What's new in ArcGIS Pro 2.1

See what's new and improved in ArcGIS Pro 2.1.

Video overview

This video compilation was created by ArcGIS Pro development teams to highlight new functionality specific to this release.

Highlights

The highlights section includes major functionality updates at this release.

Work with utility networks

You can now work with complex utility systems like electric, gas, water, stormwater, wastewater, and telecommunications. Utility networks in ArcGIS Pro is a comprehensive framework designed to model all the components of your system, such as wires, pipes, valves, zones, streams, devices, and circuits.

With utility networks you can build real world behavior into the features you model to visualize, edit, and analyze your network data. Learn more about utility networks.

Explore new ArcGIS extensions

There are now several new extensions available for to accommodate and enhance your unique workflows.

At this release, Business Analyst Pro is an extension that you can use to gather a variety of marketing analytics, including customer and competitor analysis, and site evaluation to give your business a geographically intelligent edge.

The ArcGIS Image Analyst extension enables you to visualize and analyze imagery, including stereo mapping, advanced image segmentation and classification, image space analysis, and building custom image processing algorithms.

Learn more about the available extensions for ArcGIS Pro.

Enhance your work with 3D

Turn on the editing grid in 3D to precisely edit, snap, and work with your data in 3D. It displays independently of any coordinate system in a local scene.

Three modes of interactive 3D exploratory analysis are now available. Line of Sight, Viewshed, and View Dome tools provide you with the ability to do quick visibility analysis on a 3D view.

Collect and edit 3D features in stereoscopic mode. Visualize and analyze imagery in the stereo viewer, and accurately compile 3D feature data. Stereo viewing is enabled with a standard stereo display card and 120hz monitor, with active shutter eyewear or red and cyan anaglyph glasses.

Mapping and visualization

General

• Scenes can now be drawn in either perspective or isometric view modes. Perspective drawing is the most common drawing mode in 3D, where features in the foreground are shown larger than those off in the distance. Isometric drawing, on the other hand, renders the 3D view using a parallel projection, where features of the same physical size are rendered on screen identically, regardless of their distance from the viewing camera.

  

  A building drawn in perspective mode

  

  A building drawn in isometric mode

• Expressions for feature elevation, display fields, attribute-driven symbols, and extrusion can now be written in Arcade.
• You can add subtype group layers to a map or scene as a preset layer. Subtype group layers are composite feature layers that contain multiple sublayers called subtype layers. Each subtype layer corresponds to one subtype in the source feature class or feature service. Each sublayer can be symbolized independently. Subtype group layers draw more efficiently than an equivalent set of individual layers.
• You can create selection layers from a subset of features in an existing layer in a map or scene. The new selection layer has the same data source but references only the features that were selected. Selection layers are good to use in workflows where you want to select subsets without losing the logic of the original selection set.
• Adding WFS items from your active portal as a WFS layer in the map is now supported.
• You can modify WFS layer properties by right-clicking a WFS layer, selecting Properties, and then clicking the WFS tab. The properties that can be modified include the connection mode, axis order properties, and the maximum features returned.
• You can copy the coordinates of any location to the clipboard. Right click a location in a map or scene and click Copy Coordinates .
• Bookmarks now include an optional description field.
• You can drag file-based datasets from Windows Explorer or File Explorer directly into a map or scene.
• There is enhanced Bing layer support for Roads and Hybrid layers with more up-to-date data.
• When your map includes web feature layers that have been properly configured, you can take those layers offline. The Download map button downloads the feature layer data that is visible in the map. You can edit those features without a network connection.

3D Scenes

• You can now change symbology for a scene layer. For example, you can apply single symbol, unique values or unclassed color to point or 3D object scene layer or vary symbology by attributes.
• Display subset using definition query and filtering to show or exclude features.
• You can create point cloud scene layers from LAS, ZLAS, LAZ data as well as LAS dataset layers.
• There is now support for interior point cloud scene layers.
• You can define and consume pop-ups for point cloud scene layers.
• You can now set a data source for a scene layer to change the data source for an existing layer in the scene.

Symbology

• Draw quantities within polygon features with the new dot density symbology method.

