All controls for creating indexes in ArcCatalog are grayed out

Description

Cannot create an index for a data field because the controls for creating indexes are grayed out.

Cause

To create an attribute or a spatial index, a single ArcCatalog session must be the only application accessing the data.

Solution or Workaround

• If the data is being viewed in ArcMap, remove, then re-open the properties dialog box in ArcCatalog to create the indexes.
• If the commands remain grayed out, it is very likely someone else is accessing the data from a different computer.