topic Re: Cannot create base map layer or group layer in ArcGIS Enterprise Portal Questions

Cannot create base map layer or group layer

BenjaminSchumann — Thu, 11 Oct 2012 12:27:16 GMT

Hi,
I have not used ArcMap for 2 months and suddenly it behaves strange: When starting a new map from scratch, I cannot add a basemap and I cannot create new (basemap or group) layers. I see the option and can click it and there is not even an error message, its just: nothing happens.
Even when adding a basemap, I see the selection window and can select, for example, OSM. But nothing happens after that, the program doesn't even crash...

Any ideas?
I am using ArcMap 10.0

thanks in advance, I could not find anything like this using search.
Ben

Re: Cannot create base map layer or group layer

RoyMarsh — Thu, 11 Oct 2012 13:22:30 GMT

No solution, just to say you're not the only one. I have ArcMap 10 (single user domestic / XP) and nothing happens when I try to create a group layer. Though 'something' happens because I can Edit/Undo it. ESRI won't help because I'm only a domestic user and search has thrown nothing up so far. My only course of action now is to get v10.1 and hope the problem's gone away. Roy

Hi,
I have not used ArcMap for 2 months and suddenly it behaves strange: When starting a new map from scratch, I cannot add a basemap and I cannot create new (basemap or group) layers. I see the option and can click it and there is not even an error message, its just: nothing happens.
Even when adding a basemap, I see the selection window and can select, for example, OSM. But nothing happens after that, the program doesn't even crash...

Any ideas?
I am using ArcMap 10.0

thanks in advance, I could not find anything like this using search.
Ben

Re: Cannot create base map layer or group layer

JonathanQuinn — Thu, 11 Oct 2012 14:29:57 GMT

Can you try to rename your Normal.mxt first?

Make sure that all ArcMap and ArcCatalog instances are closed:
1) In Windows 7: Navigate to C:\Users\<your_username>\AppData\Roaming\ESRI\Desktop10.0\ArcMap\Templates\.
In Windows XP: Navigate to C:\Documents and Settings\<Your Userprofile>\Application Data\ ESRI\Desktop10.0\ArcMap\Templates\.
Note: If you can't see the Application Data folder, go to Tools > Folder Options > View. Under Hidden files and folders, select Show hidden files, folders, and drives. In Windows 7, press Alt to get the toolbar that the Tools menu is on.
2) Rename the Normal.mxt to Normal_old.mxt.

Open ArcMap and see if the problem is reproducible.

Re: Cannot create base map layer or group layer

BenjaminSchumann — Fri, 12 Oct 2012 06:49:57 GMT

Thanks for the quick replies and solution suggestion.
However, I deleted the normal.mxt but the problem persists as before.
I also can undo the action like roymarsh11.

Any other ideas?

thanks in advance
Ben

Re: Cannot create base map layer or group layer

JonathanQuinn — Fri, 12 Oct 2012 15:19:56 GMT

Roy had posted in a different forum and the problem had actually turned out to be he was in the Source tab in the Table of Contents rather than the List by Visibility tab. Is this the case for you?

Re: Cannot create base map layer or group layer

BenjaminSchumann — Mon, 15 Oct 2012 07:34:02 GMT

It was actually. Only that the correct "list by" viewing mode should not be "list by visibility" but "list by drawing order".
However, I am still unable to actually create and see a basemap. Usually, I simply clicked "Add Data/Add Basemap", selected whichever and it showed up. Now, I can select it but nothing loads/shows. This is independent of the view type.

thanks for the great help so far

Re: Cannot create base map layer or group layer

JonathanQuinn — Mon, 15 Oct 2012 22:00:43 GMT

Sorry, you're right, I meant List by Drawing Order. So is the problem specific to only adding a basemap? You mentioned you can't add a group layer either, (right click on the Layers data frame and go to New Group Layer), correct?

Re: Cannot create base map layer or group layer

BenjaminSchumann — Tue, 16 Oct 2012 06:23:57 GMT

I can now add group layers, so yes: the only problem left is that I cannot add basemaps at all (neither showing in the tree nor loading anything from the web).
All I can do is click "add basemap" and select any from the menu, but then nothing happens anymore. No crashes, no errors, just a blank map as before...

thanks again for coming back.

Re: Cannot create base map layer or group layer

JonathanQuinn — Tue, 16 Oct 2012 14:16:14 GMT

What service pack are you on? Can you add a basemap from a GIS Server connection?

1) In ArcCatalog, expand the GIS Server folder.
2) Double click on Add ArcGIS Server and select Use GIS Services at the screen that appears
3) For the URL, enter http://services.arcgisonline.com/arcgis/services
4) Once the connection has been made, either use the Add Data button or drag and drop the basemap you'd like to use into the map.

Re: Cannot create base map layer or group layer

BenjaminSchumann — Wed, 17 Oct 2012 09:53:12 GMT

Well, your steps do enable me to load basemaps (provided I created a basemap layer previously). Upon dragging the selected map from ArcCatalog to ArcMap (into the basemap layer), I can see the map as a whole (i.e. the whole earth).
However, whenever I want to zoom in, I can see the "loading" button at the bottom right (the revolving earth) but after a while, the data view goes white and the button disappears. And I cannot ever get to see my map again, only in the layer tree...

I don't know what service pack I am on but the "About ArcMap" windows says its version 10.0 (build 2414).

thanks again for sticking with me and being so helpful... 🙂

Re: Cannot create base map layer or group layer

JonathanQuinn — Wed, 17 Oct 2012 14:10:00 GMT

Thanks for that information. Go ahead and install Service Pack 5 and see if that resolves the problem.

Re: Cannot create base map layer or group layer

BenjaminSchumann — Thu, 18 Oct 2012 06:41:54 GMT

Hi,
I installed service pack 5 but still have exactly the same behavior.
Whenever I start a new project and click "Add Data/Add Basemap", select a map and click "OK", nothing happens.

Also, when loading an existing project with a basemap, it works fine...

Any more ideas? and thanks already so far 🙂

Re: Cannot create base map layer or group layer

BenjaminSchumann — Mon, 22 Oct 2012 07:27:09 GMT

Right, I found the problem: I had an internet security filter blocking the basemap data.

thanks again

Re: Cannot create base map layer or group layer

AngelynSnyder — Tue, 20 Aug 2013 12:22:00 GMT

bs804

Is your problem still resolved?
How did you fix the internet security filter issue?

I have been having this same problem for a few weeks. Older map docs with ESRI basemaps work fine, but I cannot add them to new documents.

Could you explain how you resolved this issue?

Re: Cannot create base map layer or group layer

WilliamCole — Sat, 13 Sep 2014 14:25:58 GMT

I'm having the same problem, though I expect for a different reason. I'm working my way through learning ArcGIS and probably have done some things in a not correctl way. Here's a clip of my ToC for this map. I want to group symbol layers by trip [GWTrip1-Point, GWTrip1-Line]. When I try any of the methods described in the ArcGIS help file under "Working with group layers", none work. No messages are returned, no actions appear to be taken. I would be very grateful to know what I'm doing wrong and how to fix it.

Thank you very much ...