There are several ways to open an ArcGIS AllSource project. You can open and use multiple projects at the same time. Each project opens in a separate instance of ArcGIS AllSource.
The same project can be opened many times, for example, by different people. However, only one writable copy of the project can be opened at a time—all others are read-only. Similarly, if you access a project from a read-only network share, the project is considered read-only. A project's read-only status is indicated in the title bar of ArcGIS AllSource.
You can work with read-only projects in the same manner as writable projects, such as updating maps and layouts, editing datasets and models, and so on. When you save your work, edits to datasets and models are saved, provided the database and toolbox accessed from the project are writable. However, to save maps, layouts, and other items stored in the project, you must create a copy of the project in a writable location. Provide a new file name or location to create a writable copy of the read-only project (.asrx file).
Open a recent project
When you start ArcGIS AllSource, a list of the projects you worked on recently is displayed. You can pin projects that you frequently use to the Recent Projects list. To see the entire project name or location of a project, hover over it. A pop-up provides the project's full name, modification date, and location.
The Recent Projects list is also available on the Settings page.
- Go to the Recent Projects list.
- Start ArcGIS AllSource. The start page appears.
- From an open project, click the Project tab on the ribbon, and click Open.
The most recent projects you've worked on are listed.
- Click the project you want to open.
If most of your work is accomplished using the same project, at least for a period of time, you can choose to open that project automatically when you start ArcGIS AllSource.
Tip:
If a project in the Recent Projects list no longer exists, right-click it and click Remove Project From List.
Open another project
If the project you want to use is not listed when you start ArcGIS AllSource, you can open a different project from the active portal or from a local or network computer.
When you upload a project package to a portal, it can be opened from any computer. From the active portal, you can also open project packages that were shared by others. Online project packages are downloaded and unpacked before they are opened. By default, project packages are unpacked in the <User Documents>\ArcGIS\Packages folder. You can change this location in the Share and Download options.
If you have to interrupt your work on one project to perform a task for a different project, you can open another project in a second instance of ArcGIS AllSource. Alternatively, you can close the current project and open a new one in the same instance of ArcGIS AllSource.
Open a project from the start page
You can open a project from the ArcGIS AllSource start page.
- On the ArcGIS AllSource start page, click Open another project.
The Open Project dialog box appears.
- Browse to or search for the
project you want to open.
When you search for a project, you can widen the search box
by dragging the edge of the Open Project dialog box. You can also drag the gap between the Refresh button 
and the Sort button 
at the top of the dialog box.
Note:
From ArcGIS AllSource, you can browse to projects stored on local or network computers, but you can't search for them. - Click the project.
- Click OK.
Once the project is opened, it is added to the Recent Projects list in ArcGIS AllSource and to the ArcGIS AllSource jump list on the Windows taskbar, if this option is enabled on your computer. The project file (.asrx) is added to the list, even if you opened a project package.
Note:
Recent Projects will only show ArcGIS AllSource projects (.asrx).Open an ArcGIS Pro project
You can open an ArcGIS Pro project (.aprx) or project package (.ppkx) in ArcGIS AllSource by converting it to an ArcGIS AllSource project (.asrx). Complete the following steps:
- On the ArcGIS AllSource start page, click Open another project.
The Open Project dialog box appears.
- Browse to or search for the ArcGIS Pro project (.aprx) or project package (.ppkx) you want to open.
- Click the project.
- Click OK.
- On the Convert Project dialog box, click Yes.
If you click No or Cancel, the ArcGIS Pro project will not be converted and will not open.
Open a project from the Settings page
You can open a project from the ArcGIS AllSource Settings page.
- Go to the Settings page.
- From the start page, click Settings.
- From ArcGIS AllSource, click the Project tab on the ribbon.
- Click Open.
- Click the Computer or Portal option, as appropriate.
- Click the appropriate option.
- Computer—Headings are listed that represent well-known locations in which personal projects are stored. Documents lists projects stored in the Documents folder. Desktop lists projects stored on your computer's desktop; projects stored in a folder accessible from your desktop aren't listed.
- Portal—Headings representing My Content and the groups in which you participate are listed.
- Click a project.
- Double-click a heading to list the projects available from that folder, collection, or group. Click a project in a list under one of the headings.
- Click Open another project. The Open Project dialog box appears. Browse to or search for a project, click it, and click OK.
- If you were working on another project, click Yes to save any changes.
The project you were working on closes.
The selected project is accessed from the local or network folder or downloaded from the active portal. Once opened, it is added to the recent projects list.
Recover a project
If you back up projects, you can recover unsaved changes in the event that ArcGIS AllSource shuts down unexpectedly. Unsaved changes are recovered up to the time of the most recent backup.
To recover a project after an unexpected shutdown, complete the following steps:
- Start ArcGIS AllSource.
- On the start page, open the project from the list of recent projects.
A Project Recovery prompt informs you that the backup project was saved more recently than the original project.
If the prompt does not appear, it means that the original project was saved more recently than the backup project. In this case, unsaved changes cannot be recovered.
- Choose how to proceed.
- Yes—Open the backup project. Unsaved changes are recovered up to the time stamp of the backup project.
- No—Open the original project. The project state reflects the last manual save. Unsaved changes are lost.
- Cancel—Dismiss the prompt without opening the project.
Note:
If you click Yes, the backup project replaces the original project. The original project is deleted. As you continue to work with the recovered project, new backups are created.
If you click No, the original project is preserved. As you continue to work with the original project, new backups continue at the specified interval.