topic Re: Constant extent with Data Driven Pages [fixed] in Mapping Questions

Constant extent with Data Driven Pages

Anonymous User — Mon, 14 Mar 2011 20:41:30 GMT

Original User: zorbac

Wondering if there is a way to make the extent remain the same, even if the index layer extent varies. I'd like to do an atlas with one page for each bus route that intersects a study area. So, the index layer is based on the bus routes (each feature is equal to the envelope defined by a given route) For each page of the atlas I want the extent to remain unchanged (showing entire study area). Then I can use the "page definition query" settings to query the bus routes layer such that the corresponding bus route is shown on the map.

One solution is to create an index grid with a bunch of stacked polygons each equal to the same extent and populate an attribute with the route numbers. If I have to I'll do this, but I thought I would check if there is a better way. I believe this would be a nice enhancement. You could easily do atlases that compare multiple themes of data for the same area or temporal maps of the same area, etc...

Re: Constant extent with Data Driven Pages

JeffBarrette — Tue, 15 Mar 2011 13:46:59 GMT

Data Driven Pages were not designed for this purpose. I personally would not use DDP and would script it using arcpy.mapping but your solution to create stacked index polygons for each route should work. It is very difficult to manage overlapping polygons.

With arcpy.mapping you can simply iterate through each layer and set the definition query and then ExportToPDF before setting the next query.

Jeff

Re: Constant extent with Data Driven Pages

Anonymous User — Tue, 15 Mar 2011 14:08:36 GMT

Original User: zorbac

Thanks for the reply Jeff. I'll look into the arcpy option.

Regards

Re: Constant extent with Data Driven Pages [fixed]

AndrewMoffitt — Tue, 15 Oct 2013 13:50:12 GMT

A little late to the party, but here all the same.

The solution is to have two data frames.
The DF that has the data drive pages will be 'off screen' and DF that has the static extent will be on screen.

Screen shot attached.
[ATTACH=CONFIG]28340[/ATTACH]

Re: Constant extent with Data Driven Pages

Anonymous User — Tue, 15 Oct 2013 15:17:25 GMT

Original User: rborchert

This is very easy. And there are 2 simple ways to accomplish this.

First determine the extent or scale you want to use.

Create your data driven pages. Set you DDP in the Definition Tab. then select the Extent Tab.

In the extent tab select Center and Maintain Current Scale. so whatever you set your scale to before you start to export the DDP it will make maps centered on the polygon or point feature all at the same scale.

Method 2 is less fraught with possibilities for error. Below the Center and Maintain Current Scale selection is a choice for Data Driven Scale.

First create an attribute for your DDP feature with the scale at which you wish to generate your pages. This attribute will have to be a number attribute (double or Long Integer) .You can put in a scale for your index layer as well that will be different. so if you want 1:24,000 enter 24000 in the scale attribute.

Now when you export your pages they will all be at the scale value you enter into the scale attribute.

Wondering if there is a way to make the extent remain the same, even if the index layer extent varies. I'd like to do an atlas with one page for each bus route that intersects a study area. So, the index layer is based on the bus routes (each feature is equal to the envelope defined by a given route) For each page of the atlas I want the extent to remain unchanged (showing entire study area). Then I can use the "page definition query" settings to query the bus routes layer such that the corresponding bus route is shown on the map.

One solution is to create an index grid with a bunch of stacked polygons each equal to the same extent and populate an attribute with the route numbers. If I have to I'll do this, but I thought I would check if there is a better way. I believe this would be a nice enhancement. You could easily do atlases that compare multiple themes of data for the same area or temporal maps of the same area, etc...

Re: Constant extent with Data Driven Pages

RobertBorchert — Tue, 15 Oct 2013 15:18:50 GMT

Oh and then have your second data frame referenced to your main frame. as another poster recommended.

This is very easy. And there are 2 simple ways to accomplish this.

First determine the extent or scale you want to use.

Create your data driven pages. Set you DDP in the Definition Tab. then select the Extent Tab.

In the extent tab select Center and Maintain Current Scale. so whatever you set your scale to before you start to export the DDP it will make maps centered on the polygon or point feature all at the same scale.

Method 2 is less fraught with possibilities for error. Below the Center and Maintain Current Scale selection is a choice for Data Driven Scale.

First create an attribute for your DDP feature with the scale at which you wish to generate your pages. This attribute will have to be a number attribute (double or Long Integer) .You can put in a scale for your index layer as well that will be different. so if you want 1:24,000 enter 24000 in the scale attribute.

Now when you export your pages they will all be at the scale value you enter into the scale attribute.

Re: Constant extent with Data Driven Pages

Anonymous User — Tue, 15 Oct 2013 15:20:54 GMT

Original User: drewskey

Robert,
The data frame will still pan around with those methods.

Re: Constant extent with Data Driven Pages [fixed]

TrishRice — Tue, 22 Oct 2013 21:13:48 GMT

A little late to the party, but here all the same.

The solution is to have two data frames.
The DF that has the data drive pages will be 'off screen' and DF that has the static extent will be on screen.

