topic Re: cannot load a notebook from a unc path in ArcGIS Pro Questions

cannot load a notebook from a unc path

Gisbert61 — Wed, 01 Jul 2020 13:10:51 GMT

So, I create a notebook in arcgis pro 2.5.2, open the catalog pane, click the notebook and ...

why is it a problem to open a notebook from a unc path?

I can't imagine I'm the first to run into this, could not find it here though, anyone who knows a way out of this?

regards,

Bert

Re: cannot load a notebook from a unc path

Robert_LeClair — Wed, 01 Jul 2020 14:24:36 GMT

Bert - I researched your question about UNC paths and Notebooks and there was a Support Service request for this exact item. It is reproducible in AGP 2.5.0 and 2.5.1. As the case was in mid-June, AGP 2.5.2 was not yet released publicly. The current workaround is as follows:

"we are currently unable to connect directly to the UNC path within ArcGIS Pro, as a workaround though aside from mapping the drive we can create a symbolic link to the UNC path reference: https://support.esri.com/en/Technical-Article/000022743 which will create a shortcut to the UNC folder, this is the recommended workflow to follow,"

Hope this helps!

Re: cannot load a notebook from a unc path

JaredPilbeam2 — Mon, 23 Nov 2020 22:16:50 GMT

@Robert_LeClair
I'm using Pro 2.6.0 and this problem still exists. In the catalog, when I attempt to add a New Notebook I get the same error. It does get created, but it won't load.

Just giving you a heads-up. I ended up creating a Notebook from Folders in the catalog. I have a connection to a folder in my C drive.

Re: cannot load a notebook from a unc path

Robert_LeClair — Wed, 25 Nov 2020 22:47:04 GMT

Hi Jared - thx for the response. Question for you - by chance are you on a Citrix environment?

Re: cannot load a notebook from a unc path

JaredPilbeam2 — Mon, 30 Nov 2020 14:31:44 GMT

No, I don't think so. I'm not even sure what that is, and it's not installed on my machine(s).

Re: cannot load a notebook from a unc path

Robert_LeClair — Mon, 30 Nov 2020 15:04:47 GMT

Okay - thx for the info. Question - when you installed AGP 2.6.0 was it a clean install meaning you completely uninstalled AGP 2.5.x? Then installed AGP 2.6.0 on your PC. Or upgraded from AGP 2.5.x to AGP 2.6.0? I've seen strange occurrences like this when it's a upgrade workflow vs. a uninstall/install workflow.

Re: cannot load a notebook from a unc path

JaredPilbeam2 — Mon, 30 Nov 2020 15:40:49 GMT

Well, my memory is getting a little muddled now. But, a short time ago I was getting this same UNC path error, so an ESRI tech I made a case with suggested I completely wipe AGP from my machine (which was then running 2.6.0). So, I did that and then reinstalled AGP 2.6 anew from a .exe file we keep stored on in network folder. After that reinstall, I'm pretty sure I was able to create a new Notebook. But, now it somehow relapsed back to not letting me create a new Notebook.

Re: cannot load a notebook from a unc path

Daniel_Hardwick — Fri, 04 Dec 2020 12:54:05 GMT

Hi Robert,

I have just ran into this problem myself. I am new to Notebooks but wanted to try it in Pro, then I ran into the error and found this thread. I noticed you said you got it to work by creating the Notebook within the Folder within the catalog pane. When I try to do this I get the same error? Did you literally just right click within a folder and create notebook?

I have also tried the Windows folder shortcut solution, but this also didn't seem to work, but this could have been due to not being entirely sure what I am doing! When creating a folder shortcut you have to specify two folders, one for the shortcut folder, and the other for where the data is. I don't really have any data in mind particularly, I just wanted to connect to a Notebook and import some libraries and so on. So I created the shortcut within my personal folder, for example "\GISDrive\Data\ESRI GIS\ArcGIS Pro Users\MyUserName\Template Map\Shortcut_Folder", then for the data folder I pointed it to the same 'Template Map' folder, seeing as I don't have specific dataset I want to use at this point. It created the shortcut fine but if I try then to create a Notebook it fails.

Is there a particular folder where the Notebook needs to be pointing to, for example C:\?

Thanks

Re: cannot load a notebook from a unc path

JaredPilbeam2 — Fri, 04 Dec 2020 21:19:54 GMT

That's what I did. I right clicked within the catalog window.

