Add Copy and Paste of Default Database & Folder to Catalog Pane

[RTPL_AU]

When working with a bunch of projects over time, it will be a massive time saver if we could copy & paste the Default Folder and Default Database between projects.  (not the data but the project entry for the sources)

Drop the buttons right next to the Go to Default buttons when you bring them back from ArcMap as per this Idea:
https://community.esri.com/t5/arcgis-pro-ideas/bring-back-the-default-folder-and-default-database/id...

[NaicongLi]

Hello @RTPL_AU  ,

If I understand your suggestion correctly, you need to add some items (folders, databases, and so on) from one project to another project, for example, add the default geodatabase in project A to project B (so it appears under the Databases project container in project B).  If that's the case, ArcGIS Pro is already offering this functionality.  

You can do this by dragging the default geodatabase in project A to the Databases container in project B. When your mouse hover over the Databases project container in project B, you will see a screen tip about adding the database you are dragging to project B:

When you drop (on the Databases container in project B), this geodatabase will be added to project B:

Similarly, if you want to add the default folder connection in project A to project B, drag that folder from project A to project B and drop it over the Folders project container.

Note that this functionality is not just for project default items.  You can drag-drop any items that can be project items from project A to B. For example, you can drag a map from project A to B even if project B doesn’t have any maps yet. Also, in project A you can browse to a database under a folder connection, and drag this database to project B and drop it onto the Databases container to add it to project B.

Also note that, the above workflow (adding items in project A to project B via drag-drop) assumes that you have both the source project A and the target project B open.  If you have a large number of target projects, and if you prefer not having to open the target projects, you can write an ArcPy script to do it. Look for details about the updateDatabases and updateFolderConnections methods and examples of how to use these methods in this help topic: https://pro.arcgis.com/en/pro-app/latest/arcpy/mapping/arcgisproject-class.htm.

Also, if you prefer to have all your projects to include the SAME default folder and default geodatabase, then you can use the Options dialog to set it up so that any time you create a project, that new project would have the default folder and geodatabases as you specified.  In the Options dialog, go to the General tab, expand "Create projects", and expand "On a local and network computer", and set it up such as this:

If your need is different from our interpretations above, please provide us with more details of your specific need and workflow.

Thank you for your feedback.

[RTPL_AU]

Hi @NaicongLi 

The core concept of the Idea is to provide a tool to copy the project entry of default folder & database between open projects using a single operation.

The current process(es) you describe is exactly why I lodged the Idea. 

Add a button to Catalog that, when a project is open, allows you to copy the project's default folder & db and then paste that into the other open instance. This should achieve in one operation the entire process you describe. 
We do not use the same default folders/databases/etc for every job so need efficient ways of setting these defaults.

An example will be if we have a job (don't want to use the words project or map in this context) and we need to update stuff after a while, we often create a new FGDB for all the new content and add that to the project and make it default. That way, any new stuff gets saved to the right location without overwriting a previous milestone dataset. If the job has 50 publications (i.e. output maps), each with its own aprx, we now have to go through the process you describe of setting the new default fgdb by adding it, and then making it default for each aprx as we update the document control info, etc.

Having a way to single click the process will make things so much more efficient. 
Due to the nature of our work, and the variety and variability we see, I do not want to create custom scripts to achieve this - it is such a common workflow and really needs improvement since the regression from what was possible in ArcMap.

If this clarifies the Idea, please open it back up.

[NaicongLi]

Thank you @RTPL_AU for your feedback.  The idea is reopened.