idea Customized polygon layer selection symbology in ArcGIS Pro Ideas

Customized polygon layer selection symbology

samuel_e — Fri, 04 Aug 2023 14:41:58 GMT

I would like to be able to set the selection symbology for individual polygon layers. Specifically, if selected features have a hatched fill, solid fill, or no fill.

It was a feature in ArcMap:

This idea has been proposed before, see here:

However, in my opinion it was only partially implemented, because the current functionality (as demonstrated here) only allows you to set it for the entire application.

Is there a reason this functionality was not added for each layer?

Re: Customized polygon layer selection symbology

LindaWilliams1 — Thu, 03 Aug 2023 21:28:51 GMT

I'm using Pro 2.9, and there is an option in Layer Properties/Selection to choose an alternate color. Since I have hatch chosen as the fill for selected polygons in my project properties, when I choose an alternate color in one layer's properties, the hatch coloring is changed. If I instead choose a Fill color, the selected polygon is a solid fill in the chosen color. Does this help in your use case?

Re: Customized polygon layer selection symbology

samuel_e — Fri, 04 Aug 2023 15:34:47 GMT

Thanks for your response @LindaWilliams1. I was trying to word my idea to be generalized, and so I failed to explain my specific use case. Yes, that is a suitable alternative to selecting either hatched or solid. What I really want though is for the default to be no polygon fill, and for individual layers enable hatching.

Here is the comparison, the red outline is a different layer from the yellow outlines:

In ArcMap, the menu to show selected features "with this symbol" pulls up the normal symbology menu for polygons, and you can choose any option (outline, gradient, symbols, etc.) with full customization of the outline, background, line color, etc. I can understand that most of the symbols would never be used for selection, but it would be good to have fill/no fill as an option.

As an alternative, the easiest fix might be to simply add a third box to the current dialog: outline, hatch (if enabled), and fill (if enabled). This would let you do something like the below picture, or in my case make the hatch color for some layers transparent.

For completeness, I am using Pro 3.1. I updated the original post to clarify the no fill option.

Re: Customized polygon layer selection symbology

LindaWilliams1 — Fri, 04 Aug 2023 16:17:04 GMT

I agree with you that having the hatch option in ArcMap was very helpful. I do miss using that to differentiate and emphasize selections. I've been using the different colors as a semi-workaround.

Selection symbol

JensKolstad — Mon, 10 Jun 2024 21:35:06 GMT

I would like to have the same possibility as in ArcMap regarding selection symbol. In ArcMap you could choose your own selection symbol.

Now in ArcGIS Pro you can select the color, and for polygons you can select hatched or solid fill.

If you don't turn on selection color to polygoin interiors it can be difficult to know what is selected

Is polygon 85 selected?

If you turn on hatched fill it is difficult to se info from underlaying layers, but it is easy to se what is selected

But - if it was possible to select your preferred symbol - it would be much better

In ArcMap yoyu had this menu/possibility:

Please - make the same in ArcGIS Pro