Options setting to set a default coordinate system for new feature classes

[Michele_Hosking]

This is in relation to a query I posted yesterday.

Solved: Re: Default coordinate system when creating a new ... - Esri Community

I would like a way to set a default coordinate system for creating new feature classes.  It's currently defaulting to WGS84.  I swear this wasn't happening in previous versions of ArcPro (I am currently on 3.3.1).  I have my map set to default to NZTM in the options and I swear this was translating somehow to the coordinate system when creating a new feature class in older versions of pro but now - not so much.

The answer given to me from my query was to make and use a project template which I marked as the solution but it's not really for my purposes.

We have a lot of non-gis folks using ArcGIS Pro in our organisation and getting them to use a template will be hit and miss.  And since setting the coordinate system when creating a new feature class is 3 steps in, most people (me included) just set the name and fields and hit finish and never look at the next step in the process.

I would really like a setting in Options that would set the default coordinate system for new feature classes or just make it so it uses the default set for the map.

[ChrisUnderwood]

Hello @Michele_Hosking , this is what I see in ArcGIS Pro 3.3.2. I have set my Options > Map & Scene > Spatial Reference, set to "Choose spatial reference", and I selected New Zealand Map Grid.

Then in ArcGIS Pro, I Insert > New Map, which adds an empty Map that has Current XY set to New Zealand Map Grid, as expected.

And when I use Catalog > right-click on database >, New > Feature Class > set any Name > Next > Next, Current XY is already set to New Zealand Map Grid for me.

And if you Save your Project like that, it will use New Zealand Map Grid next time too.

[MErikReedAugusta]

I stumbled on this Idea this afternoon from the discussion Michele linked in the original post.

Just as a use case/counter-argument to ChrisUnderwood's suggestion, that only seems to apply if you first have a Map pulled into the project.

I am actually right now in an APRX (ArcPro 3.1.3) that I use for schema work in one of our SDEs, creating a few new Feature Datasets and Feature Classes.  Because this is schema work, I only have a Catalog View open, and no Map View.  Because I have different connection properties/accounts based on whether I'm doing schema work or editing of individual assets, etc., I prefer not to have a Map in this schema project.  Being Catalog-only serves as a handy mental reminder of what "connection space" I'm currently in.

But having to manually set both the horizontal and vertical coordinate systems for each of these Feature Datasets or Feature Classes is getting pretty tedious, and it would be easy to miss one if I get distracted.

It honestly baffles me that I can't set a default regardless of whether a map is active or not.