Adding graphics in ArcPro, but they grow ~24x the size I digitized them when I finish

Anonymous User · ‎09-04-2019

Here's a new one. I am adding graphic patches to 8.5 x 11" layouts, so my text can be more easily read over linear features like roads. These are little polygons: 1/12" x 1/8" or less. Adding either a polygon or a rectangle, I digitize my small patch, double click to finish it off, and the graphic immediately grows to about 3" x 3". If it is a polygon, no matter what shape I digitize, it reforms and grows to a 4-vertex trapezium of the same size and shape as the last failed polygon did, so there is no resizing it to fit (especially since we can't edit vertices in graphics yet). If I digitize at about 1/8" x 1/8", the polygon I digitize remains the same size and shape as I drew it. I can resize rectangles when they will work for the patch I need, but that is a bother, and really, this should not be a problem!

This makes me think this is a grain problem, but didn't grain tolerance go the way of coverages? I admit being far more savvy with ArcGIS (and Info for that matter) than Pro, so I am still learning the nuances. I have turned off all snapping that I can think of. Can I change the grain tolerance? Other ideas?

Runnning ArcGIS Pro 2.4.1

WendyHarrison · ‎09-05-2019

Using the background tag I can make the background transparent and different colours for different letters

because they work with the background callout i can control the top and bottom margins. i put them to 50pts to make them quite noticeable

Anonymous User · ‎09-05-2019

Yes, very similar to what I do, except I use the <BGD> tag directly in the text.

<BGD red="245" green="245" blue="231" alpha="60" >RECLAMA</BGD><BGD red="173" green="234" blue="188" alpha="60" >T</BGD><BGD red="245" green="245" blue="231" alpha="60" >IO</BGD><BGD red="173" green="234" blue="188" alpha="60" >N</BGD>

However, I still can't get the background margins smaller than 0 point. That is what I really want to do with the background. Since I can't, I need the tiny polygons.

Also, is there an option for ArcMap's eye dropper in ArcPro?

WendyHarrison · ‎09-05-2019

At the moment there isn't an eye dropper. i took a quick look online and there are lots of free "eye dropper" websites that you can use real quick to get the rgb values

use the system snipping tool to grab a screenshot of your imagery, load it up to the site and then grab your colour. it will keep you going until Pro has a way to do it.

KoryKramer · ‎09-06-2019

I'm sure an eye dropper tool will be coming to Pro at some point. Here is where that request is being tracked: ArcGIS Pro - Eye Dropper Tool

Note my August 15th comment:

Just read this excellent blog Where is the nearest National Park?
The author refers to http://www.iconico.com/colorpic/ as a tool that she used for that project...

ThomasColson · ‎09-05-2019

Can you provide more detailed steps to reproduce? What tool(s) exactly are you using to create the graphic? I'm dropping lines and polygons in a layout and not seeing that behavior, which suggests there is something specific to your video card that may be causing this. Is your video driver up to date?

Anonymous User · ‎09-05-2019

Thanks, Thomas. I do not doubt my video card - IT and I do not see eye-to-eye on my system requirements. To recreate:

Using either Insert - Graphics-Rectangle tool, or Insert-Graphics-Polygon tool, digitize a polygon roughly 2x the width of a 2pt line, and roughly 1.5 the height of a lowercase Times New Roman 18 pt letter. It does not matter if you are zoomed in to 1000% or to zoomed out to full page (although at full page, it is very difficult to make such a small polygon, so sometimes it seems like it actually works until you realize the polygon is larger than the above dimensions).

Aside: I am trying to match the same color of the background with my patches, but in ArcPro I am not sure how to get the RGB values from a location on a layout. I am resorting to putting it into ArcMap to get those values with the identify tool - much like how I used to resort to command line when I couldn't find a tool in ArcMap8.

ThomasColson · ‎09-05-2019

I ran thru your exact steps, and cannot repro. This sounds like a TS case, please let us know the outcome (and if I was right, it's your video card...). For getting colors from your layout, see https://community.esri.com/ideas/14881

Anonymous User · ‎09-05-2019

I tend to agree it is in my computer. Sigh.

Regarding Eye Dropper: dead useful in ArcMap, but I cannot find it or an equivalent in ArcPro. I did upvote the suggestion in the link you gave, though!