Understand the root folder
The root folder is the location on your machine or network where ArcGIS Documentation Center stores documentation sets that you download or import. It is a foundational part of how the application works, and many workflows—such as opening documentation, exporting and importing doc sets, or working offline—depend on it.
What the root folder is
The root folder is a single directory that ArcGIS Documentation Center monitors for documentation sets. Each documentation set you download or import is stored in subfolders within the root folder.
The application uses the root folder to:
Locate documentation sets that are available to open
Serve documentation to your web browser from a local server
You do not open documentation directly from the file system. Instead, ArcGIS Documentation Center reads the contents of the root folder and presents available documentation sets in the app.
What is stored in the root folder
The root folder contains:
One or more documentation set folders, each representing a specific product, version, and language, though the folder structure starts with language, then product, then version. For example, a documentation set for ArcGIS Pro 3.7 in English is stored in the root folder with the following path:
\en\arcgis-pro\3.7\.Supporting files required to display documentation locally
You should not rename, move, or edit the contents of individual documentation set folders.
Where to find the root folder in the app
You can view the current root folder location in the Settings dialog box in ArcGIS Documentation Center.
From the Settings dialog box, you can:
See the full path of the root folder
Changing the root folder location
You can change the root folder location. When you do this, ArcGIS Documentation Center begins using the new location to look for documentation sets and display them in the Home tab.
Changing the root folder does not automatically move documentation sets from the old location to the new one. If you want previously downloaded documentation to appear after changing the root folder, you must move, copy, or export and import the documentation set folders into the new root folder.
Changing the root folder is commonly done when:
Using a shared network folder so multiple users can access the same documentation sets
Preparing documentation for use in a secure or restricted environment
Moving documentation sets from a shared network folder to a local one, so they can be accessed without a connection to the network
How the root folder relates to other workflows
Many tasks in ArcGIS Documentation Center depend on the root folder:
Downloading documentation sets stores files in the root folder
Opening documentation sets reads available content from the root folder
Importing documentation sets adds new content to the root folder
Using a shared folder relies on pointing the root folder to a shared location
Working offline in the field often involves changing the root folder and copying documentation sets
These topics reference the root folder but do not modify it.
Advanced configuration
In advanced scenarios, the root folder location can also be set through the application configuration file. This is typically done by IT staff or administrators when configuring the application for many internal users.
Learn more about the appSettings.json file
Removing the root folder
The root folder is not removed automatically when you uninstall ArcGIS Documentation Center because it may contain documentation sets that you want to keep if you plan to reinstall the app in the future.
You may want to remove documentation sets from your root folder before uninstalling the app or delete the root folder after uninstalling the app to clear all documentation sets from the machine and save space.