How do you view .aprx in ArcGIS Pro ?

[PROBERT68]

Hi,

Is there a way around to view .aprx files when you want to view what is in the map in Pro ?

The same idea when you go into ArcGIS ArcCatalog and if you see your mxd , you can view it in Preview.

[Brian_Wilson]

The short answer is "no". It's not one layout or one map, so you have to open each APRX and then look at what appears in the Catalog pane. No previews there either -- you have to open each map to see what is in it. And when you do look in the Project tab of the Catalog pane what you see is all blended together with other content; it's hard to tell what is just a toolbox for example and what is part of the APRX contents.

I just realized in Pro 2.9 I cannot even see the APRX files under Project, they added a new tab Computer in 3. Thanks @PROBERT68  for giving me a reason to upgrade to 3!

For a long time I've thought about just building a free-standing "catalog" style app for Pro but I fear I'd get lawyer letters from Esri and it would all be for naught. A better UI for Portal is much higher on my personal list anyway.

[BarryNorthey]

ArcGIS 3.1.1 Open the aprx then open a Catalog View (not a Catalog pane). Expand the Maps section to see a list of the Maps in the Project. Click on a Map in the left panel --> click on the Geography tab in the right panel to preview its layers. Layer visibility is the same as in the Map. The grey canvas basemap is drawn in the background if there is no basemap in the Map.

You can also create a thumbnail that appears in the top of the Metadata for the Map by right clicking on the Map name in the Contents pane --> click Create Thumbnail.

In my experience, people will spend (a lot of) time creating a Map but then spend no time documenting it with basic metadata.

[Brian_Wilson]

All great tips, thanks.

Step 1 open the APRX is the only problem. (I want a quick preview)

Your last comment (no metadata) I believe happens because the creators don't see any benefit to it.

Personally I've always wanted a page of notes (README) in the project, that I could maintain as part of the project metadata. I guess I could use the Project "Description" field for that; it would always stay with the project then. The worry is that my production notes will end up propagating through to a public access map.

I've been putting a text file next to the APRX (README.md) so that I can open it without jumping through all the hoops of launching Pro just to see it's the wrong project.

[Brian_Wilson]

I just looked at this page it seems quite relevant to this topic, ArcGIS Pro Catalog view 

[PROBERT68]

Thanks ! I didnt realized my Pro isn't up to 3.1.1 yet.  Just current the 3.1.0

[BarryNorthey]

Under the Project tab --> About (or Settings --> About) check on:

You will get a Notification when there is an update available.