Improve Arc Catalog Functionality

[SteveH]

The more I work with ArcCatalog to build a Spatial Data Catalogue the more I find out what a difficult and limited tool it is to work with.
Here are some ideas to improve it's functionality and ease of use.

• Auto refresh - having to manually refresh EACH individual folder in each view when ever changes are made is absurd.
• Schema Locks - if the file has been removed from Arcmap, ArcCatalog needs to know this. Having to shut down Arcmap every time you need to use the files in Catalog is a serious concern.
• Geoprocessing tools do not recognise the .vbs or .apl files associated with ArcPad Studio files. Create a new file through a geo-processing tool or try to import/export to a geodatabase and loose all associated ArcPad functionality.
• A "back" button would be nice.
• Delete files to recycle bin!!
• Toggle automatically between Contents and Preview tabs depending on whether you select a folder or a file in the tree-view.
• Improved drag and drop functionality - so often it just doesn't work.
• Keyboard shortcuts like "ctrl c" don't work

[JackZHANG]

I stronly recommend ESRI to adopt the idea of Recycle Bin in ArcCatalog

[JohnTaylor9]

All the above are items I'd like to see implemented as well. This has been missing for a long time.

[GraemeBrowning]

Not sure that ArcCatalog itself should be enhanced now that it appears to be in the process of being fully superseded by the Catalog Window of ArcMap.  Perhaps a new idea could be submitted that addresses just what's needed in Catalog Window - I think the Schema Locks issue is one from the above that is already addressed there. 

[AndrewLonie]

yes, schema locks. lack of auto refresh, lack of standard keyboard cut, copy, paste commands are a real drawback.

[JurajKrumpolec]

ArcCatalog should provide additional needed functionality and better cooperation with ArcMap.

NEW FUNCTIONALITY:

• Editing of attributes (field calculator at least)
• New intelligent, automated and comfortable lost sources management of map documents with minimum user involvement
• Separate Contents/Preview/Description tabs into individual windows

INTERACTIVITY ENHANCEMENTS:

• Preview of multiple layers at once in one or more windows:
  • Show joint preview of selected layers 
  • Show joint preview of all layers contained in the selected folder
• Interactive comparison of selected layer’s geography or attributes with intelligent identification and evaluation of differences (even within GDB)
• Direct link for geography and table preview (toolbar icon, context menu choice and direct keyboard shortcut - not a drop-down list)
• Drag&drop a whole folder to ArcMap as a group
• Additional columns in details view: coordinate system, alias, type of geometry (for sorting), created date, version of file GDB, various Raster Dataset Properties (like pyramids, statistics), author and other
• Thumbnails automatically and instantly generated for all files (image, vector and MXD)
• Extended functionality used in standard file management applications: Open with… (e.g. ArcMap, Excel), Open destination in… (e.g. Windows Explorer), installed compression software usage
• Besides back also a forward button
• Measure tools

ISSUES TO IMPROVE:

• Size and modified columns in detailed view by default
• Improve slow folder listing (mainly geodatabases)
• Possibility to select more files then one in Catalog Tree
• Missing field properties choice in table preview field context menu
• Possibility to change destination of connected folder
• Import field structure to a new SHP
• Synchronize context menus in details and thumbnails view

NOTES:

• Ctrl+C/X/V is not applicable when renaming file
• Drag&drop doesn’t work when thumbnails view is on

[KarlWilson]

The lack of multiple select for files in the ArcCatalog window is very annoying

[DennisSkultety]

These changes are needed both in ArcCatalog and the catalog windows.

[RayMangan]

Why is there no trash can in catalog? Seriously, how hard can this be to implement?

[DanielConstable2]

I support all the previous comments.  It is amazing to me that such simple tasks as selecting multiple files or auto-refreshing cannot be done in ArcMap. 

In addition, it would be nice if ArcCatalog remembered my last layout... I have to re-open the tools and search windows every single time I open the catalog.

[SkylerDewey1]

Recycle Bin please.  The excessive freezing up in 10 lead to an accidental deletion.