idea Auto-Refresh Folders/DB Connections in Pro in ArcGIS Pro Ideas

Auto-Refresh Folders/DB Connections in Pro

Anonymous User — Fri, 12 Apr 2019 12:53:44 GMT

Pro needs to be able to automatically refresh/update folders and geodatabase connections. I literally have to click the refresh every folder, subfolder, file geodatabase, sde connection, etc. to get things to show up. This is a waste of time and an annoyance to have to do this every, single, time.

Update: I did a little testing on this and it almost seems like Pro cache's what is inside every folder connection/db when it's installed or first used but then you have to manually refresh it every time. When I go into any number of folder connections, the files and folders that show in Pro are from months ago, when I first installed Pro on this machine. I hit refresh and all my current stuff shows up. Why is Pro caching or only seeing what was first there? Is there a way to clear that out in the settings somewhere?

Re: Auto-Refresh Folders/DB Connections in Pro

KevinMayall — Wed, 17 Jul 2019 15:16:18 GMT

I would even be an improvement if Esri could simply implement the F5 refresh for the Catalog pane as it has for the Map View pane.

Re: Auto-Refresh Folders/DB Connections in Pro

RobertGraham — Wed, 06 Nov 2019 15:08:49 GMT

Additionally it would be good to right-click a folder in the Add Data dialog to refresh a folder instead of closing dialog, then going to catalog to refresh. Does enabling the indexing help with the data refresh issue? I turn off index to avoid lockups.

Re: Auto-Refresh Folders/DB Connections in Pro

DominiquePahlavan — Fri, 01 Oct 2021 18:40:41 GMT

The inability to do a refresh with Add Data is absurd. This is a very basic need.

Re: Auto-Refresh Folders/DB Connections in Pro

KoryKramer — Fri, 01 Oct 2021 19:26:56 GMT

Add Data does have refresh:

Re: Auto-Refresh Folders/DB Connections in Pro - Status changed to: Under Consideration

NaicongLi — Sat, 18 Dec 2021 00:45:55 GMT

Re: Auto-Refresh Folders/DB Connections in Pro

JeffLegato1 — Thu, 03 Feb 2022 16:40:01 GMT

Agreed. This is frustrating and annoying. It also shakes my confidence and interrupts my flow. "I could have sworn I put that file in there... Oh I did, Pro just didn't see it."

Automatically Refresh Catalog Pane

Anonymous User — Tue, 17 May 2022 18:48:32 GMT

This link clearly states when you have to manually refresh the Catalog Pane: https://pro.arcgis.com/en/pro-app/latest/help/projects/refresh-a-locations-content.htm

My idea is to have the software Automatically refresh the Catalog Pane. Is this possible? It sure would be nice.

Re: Automatically Refresh Catalog Pane - Status changed to: Needs Clarification

KoryKramer — Tue, 17 May 2022 19:07:45 GMT

@Anonymous User can you please look at https://community.esri.com/t5/arcgis-pro-ideas/auto-refresh-folders-db-connections-in-pro/idi-p/934199 ? Is this the same request?

Re: Automatically Refresh Catalog Pane

Anonymous User — Tue, 17 May 2022 19:10:37 GMT

Yes, apparently it is. Can I give it 100 kudos? My 1 doesn't seem to be moving it along. 🙂

Re: Auto-Refresh Folders/DB Connections in Pro

EricAnderson_DHS — Wed, 31 Aug 2022 14:51:57 GMT

Agreed!! Yes the "Add Data" has a refresh button, but this should not be a manual step the user would have to take. No other application behaves like this.

Re: Auto-Refresh Folders/DB Connections in Pro

Anonymous User — Tue, 07 Mar 2023 17:30:05 GMT

still would like this. everyday.

Catalog Favorites — Refresh Add Folder dialog after new folder created in Windows Explorer

Bud — Mon, 10 Apr 2023 13:40:35 GMT

ArcGIS Pro 3.1.1

Steps:

1. ArcGIS Pro is open.
2. In Windows Explorer, create a new folder on my Desktop called GDBs_4.
3. In ArcGIS Pro, go to Catalog —> Favorites.
4. Click the Add Item button —> Add Folder.

