idea Add the ability to store measure values when displaying XY data in ArcMap in ArcGIS Pro Ideas

Add the ability to store measure values when displaying XY data in ArcMap

MarkStewart — Mon, 19 Jul 2010 22:51:46 GMT

The current tool for displaying XY data in ArcMap allows you to specify fields for the x and y coords and a z value. It would be terrific if it would also allow you to use measure values as well. There are a lot of types of natural resource related data (hydrology and seismology for example), that come in text format, complete with station measures. Creating the route feature classes from this type of data is more difficult than it needs to be.

There are tools available in ArcScripts that allow you to import text files with measure values, but this would be better in core.

Re: Add the ability to store measure values when displaying XY data in ArcMap

ThomasMisek1 — Sat, 07 Aug 2010 18:39:11 GMT

There are tools that have been written to convert linear data in XY format with measures to PolyLineM features. All of these tools were created outside of ArcGIS. Can we get a tool inside of ArcGIS that would convert column aligned text data to PolyLineM features. The input would have to be at least one column each for line name, measure, X and Y (or Lat/Long).

Re: Add the ability to store measure values when displaying XY data in ArcMap - Status changed to: Closed

ValeriaChavez — Sat, 28 Feb 2026 02:03:58 GMT

Hi @MarkStewart

ArcGIS Desktop is in mature support and will be retired March 1, 2026 so we won’t be considering this idea. We recommend that you migrate to ArcGIS Pro, our fully supported desktop GIS application.

Thank you for taking the time to share your ideas. We truly appreciate your contributions to continuously improving the software to help you do your work and look forward to what ideas you have for ArcGIS Pro.