  

• Text elements are now supported within marker symbol layers. The text string can be driven by feature attribution or an expression.
• Symbolize lines with linear referencing hatches by using text elements in marker symbol layers in conjunction with the new At measured units marker placement. See Draw measured hatches along lines to learn how.
• You can use relationship classes to control masking at the feature level in addition to at the layer level.
• There is expanded support for connecting color symbol properties to attributes. Any color model supported by ArcGIS Pro or the CSS Color Module Level 3 specification can be used. See Attribute-driven color in symbology for syntax guidelines.
• New options are available to improve draw performance and quality when working with partially transparent marker symbol layers in scenes.

Layout

• Grids and graticules now have additional components including neatlines, intersection points, corner labels, 100,000 meter grid square labels, and interior labels.
• You can now also add and modify dynamic tables and set the order of fields, their spacing, and the symbols for headers, rows, and columns.

  

Vector tiles

• Vector tiles can be created using symbology that varies by transparency, color, rotation, or size. Attribute-driven symbology is also now supported in vector tile creation. See Symbology in vector tiles for more information.
• Label rotation is now supported in vector tile creation.
• Placed positions from labeling properties are now used to improve polygon labeling in vector tile creation.
• Improved drawing of vector tiles in ArcGIS Pro. See Symbology in vector tiles for more information.

Text

• You can reorder label classes by dragging and dropping them in the Labeling view of the Contents pane. You can also copy and paste properties between label classes.
• Converting labels to annotation for a rotated map is now supported.
• Labeling should be faster when multiple label classes are used in ArcGIS Pro.
• SDK for annotation is now available. You can modify and create annotation using the SDK.
• You can view the properties for each annotation subclass from the Contents pane using the Layer Properties dialog box.
• When converting labels to annotation or creating a new feature-linked annotation feature class for a feature layer that has GlobalIDs, the relationship class will be based on the GlobalId field.
• Feature-linked annotation classes are now supported in the Migrate Relationship Class tool when GlobalIds are present.

Metadata

• Map layers can now either reference a read-only version of their source's metadata (the default), or have their own metadata independent of the metadata on their source data. When a layer has its own metadata, you can optionally copy the source's metadata to the layer as a starting point and edit the metadata fields as necessary. You can view and edit the layer's full metadata in a Catalog view. For example, you might create full metadata for a layer to describe how the information is portrayed, how the data is normalized, and which subset of attributes are included. It is good practice to create layer metadata before creating a layer file, layer package, or web layer to share with others.

Styles

• There is a new style class in styles called Map surrounds that is a generic container for items that you can place on a layout. Currently these are limited to meter reference guides. You must be licensed for the Defense Mapping extension to place these map surrounds in a layout.

Coordinate systems

• Refinements to working with vertical coordinate systems. When the vertical coordinate system is ellipsoidal, it must share the same datum as the horizontal coordinate system. The datum name, the spheroid name, and all of the spheroid properties of the two coordinate systems must exactly match.

Animation

• Snap Keys for animation overlays forces overlays to snap to the extent of the underlying keyframe. This makes it easier to rearrange, add, or remove keyframes. Find Snap Keys on the Animation Timeline pane. It is enabled by default.
• You can now play back your exported animations with the new Play Video button. You'll see this button once the animation is successfully exported.
• Animations can be exported in the new isometric drawing mode in scenes.

Tables

• You can calculate field values with Arcade expressions.
• You can select multiple columns in a table at once to reorder, show, hide, or delete.

Pop-ups

• Pop-ups include a refresh interval option to allow items like traffic cameras to refresh automatically after the interval has passed.
• Pop-ups support Arcade expressions to allow for more formatting control.

Exploratory analysis

• Three modes of interactive exploratory analysis are now available on the Analysis tab for 3D scenes.
• The gallery of tools includes Line of Sight, Viewshed and View Dome. Each tool allows for quick interactive visibility analysis within a 3D view. You can use the default templates or save your own custom configurations. The analysis objects can be exported as features and reloaded again for reuse.

