After opening a project file, why does ArcView sometimes ask where its .dbf and .shp (and other) files are located?
When saving a project in ArcView or ArcMap, an .apr (in ArcView) or .mxd (in ArcMap) file is saved to your computer’s hard drive. .apr and .mxd files are a kind of script, telling the program what files to open and where they are, what extensions to load, and how to display your view. When you move an .apr or .mxd file from its original directory, the program will no longer know where to find your data, and will prompt you for each file you’re using. If you think you’re going to be moving your project around a lot, you can save all your data and your project file using Relative Paths to CD/DVD/Thumb Drive/Dante; then, when you move to a new computer outside of your lab, everything you need is in one place. NOTE: You cannot simply save your .apr or .mxd file to a disk without the associated data, bring the disk to the library, and have your project open.
