Hi, so basically I want my legend to display a different column from the attribute table than it is currently displaying. As per screenshots, it is currently displaying the values for mapSymbol or plotSymbol and I want this to be changed to name.
For context I am using a downloaded NZ geology map called QMAPs that came with predefined symbology that I assume is tied to plotSymbol. I don't know if this means that plot symbol is then made the default display for the legend or if it is mapSymbol as it is the first unique column in the attribute table.
Thanks in advance,
Ed 🙂
P.S I know my legend is all over the show in the photo but it is due to my playing around in frustration, I know I can make it double column etc.
Ed,
Your legend is going to be based on the symbology settings for the layer. Based on your screenshot, it looks like it's coming from either the mapSymbol or plotSymbol fields, but I don't see a difference in the values.
In order to change the value being displayed, you can do a couple of things.
Hi Josh,
I appreciate the solutions but I don't think these are what I am looking for. Manually doing these would take far too long as there are close to 51,000 entries (sorry I should have mentioned this before). Also any deviation in the symbology would subtract from the map as it is based upon a kind of 'NZ standard' for geologic mapping.
Is there a way to maintain the symbology tied to map/plotSymbol and simply change the output displayed by the legend? It seems like a big flaw by ArcGIS if not...
Thanks 🙂
It looks like they themselves (GNS) don't even do what you're asking, at least going by the default symbology in their public services. They appear to be grouping the values, but using the same field as the data you've got.
I don't know that I'd call it a flaw. There's no way for ArcMap to know that each value in a given field has a corresponding unique value in another field. But there is still a way to do this without manually doing it!
There are a few steps, but I think it'll come out ahead with 51k values!
I know that probably seems like a lot, but it should run fairly quickly.
Final note! If you had to import the feature class into a file geodatabase (I don't know what format you got it in, but am assuming SHP?), the newly imported feature class might not have picked up the symbology from the source layer. If that happens, just import it from the other layer.
Hi Josh,
Thanks for this, a few things...
1. After summarizing the layer I was given a table as expected. Is this meant to be save to the same geodatabase as the layer?
2. After using the Table to Domain tool, I was prompted for a 'workspace entry', I selected the layer that I was wanting to change the legend entry for. Was this the correct thing to do?
3. I'm not sure how you assign the field plotSymbol to the newly created domain. Is there something to select in the feild tab of the properties window that I am missing?
Sorry I didn't make it very far, I am by no means a GIS master!
Cheers,
Ed
Hi Josh,
It worked! Kind of... The legend has remained the same although checking the attribute table it has changed the name of "plotSymbol" to that of "name" without changing the symbology.
I assume that by undertaking this process again but for "mapSymbol" this time, it should work. I'll keep you posted.
Cheers,
Ed
Unfortunately it didn't work. Now all three fields in the attribute table "plotSymbol", "mapSymbol", and "name" share the same values however, the legend still displays the initially set values.
I think at this point, unless there is an easy fix, I will leave as is and keep the initial legend as it is a minor detail. Thanks for all your help Josh, you almost cracked it!