  

Analysis and geoprocessing

General

• A number of geoprocessing tools that modify features or attributes have a new Start editing option near the Run button. When Start editing is checked, after clicking the Run button an edit session is opened and tool processing occurs within the edit session. After the tool completes, you can Undo the action taken by the tool. Learn more about undoing geoprocessing tools
• Geoprocessing History has been moved to a dedicated History tab in the Catalog pane. You can now search, filter, and sort the items in your geoprocessing history.
• Geoprocessing history items have a new command Send To Python Window which automatically opens the Python window and copies the tool command into the interpreter box.
• You can configure the symbology, editing templates and attribute fields of interactive input to custom model or script tool parameters using the Feature Set data type. Learn more about configuring feature sets
• When the Catalog pane or the catalog view is the active window, use the Copy path button in the Clipboard group on the ribbon to copy the selected item's path. Paste the path onto a tool parameter to populate its value.
• Geoprocessing tools support the new subtype group layers. Processing will only occur on data within the selected sublayer, unless you use the top-level group layer as input.
• Geoprocessing tools support the new selection layers. Processing will only occur on the features that display in the map or attribute table, not on the full dataset.
• Grid based spatial index improvements for geoprocessing tools that write their output as feature classes in a geodatabase (file or enterprise geodatabase). When creating grid based spatial indexes for tool output the grid sizes will be optimized. To take advantage of this for previously created Geoprocessing tool output you can delete and then re-add the spatial index to existing feature classes. Use the Remove Spatial Index tool to remove the existing spatial index and then run the Add Spatial Index tool with all three Spatial Grid parameters set to 0 (zero) to add an optimized spatial index.

ModelBuilder

• ModelBuilder has a new Report view that allows you to see a table of all the variables and tools in your model.
• A number of new ModelBuilder Logical tools have been added to help you control the flow of processes in your model and add if-then-else branching logic.
• Searching for model elements in a model view is enhanced with the ability to filter your search results, use regular expressions, and easily navigate between multiple search results.

Charts

• A new chart type, QQ plots, have been added as a way to compare distributions.
• You can right-click a numeric field in the attribute table and select Statistics to open a histogram of that attribute. The histogram Chart Properties pane displays a table of statistics including sum, mean, median, min, and max.
• You can apply a logarithmic or square root transformation to a histogram.
• You can display a normal distribution curve overlay on a histogram.
• You can make histograms from a raster layer. Previously you could only make histograms from feature layers or tables.
• A chart's axes bounds (minimum and maximum) can be specified.
• Number formatting options have been added so you can control how numbers appear in a chart, including setting number of decimal places, showing thousand separators, or applying scientific notation.
• You can cancel a chart drawing using a stop button in the chart toolbar. This may be useful if the chart source is a large dataset and you do not wish to wait for the chart to finish drawing.
• You can select outlier points in a box plot. Previously only the boxes could be selected.

3D Analyst toolbox

• Five new tools have been added to the 3D Analyst toolbox:
  • The Colorize LAS tool creates new LAS files with RGB and infrared values using existing LAS files and imagery.
  • The Fence Diagram tool constructs a fence diagram along line features using multiple input surfaces.
  • The LAS Height Metrics calculates statistics about the distribution of elevation measurements of vegetation points captured in LAS data.
  • The Regularize Adjacent Building regularizes building footprints that have common boundaries.
  • The Thin LAS creates new LAS files which contain a subset of LAS points from the input LAS dataset.
• The following changes have been made to existing tools:
  • The Classify LAS Building tool is enhanced to improved overall performance and quality.
  • The Change LAS Class Codes tool now support classification flags.
  • The Surface Difference tool now support a LAS dataset as input. Also, a new parameter, Processing Boundary, is available that allows a polygon feature class to be used to define an area of interest.
  • The point density slider bar has been enabled to work on LAS Datasets in 3D a view.
  • The Import 3D Files is enhanced to support OBJ files.

Analysis toolbox

• Overlay tools that take advantage of the Topology Engine can now be run in parallel mode for area-area, line-area and pnt-area. Overlay tools that can take advantage of parallel processing will do so by honoring the Parallel Processing Factor environment. If the environment is not set or is set to 0, parallel processing will be disabled. Setting the environment to 100 will cause parallel processing to be enabled.

Aviation toolbox

• FAA 13A—in the Obstruction Identification Surfaces toolset, creates obstruction identification surfaces based on the FAA 13A specification. These surfaces describe airspaces that should be free of obstructions.
• Analyze Runway Obstacles—in the Aviation toolset, examines obstruction identification surfaces (OISs) with obstruction data that determines how far the obstructions could intersect an OIS.

Business Analyst

• Existing ArcMap users of Business Analyst now have access to a handful of popular Business Analyst geoprocessing tools in ArcGIS Pro 2.1. These tools include: Color Coded Layer, Enrich Layer, Summary Reports, and Customer Derived Trade Areas.
• Business Analyst data variables are accessed through a new search and filtering experience. Here you can set field types, such as indexes, percentages, counts, etc. You can also browse variables by category and refine them using interactive filters.
• In addition to installing local Business Analyst data, you can connect to ArcGIS Enterprise, allowing analysis and reporting for over 130 countries.

