idea Pro: Symbolise line using gradient along length in ArcGIS Pro Ideas

Line gradient symbology with direction?

ChelseaRozek — Thu, 19 Dec 2019 15:59:12 GMT

There are a couple old posts about this (like Want to symbolize lines with color gradient ), but I'm wondering if Pro has this capability now. I can make my lines have a gradient, but it runs perpendicular to the direction of the line.

I was trying to make a flow line map (Creating radial flow maps with ArcGIS), and would love for the color to follow the direction of travel to help users understand what's happening.

The closest I've gotten is with a picture stroke of a gradient in the correct direction, but then it repeats/changes based on your zoom level. I don't see an option to stretch the picture to fill the length of the line.

Am I missing any options?

Re: Line gradient symbology with direction?

JacobHelfman1 — Sun, 22 Dec 2019 02:11:53 GMT

The first thing I would do is merge all the parts of the line feature into one feature, then apply the symbology. Then I would adjust the symblogy so that the color gradient is going in the direction I want (Fill symbol layers—ArcGIS Pro | Documentation). If that doesn't quote fulfill my requirements, I would consider using solid stroke and modifying the actual symbology itself, editing the line's colors or marker symbol layers, such as arrows etc... (Line symbols—ArcGIS Pro | Documentation).

Re: Line gradient symbology with direction?

ChelseaRozek — Thu, 02 Jan 2020 14:14:42 GMT

Hi Jacob,

Thanks for replying. Happy New Year!

- They are 3 separate lines, each with only 2 vertices.

- I only see the option to flip the colors with Gradient Stroke, not rotate which direction it's going.

- Adding a Rotate Effect rotates the whole line so they no longer point where they should.

- I don't see any way to get a gradient effect by modifying the Solid Stroke option.

- I mentioned modifying the Picture Stroke with a picture of a gradient. Do you know if it can be stretched to the full line for all zoom levels?

Re: Line gradient symbology with direction?

ClementDouillet — Fri, 10 Jan 2020 10:11:10 GMT

Hello Chelsea and Jacob,

I have the same issue and have found no solution yet.

It seems a so trivial effect that I didn't expect spending so much time looking for the solution.

The thing Chelsea and I are trying to do, looks like this : Center for Spatial Research

A gradient from the origin to the end of each line.

I personally have created a unique layer/feature with all the lines in it. The line have been generated with the tool "XY To Line", and have a direction: they have an origin and an end understood by ArcGIS.
See the example here where I apply the "arrow effect". The arrow is properly displayed from start (dark points) to finish (green points).

While formatting the line symbol and applying a "gradient stroke" I obtain this.

We are very close of the solution because the gradient direction is actually displayed perpendicularly to the line direction. I would be enough to give this gradient a 90° flip, and that's it. But unfortunately, As Chelsea mentioned, the rotating effect rotates the entire lines, and not the gradient. Maybe, here, I have missed this "rotating" option, but I have looked every parameter, and found nothing.

I also have thought about applying a "fill layer" and a "gradient fill" with a "buffer effect" and a "linear direction". I thought this was a clever workaround, but the gradient still doesn't display following the line direction.

With line width 1pt, note here the problem of direction :

With line width 11 pt, I see that the gradient is in fact horizontal, and the small line width actually tricked my mind :

I also have attempted new things :

Finally I have also have tried other solutions :
- use a "graduated color" symbology :

- "vary symbology by attribute" :

Even by designing a custom "Field" containing both X and Y coordinates, this doesn't create the right effect and applies the gradient to the whole set of lines, and not to each line individually.

I guess the closest solution we have, is to apply a "gradient stroke" on a line symbol, but with a vertical color scheme/color ramp, and not an horizontal one, as proposed in ArcGIS.
The color scheme in ArcGIS :

I have designed something in photoshop like this :

And imported it as "picture stroke".

I am so close of the expected result. But the gradient length doesn't adapt to the line length.

Here with picture size 7pt :

Here with picture size 4 pt :

Well, all this mess to finally have no solution.

But, maybe this can trigger new ideas for someone?

At least, I expect having filled this post with various keywords so it is now more easily google-able, and hopefully our saver will find us soon and come with his more-than-expected-marvelous solution.

Thanks,

Clément

Re: Line gradient symbology with direction?

LynnCarlson__GISP — Thu, 27 Feb 2020 01:51:30 GMT

I am seeking the same thing for maps I am working on...a line symbol that will be semi-transparent at the start node, becoming opaque at the end node. I started trying various things with photoshop as well, but when I came across this discussion, decided to stop since it seemed as though the attempts already made were extensive to no avail.

Perhaps @John_M_Nelson #JohnMNelson_esristyles, #ArcGISPro could design a custom stylex that would achieve this effect?

Re: Line gradient symbology with direction?

KoryKramer — Mon, 27 Apr 2020 13:44:14 GMT

I searched on ArcGIS Ideas‌ and cannot find this request documented anywhere. Given the discussion here, there is evidently some demand already. I'd recommend that somebody submit this as an idea - please include [copy/paste] some of the various use cases as described here to provide context to the idea. This will open the feature up to voting from the community.

Thank you!

Pro: Symbolise line using gradient along length

JohnWatt — Wed, 18 Feb 2026 16:35:30 GMT

It would be great if a colour gradient could be rotated along a line symbol's length. There are a few 'nearly there' workarounds, but currenty Pro can only apply a gradient through the thickness of the line - not from end to end.

