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Scale Bar - Static Size

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10-12-2010 12:58 PM
TomShupe
New Contributor
I am creating a mapbook with varying scales.  I want the scale bar to remain static at 1 inch equal to whatever the map should require.
I have set the Double Alternating Scale Bar Properties to "When resizing. . ." Adjust Division Value.
This is not working for me.  Any ideas?
Thanks,
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3 Replies
JohnSobetzer
Honored Contributor
It is a longstanding problem.  The most commonly proposed solution if you are using the same scale in all your maps is to convert your scalebar to a graphic.  If your scale changes you might find some code to help.  Search the old ESRI arcgis desktop discussion forums on mapbook scalebar and check out some of the threads.
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TomShupe
New Contributor
Thanks,
My soulution was to convert the scale bar to a graphic and delete the text elements. Then I inserted scale text below the scal bar and centered.  Resulting in a static scale bar of 1 inch increments, and  scale text that will change with the scale of the map.
Thanks,
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JakubSisak
Honored Contributor
Thanks,
My soulution was to convert the scale bar to a graphic and delete the text elements. Then I inserted scale text below the scal bar and centered.  Resulting in a static scale bar of 1 inch increments, and  scale text that will change with the scale of the map.
Thanks,

For maps where scale changes from map to map and you don't want to "fix" the scale bar manually every time scale changes it's probably better to exclude the scale bar all together and only include Reference Grid and scale text. Alternatively, you might want to consider changing the Double Alternating bar to a simple one without any division value and label the beginning and end. You could also do what you said; export the Double Alternating bar to a graphic 1" long then superimpose another dynamic (simple) scale bar over top of but only label beginning and end of the bar and make the scale bar "no color" only displaying the labels.
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