Cartography toolbox

• The Graphic Conflicts toolset has been added. This toolset contains the following tools: Detect Graphic Conflict, Propagate Displacement, Resolve Building Conflicts, and Resolve Road Conflicts.
• The Create Overpass and Create Underpass tools have been added to the Cartographic Refinement toolset.

Conversion toolbox

• The Add Raster to GeoPackage tool now supports a new Area of Interest parameter to limit the area of a raster loaded.
• The Raster to Polygon tool in the From Raster toolset has two new parameters. The Create multipart features specifies whether the output polygons will consist of single-part or multipart features. The Maximum vertices per polygon feature parameter allows you to specify a limit for when polygons are subdivided.

Data Interoperability extension

• With the Data Interoperability extension installed you now have access to the Quick Import and Quick Export geoprocessing tools. These tools give you the ability to integrate spatial data formats into your GIS.

Data Management toolbox

Attribute Rules toolset

• The new Attribute Rules toolset contains tools for managing geodatabase attribute rules. Attribute rule functionality provides a way to add custom rules and behaviour to your geodatabase data. With these geoprocessing tools you can easily incorporate attribute rules into your workflows and automate the process of adding and removing rules.

Feature Class toolset

• The Create Feature Class tool includes a new parameter for setting the alias name of the output.

Features toolset

• A new tool XY Table To Point is available. The tool is similar to the Make XY Event Layer tool, with the difference that it outputs a feature class, not a layer.
• The Check Geometry and Repair Geometry tools now support OGC validation.

Fields toolset

• The Calculate Field tool now support Arcade and SQL expressions. Calculate Field also now accesses date fields as Python datetime objects, allowing for easier date calculations.
• A new Calculate Fields tool supports multiple field calculations at the same time.

Geodatabase Administration toolset

• A new tool—Create Database Sequence—allows you to create a sequence in enterprise geodatabases so you can use the sequence when you write custom applications that require a sequence. A second tool—Delete Database Sequence—allows you to delete sequences that you no longer need.

• The following tools now work with SAP HANA:

  • You can use the Enable Enterprise Geodatabase tool to create a geodatabase in an SAP HANA database.
  • You can use the Create Database User tool to create a standard user in an SAP HANA database or a geodatabase in SAP HANA.

Layers and Table Views toolset

• The Apply Symbology From Layer tool includes a new parameter for controlling how symbology ranges are updated.

Package toolset

• The Consolidate Project tool has a new parameter for preserving SQLite.
• The Create Mobile Map Package tool can now be used by anyone or have restricted access.
• Create Scene Layer Package tool includes a new parameter for setting the coordinate system of input LAZ files that have undefined coordinate systems.
• The Extract Package tool now includes a caching parameter to control update of the local cache when downloading and extracting subsequent versions of the same package.
• The Package Project tool includes 3 new parameters for including toolboxes, history items and whether the tool creates a read-only or writable package.

Sampling toolset

• A new tool—Generate Rectangles Along Lines can be used to create a series of rectangular polygons following a linear feature.

Workspace toolset

• A new tool—Update Geodatabase Connection Properties to Branch updates an enterprise geodatabase connection to work with branch versioning.

Editing toolbox

• A new tool—Simplify By Straight Lines And Circular Arcs—allows you to simply line features by replacing consecutive line segments with fewer line or circular arc segments, based on a specified, maximum allowable offset. This tool can be used to simply the geometry of line features that have accumulated unwanted vertices or short segments from various data conversion and manipulation process. Sequences of nonlinear segments can be replaced by two-point, straight lines and series of segments representing arcs can be replaced by true curves. Straight lines and circular arcs are fitted within a specified maximum allowable offset and circular arcs are derived using various curve tolerance parameters.

GeoAnalytics toolbox

• In the Manage Data toolset, the new Calculate Field tool is now available.
• In the Find Locations toolset, the new Detect Incidents tool is now available.

Geostatistical Analyst

• A new tool in the Utilities toolset—Generate Subset Polygons—allows you to generate nonoverlapping subset polygon features from a set of input points. The goal is to divide the points into compact, nonoverlapping subsets, and create polygon regions around each subset of points. The minimum and maximum number of points in each subset can be controlled. The primary purpose of this tool is to create Subset polygon features to be used in EBK Regression Prediction and any future tools that accept subset polygons as inputs.