5. Problem: I don't see the new GDBs_4 folder in the list of folders on my Desktop:

6. I tried Catalog —> Favorites —> hamburger menu —> Refresh.
7. The refresh has no effect. The folder still isn't shown on my Desktop.
8. Solution: As a last resort, close and re-open ArcGIS Pro.
9. Now, I can see the new folder in Catalog —> Favorites —> Add Item button —> Add Folder:

Idea:

Could functionality be added so that we can refresh the Add Item folders so that a new folder is shown?

Re: Catalog Favorites — Refresh Add Item/Add Folder dialog after new folder created in Windows Explorer

ChristopherCounsell — Mon, 10 Apr 2023 03:42:04 GMT

Click the refresh button in the 'add folder connection' window. It is the rotating arrow next to the address bar.

There are lengthier discussions around the auto indexing of folders by ArcGIS Pro and why you need to refresh the folder. The short answer is you don't really want to be indexing folders frequently. Too chatty.

From the sounds of it, the 'refresh' button in the favourites tab of the catalogue pane does not re-index all the favourited folders. Personally I'd expect it to update the list of favourites visible. Not the folders within the favourited connections.

You could update your idea to have this be the behaviour - re-index favourited folders via the refresh option on the Catalog pane.

Otherwise I'd the refresh button adjacent to the address bar covers this idea, and refer to other ideas/discussion around this behaviour. @Bud

Re: Catalog Favorites — Refresh Add Item/Add Folder dialog after new folder created in Windows Explorer

Bud — Mon, 10 Apr 2023 06:10:30 GMT

Thanks @ChristopherCounsell.

For what it's worth, indexing is disabled in Pro on my computer (and was disabled when this test was done).

Re: Catalog Favorites — Refresh Add Item/Add Folder dialog after new folder created in Windows Explorer

ChristopherCounsell — Mon, 10 Apr 2023 06:14:33 GMT

Did you try the refresh button on the add data connection window? Does that do what you are requesting on this idea?

Re: Catalog Favorites — Refresh Add Item/Add Folder dialog after new folder created in Windows Explorer

Bud — Mon, 10 Apr 2023 06:25:10 GMT

I added an additional new folder. To my surprise, the Add Folder dialog did show the new folder this time (without needing to click the refresh button that you described in the dialog). So that's a head scratcher. Why did it automatically refresh this time?

Re: Auto-Refresh Folders/DB Connections in Pro

PatrickFSullivan — Fri, 12 May 2023 12:08:44 GMT

Has there been any movement on this issue?

Anybody figured out any work arounds?

Re: Catalog Favorites — Refresh Add Folder dialog after new folder created in Windows Explorer

NaicongLi — Mon, 22 May 2023 17:59:52 GMT

Hello @Bud ,

Currently in ArcGIS Pro, once you have visited a folder in a Catalog window, its content is cached for faster access during the same Pro session. If you made some changes in that folder WITHIN Pro, the folder content will be updated automatically in Pro. However if you made some changes in that folder outside the current Pro session (for example in the File Explorer), you won't see the changes in Pro, unless you manually refresh this folder in Pro. As @ChristopherCounsell mentioned, there is already an idea about this: https://community.esri.com/t5/arcgis-pro-ideas/auto-refresh-folders-db-connections-in-pro/idi-p/934199. Could you please add your vote to that idea?

You mentioned in your last comment that the Add Folder Connection browse dialog box was showing the updated content of the folder at that time, to your surprise. This could happen only if you have not visited that folder during the current Pro session (the first time you visited that folder during the current Pro session). Please let us know if this is not the case.

@ChristopherCounsell - the Refresh Capability for items in Favorite (favorite folders, etc.) is indeed already implemented (https://desktopqa/SFTriage/#/Ideas/1212891).

Thank you both for your comments and suggestions!

Re: Auto-Refresh Folders/DB Connections in Pro

KSmith13 — Tue, 13 Jun 2023 17:15:41 GMT

Yes, I agree, having to manually click F5 to refresh can be annoying, but at least it's a workaround until it is set up to automatically show all file types that are accessible for that particular tool. I also sort by date/time, so newly created files are at the top of the list. (ArcGIS Pro 2.9.6)