The equivalent file for the mxd (of ArcMap) in ArcGIS Pro,

[GeomolgPortal]

The equivalent file for the mxd (of ArcMap) in ArcGIS Pro,

I couldn’t figure out the equivalent file for the mxd (of ArcMap) in ArcGIS Pro. Is it the aprx file? The project\map structure in the ArcGIS Pro appears to be a bit confusing.

Thank you

Best

Jamal

[Anonymous User · Accepted solution]

In ArcGIS pro when a project is saved it creates a Project folder in the default directory "C:\Users\<username>\Documents\ArcGIS\Projects".

All the information associated with the Project such as SDE connection files, toolboxes, etc are stored here. The .aprx is whats called the project file and could be considered equivalent to an MXD file of sorts.

Please let me know if this was helpful.

[JakubSisak]

Yes that's correct.  It's the .aprx file.  (And Yes it's very confusing especially for those users who haven't used a ribbon environment such as new versions of AutoCAD.)  However, you cannot just create a "document" as you do in ArcMap.  It's very different from the ArcMap approach.  ArcPro has a completely new interface that is Project- based rather that a single document-centric.  By default, when you create a new project, a project geodatabase, project toolbox, default folder is also automatically created within the project structure hierarchy. You can then insert multiple maps, scenes as well as multiple layouts and insert various maps on any layouts.  It's actually more similar to AutoCAD then ArcMap - in autocad you work on a model space and you can then create multiple layouts with viewports into the model space. 

Also by default, when you insert a new map to your project it's set to the ESRI topo basemap.  You can customize some of this behaviour in the Project Options: Project Tab -> Options -> Map and Scene -> Basemap.

However, I am not sure why, you currently cannot customize the behaviour for creating Project Files: Pro will create the default project items. You can only specify in which location or what database. Hopefully a 3rd "none" option will bee added in future release so that users are not forced to create the project structure.

As a side note, you will have to completely rethink how you use tools and properties in Pro:  Just like in AutoCAD, the ribbon-based approach is CONTENT SENSITIVE. In other words, when you click on an item in say the TOC only those tools and commands pertaining to the operations for that particular item will be active on the ribbon.

[GeomolgPortal]

Thank you Katie and Jakub for the very useful input. Now, it is much clearer for me

Best

Jamal

[RebeccaStrauch__GISP]

Jamal, can you select either Katie's or Jakub's response as the "answer" so this thread can be considered resolved. Sometimes it is hard since both had helpful responses (and why others like me mark them as helpful), but selecting one is what lets others know that it has been answered.  Thanks

[JamalNUMAN]

The core difference between mxd and aprx is that the second does allow creating multiple layouts while the first fails.

 mxd (in ArcMap) is equivalent to aprx (in Pro)

 data frame is equivalent to Map

 layout is equivalent to layout (but here multiple layouts can be created)