Generate Subset Polygons

Image Analyst

• The new Image Analyst extension supports analysts with four main capabilities: stereo mapping, image segmentation and classification, image space analysis, and suite of geoprocessing tools and functions for custom algorithm development and deployment.

• Stereo Mapping—Enables you to collect three-dimensional (3D) feature data in a stereo viewing and mapping system. It includes:

  • Stereo map viewer that displays and manipulates stereo image pairs from satellite, aerial, and drone sensor platforms.
  • Stereo map tab containing tools to set up, enhance, and manage stereo models, superimpose vector GIS data on stereo imagery, ground feature measurement tools, and a Stereo Model Manager.
  • 3D cursor to measure and collect ground features directly into feature classes using standard ArcGIS Pro editing tools.
  • Stereo viewing in two modes, lightweight active shutter glasses or anaglyph cyan/red glasses.

• Image Classification—Perform object-based and traditional image analysis using image segmentation, machine learning classifiers, class map generation and refinement. The classification wizard guides you through the entire classification process including preprocessing and establishing your classification schema, image segmentation, training sample collection and management, class map generation, analysis tools for accuracy assessment of the training data and class map, and final class map editing tools and capabilities.

• Image Space Analysis—Work with oblique imagery oriented in a natural perspective mode to facilitate effective image interpretation applications. Collect feature data and perform mensuration in image coordinate space and save this data in your map projection of choice. The images below are satellite images, the first one is in map coordinate space, and the second one is in perspective mode in image coordinate space.

  

  

• Geoprocessing tools and raster functions—Use more than 80 geoprocessing tools and 60 raster functions for image processing, including image classification, general math, conditional math, logical math, trigonometric math, statistical and math algebra. Use these tools to build, test and run your custom image processing algorithms and remote sensing techniques on a wide variety of imagery from satellites, aircraft and drones.

Maritime toolbox

• Import S-100 Feature Catalogue—Imports the contents of an S-100 feature catalogue into an existing geodatabase.

• Import S-100 Cell—Imports S-100 hydrographic data into a geodatabase created from the related S-100 feature catalogue.

Network Analyst

• Two new geoprocessing tools are added:

  • Make Network Dataset Layer in the Network Dataset toolset allow you to create a network dataset layer from a network dataset that is referenced using its catalog path.
  • Share As Route Layers in the Analysis toolset allow you to share the results of the network analyses as route layer items in the portal.

• Cost and Restriction attributes can now be accessed from the network dataset property page.

• Sharing map image layers to ArcGIS Enterprise 10.8.1 supports saving out web layers with the network analysis capability turned on for publishing NAServer services. For more information, see Additional layers and capabilities.
• There is now the ability to specify the maximum speed to travel along roads when using the TravelTime or TruckTravelTime attributes if the network attribute supports passing in a Vehicle Maximum Speed (km/h). This is to account for vehicles that cannot exceed a specific speed.

Raster Analysis toolbox

• Three new toolsets are available in the Raster Analysis toolbox.

Generalize toolset

• This toolset contains a tool for generalizing or simplifying a raster layer. Nibble replaces cells of a raster corresponding to a mask with the values of the nearest neighbors.

Hydrology toolset

• These tools help you model the flow of water across a surface.

  • Fill fills sinks in a surface raster to remove small imperfections in the data.
  • Flow Accumulation creates a raster of accumulated flow into each cell.
  • Flow Direction calculates the direction of flow out of each cell to its steepest downslope neighbor.
  • Flow Distance computes for each cell, the minimum downslope horizontal or vertical distance to cell(s) on a stream or river into which they flow.
  • Stream Link assigns unique values to sections of a raster linear network between intersections.
  • Watershed determines the contributing area above a set of cells in a raster.

Use Proximity toolset

• These tools help you analyze distance and proximity.

  • Calculate Distance calculates the Euclidean distance from a single or set of sources.
  • Calculate Travel Cost calculates the cost distance from a single or set of sources.
  • Determine Optimum Travel Cost Network calculates the optimum cost network from a set of input regions.
  • Determine Travel Cost Paths to Destinations calculates specific paths between known sources and known destinations.

Server toolbox

• The Printing toolset has been added to publish a printing service to enable high quality printing from web applications. This toolset contains the following tools: Export Web Map and Get Layout Templates Info.

