Why can you no longer display disabled Python script parameters in ArcGIS Pro?

[JohnGaiot]

Hello,

I am testing some rather robust tools created in ArcGIS Desktop 10.3.1 in ArcGIS Pro 1.4. One nuisance I have come across is a change in behaviour when working with disabled parameters. In the help, it states the following:

When a parameter is disabled, it will disappear from view on the tool dialog box, and when reenabled, it will reappear. This effect is seen on several system geoprocessing tools such as the Add Field tool where the need for several parameters is dependant on the field type.

You can still manipulate them in the background using the validation tab, however, they are no longer displayed on the form. I want the user to be able to see data outputs from the tool and where they are going to be created before running the tool. I can no longer do this when the parameters are hidden from view. I have attached an image showing the form in Desktop and the equivalent in Pro. As you can see, the read-only parameters outlined in green in Deskstop no longer show up in Pro. Is there a way to get around this? Can this functionality be restored in a future version of Pro? This is a rather advanced way of controlling user entry and data outputs which I would still like the user to still have the ability to see.

[curtvprice]

This feature was in the first version of Pro I saw back at holistic testing in Sept 2015. This is very much in line with the design of Pro to present to the user only things the user absolutely needs to see. If you don't like this you should post your request in the https://community.esri.com/community/arcgis-ideas?sr=search&searchId=fcb194dc-0b93-478d-b5d5-fa85e20...‌ space. I doubt they want to go back though.

[JohnGaiot]

Thanks Curtis. I will consider doing this. In some of the tools we have designed, there is a certain structure to our data products which we don't want altered by the user. But it was very handy to show these read-only outputs so they know what to look for when the tool is done (as these outputs serve as inputs to subsequent tools after they are QA/QC'd). This feature goes back to my programming days in VB and C+ in creating 'intelligent' user entry forms for various applications.

[JamesDavidNLAE]

Well, I just ran into this and thought it was a bug...

To ESRI Support...Thanks for letting me know that this was intended and not a bug. That said, why change the behavior of an existing parameter. If you wanted to allow for the parameter to be visible or not, add that functionality with another parameter function...self.params[x].visible = false. As it stands, I have lost the opportunity to provide context to the user's interaction with the tool and gained no benefit from the modifications to the these properties.

[curtvprice · Accepted solution]

This is now a user-modifiable setting in the backstage. 

On the plus side now you can set up a configuration file so you users can have this or other settings enforced  to an expected config environment. Again not ideal, but you do have options.