Refresh a location's content

When you connect to an item and browse its contents in a catalog view or Catalog pane, the item’s list of contents is initially up to date. Similarly, each time you start ArcGIS AllSource, the first time you access an item, its list of contents is initially up to date. However, as you work, the contents of an item connection may change.

If you change the contents of an item connection using ArcGIS AllSource tools in your active session, the contents list updates immediately. For example, if you copy a shapefile from Folder1 to Folder2 using the ArcGIS AllSource Copy and Paste commands, the shapefile appears in Folder2.

Contents do not update immediately if the changes are made in applications other than ArcGIS AllSource, such as File Explorer or ArcMap. They also do not update immediately in your current project if the changes are made in a separate instance of ArcGIS AllSource. In these situations, you must refresh an item connection to update its contents.

When you refresh an item, added files appear, deleted files are removed, and renamed files display their new names.

You can refresh an item connection or specific content within an item connection. Only items that contain other items can be refreshed.

In this example, refreshing the ManageData folder connection refreshes all content in the folder. Refreshing the Zoning folder refreshes only the contents of that folder. Refreshing the Resources geodatabase refreshes only the contents of the geodatabase.

Note:

You cannot refresh all item connections in a project with one command.

Refresh content

You can refresh item connections and their content in a catalog view, the Catalog pane, or a browse dialog box.

Refresh content in a catalog view

Follow these steps to refresh content in the catalog view:

1. Make a catalog view active.
2. In the catalog view, browse to the item connection or the specific item you want to refresh.

   Your current location is shown in the location bar. The list of content to be refreshed is displayed in the catalog view.

   

   In this example, the contents of a folder connection named ProcessedData will be refreshed.

3. Refresh the content with any of the following commands:
   • On the ribbon, on the Catalog tab, in the Organize group, click Refresh .
   • At the top of the catalog view, next to the location bar, click Refresh .
   • Right-click empty space in the catalog view and click Refresh on the context menu that appears.
   • Press the F5 key.

   All content at the location is refreshed, regardless of whether or not specific items are selected.

   Note:

   To refresh one or more items in a content list—rather than all items in the list—right-click the item (or items) to select it and click Refresh on the context menu that appears.

Refresh content in the Catalog pane

In the Catalog pane, the Refresh command works on a selected item or items. Follow these steps to refresh content:

1. Make the Catalog pane active.
2. Browse to the item connection or to the specific item you want to refresh. Select the item. Optionally, select multiple items.
3. Refresh the selected item with any of the following commands:
   • Right-click the item and click Refresh on the context menu.
   • Click Menu at the top of the pane and click Refresh .
   • Press the F5 key.

Refresh content in a browse dialog box

When you browse to items on your computer or a network drive—for example, to add data to a map or to make a folder connection—you can refresh the item contents to make sure they are up to date. Follow these steps to refresh content:

1. Open a browse dialog box with the Browse button or another command.
2. Browse to a location.

   Your current location is shown in the location bar. The list of content to be refreshed is displayed in the dialog box.

3. Refresh the selected item with any of the following commands:
   • Click Refresh next to the location bar.
   • Right-click empty space in the browse dialog box and click Refresh on the context menu that appears.
   • Press the F5 key.

   In a browse dialog box, all content at the location is refreshed, regardless of whether or not specific items are selected.

Invalid connections

After you refresh content, an item connection or an item may appear with a red exclamation point . This means that the item is invalid: it may no longer exist at the expected location, it may have been renamed, or it may connect to an inaccessible network drive, database, or server.

The ProcessedData folder connection is invalid. Its contents are not accessible until the folder is repaired.

To repair an invalid connection, click the exclamation point and browse to the item. You can repair moved or renamed items; you cannot repair deleted items.

Refresh project item containers and connections

In the catalog view, Catalog pane, and browse dialog boxes, item connections are grouped thematically in containers. For example, toolbox connections appear under the Toolboxes container , and database connections appear under the Databases container . Depending on the type of connection, the refresh behavior may vary.

Refresh maps, layouts, reports, and tasks

Maps, layouts, reports, and tasks are only added to a project or removed from a project with ArcGIS AllSource commands in your current ArcGIS AllSource session. Therefore, the items in their respective containers are always up to date. These containers and their contents do not need to be refreshed.

Refresh toolboxes

Refreshing the Toolboxes container updates the list of toolbox connections in the project. Refreshing a specific toolbox connection updates the list of toolsets, scripts, and models the toolbox contains.

