topic Re: How are you using Projects in ArcGIS Pro? in ArcGIS Pro Questions

How are you using Projects in ArcGIS Pro?

ErickFox — Wed, 03 Jan 2018 23:07:01 GMT

I'm just curious to know how people are using the Project structure in Pro to organize their work. I like that one project can hold many maps/scenes/layouts, but the associated gdb, toolbox, and other folders that each Project automatically (but optionally, I recognize) makes have me wondering at what 'level' I should be creating my Projects.

Do you create a new Project for each group of related maps/layouts (possibly not creating a new gdb/toolbox every time), even if it's just a few maps? Or do you point every new Project to a preexisting default gdb/toolbox (similar to ArcMap)?

Trying to get some ideas from everyone. Thanks!

Re: How are you using Projects in ArcGIS Pro?

JoshWhite — Fri, 13 Jul 2018 14:34:38 GMT

Man, I was hoping when I clicked on this that there were replies. I am trying to transition to Pro but I'm having trouble wrapping my head around the idea of projects. Right now I have a MAPS folder that I store all my mxd files in. My GIS files are in different folders. Most of the data I regularly work with is actually from an SDE database. Can I continue to organize my maps in Pro the same way? For instance, everything Police Department related is in its own folder, everything Emergency Management related is in its own folder, etc etc.

Re: How are you using Projects in ArcGIS Pro?

Douglas_Sauer — Thu, 01 Nov 2018 22:18:21 GMT

We need more discussion on this topic... esp. for those looking to migrate into Pro.

Any tips or recommendations from esri as far as best practices with regards to Pro file/project management???

I'm finding .aprx vs .mapx vs .pagx somewhat challenging to co-ordinate and properly file/structure.

singular project file at root folder > sub-folder(s) therein with map and layout files > all source data in gdb at root of folder...???

what say you???

Re: How are you using Projects in ArcGIS Pro?

DanPatterson_Retired — Fri, 02 Nov 2018 03:52:23 GMT

There is no one way

Re: How are you using Projects in ArcGIS Pro?

JoshWhite — Fri, 02 Nov 2018 13:16:28 GMT

As an update to my post I have now almost fully migrated to Pro. My projects are organized very similarly to how I had my mxds organized (generally by Department or function). I even went in and did some better organization when I switched to projects. The beauty of projects is that its just as Dan says below, you can do it however you desire. Being able to have multiple layouts actually simplified things greatly as well. Instead of having a separate mxd for each size of a particular map, I just have one project with a separate layout for each one. And as far as file storage, I still use one SDE geodatabase for almost all of my data so I just default to that in new projects. Pro doesn't actually require each project to have its own data source as the structure implies.

Re: How are you using Projects in ArcGIS Pro?

ThomasColson — Fri, 02 Nov 2018 13:25:01 GMT

Pro is like one of those sampler 6 packs you can get at the beer store. You can have cider beer, a light beer, an irish beer (and some mouthwash for when you get pulled over). In this case, there's hoses coming out of the bottom of the 6 pack to where the beer actually is (folders on your server). You can sip each kind of beer at your pleasure and conveniently carry your 6 pack around (on a thumb drive). Instead of having a pick up truck bed full of empties (Arc Map) for all those times you just need to make a simple temporary map, you just reach into your 6-pack and pop the tab on the Natty Light (the map you'll forget about as soon as you hit print).

At least that's how I'm explaining it on a training I'm doing.

Re: How are you using Projects in ArcGIS Pro?

JoshWhite — Fri, 02 Nov 2018 13:52:47 GMT

Now thats an epic explanation!

Re: How are you using Projects in ArcGIS Pro?

Douglas_Sauer — Fri, 02 Nov 2018 15:46:33 GMT

ArcPro: the cartographers version of

Re: How are you using Projects in ArcGIS Pro?

JayJohnson6 — Tue, 06 Nov 2018 13:52:29 GMT

I have been opening a new project, saving it to my existing folder for an .mxd, and using Import Map to open it.

For SDE, I was reusing a network file location in place of the .sde file that normally sits within the Windows profile. However, my spatial analysis work group is not using SDE at this point in time.

Re: How are you using Projects in ArcGIS Pro?

JoshWhite — Tue, 06 Nov 2018 14:29:49 GMT

I'm confused, you are creating a project, then saving it as an mxd, the importing the mxd back into the project?? I know I'm misreading that but please explain that. Are you just saying that you are saving your projects to the same folders as your mxds. If thats the case, I understand. I do it a bit differently but that actual organization of files depends on your system.

Re: How are you using Projects in ArcGIS Pro?

JayJohnson6 — Tue, 06 Nov 2018 14:34:37 GMT

The .mxd already exists. So I have to open a blank project in order to use the Import Map command. This allows me to have all the layers match. I can’t drag and drop, like I might with two open ArcMap instances.

If there is a more logical workflow, please suggest it.

Re: How are you using Projects in ArcGIS Pro?

JoshWhite — Tue, 06 Nov 2018 14:48:26 GMT

Ok, like I said I misread it. This appears to be the only way to do it without starting from scratch. I have found a number of issues so check your projects carefully. Especially if you have complex symbology. I had a zoning map with hatches (multiple layers on one symbol) that wouldn't display correctly. I had to remove the hatches and resymbolize it in Pro in order to get it to work properly.

Re: How are you using Projects in ArcGIS Pro?

ThomasColson — Tue, 22 Jun 2021 08:18:39 GMT

https://community.esri.com/ideas/14251

Re: How are you using Projects in ArcGIS Pro?

DaveJordan1 — Thu, 22 Aug 2019 14:14:41 GMT

I've been working in Pro for over a year now and I really appreciate the flexibility of the "Project" concept. I am working for a city and I get a variety of projects to work on. Primarily, I create projects based on the requesting department or requesters name. Within the project I typically have multiple maps and layouts. Relating the maps to layouts is based on consistent naming conventions. So the map name is typically the same as the layout name. For example, a map named Ord. 1234 will have a layout named Ord. 1234 and so on. In the same project I may have a map named Zoning Maintenance, which I use for updates...

I am also starting to use Project templates that contain a Map with the primary layers symbolized and a typical 11x15 Layout with the essentials already there, such as the Map frame, North arrow, title, scale bar, and a couple of dynamic texts. This is a great time saver. As is Layout files.

As time goes on some of my projects have many maps and layouts. Having them available, but separated, in catalog makes it easy to locate things when needed. Providing I have given descriptive names to them.

I really want to hear more on how others are managing projects. Maybe because it is so flexible, I have been able to find any deep-dive information from ESRI on the topic of Project Management.

Re: How are you using Projects in ArcGIS Pro?

AllisonHockey — Mon, 22 Feb 2021 13:51:04 GMT

I treat my arcgis pro projects as ways to store different 'jobs'. Say I work for a company who only has data related to natural resources - there's a project for that. Then say I work for a company who only has historical anthropological data. There's a project for that. I keep many different geodatabases in my projects to organize the difference processes that go in within those different jobs. And our data is hosted on arcgis online, for each job.