Support of KML/KMZ in Legend

[GeoffroyRicher-Lalonde]

KML/KMZ elements that can be seen in the Data tab :

won't show up in the Legend tab :

It would be useful to have access to these elements in Legend, especially when using Export :

Thank you.

[Sharon_MU]

Hi @GeoffroyRicher-Lalonde ，

Thanks for the great idea !

KML data is quite different from all kinds of feature layers, of which the symbology is defined separately from the feature data itself.  KML data structure can be complicated and contains styles as data content. There is no KML spec supports legend like feature layers. 

To be simple,  we recommend using a custom KML Screen Overlay to elaborate the legend. here is a similar solution. 

please feel free to let me know if you have any further question or thoughts.

Thanks !

[GeoffroyRicher-Lalonde]

Hi @Sharon_MU. I understand, there are many subtilities in KML styles. And the use of <styleURL> and <StyleMap> can increase the complexity. I think that what confuses users is that there is already some sort of a legend in the TOC :

Some users say : "Why not copy that in the Legend tab?" But as a KML file may contain hundreds or thousands of placemarks, it would be mandatory to deal with distinct icons only.

I know it’s a longshot, but here is the workflow I could imagine for a manageable KML legend in Export :

1. User clicks on a "Dynamic Legend" (or "KML Legend") button in Export
2. User chooses a KML layer from the current workspace
3. Earth scans all the placemarks of this file and returns a shorter list of distinct icons
4. User selects the icons he wants to use and labels independently them in Export

I know that screen overlays and/or print screens can be used. But since Google Earth EC do returns a KML legend with only distinct icons, users would love to have the same in ArcGIS Earth.

Thank you !

[Sharon_MU]

Thanks @GeoffroyRicher-Lalonde  for the further sharing and detailed information.

I have recorded this requirement and our team are researching on it and consider implementing this feature in the future release. 

Thank you again and will keep you updated.

[GeoffroyRicher-Lalonde]

Thank you @Sharon_MU !