Set catalog browsing options
You can use catalog browsing options to set preferences for working with the Catalog pane, catalog views, and browse dialog boxes.
Open the catalog browsing options
The catalog browsing options are available on the Options dialog box on the ArcGIS Pro settings page.
Go to the ArcGIS Pro settings page in either of the following ways:
On the ArcGIS Pro start page, click the Settings tab
.In an open project, click the Project tab on the ribbon.
On the settings page, in the list of side tabs, click Options.
On the Options dialog box, under Application, click Catalog Browsing.
Choose the options you want, as described in the following sections.
Click OK.
Tip:
When a catalog view is active, you can open the catalog browsing options from the ribbon. On the View tab, in the Options, group, click the Catalog Browsing Options dialog box launcher
.
Browse project items
Set options for browsing project items.
Default display name for folder connections
The following video demonstrates how to display full paths of folder connections.
- This video was created with ArcGIS Pro 3.2.
Choose whether to display folder connections as folder names or as complete paths.
Folder name only, e.g. ProjectData—Displays only the name of the folder to which you connect. This is the default.
Complete path, e.g. C:\Data\ProjectData—Displays the complete path of the folder connection.
The complete path option uses a drive letter if you connect to a folder on your computer—for example, C:\Data\ProjectData. It uses a device name if you connect to a folder on a network computer—for example, \\whidbey\Data\ProjectData.
In catalog views, when information is displayed in columns 
, folder names appear in the Name column and paths appear in the Path column, regardless of which option is selected.
Note:
You must restart ArcGIS Pro for changes to take effect.
Database connections
When you are connected to a database or enterprise geodatabase, use the List only objects owned by the connecting user check box to choose whether to show all items in the database or only items owned by the connecting user.
Checked—Only database items owned by the connecting user are visible in the catalog.
Unchecked—All database items are visible in the catalog. This is the default.
Note:
You may need to refresh the database connection after you change the setting.
Catalog view
Set catalog view options.
Default behavior on opening
When you open a project that was saved with one or more open catalog views, use the Starts from the last saved location check box to choose whether catalog views open to their last visited locations.
Checked—Catalog views open to their last visited locations. This is the default.
Unchecked—Catalog views open to the Project level
of the catalog.
Note:
You must save your current project for changes to take effect.
Location bar
When you browse to a folder or paste the path to a folder in the location bar of a catalog view, use the Add a folder connection for locations not in the project check box to choose whether folder connections are added.
Checked—A folder connection to the location is automatically added to the project (unless the folder connection already exists). This is the default.
Unchecked—The catalog view opens to the specified location but a folder connection is not added to the project.
Contents pane
When you browse to an item in a catalog view window, or paste its path in the location bar, use the Expand to current location check box to choose whether the catalog view's Contents pane expands to the item's location.
Checked—The Contents pane expands to the item's location.
Unchecked—The Contents pane does not expand to the item's location. This is the default.
Browse dialog box locations
Set options for browse dialog boxes.
Default browse dialog box behavior
Use the Accept default behavior for each browse dialog box check box to set the behavior of browse dialog boxes.
Checked—Browse dialog boxes observe their predefined behavior. This is the default.
Unchecked—Browse dialog boxes always open to their first-use locations.
Browse dialog boxes have predefined behavior that specifies the location to which they open on first use in a project, and whether they subsequently open to their last visited location. For example, on first use, the Add Data browse dialog box opens to the Project level of the catalog. After you browse to a location, such as C:\MyData, the dialog box opens to that location on next use. This predefined behavior is not the same for all browse dialog boxes. Different starting locations are used, and some browse dialog boxes do not support returning to their last visited location.
Browse dialog box behavior for visited locations
Use the Clear the last visited location check box to reset browse dialog box behavior with respect to visited locations.
Checked—Last visited locations are cleared from browse dialog boxes.
Unchecked—Browse dialog boxes open to their last visited locations if this behavior is supported. This is the default.
Clearing last visited locations is a one-time operation, like clearing a cache. When you click OK on the Options dialog box, the operation takes effect (and the check box is unchecked). The next time you open a browse dialog box, it opens to its predefined first-use location. Thereafter, it observes the Accept default behavior for each browse dialog box setting.
Advanced column settings
Use the Display item size and modification date for file geodatabases check box to show additional columns of information in catalog views.
Checked—Last modification date and file size are displayed for most file geodatabase items. This is the default.
Unchecked—These properties are not displayed.
In large file geodatabases, displaying the last modification date and file size may affect browse performance.
Note:
After changing the setting, you need to restart ArcGIS Pro.
Favorites
Use the settings under My Favorites to specify a custom location for your favorites file and favorites cache folder.
The favorites file stores the paths to items you add as project favorites. These items may be located on your local computer or on a network drive.
The favorites cache folder contains new items that are designated as favorites when you create them. It may also contain connection files to databases, servers, and certain other items if you copy the connection files to this location when prompted.
It is possible to customize one location without customizing the other; however, the favorites file is typically stored in the favorites cache folder.
Note:
Customizing the location of the favorites file and favorites cache folder does not delete the default path and file from your roaming profile. These continue to exist even when no longer used.
The following settings apply to the location of the favorites file:
Store favorites file in the default location. The default location is
%USERPROFILE%\AppData\Roaming\Esri\ArcGISPro\Favorites\Favorites.json.Store favorites file in a custom location. Enter the path to a favorites file stored in a local or network folder. The favorites file must be exported to the custom location in advance—it cannot be created with this setting.
The following settings apply to the location of the favorites cache folder:
Use the default location for the favorites cache folder. The default location is
%USERPROFILE%\AppData\Roaming\Esri\ArcGISPro\Favorites.Use a custom location for the favorites cache folder. Enter the path to a local or network folder. The folder must already exist—it cannot be created with this setting.