman-Show my desktop to Esri and have a big red button I can smash every single time it does something weird. It should timestamp the feed and ping a developer.