Spatial Analyst toolbox

• Three toolsets have new tools. Two toolsets have tools with new or updated parameters.

Distance toolset

• A new tool Cost Path as Polyline is available. This tool is similar to the Cost Path tool, with the difference that it outputs a polyline feature class.

Generalization toolset

• The Nibble tool has two new parameters to give you more control over the nibbling process. With Nibble NoData cells, you can now specify whether or not NoData cells in the input raster that are within the mask be allowed to be nibbled to a value, or remain as NoData. The Input zone raster parameter allows you to specify zones to control where nibbling occurs.

Hydrology toolset

• A new tool Flow Distance is now available for calculating the minimum downslope distance for each cell to the stream into which they flow.
• The Flow Accumulation tool now supports a new output data type of Double, to provide more accurate accumulation values.
• The Flow Direction tool now supports two new algorithms for determining the direction of flow. A new parameter, Flow direction type, allows you choose between the original algorithm (D8), multiple flow direction (MFD), and D-Infinity (DINF).

Segmentation and Classification toolset

• Two new tools Deep Learning Model To Ecd and Export Training Data For Deep Learning are available. These tools are part of a workflow for working with deep learning models for classification.

Spatial Statistics toolbox

• Three new tools have been added to the Mapping Clusters toolset.
• Density-based Clustering will find clusters based on the distribution of a set of points, using either a defined distance clustering method (DBSCAN), a self-adjusting clustering method (HDBSCAN), or a multi-scale clustering method (OPTICS).

  

• Multivariate Clustering will create clusters of features based on their similarity in terms of a set of user-specified attribute values using the widely used machine learning algorithm k-means ++.

  

• Spatially Constrained Multivariate Clustering will create clusters of features based on their similarity in terms of a set of user-specified attribute values, taking into account spatial constraints (for instance, ensuring each cluster is spatially contiguous). The Spatially Constrained Multivariate Clustering tool also allows for additional constraints, including a minimum and maximum number of features per cluster or a minimum or maximum summed attribute value per cluster. Optional cluster membership probabilities can also be calculated to help evaluate the strength of membership of each feature in their respective group.

  

Python

• The Python Package Manager now supports managing conda environments from within ArcGIS Pro. You can now create, clone or delete environments. You can also switch ArcGIS Pro active Python environment.
• Python IDEs can now be used to debug Python code running in ArcGIS Pro.
• The version of Python in ArcGIS Pro was upgraded to Python 3.6.
• A new SignInToPortal function supports signing into a portal from Python.
• The activeMap property on the ArcGISProject object now supports scripts run within ArcGIS Pro to return the appropriate map associated with the currently active view.
• The MapSeries object is now exposed allowing you to access map series pages for export automation.
• The ConvertWebMapToArcGISProject function and other related features we added to support web map printing operations.
• Additional export parameters have been added to Layout, MapFrame and MapView export functions.

Data management

General

• If you drag folders, database connection files, server connection files, ArcMap documents, or other supported files from Windows Explorer or File Explorer onto the Catalog pane, the item will be added to your project.
• ArcGIS Pro map files (.mapx), layout files (.pagx), and task files (.esriTasks) can be imported to a project from the active portal as well as from local and network disks.
• Maps can be copied from one project to another. Server connections can be copied from one project to another. Geodatabase items can be copied from one geodatabase to another. Shapefiles, CAD datasets, and file geodatabases can be copied from one folder to another. Copy and paste can be accomplished using the buttons in the Clipboard group on the ribbon, using the Ctrl-C and Ctrl-V keyboard shortcuts, or by dragging the selected items from one location to another.
• When you open a project that was previously downloaded from the active portal, you will receive a notification if the original project package has been updated. Similarly, when you open a web map or web scene in your project, you will receive a notification if the original web map or web scene have been updated on the active portal. The Notifications pane provides options that allow you to update the project, map, or scene to the latest version and continue with your work.
• Colormap files (.clr), Exploratory analysis tool files (.eat), Topology rule files (.rul), and Wavefront object files (.obj) can now be accessed using the browse dialog box.
• You can now follow a wizard-like experience when creating a new topology using the new Create Topology Wizard found on the feature dataset context menu.

