topic Re: Polygon border symbology in ArcGIS Pro Questions

Polygon border symbology

AvaFarouche — Thu, 06 Jun 2024 23:24:13 GMT

Hello!

I cannot figure out polygon border symbology in Pro. Specifically, I can't figure out how to access all of the line and border styles that were available in Map, such as a standard State or County border, or the various predefined highway, other roadway or river symbols, etc.

I imported Esri styles from my ArcMap styles into my project but it still won't find them. I know how to modify the outline of a polygon to make it a dashed line or change color, or add a layer, but I really want to be able to just access the old styles without having to create something new every time, or create a new style, save it somewhere and then import it every time I want to use it.

There have been times that I was using Pro that I have been able to find and use the old Map border/ line styles, they just showed up when I went into symbology. But other times, like now, I cannot find them anywhere, no matter what I do.

Thank you for any help you can provide!!

Re: Polygon border symbology

Eugene_Adkins — Fri, 07 Jun 2024 14:42:42 GMT

When you select the symbology for your feature from the contents pane and your symbology tab appears, are you certain you're checking looking in the "Gallery" tab?

Re: Polygon border symbology

LindaWilliams1 — Fri, 07 Jun 2024 15:07:15 GMT

There is also a style library at https://esri-styles.maps.arcgis.com/home/index.html, and additional styles (especially fantastic ones created by John Nelson) are available in the Living Atlas that can be accessed within Pro.

Re: Polygon border symbology

AvaFarouche — Fri, 07 Jun 2024 15:11:39 GMT

Yep!

It only shows me polygons, not lines. (first image) In Map I could go into properties and use line styles to change the border of a polygon to a predefined style. But now I can't get it to do that. When I try to change the border, it just takes me to the place where I can create my own template (second image). But I cannot figure out how to access the line styles for polygon borders.

Re: Polygon border symbology

AvaFarouche — Fri, 07 Jun 2024 15:17:03 GMT

Thanks! I added the styles to my project before posting my question, but I still can't get Pro to navigate to it in the symbology properties. I'm starting to think something is buggy.

Re: Polygon border symbology

Eugene_Adkins — Fri, 07 Jun 2024 15:22:58 GMT

See if this helps. From the Insert tab of the map ribbon, if you choose "Add" in the Styles section, do you see the "All system styles" section? From there you can dropdown and check the "ArcGIS 2D" style.

Re: Polygon border symbology

Eugene_Adkins — Fri, 07 Jun 2024 15:24:51 GMT

If you need to "Import" the style to the aprx, you can choose the "Import" option (instead of Add) and then navigate to the styles you downloaded from ESRI. From there it should become a part of the aprx you're working with.

Re: Polygon border symbology

AvaFarouche — Fri, 07 Jun 2024 15:31:43 GMT

Thanks for chiming in again! I imported the first time I tried it, then I added it the second time. The line styles do show up in my project if I apply them to a line shape, but I can't get to them for a polygon border. I must be doing something stupid, that's usually the problem.

Re: Polygon border symbology

Eugene_Adkins — Fri, 07 Jun 2024 15:34:52 GMT

Ok. One thing to keep in mind (it may apply but it may not) is that Pro is dynamic when it comes to symbol styles and features. So, if you want to see polygon styles you must be adjusting/changing the symbology of an actual polygon. So, in other words, if you click on a line feature you will only see the style options for a line feature.

Re: Polygon border symbology

AvaFarouche — Fri, 07 Jun 2024 15:46:39 GMT

Yep! I've been adjusting the symbology of a polygon. I have, for example, a state, and I want the border to show up as the predefined line style of a state border. I can change the fill of the polygon, and I can change the border insomuch as I can change the color, add a layer, make it a dashed line, etc., etc., but I cannot access the line styles for those polygon borders. Thanks for taking the time to reply! I did end up just re-creating the old Esri state border line style, but this comes up a lot and I would like to be able to access all of those old styles and not have to re-create my own every time, or save my own styles, I guess.

Re: Polygon border symbology

LindaWilliams1 — Fri, 07 Jun 2024 15:47:34 GMT

The link at the bottom of this post might be helpful. You can import line symbology to create your polygon boundary using "Import layers from a symbol": https://community.esri.com/t5/arcgis-pro-ideas/having-built-in-polygon-outline-styles-in-arcgis/idi-p/942630.

Re: Polygon border symbology

AvaFarouche — Fri, 07 Jun 2024 15:58:30 GMT

Aaaah, thank you! I'm glad to see I'm not the only one who has had this problem, I didn't find that thread when I searched. I will try the final solution listed there. I would still love to just be able to change the border symbology the way I did in Map but at least there seems to be an option.

Re: Polygon border symbology

LindaWilliams1 — Fri, 07 Jun 2024 16:04:53 GMT

I agree with you on that; it really did seem easier to do in Map, and I miss some of those boundary styles. Like you I've had to rebuild some of them myself in Pro.

Re: Polygon border symbology

Robert_LeClair — Fri, 07 Jun 2024 21:30:58 GMT

Hi @AvaFarouche - so I found an internal support case asking about this exact issue. The resolution was:

1. Click the "Feature Layer" tab and then click the "Symbology" button to open the Symbology pane.

2. Then, click the "Single symbol" option and click the symbol icon to open the symbol properties. In the "Structure" section, we deleted the outline symbol and clicked the "Add symbol layer" button and "Import layers from a symbol".
3. In the "Symbol type" menu, select the line symbol and choose the desired line symbol from the gallery. Then "Apply" the changes in the symbology pane.

It seemed to work for me. Let me know what you learn. Thx!

Re: Polygon border symbology

AvaFarouche — Fri, 07 Jun 2024 21:50:42 GMT

Thanks for chiming in, Robert! Yes, I got it! I had gotten everything except importing the style after after adding the symbol layer... I don't know why I missed that. I created my own multi-layer line/ outline style but hadn't picked up on the fact that I needed to import the style from there. Thanks!

Re: Polygon border symbology

SaraPaolaRamosRodriguez — Tue, 21 Jan 2025 10:22:35 GMT

Wow thanks a lot! I have even asked several times to the Esri Chatbox and this solution never came.