Save a connection to a specific geodatabase

Saving a geodatabase connection creates a persistent connection in the Database Connections folder of the Catalog tree in ArcGIS Desktop.

One reason you might do this is to quickly connect to a version of a geodatabase other than the default. The following steps explain how to save a connection to a specific version of a desktop or workgroup geodatabase.

1. Start ArcMap, open the Catalog window, and connect to the database server and geodatabase for which you want to save a database connection.
2. If you need to change to a different version of the geodatabase, do the following:
   1. Right-click the geodatabase and click Change Version.
   2. Choose the transactional version to which you want to save a connection and click OK.
3. Right-click the same geodatabase and click Save Connection.

   A connection to the geodatabase now appears in the Database Connections folder. The default name of the connection under the Database Connections node is Connection to <instance_name>. You can right-click the connection and click Rename to change the name of the connection.

   If the connection is to a workgroup geodatabase, you can now register the geodatabase with a GIS server. If you set a specific transactional version, you will always connect to that version when using this database connection file.

Tip:

If your new connection does not appear in the Database Connections folder, go to View on the menu bar and click Refresh.