Enterprise geodatabases and databases

• We've extended the versioning framework to work with feature services using a new type of versioning, called branch versioning. You can now version the data in feature services allowing editors to work with services in their own isolated editing environment and spanning multiple edit sessions. After registering your data as branch versioned, the user experience for working with branch versioning is largely the same as traditional versioning.
• You can now enable geodatabase support for SAP HANA databases from ArcGIS Pro to take advantage of advanced platform capabilities. Enterprise geodatabases in SAP HANA allow users to utilize core geodatabase capabilities such as subtypes, domains, relationship classes, and attachments. SAP HANA geodatabases also take advantage of Esri's web GIS model by supporting functionality such as sync for offline editing, editor tracking, and branch versioning. Learn more about Geodatabases in SAP HANA.

• You can now use the PostGIS geography type to store spatial data in PostgreSQL databases and geodatabases in PostgreSQL. To use this spatial data type, the database administrator must enable the database for PostGIS. Specify the appropriate configuration keyword (listed below) when creating a feature class to use the PostGIS geography data type to store spatial data in that feature class:

  • For feature classes in a database, choose the PG_GEOGRAPHY configuration keyword.
  • For feature classes in a geodatabase in PostgreSQL, choose a configuration keyword that has the GEOMETRY_STORAGE parameter set to PG_GEOGRAPHY. This may be the DEFAULTS keyword, the PG_GEOGRAPHY keyword, or a custom keyword defined by the geodatabase administrator. Check with your geodatabase administrator to confirm which keyword to use.

• You can connect from ArcGIS Pro 2.1 to Microsoft SQL Server databases on Linux. You can also create geodatabases in SQL Server on Linux. See Microsoft SQL Server database requirements for ArcGIS Pro 2.1 for supported database and ODBC client versions.

• Beginning with 10.6.0.2.1 enterprise geodatabases, the following are no longer supported:

  • The ST_Raster type
  • Upgrading the multiple database model geodatabase in SQL Server
  • Registering an enterprise geodatabase as the managed database for the hosting server of an ArcGIS Enterprise portal
  • PostgreSQL 9.3
  • DB2 V9.7 and V10.1

Edit data

• In the Create Features pane, feature templates for annotation layers include Straight Annotation , and Curved Annotation construction tools. Before you create the feature, you can format the text. To learn more, see Create annotation features.
• In the Create Features pane, when you create an annotation feature, you can use Find Text on the context menu to select a feature and replace the text string in the pane with the label expression or field value from the selected layer.
• In the Create Features pane, feature templates for polyline layers include the Densify Lines setting. This setting automatically adds additional vertices at even intervals along straight line segments as you create a new polyline feature. A common use for densifying a z-enabled 3D polyline is to drape it onto a surface. To learn more, see Create densified line segments.
• In the Modify Features pane, Annotation edits the text string for an annotation feature. You can also format the text and move, scale and rotate the feature by dragging. When you right-click an annotation feature, the context menu includes the following commands:
  • Add or remove a leader line
  • Change annotation curvature
  • Convert annotation to multiple parts
  • Flip annotation
  • Stack or unstack annotation
• In the Modify Features pane, Construct Polygons creates new polygon features from the closed boundaries of selected polyline features. You can specify the layer on which the new polygon features are generated. To learn more, see Construct polygons from features.
• You can enable and use the Editing Grid in 3D scenes. To learn more, see Enable the editing grid

Data Reviewer

Reviewer rules

• New methods are available for automating validation of your data when using Reviewer rules. These validation methods include the following:
  • Event on Event—Finds linear referenced events that overlay other events based on a user-defined relationship.
  • Invalid Geometry—Finds features that contain invalid geometry.
  • Subtype—Finds features with improper or null subtype values.

Managing Reviewer results

• Workflows for managing error results have been changed to enable support for result sharing in ArcGIS Pro.
• This change will require an update to the Reviewer workspace tables to enable these new capabilities.

Imagery and raster

• Seven raster functions for hydrology applications: Fill, Flow Accumulation, Flow Direction, Flow Distance, Stream Link, Watershed and Nibble. Combine these functions in raster function templates to model the flow of water across a surface, model and predict how the landscape affects amount and quality of water, understand drainage, derive runoff characteristics, construct stream networks and watershed basins.
• Two new raster types to support Sentinel-1 (radar) and WorldView-4 sensor data.
• Two raster functions to correct Sentinel-1 data, thermal and radiometric calibration.
• Generate Raster Collection geoprocessing tool that performs batch processing on image collections in a mosaic dataset.
• Unified history tab for geoprocessing and raster functions. The history tab maintains a log of functions and tools executed, together with the applied parameter settings.

