topic Best way to display points on top of points in ArcGIS Explorer Desktop Questions

Best way to display points on top of points

JerryGarcia — Thu, 16 Dec 2010 15:44:26 GMT

What is the best way to display points on top of points with different marker symbols? I am trying to do this with graphics, i.e. note.

If I disperse them when zoomed in and then go to full extent, they appear on top of each other; I cannot see marker symbols from each point.

Google Earth does this well automatically by hovering the mouse over it disperses the symbols on-the-fly. Although I am not expecting this, I'm wondering what the best approach to solve this issue would be with ArcGIS Explorer?

Thanks!

Re: Best way to display points on top of points

AndreiIvanov — Thu, 16 Dec 2010 22:34:56 GMT

Jerry,

I believe, you are referring to interacting bit. In ArcGIS Explorer we've solved it by clicking directly on graphics. Once clicked, mini-window appears listing graphics identified at that location.
[ATTACH=CONFIG]3915[/ATTACH]

Re: Best way to display points on top of points

JerryGarcia — Fri, 17 Dec 2010 11:39:59 GMT

Jerry,

I believe, you are referring to interacting bit. In ArcGIS Explorer we've solved it by clicking directly on graphics. Once clicked, mini-window appears listing graphics identified at that location.
[ATTACH=CONFIG]3915[/ATTACH]

How do users know when points are stacked on top of each other without clicking? I do not believe your explanation solves this issue?

Re: Best way to display points on top of points

JerryGarcia — Mon, 20 Dec 2010 12:32:03 GMT

How do users know when points are stacked on top of each other without clicking? I do not believe your explanation solves this issue?

We have roughly 200+ combinations of icons that could be stacked on top of each other at one time. Based on a smaller subset, we will create icon images on-the-fly to represent multiple points stacked on top of each other. We will assign the new icons on-the-fly to graphic points in the globe. This works for now. Thanks.

Re: Best way to display points on top of points

MichaelStead — Fri, 24 Dec 2010 15:49:03 GMT

I run tables through Access, do a round to a suitable resolution for coordinates, append duplicate coordinates as addition records and theme as a piechart (all in queries and append functions). Only real problem is you need to know the max number of duplicate points that will occur so you can set up a final table with enough fields. This can probably be done programatically as well, but I was happy enough to have a solution. This lets you show something meaningful on a map, but keep the real data. In this case you would need to create a few tables for different resolutions and put them all in the display with different scales set for visibility of each.

Re: Best way to display points on top of points

DavidEvans — Mon, 27 Dec 2010 16:41:27 GMT

I am having a problem with points being stacked on top of other points as well. I am using ArcGIS Desktop and I am trying to print out a map with the points, with different symbols, spread out for the same address. I was not sure if there is a way to do this? I do appreciate any kind of help I can receive for this issue.

Re: Best way to display points on top of points

CharlesNardone — Tue, 28 Dec 2010 17:07:07 GMT

I am having a problem with points being stacked on top of other points as well. I am using ArcGIS Desktop and I am trying to print out a map with the points, with different symbols, spread out for the same address. I was not sure if there is a way to do this? I do appreciate any kind of help I can receive for this issue.

If you convert your points Symbology to Representation, then use the Disperse Markers Tool in the Cartography Tools to spread the stacked points out in your own opted display, then open up an edit session, editing the Representation layer, then export that Representation layer as a shapefile or feature class to another folder or geodatabase, you will have a seperate file of your original point file with the points spread out.

You can then find some unique attribute amongst those dispersed points to give a unique symbol to each point as you requested. Hope that helps.

Re: Best way to display points on top of points

DavidEvans — Wed, 29 Dec 2010 14:39:54 GMT

If you convert your points Symbology to Representation, then use the Disperse Markers Tool in the Cartography Tools to spread the stacked points out in your own opted display, then open up an edit session, editing the Representation layer, then export that Representation layer as a shapefile or feature class to another folder or geodatabase, you will have a seperate file of your original point file with the points spread out.

You can then find some unique attribute amongst those dispersed points to give a unique symbol to each point as you requested. Hope that helps.

I already have all of my points geocoded and plotted but when I try to convert from symbology to representation the option is not highlighted. I do not have a lot of experience with ArcGIS so I am trying to learn as I go, so I do apologize for not knowing some of the basic stuff.

Re: Best way to display points on top of points

CharlesNardone — Wed, 29 Dec 2010 15:02:49 GMT

I already have all of my points geocoded and plotted but when I try to convert from symbology to representation the option is not highlighted. I do not have a lot of experience with ArcGIS so I am trying to learn as I go, so I do apologize for not knowing some of the basic stuff.

Make sure you do not have an edit session open or the Convert Symbology to Representation application will be grayed out. So to be clear, you do have stacked points that you would like to seperate from each other, correct?

Don't worry about asking any questions because you're new to GIS, we were all there once and it's always a pleasure to share the knowledge and help someone who is just starting out.

Re: Best way to display points on top of points

DavidEvans — Wed, 29 Dec 2010 15:55:22 GMT

Make sure you do not have an edit session open or the Convert Symbology to Representation application will be grayed out. So to be clear, you do have stacked points that you would like to seperate from each other, correct?

Don't worry about asking any questions because you're new to GIS, we were all there once and it's always a pleasure to share the knowledge and help someone who is just starting out.

Yes I do have staked points that I am trying to spread out and I do not have a edit season open. Does it matter what kind of license that I have? I was trying to read into Representation and it looks like I may need the ArcEditor, I have ArcView.

Re: Best way to display points on top of points

MichaelStead — Tue, 04 Jan 2011 17:04:19 GMT

Sorry Devan, I think you need to get out your employers wallet. This is not in my power so I do the Access thing.