Exercise 4: Performing cartographic edits

Available with Production Mapping license.

Complexity:

Beginner

Data Requirement:

ArcGIS.com

Goal:

Use representation symbology to perform cartographic edits to symbols instead of the feature geometry as well as move and hide representations.

When data is collected in a GIS, data collectors attempt to ensure that the location of the feature in the database is as accurate to the real-world location as possible. However, when trying to visualize this data in a cartographic product, data may need to be modified to better convey the information. For example, contour lines may be modified where they intersect a river feature to help depict the direction in which the river flows.

Representation symbology offers the option to perform cartographic edits to the symbol rather than the feature geometry. This allows you to keep the accuracy of the features in the database and at the same time display the features in a pleasing way.

Exercise 4a: Reshaping representations

One type of cartographic edit involves manually updating the representation override by reshaping the symbol. When you reshape the symbol, you edit the appearance of the feature in the map without editing the geometry of the feature. In this exercise, you will reshape the representation of a contour feature.

1. If necessary, start ArcMap and open the Austin East map.
2. Ensure that the first Austin East Texas data frame is active and that the ContourL and HydroL layers are visible in the Table Of Contents window.
3. If necessary, switch to Data View.
4. On the main menu, click Bookmarks > Contours.

   The extent is zoomed to display contour lines and a river. Notice that the contour lines on the left of the extent cross the river perpendicularly while the contour lines on the right of the extent turn back when they cross the river. This turn back is used to depict the direction of flow for the contour line.

   

5. On the main menu, click Customize > Toolbars > Production Cartography Editing.
6. On the main menu, click Customize > Toolbars > Production Editing.
7. Click the Production Start Editing button on the Production Editing toolbar.

   Note:

   The Manage Features and Create Attributes, Update Attributes, or Metadata Attributes windows automatically appear when you start an edit session using the Production Start Editing tool.

8. Close the Manage Features and Create Attributes windows.

   These windows are not needed because the editing you will perform is on existing features, and attributes will not be modified.

9. If necessary, click the Edit Tool on the Production Editing toolbar.
10. Select the contour that appears on the left side of the map crossing the river.

    

11. Click the Reshape Representation button on the Production Cartography Editing toolbar.
12. Click to draw a sketch that represents the new representation shape of the selected feature.

    The sketch must cross the existing feature's shape two times and should have a turn back when the contour touches the river. Use the graphic below as a guide.

    

13. Double-click the end node to finish the sketch.

    The representation is reshaped.

    

In the next steps, you will reshape the geometry of the feature using the Reshape Feature Tool. By using both the Reshape Feature Tool and the Reshape Representation Tool you will be able to see the difference between the tools.
14. If necessary, click the Edit Tool on the Production Editing toolbar.
15. Click on the second contour that appears on the left side of the map crossing the river.

    

16. Click the Reshape Feature Tool on the Production Editing toolbar.
17. Click to draw a sketch that represents the new geometry of the selected feature.

    The sketch must cross the existing feature's shape two times and should have a turn back when the contour touches the river. Use the graphic below as a guide.

    

18. Double-click the end node to finish the sketch.

    The feature is reshaped.

19. Click the Stop Edit button on the Production Editing toolbar.

    When prompted to save edits, click Yes.

20. In the Table Of Contents window, click the List By Drawing Order button .
21. Right-click the ContourL layer and click Properties.

    The Layer Properties dialog box appears.

22. Click the Symbology tab.

    

    The features are currently being drawn in the map using the representation symbology.

23. Click Features from the Show list.

    This option displays features using the geometry stored on the feature rather than the representation of the feature.

24. Click OK.

    Notice that the first feature you reshaped using the Reshape Representation tool has returned to its original display. Only the symbol of the feature was modified, not the geometry. Also notice that the second feature you reshaped has maintained the shape you created. This is because you reshaped the feature geometry not the representation.

    

25. Right-click the ContourL layer and click Properties.

    The Layer Properties dialog box appears.

26. Click the Symbology tab.
27. Click Representations from the Show list.
28. Click OK.

    The features in the map return to being drawn with the representation symbology.

Exercise 4b: Moving and hiding representations

Another set of common cartographic edits involves reducing the amount of overlap between map features. Similar to the Reshape Representation tool, you can move and even hide features without editing or deleting the geometry of the underlying GIS feature. In this exercise, you will move and hide several point buildings to reduce the amount of overlap in a dense map area.

1. In the Table Of Contents window, ensure that the RoadL and BuildingP layers are visible.
2. Click the List By Selection button on the Table Of Contents window.
3. Right-click the BuildingP layer and click Selection > Make This The Only Selectable Layer.
4. On the main menu, click Bookmarks > Buildings.

   The extent is zoomed to a city subdivision. Notice there is a high density of point buildings that either overlap with each other or with the road features. You will edit several of the point buildings representations to reduce this effect.

5. Click the Production Start Editing button on the Production Editing toolbar.

   Note:

   The Manage Features and Create Attributes, Update Attributes, or Metadata Attributes windows automatically appear when you start an edit session using the Production Start Editing tool.

6. Close the Manage Features and Create Attributes windows.

   These windows are not needed because the editing you will perform is on existing features and attributes will not be modified.

7. Zoom in to an area where only a few buildings are visible.
8. Click the Edit Tool on the Production Editing toolbar.
9. Click the center of a building to select it.
10. On the Production Cartography Editing toolbar, click several times on the nudge representation or annotation tools.

    To nudge the selected building to the right	Click the Nudge Right Representation Or Annotation button .
    To nudge the selected building to the left	Click the Nudge Left Representation Or Annotation button .
    To nudge the selected building up	Click the Nudge Up Representation Or Annotation button .
    To nudge the selected building down	Click the Nudge Down Representation Or Annotation button .

    Notice that the symbol is moved. However, like the reshaped representation contour in exercise 4a, the feature is not altered from its original location.

11. With the building still selected, right-click and click Attributes.

    The Attributes window appears.

12. Click the BuildingP_Reps tab.

    Notice the Erase Shape Override button. When this button is visible, it indicates that the geometry of the selected feature's representation (symbol) has changed. In this example, it is because the position of the building's symbol was moved using the Nudge Representation Or Annotation tools. The Erase Shape Override button allows you to revert the symbol back to the true geographic position.

13. Click the Erase Shape Override button.

    The building symbol is moved back to the original location.

14. Ensure that the building is still selected.

    Now you will hide the building. This is another cartographic editing technique you can use to reduce the density of features on the map. You don't want to hide too many features, as you still need to maintain the overall general spatial distribution. You only want to reduce the excess features.

15. Click the Hide Representation Or Annotation button on the Production Cartography Editing toolbar.

    The feature is removed from the map but is not deleted from the database.

16. Click the Show Representation Or Annotation button on the Production Cartography Editing toolbar.

    The feature is added back to the map.

17. Click the Stop Editing button on the Production Editing toolbar.

    When prompted to save edits, click Yes.

18. Close the Attributes window.

In this exercise, you have learned how to reshape a symbol to edit the appearance of the feature in the map without editing the geometry of the feature. You have also learned to move and hide features without editing or deleting the geometry of the underlying GIS feature. In Exercise 5: Customizing the map layout, you can learn to customize the layout of the map by adding a graphic table element.