Re: cannot load a notebook from a unc path

PaulCone2 — Fri, 16 Apr 2021 16:38:28 GMT

This is still a problem in 2.7.3. Is it going to get fixed? Or does ESRI still expect me to open up a command line to work around it?

Re: cannot load a notebook from a unc path

feralcatcolonist_old — Fri, 23 Apr 2021 01:14:52 GMT

@_____, I also have this issue. In an AWS Workspace, so my options are somewhat limited for making symbolic links.

Re: cannot load a notebook from a unc path

ErikLash1 — Fri, 30 Apr 2021 02:04:23 GMT

+1 affected by this problem.

Working with a project that runs entirely on UNC paths b/c it gets worked with via a batch server on the networrk and multiple data servers are involved , not just a specific machine. When trying to create a new notebook or "add" a Notebook in the Pro 2.7.3 project for creating and working with pandas to explore data am denied by the UNC error message "Cannot load a notebook from a UNC path" in both the default and clone environments.

UNC Notebooks working fine in my environment from from outside of ArcGIS Pro in Command Line, Jupyter shortcuts, and even VSCode.

Re: cannot load a notebook from a unc path

BillParker2 — Mon, 03 May 2021 16:04:04 GMT

We just upgraded to 2.7 and it still is an issue there. I was hoping to explore the ArcGIS API for Python and notebooks but this makes it more difficult. And will for other people in our organization who might be a bit scared of command line. We are on an RDS system and run all of our data on UNC drives. I will see if I can get this workaround to work

Re: cannot load a notebook from a unc path

feralcatcolonist_old — Wed, 16 Jun 2021 19:01:04 GMT

This is still an issue at 2.8; @Robert_LeClair is there a bug report out on this?

Re: cannot load a notebook from a unc path

Robert_LeClair — Fri, 18 Jun 2021 14:13:28 GMT

Apologies for my late response - teaching classes. I did look at this topic again within the internal systems. There is no BUG incident logged currently as customers calling into Tech Support about this are provided the Tech Article workaround as mentioned previously. My recommendation is to contact Tech Support to log a BUG incident so the ArcGIS Pro developers can address it. Since I work in Esri Training Services, I have zero pull in resolving this item. Not the best answer I know...

Re: cannot load a notebook from a unc path

feralcatcolonist_old — Thu, 15 Jul 2021 15:23:59 GMT

Thanks so much! Bug is now officially logged!

Bug number: BUG-000141485
Synopsis: ArcGIS Notebook is unable to load from a UNC path.

Re: cannot load a notebook from a unc path

PhilLarkin1 — Mon, 23 Aug 2021 15:36:30 GMT

Not fixed at 2.8.2

Re: cannot load a notebook from a unc path

philnagel — Wed, 22 Sep 2021 13:41:30 GMT

This issue still exists in 2.8.3.

I investigated the various workarounds, but none are realistic for our situation with thousands of projects located on a UNC path (and all the data to go with those). Our users also do not have administrator rights, which means we cannot create symbolic links for these notebooks.

As it stands, we basically can't use notebook in Pro at all, I'm hoping this gets resolved soon.

Re: cannot load a notebook from a unc path

MichaelAlva3 — Thu, 30 Sep 2021 14:14:25 GMT

hey Bert,

I've received this error also under this scenario:

created a new pro project housed in "ABC" directory / folder
renamed "ABC" to something else..."123"
created a new python notebook in the pro project >>> UNC Path ERROR
The FIX: renamed "123" back to "ABC" and it worked.

It appears that the updated container name doesn't get passed to pro and when creating the new notebook its trying to place it in a directory that no longer exists. hope this helps.

Re: cannot load a notebook from a unc path

ErikLash1 — Fri, 15 Oct 2021 01:04:48 GMT

We have a couple workarounds in play in my org.

Jupyter Notebook custom shortcuts to open JN on the UNC path.
VS Code (though ESRI won't officially support it).

VS Code is ideal for working in Notebooks as the user can go back and forth between all utilized code platforms in the same interface and work with PY files on the same screen as .IPYNB or open multiple IPYNB at the same time in the same screen (copying code blocks from one to the other).

Current limitation on VS Code with ESRI JN is that map widgets don't work but I use it all the time with ESRI notebooks for enterprise administration + data maintenance where map widget not needed. Also build my notebooks in it then open them in either JN or Pro if map widget required for end user.

VS Code for ESRI also makes linting easy.