Screen shot attached.
[ATTACH=CONFIG]28340[/ATTACH]

Thanks for this idea. I never would've thought of using a page definition query across data frames.

Re: Constant extent with Data Driven Pages

Anonymous User — Wed, 23 Oct 2013 19:15:53 GMT

Original User: msayler

Data Driven Pages were not designed for this purpose. I personally would not use DDP and would script it using arcpy.mapping but your solution to create stacked index polygons for each route should work. It is very difficult to manage overlapping polygons.

With arcpy.mapping you can simply iterate through each layer and set the definition query and then ExportToPDF before setting the next query.

Jeff

I'd go with this. You could still drive it off a table if you want to store bits of info about the individual pages somewhere other than the code.

Re: Constant extent with Data Driven Pages

GerryGabrisch — Fri, 10 Dec 2021 23:25:44 GMT

A series of map at the same extent each showing a different feature in a feature class?
Here is some code that will produce a new map for each water sample sites. Each output map is the same extent and only one sample site appears on each output map. Each output map has the title changed based on an attribute and each output map is named after the attribute as well. It would be easy to code this for pdf.

The (ham-fisted) code would require some changes...a valid path to your mxd, "WaterSampleSiteMaster" (line 10) is the feature layer in my mxd and SiteID (line 13 and elsewhere) is an attribute in the Water sample site feature class that is used to label the map outputs and the map title.

Good Luck.

try:
    import arcpy, sys, traceback
    print "Working..."
    
    mxdPath = r"Z:\GISpublic\GerryG\WaterResources\WaterSampleSiteAutoMap\WaterSampleSiteAutoMap22.mxd"
    
    mxd = arcpy.mapping.MapDocument(mxdPath)
    df = arcpy.mapping.ListDataFrames(mxd)[0]
    
    lyr = arcpy.mapping.ListLayers(mxd, "WaterSampleSiteMaster", df)[0]
    print lyr.dataSource
    theAttribute = "SiteID"
    #GetAListOfEachAttribute
    listOfAttributes = []
    print "Start cursor"
    rows = arcpy.SearchCursor(lyr.dataSource)
    for row in rows:
        listOfAttributes.append(row.getValue(theAttribute))
    for elm in arcpy.mapping.ListLayoutElements(mxd, "TEXT_ELEMENT"):
        if elm.name == 'gbglabeler':
            elm = elm
            break
    for item in listOfAttributes:
        GBGquery = '"SiteID" =' + '\''+ item + '\''
        print  "Working on: ",item
        print GBGquery
        lyr.definitionQuery = GBGquery
        elm.text = "Site: " + item
        
        outputjpg = "Z:\GISpublic\GerryG\WaterResources\WaterSampleSiteAutoMap\SiteMaps\\" + item + ".jpg"
        arcpy.RefreshActiveView()
        arcpy.mapping.ExportToJPEG (mxd, outputjpg)
    print "done"
except arcpy.ExecuteError: 
    msgs = arcpy.GetMessages(2) 
    arcpy.AddError(msgs)  
#If the error is with the script, or with python, find error and report it to the screen...
except:
    tb = sys.exc_info()[2]
    tbinfo = traceback.format_tb(tb)[0]
    pymsg = "PYTHON ERRORS:\nTraceback info:\n" + tbinfo + "\nError Info:\n" + str(sys.exc_info()[1])
    msgs = "ArcPy ERRORS:\n" + arcpy.GetMessages(2) + "\n"
    arcpy.AddError(pymsg)
    arcpy.AddError(msgs)

Re: Constant extent with Data Driven Pages

ChrisHills — Fri, 27 Mar 2015 11:10:45 GMT

I too would like to be able to maintain the same extent for DDP. All that is needed is to add an additional option on the "Extent" tab which says "Keep current extent".

Re: Constant extent with Data Driven Pages

MatissValdmanis1 — Tue, 10 Nov 2015 00:40:47 GMT

I found a simple way to achieve DDP where the extent of the maps remains exactly the same:

Find the centroid of the extent you want (e.g. find the centroid x and y field values using Calculate Geometry on a polygon you want to centre your DDP maps on) and put a point there
Run Feature to Point on the polygons you want to base your DDP attributes on* (only works with ArcGIS Advanced Licences. You can work around this step, see below)
Edit the points and move and snap them to your original polygon's centroid location
Set your mxd's extent to the one you want (centered on the point from Step 1)
Run the DDP tool but have the F2P Point fc as the DDP Layer.
Set your DDP tool Extent tab to Center and Maintain Current Scale

*If you don't have an ArcGIS Advanced Licence:

In your DDP polygons: in the attribute table, add X and Y fields and calculate the x and y centroid field values using Calculate Geometry
Export the attribute table to CSV
Add X/Y points from the CSV table
Convert X/Y Points to an Geodatabase FC
Edit the X/Y Point fc and snap them to the DDP centroid point

Re: Constant extent with Data Driven Pages

ScottSambell2 — Wed, 31 Jan 2018 09:37:05 GMT

You, my friend, are a genius.