ArcGIS Pro Legend Bug - Items disappear when second data frame is added.
I have a Layout set up with a legend with many features linked to the Main data frame, that i spent a lot of time setting up. I then added a second data frame to use as an overview map. The legend still says it is pointing at the main data frame but it seems to have lost all items in the legend layers list. The Legend is now empty (it is not like they have been unticked - there are no items there).
Is there a way of adding items back into the legend?
See screenshot of legend with no items but still pointing to main data frame?
Accepted Solutions
Tom Colson - thanks for the video and especially for the text commentary. There are a number of things going on here. I'll use the timestamp to organize the issues below.
@ 1:30 – “Why are there no legend items when I inserted the legend?”
This is expected behavior. Though we may need to review for a better user experience.
When you changed the basemap the new basemap gets selected. The layout read this as the selected layer. When layers are selected (in an Active Layout) and you insert a legend only the selected layers are included in the new legend. In this case a basemap layer is selected which does not have any valid legend so the legend is blank.
If you had added a feature layer (ex: state boundary) to the map and then added a legend the legend would only show the state boundary – i.e. the selected layer map layer in the Contents pane (Layout view active). We do this to support the use case where you only want to create a legend for specific layers in your map. You do this by selecting layers (in the Active layout view Content pane). Unfortunately, a side effect of this is that when you add a new layer it is the selected layer.
Pro Tip: Before adding a legend select the Map Frame it belongs to in the Contents pane, then insert the legend. This should avoid having any layers selected.
As the video shows @ 3:05 by switching the source map frame back and forth you can "refresh" the legend.
@ 3:19 - Legend goes blank after toggling layer visibility
Not able to reproduce. May be related to Bug #1
So far, I have not been able to reproduce this, but I suspect that there is a refresh issue due to the legend getting out of sync with the map. I believe this happens once the order in the Contents pane for legend and map frames change. See Bug #1.
@ 5:13 - Move legend after adding a new map frame (different map) and then changing the source map a number of times results in invalid legend items.
I CAN reproduce this. BUG #1.
This may be related to another BUG where the legend items or the map frame/map items disappear after reordering the Legend or Map Frame in the Contents Pane. We are currently looking into this.
@ 6:50 “Turn off one legend item, note how all are removed?”
Not able to reproduce.
It think that this is likely another manifestation of the previous “reorder” bug above. The element is “out-of sync” with the map.
@8:11“Change maps in the map frame, now my extent is gone?”
I CAN reproduce this. BUG #2.
A re-sourced map frame should zoom to the full custom extent of the new source map. The zoom is not occurring. We will look into this.
@10:54 “remove 2nd frame, turn legend off, then on….legend gone!”
I CAN reproduce this. Most likely due to BUG #1.
Looks like the legend is getting out of sync when the source map of the additional map frame is being switched back and forth (and at one point includes the map that the legend points to). I believe this issue is another symptom of the core issue that is causing the other legend bugs.
A lot going on here. I did not go through every item in this thread. I would encourage anyone reading this that feel they have an issue that is different than the one's Tom has shown in his video and that I have addressed above to take this this issue to technical support. They are better equipped to handle troubleshooting steps and gather bug data. They can be contacted at https://support.esri.com/en/contact-tech-support.
Thanks,
Tom
Joe, I also can't reproduce this. To answer your question: Is there a way of adding items back into the legend?
Yes, you can just drag and drop layers from the map frame into the legend.
Nothing in legend:
Drag/drop:
I've searched our support system and I haven't found a description of this. I'll try a little bit more and post back here if I find something. Otherwise, please keep an eye out for reproducible steps and report to technical support to get a bug logged.
Thank you!
Having this issue as well. Re-adding the legend doesn't do anything and click and drag to re-adding the items doesn't work. The legend is simply stuck with nothing in it.
EDIT:
Got it working by removing the "stuck" legend. Then DELETING the map frame that it didn't want to show anything from. Then undoing the delete (Ctrl+Z). Then re-adding the legend now all of a sudden has all of the legend items! 
