New Year, New Release! Introducing ArcGIS Pro 3.2 Q&A – Part 1

March 7, 2024

Maggie Samson

We’re answering your questions from our “New Year, New Release: Introducing ArcGIS Pro 3.2” webinar in a two-part series. This first post covers topics in ArcMap to ArcGIS Pro migration, oriented imagery, generating schema reports and radio group layers.

Earlier this year, to kick off our year of technical webinars, Justin Brassard and I introduced the latest release of the Esri core software, ArcGIS Pro 3.2. In our webinar, "New Year New Release: Introducing ArcGIS Pro 3.2," we counted down our ten favourite new features and functionalities. Whether you're a seasoned GIS pro or just starting your geospatial adventure, ArcGIS Pro 3.2 brings some noteworthy enhancements; if you couldn't make it to the live session, worry not! Please sit back, relax and catch up on all the action with our webinar recording.

Our New Year resolution was to take our GIS to the next level with this latest release and with March upon us, we are sticking to our goals by answering your top questions. Join us in making 2024 the year of GIS triumphs with ArcGIS Pro 3.2!

ArcGIS Pro Migration:

With the retirement of ArcMap approaching, we started things off by doing a quick recap of the ArcMap lifecycle and the introduction of Named User licenses. Let’s take a moment to review some of the vital information.

Q: When will we no longer be able to use ArcMap?

A: As of March 1, 2024, ArcMap and the ArcGIS Desktop suite of products will have entered Mature Support. This means ArcMap is still available; however, Esri will provide no further patches or certify major versions of an environment release. Technical support will still be available for customers with current maintenance. In March 2026, ArcGIS Desktop will be officially retired. At that point, ArcMap will no longer be available and technical support will not be provided.

For more information, please review the ArcMap Life Cycle.

Q: How does forward and backward compatibility work between ArcMap and ArcGIS Pro?

A: Compatibility between ArcMap and ArcGIS Pro is minimal. While it is possible to import ArcMap map documents (.mxd files) and map packages (.mpk files) into ArcGIS Pro, the new copies of these maps that have been opened in ArcGIS Pro cannot be exported back out in ArcMap readable files.

Q: Can users work offline with a Named User ArcGIS Pro License?

A: ArcGIS Pro can be configured to work offline with a Named User license. It is essential to be aware that when you authorize ArcGIS Pro to work offline, you can only use the application on one machine. This is the machine you use to take your license offline. You cannot use the same Named User account to sign into ArcGIS Pro on any other machine until you return the offline license.

For the steps for how to take your license offline, review the steps in the ArcGIS Pro documentation: Authorize ArcGIS Pro to work offline.

Screen capture of the licensing page in the ArcGIS Pro settings showing the option to Authorize ArcGIS Pro to work offline checked off.

Q: When should my organization start transitioning to ArcGIS Pro if we still use ArcMap?

A: Start today! ArcGIS Pro has been around for a long time, since back in 2015 and it is ready for all your ArcMap workflows. There is no time better than today to start your transition. This will help ensure you are prepared when March 2026 arrives and help identify any gaps in ArcGIS Pro that can be addressed before it is too late.

Oriented Imagery:

Oriented imagery allows you to integrate non-traditional imagery into your GIS. From flying drones to stepping outside and snapping pictures with your cell phone, you can bring your images to life on a map.

Screen recording of ArcGIS Pro showing the oriented imagery viewer docked to the right of a map with an imagery dataset. In the recording, an image is zoomed in to and panned left and right, showing how the footprint on the map reacts to the image being manipulated.

Q: Does the imagery need to be geo-tagged for the oriented imagery tool?

A: The input images will require some geographic information in the metadata for the tool to draw them on the map. In most cases, this information is recorded by the device being used, for example, a digital camera or cellphone. If the input source is a file, folder or list of image paths, the tool reads image metadata directly from the EXIF and XMP metadata in .jpeg files.

Q: Will ArcGIS Field Maps or ArcGIS QuickCapture support collecting Oriented Imagery datasets in ArcGIS Online?

A: Yes, support for oriented imagery is in the roadmap for both ArcGIS QuickCapture and ArcGIS Experience Builder. Check out the Oriented Imagery, Integrated into ArcGIS blog by Esri Inc., to see what else is coming in future releases.

Q: Does the oriented imagery viewer support video files?

A: No, the oriented imagery dataset only supports JPG, JPEG, and TIF image formats. The MRF image format is also supported if the images are in cloud storage.

Q: Are the green dots of the oriented imagery datasets the locations of the cameras where the images were taken?

A: Yes, the green circles represent all camera locations of every photo in the dataset. When using the Image Explorer, there is an option to show camera locations that draw blue circles on the map. These blue points represent the cameras with image footprints covering the map's selected area. The red circle represents the camera location of the image currently being viewed.

Screen capture of ArcGIS Pro showing the oriented imagery dataset in the map view and the imagery viewer window to the right. In the map, you can see the red circle indicating the active camera, blue circles indicating other cameras with images visible from that location, green circles representing other camera locations and a red triangle showing the image footprint from the active camera.

