When you open a project, ArcGIS Pro attempts to locate all items referenced by the project such as folders accessed by folder connections, database and server connection files added to the project, and so on. If an item can't be located, a red exclamation point appears next to the project item in the Catalog pane and the catalog view. This could occur, for example, if files or folders were renamed or moved in the file system.
The project's default geodatabase and default toolbox are essential to proper functioning of the project. If these items can't be found, ArcGIS Pro will re-create them with the expected names in the expected locations after marking the original project items as invalid.
For other project items that can't be found, you can repair the project's connection to the file or folder on disk.
- Repair the project item.
- Open the catalog view and click Folders or another project category in the Contents pane. Click the broken item in the contents list and click Repair
on the Catalog tab on the ribbon, in the Organize group. - In the Catalog pane, click the red exclamation mark
next to the item.
A browse dialog box appears listing items of the same type in the item's original location.
- Open the catalog view and click Folders or another project category in the Contents pane. Click the broken item in the contents list and click Repair
- Browse to and click the item with its current name in its current location, and click OK.
- A message appears asking if you want to repair maps and other items in the project.
- Click Yes if, for example, a folder was renamed and several maps in the project refer to datasets in that location. Clicking Yes will repair all layers in all maps that accessed datasets in the original folder.
- Click No if, for example, you moved tools from the original toolbox to different toolboxes. You may need to repair each model individually.
Any broken map layers, models, and other items that have a component associated with the repaired project item are also repaired.
Repair broken databases and servers
When database and server connections have been added to the project, the project items can start out valid because the connection files were found in their expected location. When you try to browse their contents, the database or server may be unavailable or new credentials may be required. An error message will appear indicating the problem that occurred, and a red exclamation mark will appear next to the project item indicating the connection is currently broken.
Contact the database or server administrator and use the item's Properties dialog box to correct the problem, if possible. When the problem has been corrected, refresh the item in the Catalog pane or the catalog view.