Eg I can use a gradient stroke through the line like below, but not from end to end like this ↓

From discussion: Line gradient symbology with direction?

Re: Line gradient symbology with direction?

KoryKramer — Tue, 01 Dec 2020 19:13:25 GMT

Pro: Symbolise line using gradient along length - GeoNet, The Esri Community

Submitted by John Watt Please go upvote the idea and provide use cases in the idea's comments (if not already provided on this thread). Thank you!

Re: Pro: Symbolise line using gradient along length

ChelseaRozek — Fri, 25 Sep 2020 12:40:35 GMT

Would be great when making radial flow maps! Creating radial flow maps with ArcGIS

Re: Pro: Symbolise line using gradient along length

JohnJones — Tue, 29 Sep 2020 21:17:49 GMT

Note that it would be nice if the line had measures (M values) for these to be able to be taken into account in controlling how the gradient is mapped to the line, for example if the M at the start of the line was 0 and the M at the end of the line was 1 (with monotonicity) that placing a vertex at the middle of the line with an M value like 0.8 would cause the gradient to 'flow' quicker so that instead of getting half way through the gradient it got 80% through by the midpoint. Splitting the line in the middle then would assign M values (linearly interpolated) so that splitting the line may retain the gradient (the first half going from 0 to 0.8 and the second going from 0.8 to 1 on the gradient.

Alternatively the 'curves' of the gradient could be adjusted, but that would change would apply globally to all features (using this symbol) rather than be controllable by feature (as the above measure approach could).

Re: Pro: Symbolise line using gradient along length - Status changed to: Under Consideration

KoryKramer — Mon, 07 Dec 2020 17:39:32 GMT

Re: Pro: Symbolise line using gradient along length

wayfaringrob — Tue, 08 Feb 2022 16:57:50 GMT

I've got elevation values for the start (F_ZLEV) and end (T_ZLEV) of my roadway segments - I would use a gradient stroke like this to symbolize the elevation change of ramps more effectively.

It would also be neat to see other effects - like buffer - 'taper' or vary along the length of the line in a similar manner.

Re: Pro: Symbolise line using gradient along length

KoryKramer — Tue, 08 Feb 2022 18:20:01 GMT

@wayfaringrob see https://pro.arcgis.com/en/pro-app/latest/help/mapping/layer-properties/symbol-effects.htm#ESRI_SECTION1_50CA181FAA664FDAAE4A2DAB62EFD04C for currently available symbol effects which include buffer and taper!

Re: Pro: Symbolise line using gradient along length

VojtěchBlažek — Tue, 08 Feb 2022 21:15:32 GMT

@KoryKramer @wayfaringrob

It's good to know that taper is possible, but linear gradient fill, like we use in this map (https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/17445647.2021.1937730) is possible only in QGIS, so far I know.

Re: Pro: Symbolise line using gradient along length

KathrynDoh — Wed, 27 Apr 2022 18:31:26 GMT

This would be helpful. Kind of like the directionality in the arrow line options, but with color.

Re: Pro: Symbolise line using gradient along length

KoryKramer — Wed, 27 Apr 2022 19:37:15 GMT

Thank you for the comment @KathrynDoh I took a look and it doesn't appear that you added your kudos to the idea. While comments are important, kudos (the number of votes) that an idea receives is one of the primary pieces of data that we use to determine traction and trends as we monitor idea activity over time.

Please see https://community.esri.com/t5/custom/page/page-id/arcgis-ideas for a high level overview of how ArcGIS Ideas works. For more details, see

Thank you for your participation in the community and for helping us prioritize future development efforts for ArcGIS Pro.

Re: Pro: Symbolise line using gradient along length

KathrynDoh — Thu, 28 Apr 2022 18:20:36 GMT

Done, thanks @KoryKramer

Re: Pro: Symbolise line using gradient along length

elmort — Fri, 13 May 2022 00:08:28 GMT

Hi all,

Just wanted to share a solution I found for this issue courtesy of Esri's @WarrenDavison. For full details, you can visit this blog post: https://warrenrdavison.wixsite.com/maps/post/animating-movement-with-arcgis-pro

The short version is to use an Arcade Expression with Attribute Driven Symbology.

For convenience, here is the code:

var geom = Geometry($feature); var partCount = Count(geom.paths); if (partCount == 0){return 0;} var point1 = geom.paths[0][0]; var lastPath = geom.paths[partCount -1] var vertexCount = Count(lastPath); Var point2 = lastPath[vertexCount -1]; return Angle(point1,point2);

For a full video demo, see this video, linked in the blog post: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P_Vpdvnx5DA&t=1099s

Hope this is helpful, and thanks, Warren!

Re: Pro: Symbolise line using gradient along length

wayfaringrob — Fri, 13 May 2022 14:34:12 GMT

@elmort neat, thanks!

Re: Pro: Symbolise line using gradient along length

VojtechC — Sat, 05 Aug 2023 16:37:54 GMT

Hi, it's been quiet here for a while. Has anyone seen any progress on this topic? I'd like to create a map similar to this one:

You can probably see what I'm going for – to create a route map coloured by the current pace/elevation (or whatever) at each point/vertex. Basically, I want to create a map with a gradient symbology along a line that would change color based on, for example, the M-value at each vertex. It's the same idea as @JohnJones described above.

Is it already possible to create something like this in ArcGIS Pro?