ArcGIS Pro file selection dialog is slow

[PaulKennedy1]

Hi

I would like to add to the chorus of constructive feedback on the performance of ArcGISPro. Before you ask me about my hardware, it is well beyond questioning.  12 cores, 64gb ram I7, nvidia P2000, 4 TB SSD.  Please accept the machine is not the problem. All other spatial software runs fantastic, Microstation, AutoCAD, Fledermaus, CARIS, QGIS, GoogleEarth...

AcrGIX Pro makes life for users really unpleasantly frustrating.  My current gripe is the non-standard file selection dialog you have designed. To be perfectly honest it is a dog. Even opening a folder on my local SSD takes as long as 20 seconds, while the standard microsoft file open dialog is instantaneous.  All I see with ESRI are you multiple, lame, busy icons.(they are a crutch, not a solution, if it was quick you would not need these). If we are being honest, the user is not busy, the computer is not busy, your poor architecture is incapable of providing an effective user interface.

We have no idea what this dialog is trying to do, but whatever it is, it has no end-user value in the delays it causes.  

Can I please ask you offer the user an option (in options) to use the standard MS dialog instead? Pre-scanning folders is not a sensible strategy if it slows users down. 

Please take this as constructive feedback.  We have used ESRI tools for years, and don't want to walk away.  The unfortunate reality is you are pushing the community to QGIS. Unfortunately if you dont fix your performance problems, your business will continue to suffer.

I honestly do not believe you don't see these problems in your office. I have been to your campus, seen your hardware and it is no better than mine.

[DanPatterson_Retired]

I am curious as to whether the same behaviour exists if run in 'offline mode'.  Do you have the capability to do so? and if so, is the behaviour the same?

[PaulKennedy1]

Thanks for getting back to me.  Much appreciated.  Can you describe what you mean by 'offline mode'?  do you mean change my license?

[DanPatterson_Retired]

Paul... yes, sort of

Licensing, Settings, "Authorize ArcGIS Pro to work offline"

I have suspected based on system activity that there is a lot of 'ET call home...' going on in the background.

I used to work offline all the time, then our licensing changed... I have just put in a request to get it reinstated (if we can... educational institution, so it was a blanket toggle off)

[PaulKennedy1]

Hi

I would be amazed if I need to pay for a different license for the software to be at least partially useful.   I am not talking about advanced functionality, I am talking about adding a little tif file and a shape file to a map.  Kidstuff.

I can imagine you are correct, but this is simply poor design.  when working locally I want to work locally. It should be fast, responsive and make customers happy to use the software.

[DanPatterson_Retired]

Yes I know, but in the current environment, Pro remains 'connected' to the outside, which implies a potential bottleneck right there.

I guess I will report back when my permissions come through.  I just thought if you had permissions to work offline, you could compare directly with your projects to see if there is any impart

[PaulKennedy1]

I tried to work in 'offline mode' but the software wants me to sign in before I pick add a local file to my map.  More wait progress bars!

[PaulKennedy1]

Dan, indeed you are correct.  I set a filter on wireshark to what I suspected was a 'ET phone home' from my maching to 18.234.22.44.  as soon as I open the 'add data' it floods my network with calls to planet ESRI, even if I am trying to open a local file.Of course when you are not in the ESRI campus there will be latency.  Here in Australia the USA is a long way away, and apparently not of any interest/value.

[BillBott]

Hi Paul, right now I'm not seeing the same issues as you and I'm on a less powerful laptop running local portal, server the whole 9 yards. 

I did have serious problems with our corporate firewall/virus software though - it had my laptop in a stranglehold and sat helplessly by watching 100% CPU, pathetic performance and about ready to throw my laptop against the wall !! That's no longer an issue now.

As for network traffic, shouldn't be much if anything when browsing folders. In fact, that should be like you said - instant or nearly so. Here is a video took this morning.

You're 100% right. It shouldn't be like that, something is wrong.

[PaulKennedy1]

Hi Bill,

i can disable my firewall and win defender here:-)  no change.

I suspect the issue is to do with network latency.  the architects appear to have assumed everyone is online and has zero latency. Western Australia is about 320 milliseconds from Calfornia, so ten TCP request/replies will take 3 seconds to complete.  I can see hundreds of requests, so a couple of minutes for the file dialog to open is about right.  That does not make it an acceptable design, or sustainable for users. 

It would look very much like feature creep, some software guy thinks it will be great and it works on his machine, but has not tested it beyond his office. The user outcome is pure frustration. 

There are dozens of complaints on the web which ESRI choose to ignore for now.  My request is to have an option to use the regular windows file selection dialog, and use the fancy ESRI one if you that floats your boat.