The GEO-Jobe Blog

I have been working with ArcMap for about 5 years now. I figured out how to create a circular data frame 2 weeks ago and the multicolored multi-layered labels last month. I’m always learning new things and would like to share some of the fun tricks I’ve learned with other GISers. I hope they help. Please let me know if they do, or if you have any tricks yourself, I’d love to know them.

GIS Tips & Tricks:

Creating a circular data frame (useful for creating call outs or detail views of congested information especially for clients used to viewing CAD maps):

In the data frame properties (Size and Position Tab) make the height and width the same

In the data frame properties (Frame Tab) > Border Section change the Rounding to 100% > Background Section change the Rounding to 100%

Don’t even think about having your extent rectangle in another data frame show up as a circle…its exactly that an extent rectangle. I ended up just drawing a graphic circle to represent the area of my new data frame. I do end up using the extent rectangle to show me exactly where to place the graphic circle.

Adding a second anchor point for snapping while rotating in an edit session:

While a features is selected, click the Rotate Tool from the editor toolbar then press “S”.

Excluding Some Text While Labeling:

Using VBScript to exclude portions of a field that you do not wish to label

Example: Field for Pipe Diameter reads “16 Inches (16.0 Inches)”

I only want to label “16″

In the Layer Properties > Label Tab > Label Expression > Expression window

Left([size_d], InStr([size_d], “I”)-2)

This line tells the label engine to start from the left side of the string and label until it gets to an “I” then go back 2 yielding 16 from 16 Inches (16.0 Inches)

Another trick is to uncheck the box that says “Display coded value description” in the Label Expression dialog box.

Multicolored, multi-line labels:

This came up due to the existence of old and new hydrant IDs. In order to show both, but each a different color one above the other.

In the layer properties window select the Labels tab

Select “Expression”

To have the New ID on top and the Old ID on the bottom:

[New_ID]&vbnewline&[Old_ID]

To have each a different color:

“<CLR Red=’255′>” & [New_ID] & “</CLR>” &vbnewline&”<CLR blue=’255′>”&[Old_ID]&”</CLR>”

The tricky part was figuring out that you had to put double quotes around the formatted text, and drop the normal double quote down to a single quote around the 255.

Having the Legend “bump” down instead of up when adding and removing items:

In the legend properties, select the “Size and Position” tab, in the lower left hand corner choose one of the top Anchor Points (usually top left).

Some Formatted Text that I use often:

superscript = <SUP>text</SUP>

Example: 31st street with formatted text: 31^st = 31^st street

Subscript = <SUB>text</SUB>

Example: Cl2 Injection Point with formatted text: Cl₂ = Cl₂

Having an Ampersand “&” show up when using formatted text use & (don’t forget the semicolon)

Example: 31st street & Main If you type 31^st & Main it will display the exact text typed, including “^st” in order for it to work replace & with “& amp;” (there is no space between the ampersand and the a, this html editor reads that as an ampersand too!) and you’ll get 31^st street & Main.

Enjoy! I hope these help!