Creating a new .aprx file in an existing project folder

Before tackling this tutorial, you will need to download and install a dataset following these instructions:

Create a folder called simple_project/ somewhere under your personal directory (e.g. C:\Users\jdoe\Documents\Tutorials\simple_project\).
Download the data for this exercise then extract the contents of earthquakes_dec_2019.zip into your newly created simple_project folder.

When starting a new ArcGIS project, you are most likely to start with an existing project folder that already houses GIS files. This short exercise steps you through the motions of creating a new ArcGIS project using a folder that houses standalone GIS data files.

Creating a new ArcGIS Pro project

On Windows 11, In the Taskbar search field (bottom of your Windows screen), type ArcGIS Pro.
This should bring up the ArcGIS Pro application in a pop-up menu.
Click on the ArcGIS Pro application.

In the ArcGIS Pro window, select the "Map" option.

In the New Project window, name the new project Simple_project and set the location to the ./simple_project folder that houses the GIS data you downloaded for this tutorial.
Uncheck the Create a folder for this local project option.
Click OK.

After creating your new ArcGIS project, you will see that the .\simple_project folder is added as a folder connection in the Catalog window pane.

You'll also note that by creating a new ArcGIS project in your existing folder, the software added several folders and files. For example, a geodatabase with the project name gets automatically created (Simple_project.gdb in our working example) as well as a new Toolbox (Simple_project.atbx). These are not necessarily needed in a project and can be deleted (though they may be recreated the next time you open the project). In this and subsequent tutorials, we will ignore these added elements.

In most situations, your GIS project will be self-contained in a single folder, but if you are to tap into GIS files that reside in a separate folder, you can add that folder as a new connection by right-clicking on Folders, selecting Add Folder Connection, then selecting the folder you want to create a connection to.

Adding a layer to the map

Next, we'll add a layer to the map.

Expand the simple_project/ folder, then drag-and-drop the earthquakes shapefile onto the existing map.

At this point, you have a new map project showing the location of earthquakes whose magnitude is greater than 4.5 for most of the month of December 2019 and parts of the month of January 2020.

Next, you will save the edits to your .aprx file.

Saving the project

Click on the Save Project icon on the upper left-hand corner of the ArcGIS Pro window.

When the project was created, the software automatically assigned the name of the project to the *.aprx file name--simple_project.aprx in this working example (see accompanying figure of a Windows file management window view of the project folder).

Any changes made to the ArcGIS project (symbology, layout, etc...) gets saved in the .aprx file. But note that the various layers (vector files and/or raster files) that make up the map's content are not saved in the .aprx.

It's therefore important NOT to delete the GIS files originally present in your project folder (or at least those that are used in the map view).

To enable the display of filename extensions in a Windows 11 file manager window, click on the three dots at the top of the file manager window and select Options. This will bring up the Folder Options window where you will select the View tab and uncheck "Hide extensions for known file types."
Click OK

When a layer is loaded in Map view, temporary lock files are created for that layer. These files are used to prevent the shapefile from being edited in a separate concurrent ArcGIS Pro session. Closing the ArcGIS Pro project will remove the temporary lock file. Locked files are identified with a long series of filename extensions that end with lock (only viewable in a Windows file manager application).

Avoid copying or archiving your GIS project folder when it is open in an ArcGIS Pro session. Doing so will copy the *.lock files which serve no purpose other than to clutter your project folder.

Close the ArcGIS project.

Opening an existing ArcGIS project

Once your ArcGIS project is created, you can access it by simply opening the .aprx file.

In your .\simple_project folder, double click on the Simple_project.aprx file.

Note that had you removed the superfluous folders and files initially created when you setup the ArcGIS project (e.g. the Simple_project.gdb geodtabase folder or the Simple_project.atbx file), these elements will have been automatically recreated when opening the .aprx file.

You can close the ArcGIS project.

This wraps up this short tutorial.

Page updated

Report abuse