ArcGIS Desktop Search for Tools Not Working

[BrianKaplan]

Hi,

I'm running 10.2.2 on Windows 7 and the search for tools is no longer working.  It worked last week.  The search results are 0 (zero) for tools while I do get results for data.  The attached shows the results for Append but I get the same result no matter what tool I'm looking for.  Deleting the normal.mxt did not help.  Any suggestions?

[RakeshSinha · Accepted solution]

Hi Brian,

You may want to try the following steps and see if they prove to be of any help to you:

1] Launch standalone ArcCatalog and check if the issue is reproducible.

2] Open Windows Explorer and go to the following path on your computer.  If you have a 32-bit system the path will exist at C:\Program Files else the following location:

C:\Program Files (x86)\Common Files\ArcGIS\Desktop10.2.2\Configuration\CATID

If the CATID folder exists, it will contain files which have an ECFG extension.  These files initialize 3rd party extensions that may exist on your computer that were installed for previous versions of ArcGIS Desktop.  If the CATID folder exists, rename the folder as CATID_old.  This will disable the extensions.

3] Try logging onto your machine with a different user profile and see if the issue persists. If it doesn't, it might be a case of corrupt user profile and you might have to contact your IT guys.

4] Try registering the system toolbox through ArcCatalog's Search Options. Go to Search Options drop-down and click on Search Options >Index tab > Click on Add and navigate to C:\Program Files (x86)\ArcGIS\Desktop10.2\ArcToolbox\Toolboxes. Now click 'Index New Items' > Apply > Ok.

Launch ArcMap and try searching for tools.

I hope this helps!

[BrianKaplan]

Thank you for your reply and support.  The problem also existed in ArcCatalog.  Another user on the same computer did not have the problem.  Registering the system toolbox through ArcCatalog's Search Options worked.  Thank you very much for the fix.  Brian

[KevinNoel]

i am having the same problem with 10.3.1 . my system is running windows 10 and every time i try to do any sort of analysis or even to do a conversion , arcmap crashes . Its started with the Search window not opening and progressed to this, i have uninstalled and reinstalled several times making sure to completely uninstall the entire product

[Town_ofDrayton_Valley]

Had this problem right after installing 10.5. Point # 4 fixed the problem for both Desktop and ArcCatalog, I would try this step first.

[EmilyHerd]

Anyone have a related problem that search works fine but when I open a tool, there is only help info, no form....???