ArcCatalog Folder Connections - be able to script it or use a tool

[MayaDominice]

Within the context of a corporate GIS working group, it would be great to be able to run a python script or have an ArcToolbox tool (that can be batched) to (re)connect to a standard set of network folders in ArcCatalog; as opposed to individually (re)connecting folders one by one through the button/right-clicking in TOC of ArcCatalog's GUI. It would save time and assist in standardising a set of corporate GIS folder connections within the working group, especially in circumstances of machine replacements/rebuilds/new OS systems, new employees, etc. Alternatively, it would also be handy to have the option to set these connections at time of software installation.

[ChrisQuick]

Hi mayad85,

Have you considered modifying your own \Application Data\ESRI\Desktop10.0\ArcCatalog\ArcCatalog.gx file to make these standard set of network folders and then placing a copy of it somewhere where other users can copy it to their own  \Application Data\ESRI\Desktop10.0\ArcCatalog folder?

Granted that is just a work around.

It would be nice if ESRI allowed a default "ArcCatalog.gx" file to be defined by a admin, same way they allow for creating a custom normal template for ArcMap.

[MayaDominice]

Hi ChrisQuick,

Seems like a fairly straight-forward workaround!

The ESRI rep that I was assigned when I contacted them to ask about this issue seemed to indicate that there weren't any standard tools to access/modify the contents of the ArcCatalog.gx file. It did leave me wondering how easy or hard it actually was to alter that file... Though the use of the expression 'standard tools' in the response I received had me thinking that modification of the ArcCatalog.gx file is generally discouraged (perhaps to do with warranties or copyright?). In which case I can anticipate that IT/IS here at my workplace would generally not be willing to go down that avenue... But I'll explore the issue further with IT/IS in that respect.

Thanks for the tip! 🙂

[ChrisFox]

I recently posted a C# sample to arcgis.com that shows how with a Console Application we can pass in a string representing folder connections to create multiple folder connections outside of ArcGIS. This application could be used to run from command line or via a batch file for a user to create these connections without the user having to manually set them.

Connect to Folder Console Application

[TimBarnes]

+ 10

Also, it would be great to be able to add new file types (which it seems are also stored in the ArcCatalog.gx file).

[KevinMacLeod1]

This is a good idea.

However, I propose for local data, how about they just get rid of "connecting" to a folder.  Is there any other program that can't just use the OS' "Open" dialogue and find files anywhere?

This "connect" annoys me on a daily basis. It's a holdover from code from the 1980s.  It's long overdue to get rid of this and just be "connected" to every drive and every folder that Windows is.  Just browse to where you need.

[brianbond]

This python functionality would work great for replacing a desktop computer and being able to migrate a user from one desktop to another desktop without having the user do any extra work to get their ArcGIS software setup the same between desktops.  In the Virtual Machine (VM) time we live in, there are more commonly practices where we are building a VM and loading GIS software and needing to recreate the ArcGIS settings.

[AletaVienneau]

Hello @MayaDominice, 

Because ArcGIS Desktop retired on March 1, 2026 we were considering this idea in the context of ArcGIS Pro. 

In ArcGIS Pro you can run an ArcPy script that adds folder connections, database connections, styles, and toolboxes to a project using the updateFolderConnections, updateDatabases, updateStyles, and updateToolboxes methods. These methods are discussed in detail in the help topic for the ArcGISProject class. Code samples are available showing how to use them. In particular, "ArcGISProject example 4" shows how to set the folder connections in a project and "ArcGISProject example 5" shows how to set the databases in a project.

Also, in ArcGIS Pro the Catalog pane provides access to all supported locations on the local machine on the Computer tab, and the Catalog view and all browse dialog boxes provide access to the same places under the Computer heading. You can learn more about the available options from the Catalog pane, catalog views, and browse dialog boxes help topic.

ArcGIS Pro 3.7 introduces the capability for a GIS administrator to configure a set of folder connections, databases, servers, etc. as System Favorites. These items can be provided to GIS users automatically by creating a system favorites file and referencing it in the Pro.settingsConfig file. Application settings defined in the Pro.settingsConfig file can be applied automatically by referencing the file when you run a silent install of ArcGIS Pro. This allows GIS administrators to automatically make System Favorites and other application settings immediately available the first time someone starts ArcGIS Pro. 

Providing GIS users with System Favorites does not prevent them from defining their own collection of "My Favorites" project items. For GIS users, with ArcGIS Pro 3.7 you can now export your collection of favorite items to a custom favorites file. When you get a new computer, ArcGIS Pro can be configured to use the exported file (or a copy of it) to define "My Favorites" on the new machine. Items in "My Favorites" can be designated to be added automatically to any new projects that you create; this capability will be added for System Favorites in a future release.

For more information see the Use project favorites help topic and Create system favorites help topic. You can learn about deploying ArcGIS Pro application settings in the Manage application settings help topic.