LAS and lidar

• You can create point cloud scene layer from ZLAS and LAZ files.
• There is now support for interior point cloud data in a point cloud scene layers.
• The Colorize LAS tool has been added which creates new LAS files with RGB and infrared values using existing LAS files and imagery.
• The LAS Height Metrics has been added that calculates statistics about the distribution of elevation measurements of vegetation points captured in LAS data.
• The Thin LAS has been added that creates new LAS files which contain a subset of LAS points from the input LAS dataset.
• The Classify LAS Building tool has been enhanced to improved overall performance and quality.
• The Change LAS Class Codes tool now support classification flags.

Production

Airports

• Manage Airport Signs is a new tool you can use to edit and manage airport signs.

Defense Mapping

• The following are new surround elements for Defense Mapping:
  • Meter Reference Guide
  • Topographic North Arrow

Pipeline Referencing

• You can now author and share web layers with Linear Referencing capability to your portal. These LRS enabled web layers can be used to create a web map for use in Event Editor.
• The following are new tools in the Location Referencing toolbox:
  • Append Routes— You can now load routes into your LRS Network using this tool. Additionally, the tool supports the ability to perform supplemental route loading and determine whether existing routes in the network are retired or replaced when a new version of that route is loaded.
  • Disable Derived Measure Fields— You can now disable derived measure fields in an LRS Event using this tool.
  • Enable Derived Measure Fields— You can now enable the derived measure fields in an LRS Event using this tool. Only events registered with an LRS Network with a Derived Network configured from it support the option to enable these fields.
• The Create UPDM Geodatabase geoprocessing script tool has been removed from the Location Referencing toolbox and placed in GitHub.

Production Mapping

• Production Mapping is a new extension that streamlines data and map production for topographic mapping agencies. Production Mapping and the Topographic Production toolbox provide you with tools that help ensure consistent data collection, attribution, and data quality across your organization.

Work more efficiently

Workflow Manager

General

• Clone Job—Clicking the Clone Job button in the Job section on the Job tab helps you create a new job by cloning the active job. This creates an identical copy of a job.
• Workflow pane—Job Details in the Workflow pane will now have a step Help button for Current Step(s).
• Notifications—Error messages received while working with jobs in a Workflow Manager (Classic) database will be displayed.

Workflow connections

• Update Data Workspace Login—This dialog box allows you to add or edit individual login to the data workspace connection.
• Geodatabase Connection Properties—This dialog box appears when you connect to a user-schema geodatabase in Oracle.

Python

• WorkflowConnection class—Has a new property jtcPath that returns the path to the workflow connection file (.jtc) in the ArcGIS Pro project. getQualifiedTableName is a new method that returns a fully qualified table name for a table in a Workflow Manager (Classic) database.

Tasks

• Task items can be shared to ArcGIS Online and Portal for ArcGIS. To share a task, you must have an account that is part of an ArcGIS organization and the account must have privileges to create content.

Share your work

• From the Manage registered data stores pane, you can register folders and enterprise databases as data stores with your portal's federated servers. For more information, see Manage registered data stores.
• Web scene layers can be shared directly to ArcGIS Online and can optionally be cached locally when sharing to ArcGIS Online and ArcGIS Enterprise 10.5.1 and later.
• When sharing web scene layers to ArcGIS Enterprise 10.6, the associated feature layer used to generate the scene layer can now reference registered data.
• Sharing map image layers to ArcGIS Enterprise 10.6 support additional layers and capabilities such as linear referencing, network analysis and more. For more information, see Additional layers and capabilities.
• Sharing a map image layer that contains a utility network enables the utility network and network diagram capabilities.
• Web feature layers that reference registered data can now include upgraded annotation. For more information on upgrading annotation, see Annotation storage.
• Map Image layers, in addition to web feature layers, can now be overwritten from ArcGIS Pro. For more information, see Overwrite a web layer.
• Custom styles can be shared to ArcGIS Online and ArcGIS Enterprise, point symbols that use 3D model markers in the web style can be used to symbolize layers in the Scene Viewer. For more information, see Share a web style.

Extend ArcGIS Pro

• The ArcGIS Pro SDK for Microsoft .NET is available for you to extend ArcGIS Pro with your own unique tools and workflows using SDK add-ins and configurations.