Generate Schema Report:

The new Generate Schema Report geoprocessing tool enables users to understand the complexity of tables, feature classes and relationships in their geodatabases. This tool creates detailed reports in Excel, JSON, PDF or HTML formats, serving as a valuable resource for visualizing data models, constructing data dictionaries and laying the foundation for comprehensive documentation.

$(left) A screen capture of ArcGIS Pro shows a map with a large amount of data, and the catalogue pane with an expanded file geodatabase shows many layers. An arrow points to a screen capture of Microsoft Excel (right).$

Q: Does the generated report indicate what layers are filtered and what they are being filtered by?

A: No, filters are applied to features in a map and this tool creates a report based on the schema of the feature, which is stored at the source in the geodatabase. If you make a schema report for only one feature, dragged in from the map and that feature has a filter applied, there will be a tool option to create the report for the filtered data only or to ignore the filter.

Screen capture of ArcGIS Pro. On the left is the properties dialogue for the feature layer being used as input for the Generate Schema Tool, showing a definition query applied to the layer. The Generate Schema Report tool dialogue box on the right shows a toggle button underneath the input field with the text “Use the filtered records: 231,886,” indicating the layer has a filter applied.

Q: Does the Generate Schema Report tool support Enterprise Geodatabases as the input?

A: Yes, the Generate Schema Report tool doesn’t just take a file geodatabase as input. Enterprise geodatabases are supported and will produce the same results. If you only want to see the details of a single feature class, you can. Drag a feature dataset into the input, and you can see a schema report of that. Even standalone tables work, too. You can review the parameters of the Generate Schema Report tool in the Data Management toolbox documentation.

Q: Can you use output to edit or import the schema into new geodatabases?

A: Currently, the output of the Generate Schema Report tool is a one-direction process; the tool reads the feature in ArcGIS Pro and outputs a file. This file cannot be returned to ArcGIS Pro to modify new or existing schemas. However, the road ahead for the Generate Schema Report tool includes the ability to make schema updates in the report and allow the report to be imported into ArcGIS Pro to create a new geodatabase.

Q: Does the schema report metadata information?

A: No, the metadata information is not included in the report. The only workspace properties that are recorded are the name of the feature or database, the workspace type, the workspace factory, the geodatabase version, the date exported and the path to the feature. The tool focuses on the schema, which is the structure of the geodatabase, along with the rules, relationships and properties of each dataset in the geodatabase.

For more detailed information on what is included, Jonathan Murphy of Esri Inc. has written a fantastic blog post covering everything you might need to know.

Radio Group Layers and Thematic Map Series:

Radio group layers allow you to toggle between features on a map. Only one layer from the group is drawn at a time. The capabilities of radio group layers enable users to create thematic map series, which in contrast to other map series types, maintains a single map frame extent with the map data updating instead. Each page of the map series shows a different layer or group of layers in the map.

Q: Are Radio Group layers supported in ArcGIS Online?

A: ArcGIS Online has the same functionality as radio group layers with a different name. In the ArcGIS Online Map Viewer, this is called exclusive visibility. Select the layer group in the Layers pane to enable exclusive visibility in your web map. On the Settings toolbar, click Properties. In the Visibility section at the bottom of the Properties pan, turn on the Exclusive visibility toggle button.

Screen recording of ArcGIS Online showing a map of Toronto. To the left of the map in the table of contents is a group of layers. The group name is selected the properties pane opens on the right. Scrolling to the bottom of that pane “Exclusive visibility” is toggled on. The layers in the group now have radio buttons to control visibility.

Q: Will the groups be maintained if a map in ArcGIS Pro is configured with radio group layers, and you publish it to ArcGIS Online?

A: As mentioned above, radio group layers are supported in ArcGIS Online. If you create a map in ArcGIS Pro that contains radio group layers and share that map to ArcGIS Online as a web map, the previously configured radio group layers will be maintained.

Q: Can raster layers be added to radio groups?

A: Groups can organize any feature in your map, including vector, raster imagery and tables. If the features can be added to the group, they are supported in radio groups.

A screen recording of ArcGIS Pro showing polygons of neighbourhoods in the city of Toronto. In the table of contents to the left of the map the radio button for a layer called Etobicoke 1856 is selected, this removes the polygons from the map and adds a raster file of a scanned paper map of Etobicoke.

Q: How do you update the title to show the different layer names in the thematic map series?

A: Dynamic text can be used to ensure the map's text reflects the information from the displayed layer. In the case of updating the title to reflect the active layer, I used the name of the page in the title so it is shown as <name> by Dissemination Area, where name is <dyn type=”page” property=”name”/>.

Screen recording of ArcGIS Pro showing a configured layout for a map of Toronto. The title of the layout is selected showing the text properties. The text contains dynamic text that is opened to show the equation used. The dialog for dynamic text is closed and in the table of contents different maps in the series are opened, showing how the map title dynamically updates based on the page name.

That is the first half of your questions about the updates to ArcGIS Pro 3.2. Stay tuned for part 2, where Justin will keep us rolling into this new year, addressing your questions on topics from keyboard shortcuts to 3D basemaps, coming soon! In the meantime, take a look at some of the other resources on what’s new in ArcGIS Pro 3.2, including features we didn’t get a chance to show off in the webinar: