Navigating Catalog with back arrow

[IlkaIllers1]

In ArcMap, you can collapse folders/gdbs/datasets by clicking the back arrow anywhere within the folder/gdb/dataset. For example, if a feature class within a dataset is highlighted, the first time clicking the back arrow will make the highlight jump to the feature dataset. The second time collapses the dataset, the third time it jumps to the gdb, the fourth time collapses the gdb, then it jumps to the folder. It always jumps to the folder/gdb/dataset above and, when the back arrow is pressed again, collapses it. This way, you can collapse and open the entire catalog with just the back and forward arrows. This helps navigating the catalog easily.

In ArcGIS Pro, opening folders/gdbs/datasets by using the forward arrow works. However, collapsing a folder/gdb/dataset only works when the folder/gdb/dataset is already highlighted. If you have a dataset with a lot of feature classes and the one at the bottom is highlighted, you first have to navigate all the way to the top to reach the dataset in order to collapse it. 

[KennethEggering1]

I often find myself having to scroll WAY down into a database, and wish to simply collapse the database using the left arrow key (as is possible in ArcMap). The left arrow key will only collapse the database when the actual database is selected, rather than from anywhere within it (e.g. at the bottom of a long stack of Feature-Classes.

I've searched the ArcPro Docs here, but it does not seem to be mentioned. Are there any hotkeys to collapse a database. I have tried CTRL+Arrows, Shift+Arrows, Alt+Arrows, and the same mix with, for example, HOME, PageUp, etc. to no avail.

[KevinRathgeber1]

Please add this into Pro.  This was such a time saver in ArcCatalog.  As an admin performing a lot of tasks in catalog this is one of those things that just makes life better for us.  This seemingly little thing makes me keep going back to ArcCatalog when I need to do tasks that require a lot of navigation.  I think the goal here is to have people using Pro more and continuing with that migration, but honestly this one is truly annoying.

Pressing back arrow once on an object should take you to the parent level.

Pressing back arrow on a container like a connection or a folder should collapse it. 

Pressing again should take you back to its parent.

[NickNuebel]

I also find myself returning to ArcMap / ArcCatalog for data management tasks and other things requiring lots of navigation, especially in databases or folder with lots of content. This is a big deal to me; loss of features like this keeps me from adopting Pro full time.

[NateArnold]

Yes, please incorporate left arrow collapse behavior into Pro's Catalog pane.  I use it all the time in other programs with a tree-structure.  Its absence is truly awkward every time I manage data in Pro. 

[KoryKramer]

@NateArnold please be sure to add your kudos to this idea as it helps us prioritize development work. Thank you!

[NaicongLi]

Hello @IlkaIllers1 ,

The requested keyboard shortcut works in the ArcCatalog/ArcMap Catalog tree and in the Navigation pane in File Explorer. In ArcGIS Pro, the requested keyboard shortcut works in the Catalog view’s Contents pane. In all these locations the tree control used only allows one item to be selected.

The same tree control is used in the ArcGIS Pro Catalog pane. However, the Catalog pane allows many items to be selected at once to drag all selected items to a map or to move them to a new location. It is a known limit of the tree control that this keyboard shortcut does not work when many items can be selected at a time. This is why the requested keyboard shortcut is not available in the ArcGIS Pro Catalog pane. It is a limitation of the underlying control.

We are therefore closing this idea. Thank you for your feedback.

[Joey_Lecky]

@NaicongLi True, but in ArcMap you can have the contents panel displayed below the catalog tree which allows you to select multiple items.

So in ArcMap you could both navigate the tree with the back arrow key and select multiple items when needed. 

Therefore there is still a glaring ArcMap equivalency issue remaining here. 

If it has to be one or the other, personally, I would rather be able to navigate the catalog pane tree with forward and back arrow keys over the ability to select multiple items. Though I think the ArcMap solution to allow both worked great. 

The catalog view in Pro is a whole other can of worms if you ask me. Yes navigation with the arrow keys works in the contents pane, but it doesn't display the full contents of container items (e.g. folders, geodatabases) which makes it far less useful than ArcCatalog, in my opinion. 

Related to this, in ArcMap the Table of Contents pane allows both full navigation with the back and forward arrow keys and the ability to select multiple items.  In Pro you cannot navigate up and down the Map contents pane with the forward and back arrow keys. The ArcMap Table of contents pane will also allow you to select multiple items from different nested levels and perform an action on all of them (such as dragging to another location in the TOC, turning layers on/off, expanding/collapsing them, etc). ArcPro does not allow any of those actions. 

[NaicongLi]

Thank you @Joey_Lecky for your feedback above, @IlkaIllers1 for starting this idea thread, and everyone who contributed comments to this idea. After further investigation, we have determined that this is feasible, and are reopening this idea.  We have already worked on the fix, and it will be available in ArcGIS Pro 3.6 release.

We look forward to more of your ideas to help us improve ArcGIS Pro.