Use the Catalog pane

Use the Catalog pane to add items to a project; view, create, and manage items; and get information about item properties.

The Catalog pane has four tabs:

• The Project tab is a tree view of the items you have added to a project or created in a project, organized by type. For example, maps you have imported or created appear under the Maps container .
• The Portal tab lists items in your active portal, organized by portal categories. For example, portal items shared with your organization appear under My Organization .
• The Computer tab displays the items on your computer in the same way as File Explorer. On this tab, you can access and manage folders and files without creating folder connections.
• The Favorites tab lists items you have designated as project favorites.

Left: The Project tab displays the contents of the project, including database and folder connections. Right: The Computer tab provides access to other local and network resources, including folder shortcuts.

The following table summarizes common tasks you can perform in the Catalog pane.

Common Catalog pane tasks

Task	Method	More information
Browse project items	On the Project tab, click the Expander button next to item containers and items to see their contents.	For example, expand Maps to see the maps in your project. Press Ctrl+Equals Sign or Ctrl+Hyphen to expand or collapse all containers.
Add items to a project	Right-click an item container and click the appropriate command to add an item of that type to the project.	For example, right-click Folders , click Add Folder Connection , and browse to a folder.
Add data to a map or scene	Browse to a dataset from a folder connection. Right-click the dataset and click an appropriate command, such as Add To Current Map .
Access folder shortcuts	Click the Computer tab. Browse to a folder shortcut and double-click it to use its contents.	Folder shortcuts created in Windows are available. (Shortcuts to resources other than folders don't appear in ArcGIS AllSource.) Right-click a folder shortcut to open its context menu.
Create items	Right-click an item container and click the command to create an item of that type.	For example, right-click Databases and click New File Geodatabase .
Manage items	Select an item, right-click to open its context menu, and choose an available command.	Press Ctrl or Shift while clicking to select multiple items. (Not all commands support multiple selections.)
Get item information	Hover over an item to display the item pop-up.	Manage item pop-up information.
Open Microsoft File Explorer to an item's location	Right-click a file-based item and click Show In File Explorer .
Search for project and portal items	Type a keyword or keywords in the search box and press Enter.	See Search project items and Search portal items.
Copy or move items	Use Ctrl and drag to copy items. Use Shift and drag to move items.	Alternatively, use context menu commands or keyboard shortcuts. See Copy and move items.
Copy an item's path	Right-click a file-based item and click Copy Path .	Alternatively, use this command on the Map tab or Catalog tab of the ribbon. See Copy and move items.
Undock or auto hide the pane	Drag the pane to a different docking target or away from a target. Click Auto-Hide to automatically hide the pane.	See Introduction to ArcGIS AllSource.

Open the Catalog pane

The Catalog pane is usually open when you create or open a project. If it's closed, you can open it from the ribbon.

1. Click the View tab on the ribbon.
2. In the Windows group, click Catalog Pane .

   Tip:

   Use the Reset Panes button on the View tab to open specific panes in combination. For example, click Reset Panes for Mapping (Default) to open the Catalog and Contents panes and close all other panes.

Hide or show the item pop-up

By default, an item pop-up displays when you hover over an item in the Catalog pane. For project items, the pop-up shows the item's name, type, modification date (if available), and path. For portal items, the pop-up also shows the item's owner and any badges associated with the item.

Paths to file-based local and network items are formatted as links that open the folder containing the item in File Explorer. For items that are not stand-alone files, such as geodatabase feature classes or geoprocessing models, and for broken items, the path is displayed without a link. Paths to portal items are formatted as links to the online item page. The owner name is formatted as a link to an ArcGIS organization profile that may or may not be shared publicly. Paths to ArcGIS Server services link to the service's REST endpoint in a browser.

Optionally, you can show detailed pop-ups with thumbnail images and tags. Thumbnails and tags for portal items are accessed over the internet; for local and network items, they are retrieved from the index. If the item is not indexed, the information is extracted from its metadata, if metadata exists. Showing detailed item pop-ups may affect performance, especially with a slow network or internet connection or with enterprise geodatabases.

You can hide item pop-ups if you don't want to see them.

Follow these steps to show or hide item pop-ups:

1. In the Catalog pane, click Menu and click Show Pop-ups. On the context menu, click an option:
   • Hide Pop-ups
   • Show Pop-ups
   • Show Detailed Pop-ups

   Note:

   Item pop-ups don't appear in catalog views. However, you can change pop-up settings when a catalog view is active. On the ribbon, click the View tab. In the Options group, click Item Pop-ups and click the option you want.