PROBLEM

ArcGIS Pro crashes when opening a model tool created in ModelBuilder

Last Published: September 14, 2022

Description

In ArcGIS Pro, geoprocessing workflows involving multiple tools can be automated using ModelBuilder and be saved as a model tool in a toolbox. These tools are run as any other geoprocessing tool from the Geoprocessing pane. In some instances, opening a model tool may cause ArcGIS Pro to crash or return the following error message in the Geoprocessing pane:

Error:
Tool has failed to open
The error message returned when attempting to open a custom model tool

Cause

  • The toolbox is corrupted.
  • The model contains tools that are not found on the system. This may happen when the tool is moved, renamed, deleted or the tool is part of an extension that is not installed.
  • The toolbox is created on one version of ArcGIS Pro and then used on a different version of ArcGIS Pro. Backward and forward compatibility can be an issue when running tools due to updates to the parameters and parameter options for the tool.

Solution or Workaround

Depending on the cause, use one of the following workarounds.

Add a backup toolbox or rebuild the model

Currently, there is no way to recover corrupted, or outdated toolboxes unless a backup is available. Refer to ArcGIS Pro: Use a custom geoprocessing tool for instructions on adding an available backup toolbox in ArcGIS Pro.

If no backups are available, the only option is to rebuild the toolbox using the same parameters with ModelBuilder or Python in ArcGIS Pro. Refer to ArcGIS Pro: Use ModelBuilder for more information.

Ensure that the tool is available for use in ArcGIS Pro

  • If the toolbox is moved or renamed, ensure that the name and the path matches the toolbox path in ArcGIS Pro. If the tool path does not match, navigate to the file path in File Explorer and rename the toolbox. If the toolbox path could not be located, rebuild the tool using ModelBuilder.
  • If a toolbox is accidentally deleted and a backup is available, add the tool into the correct path with the same name in File Explorer. Otherwise, rebuild the tool using ModelBuilder.
  • If a toolbox is created with tools from extensions, running the tool without the extensions may cause issues. It is necessary to add the required extensions or rebuild the toolbox without those tool. Refer to ArcGIS Pro: ArcGIS Pro extensions for more information on tools available with ArcGIS Pro extensions.

Ensure that the tool is compatible with the ArcGIS Pro version

The following tools can be used to determine if the toolbox is compatible with the version of ArcGIS Pro used and save it to be compatible with any version of ArcGIS Pro or ArcMap:

Refer to ArcGIS Pro: Save toolbox to previous version for more information.

Article ID:000028245

Software:
  • ArcGIS Pro 3 0
  • ArcGIS Pro 2 8 x
  • ArcGIS Pro 2 x

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