idea ArcGIS Pro - more Intuitive Default Legend Labels in ArcGIS Pro Ideas

ArcGIS Pro - more Intuitive Default Legend Labels

deleted-user-sYHsW3p_gN5o — Wed, 16 Dec 2020 23:42:39 GMT

When I am creating a map in ArcGIS Pro, many times the default legend labels are not intuitive. In the picture below, you can see the labels default to <= 5 and <=10, which can cause confusion, because technically 3 would fit in the <= 10 category when in reality it would always be in the <=5 category.

A more intuitive approach would be like I've shown, having the default set to the range of values included. And in the last slot it could say "or greater" or "or higher," although I understand if that's not a common enough need.

It seems to me like there's no reason to have the default set to what it currently is, since I've always learned that good map making should always consider the reader first. I hope this change will be implemented in a future release.

Re: ArcGIS Pro - more Intuitive Default Legend Labels

CharlesGartside1 — Fri, 16 Mar 2018 13:07:46 GMT

Yes, thank you. I came here to make a similar post to this.

I spend a considerable amount of time manually making this change to my maps. As you say, the default method of showing <= x, is not intuitive at all. I want my readers to focus on the nuances of the map, and not trying to figure out the legend.

Policy makers generally do not want to spend a ton of time analyzing a map, and every second they are trying to figure out the legend, that is a couple of seconds they could have been critically thinking about the content.

Re: ArcGIS Pro - more Intuitive Default Legend Labels

deleted-user-sYHsW3p_gN5o — Fri, 16 Mar 2018 15:11:18 GMT

Exactly, when read, <=7 looks like "This category contains every value that is less than or equal to 7." But it there are lower values, that's never the case.

Re: ArcGIS Pro - more Intuitive Default Legend Labels

DuncanHornby — Tue, 15 Jan 2019 17:17:11 GMT

Some discussion about this can be found here, they are "thinking about it"....

Re: ArcGIS Pro - more Intuitive Default Legend Labels

deleted-user-sYHsW3p_gN5o — Tue, 15 Jan 2019 19:37:18 GMT

Thanks for posting that - and to posting this idea to that thread as well!

Re: ArcGIS Pro - more Intuitive Default Legend Labels

ehallisey — Tue, 15 Jan 2019 20:42:21 GMT

If I'm understanding correctly, what you're suggesting for ArcGIS Pro as "intuitive" ranges, is actually the method used for labeling classes in ArcGIS Desktop. ArcGIS Pro should never have used those technically incorrect "<=" labels in the first place.

Re: ArcGIS Pro - more Intuitive Default Legend Labels

JasonGillow1 — Mon, 11 Mar 2019 18:53:09 GMT

Same problem - work around go into ArcMap bring your data in create the new "intuitive" ranges - save as a layer file and open Pro bring in the layer file saved from ArcMap. But Pro??

Re: ArcGIS Pro - more Intuitive Default Legend Labels

IsabelCorcos — Fri, 14 Jun 2019 15:45:15 GMT

I have this exact frustration, the default in Pro is a huge waste of time for me. I want the intuitive way back. I have Pro 2.2.4. Has this been addressed in this release ?

Re: ArcGIS Pro - more Intuitive Default Legend Labels

JasonGillow1 — Mon, 17 Jun 2019 12:45:25 GMT

Nope not in 2.3 either

Re: ArcGIS Pro - more Intuitive Default Legend Labels

HughHoward — Tue, 03 Sep 2019 17:55:55 GMT

Yes, the <= approach is HIGHLY unorthodox and misleading. It is not supported in the cartographic literature or in practice.

And... would it kill ESRI to call the graduated color map by its true name? It's a CHOROPLETH!

Re: ArcGIS Pro - more Intuitive Default Legend Labels

IsabelCorcos — Tue, 19 Nov 2019 16:07:10 GMT

I have 2.4 now and it's still not fixed. Does anyone know of a script or model that could do this?

Re: ArcGIS Pro - more Intuitive Default Legend Labels

MollyBarth — Wed, 12 Feb 2020 22:15:46 GMT

Any word yet on if this will ever be implemented? Just upgraded to 2.5 and it is still not an option. Just had yet another client ask for ranges (e.g. 0-100) instead of "≤" (e.g. ≤100) for legends. It is very frustrating to keep having to make these legend fixes manually.

Re: ArcGIS Pro - more Intuitive Default Legend Labels

IsabelCorcos — Wed, 12 Feb 2020 22:21:36 GMT

Thanks for the latest (frustrating) update.

Re: ArcGIS Pro - more Intuitive Default Legend Labels

WendyThomas — Wed, 15 Jul 2020 21:47:35 GMT

I keep having clients ask for it as that is what they received when I used ArcMap. Hopefully enough people will ask for this, it can be added to a new release.

Re: ArcGIS Pro - more Intuitive Default Legend Labels

Christopheraime — Mon, 20 Jul 2020 19:19:31 GMT

This really makes me missed Arc Map because the simple things like what we speaking about now becomes time consuming and tedious work. I don't know understand why a range for values is not set as the default. This is ridiculous.

Re: ArcGIS Pro - more Intuitive Default Legend Labels

IsabelCorcos — Fri, 23 Oct 2020 21:51:23 GMT

A million times yes! It's terrible design for a LEGEND, of all things. The most important thing on a map.

Re: ArcGIS Pro - more Intuitive Default Legend Labels - Status changed to: Implemented

KoryKramer — Wed, 16 Dec 2020 23:40:47 GMT

Implemented in ArcGIS Pro 2.7!

See

Also check out what's new in ArcGIS Pro 2.7!

Re: ArcGIS Pro - more Intuitive Default Legend Labels

JoshLeyshon — Wed, 19 May 2021 04:23:11 GMT

@KoryKramer I really can't see how this is intuitive. Try labeling a legend where the values diverge around zero! The negative values are a mess and not only look awful, it is far less intuitive than the old way.

Please at least give us the option to choose either labeling style. I thought the ≤ labels were a brilliant design change. Is there any way I can reset this to the old format?

I now have to edit the legend labels manually in my template maps. For a job that used to take me 1-2 hours to output 10 maps, now takes an entire day or more.

Josh

Re: ArcGIS Pro - more Intuitive Default Legend Labels

KoryKramer — Wed, 19 May 2021 12:20:15 GMT

Hi @JoshLeyshon

We didn't declare this intuitive; that is how the idea was posted. The way that symbol classes were labeled in ArcGIS Pro was different than how it had been done in ArcMap, and there was enough feedback through this idea that it caused us to change it to match how it was done in ArcMap.

I understand your comment, but to make this actionable, please submit your idea to "give us the option to choose either labeling style. I thought the ≤ labels were a brilliant design change."

Thank you