AGX won't draw features

[MaryEllen_Perko]

Hi.  We have a group of users who have recently upgraded to Windows 7, reinstalled ArcGIS Desktop build 1500 and are now unable to view the features of an added shapefile.  What happens is that the local shapefile is added to AGX, the map moves to the extent of the shapefile, but no features appear.  Further, and probably most important, the problem occurs for users logged in using a regular account, but not for users logged in using an administrator account.  I don't know the difference between the two types of accounts but assume the administrator account has more privileges.

Anyway, with that symptom, it seems to be a permissions problem.  Does anyone have any ideas about where to look?  What is AGX trying to access and can't that would cause this behavior.

Thanks,
Mary Ellen

[MarkBockenhauer · Accepted solution]

Mary Ellen,

This is not a direct solution to the issue, but is there a specific reason you are sticking with version 1500?

In regards to the shapefile drawing...  I can use this shapefile (US States) with no issues.

http://www.arcgis.com/home/item.html?id=0524dd696160428aa4b20917de67c500

When you initially add the shapefile it displays in a 50% transparent yellow color.  On the Appearance tab if you change the transparency to "opaque" (slide to bottom), does that make a difference?

If you then switch to a different color, does change?

If there is still no display...   what is the cache path?

Speficically for your shapefile data, how long is the name in the table of contents?

If the cache path gets too long, it can cause drawing issues.  This length may have changed if you switched from XP to Win7, if all else stayed the same.

You could try setting the cache location to a short path.  ex: "c:\cache"

You did not mention this, but if you did install a newer version of ArcGIS Explorer, used it to view data, and then went back to an earlier version, the earlier version (depending on versions) will try and read the "newer' cache files and it won't be able to.  Deleting all of the cache files is the solution for this issue.

You also mentioned Admin vs. Non-admin users... You may be able to see a difference in the cache location between the two users..  Is the length different?  Can the non-admin user write to the cache location?

Mark

[MaryEllen_Perko]

Hi Mark,

Thank you for all of the great information.  Lots to consider.  I too went down the cache folder path and it turns out for whatever reason, all of their installs had the cache folder set to the same administrator folder.  I'm thinking they installed AGX on an image and so the setting carried through every deployment.  They can figure it out from here.

Thanks again,

Mary Ellen