Note:

To automatically refresh datasets or workspaces that are updated by a tool in a model, set the tool's output variable as a model parameter and run the model as a geoprocessing tool. Map layers that reference the data are also refreshed. See Model parameters.

Refresh databases and servers

Refreshing the Databases container updates the list of database connections in the project. Refreshing the Servers container updates the list of server connections. Refreshing a specific database or server connection updates the contents of that database or server.

An invalid database or server connection is marked with a red exclamation point , like other invalid connections. There are many reasons why database or server connections may become invalid. The steps to repair an invalid database or server connection may require the help of a system administrator.

Note:

The Cloud storage container and BIM cloud container are like the Servers container.

Refresh styles

Styles are only added to a project or removed from a project with ArcGIS AllSource commands in your current session. Therefore, the Styles container is always up to date.

Normally, you manage the contents of a style in the current ArcGIS AllSource session. However, if a style file is located on a network drive, its contents could be changed by another user. In that situation, you may need to refresh the style.

In the catalog view, you can refresh a style with the Refresh button on the ribbon or by pressing the F5 key. In the Catalog pane, you can use the Menu button or the F5 key. There are no context menu commands to refresh styles.

Refresh folders

Refreshing the Folders container updates the list of folder connections in the project. Refreshing a specific folder connection updates contents of that folder. Folders are generic containers that may contain other folders, toolboxes, geodatabases, and other items. You can browse into a folder connection and update specific items without refreshing the entire connection.

Refresh portal content

When you are signed in to ArcGIS AllSource, your project is connected to your active portal. Portal content containers, such as My Content or My Organization , are up to date the first time you access them in an ArcGIS AllSource session. However, their contents may change as you work. For example, a colleague may share a new web map to your organization.

When you refresh a portal container, all items in the container are refreshed, regardless of whether or not specific items are selected.

Note:

Portal items may be updated with newer versions. If your project uses a portal item for which a newer version is available, you’ll receive a notification in the project. Update notifications are not related to refreshing content.

Refresh portal content in a catalog view

Follow these steps to refresh a list of portal items in the catalog view:

1. Make a catalog view active.
2. In the Contents pane, click a portal content collection, such as ArcGIS Online , to select it.

   Note:

   The ArcGIS Online container only displays a list of items after a search. Other portal containers display items immediately. You can refresh results from searches in a portal container in the same way as other lists of content.

3. Refresh the content with any of the following commands:
   • On the ribbon, on the Catalog tab, in the Organize group, click Refresh .
   • At the top of the catalog view, next to the location bar, click Refresh .
   • Press the F5 key.

Refresh portal content in the Catalog pane

Follow these steps to refresh a list of portal items in the Catalog pane:

1. Make the Catalog pane active.
2. At the top of the pane, click the Portal tab.
3. Under the Portal tab, click a content collection, such as My Organization .
4. Refresh the content with either of the following commands:
   • Click Menu at the top of the pane and click Refresh .
   • Press the F5 key.

Refresh favorites

Favorites are managed in your current ArcGIS AllSource session. Therefore, your list of Favorites is always up to date.

You can add many types of items as favorites—for example, toolboxes, geodatabases, folders, and server connections. Because you can create or modify these items outside of ArcGIS AllSource, you may need to refresh your favorites.

When you add a favorite to a project, you create an item connection. For example, if you add Folder1 from your Favorites to a project, Folder1 is both a favorite and a folder connection. If you refresh the favorite, you also refresh the folder connection. Likewise, if you refresh the folder connection, you also refresh the favorite.

If a favorite becomes invalid—for example, because the favorite item is renamed or moved using an application other than ArcGIS AllSource—you can repair it like any other broken connection.

Refresh a favorite in a catalog view

Follow these steps to refresh a favorite in a catalog view:

1. Make a catalog view active.
2. In the Contents pane, expand Favorites and click a favorite item to display its contents in the catalog view.
3. Refresh the content with any of the following commands:
   • On the ribbon, on the Catalog tab, in the Organize group, click Refresh .
   • At the top of the catalog view, next to the location bar, click Refresh .
   • Press the F5 key.

Refresh a favorite in the Catalog pane

Follow these steps to refresh a favorite in the Catalog pane:

1. Make the Catalog pane active.
2. At the top of the pane, click the Favorites tab to display your list of favorites. Click an item or items to select it.
3. Refresh the selected item with either of the following commands:
   • Click Menu at the top of the pane and click Refresh .
   • Press the F5 key.