Recover connections, styles, and templates from an archived application data folder

Summary

Instructions provided describe how to recover archived application data.

Renaming the Esri Application Data folder negates any custom styles, interface customizations, and connections that are stored within the user profile. The items that can be recovered from an old Application Data folder include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Mapped connections to local and network drives
• Connections to ArcGIS Servers, SDE Databases, OLE DB connections, etc.
• Custom styles (symbols that were created and/or customized in the Symbol Selector window).
• ArcToolbox customizations that automatically load custom toolboxes.

Note:
Keep in mind that if the Application Data folder had been renamed to fix issues, the problem may be re-introduced if it was related to a recovered template, connection, or customization.

Note:
The folders referred to in this article are subfolders of the following directories:
• Windows 7, Vista, Windows 10: C:\Users\*user-name*\AppData\Roaming\ESRI\Desktop10.x - Where x represents the version in use
• Windows XP: C:\Documents and Settings\*user-name*\Application Data\ESRI\Desktop

Procedure

Use the following instructions to recover desired portions of the archived application data:

• Recover ArcCatalog folder connections:

1. Browse to the old ArcCatalog folder and copy the ArcCatalog.gx file.
2. Browse to the new ArcCatalog folder and paste the ArcCatalog.gx file.
3. Click Yes to replace the file.

• Recover connections to databases and servers:

1. Browse to the old ArcCatalog folder and copy any of the files associated with database or server connections. These files have different names and extensions related to the connection. For example, SDE connections are stored using .sde files. ArcGIS Server connections are stored using .ags files. If in doubt, copy all of the contents.
2. Browse to the new ArcCatalog folder and paste these files into it.

• Recover custom symbols that were created in ArcMap:

1. Browse to the old ArcMap folder and copy the ‘.style’ files.
2. Browse to the new ArcMap folder and paste these files into it.

• Recover the ArcToolbox settings that load custom toolboxes by default:

1. Browse to the old ArcToolbox folder and copy the ArcToolbox.dat file (note that this file does’t exist if the ArcToolbox default was not modified in the first place).
2. Browse to the new ArcToolbox and paste the file to it.