You can specify default options for new maps and scenes from the options in the application settings. On the ribbon, click Project to get to the ArcGIS Pro settings page. In the menu, click Options to open the Options dialog box. On this dialog box, under the Application heading, click the Map and Scene tab to access the default settings for new maps and scenes. The settings are outlined in this topic.
Basemap
For basemaps, you can choose the default basemap from your ArcGIS Online organization account or a different basemap from the gallery or your organization. You can choose a different default basemap for maps and scenes. For example, you can choose a 3D basemap for a scene. Or you can specify that maps and scenes are created without a basemap.
The default extent of new maps and scenes is the Default basemap of your organization option. This option is defined by the settings of the ArcGIS Online organization account. For example, your organization has set the extent to your local area. If you are signed in to ArcGIS Online while using ArcGIS Pro, any new map or scene uses the extent defined for your organization. If you are not signed in, the first layer added to the map or scene defines the extent for local scenes and maps. Global scenes always show the whole earth.
Add layers and tables
The Make newly added layers visible by default option controls layer visibility when you add a layer to your map. This option is enabled by default. In some cases, it can be useful to turn off this option, such as when the layer you want to add contains many features or may take a long time to display. Zoom to an area of interest before turning on the visibility of the layer in the Contents pane.
In ArcGIS Pro 3.2 and later, new field types to support date, time, and big integer values are available. When query layers on unregistered datasets or text files are added to a map in ArcGIS Pro 3.4, these fields may be assigned to the new field types, which are unavailable in earlier releases. To opt out of using new field types for query layers and text files, check the Use field types that are compatible with ArcGIS Pro 3.1 and earlier releases when adding query layers and text files option.
Layer data sources
You can choose what happens when the data sources of layers are deleted, moved, or renamed.
The When data sources are deleted setting controls if layers are removed when their data source is deleted, moved, or otherwise inaccessible. Choose one of the following options:
- Do not remove layers (fastest)—Nothing happens. Affected layers in open maps do not draw because their data source does not exist and the layers are not available for modification or analysis. This is the default.
- Remove corresponding layers in open maps—The affected layers are removed from any maps or scenes currently open in the project.
- Remove corresponding layers in all maps—The affected layers are removed from all maps or scenes in the project.
The When data sources are renamed setting controls if layers are updated when their data source is renamed. Choose one of the following options:
- Do not update layers (fastest)—Nothing happens. Affected layers in open maps do not draw because their data source does not exist or is otherwise inaccessible. The layers are not available for modification or analysis.
- Update layers in open maps—The data source of the affected layers is updated in any maps or scenes currently open in the project. This is the default.
- Update layers in all maps—The data source of the affected layers is updated in all maps or scenes in the project.
Spatial reference
You can set the coordinate system that maps and local scenes use by default. By default, the Use spatial reference of the first operational layer option is enabled. This means the first layer that is not a basemap sets the coordinate system for maps and local scenes.
You can use the Choose spatial reference option to specify a different default coordinate system. Note that the coordinate system setting does not apply to global scenes, because they always use WGS84.
You can choose to enable the Warn if transformation between geographic coordinate system is required to align data sources correctly option, which displays a warning if the data will be transformed to fit the specified default coordinate system.
Suggested transformations are dependent on the spatial extent of the layers in the map. When a map includes a basemap layer its global extent might skew the list of appropriate transformation choices. You can choose to ignore the extents of any basemaps when choosing transformations by enabling the Ignore the extents of basemap layers when listing and automatically choosing transformations option.
Temporal reference
You can set the default format used when time zones are displayed. Choose from one of the following:
- IANA—Time zones are displayed using Internet Assigned Numbers Authority (IANA) extended names including both standard and daylight offsets.
- IANA (abbreviated)—Time zones are displayed using Internet Assigned Numbers Authority (IANA) location names including only the standard offsets.
- Microsoft Windows—Time zones are displayed using the Microsoft Windows operating system names. This is the default.
Label engine
You can set the label engine that maps and scenes use by default. By default, the label engine is set to Maplex Label Engine.
The default font name and font style can be set on the Text and Graphics tab.
Note:
When new annotation feature classes are created, they will also use the default label engine set here.
Ground elevation surface
You can set the elevation source that new global and local scenes use by default. By default, the Default elevation service of your organization option is enabled. This means the default service of the active portal is used. The default Esri elevation source for this surface is a cached elevation image service, WorldElevation3D/Terrain3D.
You can use the Use custom elevation source option to specify a local elevation source such as a raster dataset or TIN dataset or specify a web elevation layer from the active portal.
You can also choose the No Elevation Source option, which removes the elevation source from any new scene and sets the elevation at 0. While no elevation source is in the scene, the ground surface is still available to adjust the Surface Color option.
Note:
These settings do not apply to the system templates Global Scene and Local Scene when ArcGIS Pro is first opened. Use Start without a template to see the updated default settings.
Feature cache
Check the Manage feature cache from the Map tab option to manage the feature cache manually for each map in a project. This exposes controls in the Feature Cache group on the Map tab where you can fill or empty the cache or cancel a cache fill that is in progress.
When this option is turned off (which is the default), the cache is managed by the application instead.
Contents pane
Very large point symbols are reduced to a maximum size in the Contents pane to ensure the pane remains usable. You can adjust the size of this patch to show larger symbols by adjusting the Legend patch size limit for point symbols value.
Simulation cache
You can set the default number of cache slices that are stored for a simulation layer. This value is used when running and exporting a simulation result. The default value is 12. Use the arrows or type a new value in the box to change the default value. The larger the number, the faster the simulation appears to run and more disk space it requires.
The set default value can also be overridden from the simulation layer properties.
You can also control the resolution at which an area of interest is sampled when processing flood simulation. Three options are available:
- 2048—Sets a maximum resolution of 2048x2048.
- 4096—Sets a maximum resolution of 4096x4096. This is the default.
- 8192—Sets a maximum resolution of 8192x8192.
High-resolution processing consumes more resources and time.