Auto-Refresh Folders/DB Connections in Pro

[Anonymous User]

Pro needs to be able to automatically refresh/update folders and geodatabase connections. I literally have to click the refresh every folder, subfolder, file geodatabase, sde connection, etc. to get things to show up. This is a waste of time and an annoyance to have to do this every, single, time.

Update: I did a little testing on this and it almost seems like Pro cache's what is inside every folder connection/db when it's installed or first used but then you have to manually refresh it every time. When I go into any number of folder connections, the files and folders that show in Pro are from months ago, when I first installed Pro on this machine. I hit refresh and all my current stuff shows up. Why is Pro caching or only seeing what was first there? Is there a way to clear that out in the settings somewhere?

[Anonymous User]

still would like this. everyday. 

[Bud]

ArcGIS Pro 3.1.1

Steps:

1. ArcGIS Pro is open.
2. In Windows Explorer, create a new folder on my Desktop called GDBs_4.
3. In ArcGIS Pro, go to Catalog —> Favorites.
4. Click the Add Item button —> Add Folder.

5. Problem: I don't see the new GDBs_4 folder in the list of folders on my Desktop:

6. I tried Catalog —> Favorites —> hamburger menu —> Refresh.
7. The refresh has no effect. The folder still isn't shown on my Desktop.
8. Solution: As a last resort, close and re-open ArcGIS Pro.
9. Now, I can see the new folder in Catalog —> Favorites —> Add Item button —> Add Folder:

Idea:

Could functionality be added so that we can refresh the Add Item folders so that a new folder is shown?

[ChristopherCounsell]

Click the refresh button in the 'add folder connection' window. It is the rotating arrow next to the address bar.

There are lengthier discussions around the auto indexing of folders by ArcGIS Pro and why you need to refresh the folder. The short answer is you don't really want to be indexing folders frequently. Too chatty.

From the sounds of it, the 'refresh' button in the favourites tab of the catalogue pane does not re-index all the favourited folders. Personally I'd expect it to update the list of favourites visible. Not the folders within the favourited connections.

You could update your idea to have this be the behaviour - re-index favourited folders via the refresh option on the Catalog pane.

Otherwise I'd the refresh button adjacent to the address bar covers this idea, and refer to other ideas/discussion around this behaviour. @Bud 

[Bud]

Thanks @ChristopherCounsell.

For what it's worth, indexing is disabled in Pro on my computer (and was disabled when this test was done).

[ChristopherCounsell]

Did you try the refresh button on the add data connection window? Does that do what you are requesting on this idea?

[Bud]

I added an additional new folder. To my surprise, the Add Folder dialog did show the new folder this time (without needing to click the refresh button that you described in the dialog). So that's a head scratcher. Why did it automatically refresh this time?

[PatrickFSullivan]

Has there been any movement on this issue?

Anybody figured out any work arounds?

[NaicongLi]

Hello @Bud ,

Currently in ArcGIS Pro, once you have visited a folder in a Catalog window, its content is cached for faster access during the same Pro session.  If you made some changes in that folder WITHIN Pro, the folder content will be updated automatically in Pro.  However if you made some changes in that folder outside the current Pro session (for example in the File Explorer), you won't see the changes in Pro, unless you manually refresh this folder in Pro.  As @ChristopherCounsell mentioned, there is already an idea about this: https://community.esri.com/t5/arcgis-pro-ideas/auto-refresh-folders-db-connections-in-pro/idi-p/9341....  Could you please add your vote to that idea?

You mentioned in your last comment that the Add Folder Connection browse dialog box was showing the updated content of the folder at that time, to your surprise.  This could happen only if you have not visited that folder during the current Pro session (the first time you visited that folder during the current Pro session).  Please let us know if this is not the case.

@ChristopherCounsell - the Refresh Capability for items in Favorite (favorite folders, etc.) is indeed already implemented (https://desktopqa/SFTriage/#/Ideas/1212891).

Thank you both for your comments and suggestions!

[KSmith13]

Yes, I agree, having to manually click F5 to refresh can be annoying, but at least it's a workaround until it is set up to automatically show all file types that are accessible for that particular tool. I also sort by date/time, so newly created files are at the top of the list.  (ArcGIS Pro 2.9.6)

[AlfredBaldenweck]

I don't think anyone has mentioned that this is an ArcMap equivalency request.

ArcMap is really good at updating the contents of folders in the catalog. It does the same thing as Pro where you have to manually refresh a folder in the Catalog Pane if it's open when you change something in File Explorer, but it will automatically appear when you open the "Add Data" window.

Another thing to illustrate how it will refresh automatically for you in some cases:

I have a connection to a folder (A) and a connection to its subfolder (A\sub). I opened the subfolder (A\sub) connection in Catalog, then I created a text file in the subfolder in File Explorer. As expected, opening and reopening the subfolder (A\sub) connection in Catalog didn't show the text file, but going through the folder (A) connection to the subfolder without refreshing anything had the text file show up just fine. To be clear, I did not refresh the subfolder (A\sub) connection before opening up the folder (A) connection.