Shapefile Description

[rcravidao]

Hello,

I'm trying to save a description on a shapefile. But every time i open this shapefile on a new document the description field is empty. 

Can somebody help me?

[shan_sarkar · Accepted solution]

Hi @rcravidao ,

The information you are trying to add is getting saved as in the layer properties which is going to be essentially stored as part of specifically the MXD. That is the reason you need to add the same information again when you add the shapefile to another MXD.

You need to save the desired information into as part of the Metadata, which will store the information permanently in the actual shapefile.

You can do so by simply by viewing the shapefile in question in either ArcCatalog and using the Description tab and update the information and the shapefile will retain the same values when added to any MXD. Just ensure that the MXD’s which contain the shapefile are closed while you update the data to avoid any updating issues.

Refer Creating item descriptions

I hope this helps!

[JohannesLindner]

These are the properties of the layer, not of the shapefile.

A layer's properties are only stored in the map project or in a layer file. Nothing gets written to the underlying data.

If you want to edit the shapefile's metadata, try using ArcCatalog:
https://desktop.arcgis.com/en/arcmap/10.3/manage-data/metadata/viewing-metadata-from-arccatalog.htm 

[rcravidao]

Thank you both! It worked

[shan_sarkar]

Glad to hear it worked out!

If you are satisfied with the results I would request you to kindly close this chain so other can leverage the information from this.

Have a nice day!