Saving a geodatabase connection to a specific version

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

One reason you might do this is to be able 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 geodatabase on a database server.

Steps:

1. Start ArcMap, open the Catalog window, and connect to the database server on which the geodatabase you need resides.
2. Connect to the geodatabase for which you want to save a connection.
3. To change to a different version of the geodatabase, right-click the geodatabase and click Change Version.
4. Choose the transactional version to which you want to save a connection and click OK.
5. Right-click the same geodatabase and click Save Connection.

   A connection to that version of your 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.

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