Mxd fails to preserve the data source,

[MajdoleenO_A__Awadallah]

Mxd fails to preserve the data source,

 Despite that the "Store relative pathnames to data sources" is checked, the mxd fails to preserve the data source, and displays the exlamination mark whe(attached)

We tried to save the mxd as a copy and rename it, but the issue presets to exist.

What might be the issue here?

Best,

Majdoleen

[DanPatterson_Retired]

store relative paths means that the data will remain in the same folder structure as when the mxd was originally saved.  This is only useful if you move the project and its data as one 'piece'.  For example if your project resides in c:\projects\myproject.mxd

and the data is in

c:\projects\data\allYourDataHere  

then if you move he project and the data folder and its contents to

c:\newprojects ...

the nature of the relative paths will remain the same.

 If on the other hand, you simply move the mxd to c:\newprojects, but leave the data folder where it is, the relative nature of the paths will be broken.

[MajdoleenO_A__Awadallah]

Thank you Dan,

I am setting the correct source and save my mxd file as shown in first screenshot,

And when opening the mxd, I found that it returns to its old status, and fails to save the data source as attached.

Please feel free to download the required data from the link below, and test it at your machine.

http://www.mediafire.com/file/bta1zyfbd55z3yk/GeoMOLG.rar

Thank you in advance.

Best,

Majdoleen

[DanPatterson_Retired]

So if the project is inside the  GeoMOLG folder then relative paths will be retained.  If it is not then they won't.  A view from ArcCatalog is not as useful as a view from Window's File Explorer.  If the location  is like this

D:\somefolder\yourproject.mxd

-----------------\GeoMOLG

-----------------------------\Data

------------------------------------\gdb

-------------------------------------------\your_gdb.gdb

To make the project transportable, you would have to copy 'yourproject.mxd AND the GeoMOLG folder to the 'newfolder'

D:\newfolder\yourproject.mxd
D:\newfolder\GeoMOLG
D:\newfolder\GeoMOLG\Data
D:\newfolder\GeoMOLG\Data\gdb
D:\newfolder\GeoMOLG\Data\gdb\your_gdb.gdb

or... put the project, 'yourproject.mxd' inside the GeoMOLG and just copy GeoMOLG folder to the new location (newfolder)

D:\newfolder\GeoMOLG\yourproject.mxd
D:\newfolder\GeoMOLG\Data
D:\newfolder\GeoMOLG\Data\gdb
D:\newfolder\GeoMOLG\Data\gdb\your_gdb.gdb

If the project (*.mxd) doesn't move with the folder move, then the project isn't transportable

[ChrisDonohue__GISP]

To better understand what is going on, between when the mxd worked correctly in finding the data and when it didn't, can you elaborate on what happened? 

• Was the mxd saved to a different location than previous?
• Was the data you are trying to link to moved?
• Are you on a different computer?
• Are you on a network?  If so, are you using a different username/permissions?
• "None of the above" - No changes were made; instead the mxd was closed, then reopened but now the links are broken.
• Any other changes that you can think of?

Chris Donohue, GISP

[RebeccaStrauch__GISP]

I've seen this happen when users have saved something like a shape file or other file in the .gdb folder.  

Try to create a new file gdb and copy the source data into that.  Then try connecting and saving (make sure not to save the mxd or and non gdb item in that .gdb folder).  See if that helps.  If it does, then either use the new gdb (copy any other data over from original) or look at the .gdb folder with Windows/file explorer (not catalog) to see if there is a file that doesn't belong.

[MajdoleenO_A__Awadallah]

Thank you all, I tried all your suggestions, and non of them fix the issue!

Have any one tried it by downloading the mxd and the data source from this link?

http://www.mediafire.com/file/bta1zyfbd55z3yk/GeoMOLG.rar

@Chris Donohue, GISP

Kindly note that  no changes were made; instead the mxd was closed, then reopened but now the links are broken.

Thank you all.

Best,

Majdoleen

[DanPatterson_Retired]

save us a download, .... open File explorer and do a screen grab showing the location of the *.mxd and the folder structure containing the geodatabase... Catalog is not the screen grab that is useful.  Also, confirm that you are using store relative pathnames in that project

[MajdoleenO_A__Awadallah]

Hi Dan,

Kindly note that I am using store relative pathnames in the project, the screenshots below show the folder structure,

 Please let me know if you want any clarifications.

Best,

Majdoleen

[DanPatterson_Retired]

the mxd should be in the GeoMOLG folder ie... at the root level of that folder, not within Saved