Combine System Folders in a Project

[NathanHeickLACSD]

I just noticed that with ArcGIS Pro 3.0, there is yet another system folder in ArcGIS Pro project folders, namely GPMessages.  There are the following system folders in my brand new project and I believe there are even more out there once you start using it:

• .backups
• GPMessages
• ImportLog
• Index

My suggestion is to combine all of those folders into a single folder.  They're a nuisance when it comes to source control and you have to make exceptions for every new folder that pops up when you use a project and perform an action.  I have to put the projects I used for publishing into source control.  Also, it's annoying to look into a project folder and half of the items are something I don't care about.

[wayfaringrob]

Or combine into a folder with subfolders for all that stuff? I seem to have one called "FMV_Data" now too, which itself has several empty directories. It becomes hard to tell the system folders apart from your data, export, or other folders you may have.

[NathanHeickLACSD]

Thanks @wayfaringrob.  That's what I was trying to say when I said combine, namely have a single folder at the root of the project that contains all of those system folders.

[Federico_Mazzieri]

We (users) should be able, at least, to choose where those folders are created. 

https://community.esri.com/t5/arcgis-pro-ideas/arcpro-common-associated-files/idi-p/1234259 

[nadja]

We couldn't agree more. In addition to @Federico_Mazzieri post from 11-22-2022, we'd suggest an option, which prevents these folders from being created in the first place. These folders not only destroy our project structure, they prevent any quick overview over any project.   

[GISAdminSHN]

How does this only have 13 kudos??? 😄

My company has a very nice GIS folder design inside of each job's main folder, and all of these default Pro project folders/files are a nuisance! They should all be available as re-path options in the settings (like the default .gdb and .atbx)

[MikeDolbow]

Agreed. Time to give it some social media love!

[mthompson]

Here here! Even turning off indexing and other functions do not stop the creation of these files. Being able to set a central location like the default toolbox would be very helpful to prevent clutter and easily access the results if you even need/want them!

[JohnNergeBrooklynPark]

I'll take it a step further. Store everything, except for the toolbox and geodatabase (which also shouldn't need to be created/referenced by default), within the aprx file. This seems like something that had lingered in Pro since the replacement of ArcMap began but had never been addressed to meet full parity of the single mxd file.

[DaveBlankenstein]

Indeed, by default is should be stored within the aprx. This is also for future cloud based development a easier path so not every file is synced the minute it changes, but the aprx file (as long as opened) keeps this data and sync's after a save.

[CarlosGutierrez4]

If possible, these system folders should be stored within the aprx file. Maybe this can be handled the same way the newer Microsoft Office file formats do it. If you rename a docx or xlsx file as a zip file, you will see that there are multiple folders contained within.

Edit:

Actually, I just checked and if you rename an aprx file as a zip file, lo and behold, there are folders and files within. Esri, can the system folders be stored in there too?