Creating chart with layout template

[Hsing-JuChang]

Hi,

I'm trying to create paper chart with ArcGIS for Maritime: Charting 10.3.1.

The product library was downloaded from here.(https://github.com/Esri/maritime-product-library-samples) I've loaded S-57 cells into NIS, created nautical product, checked out the product, ran Product Library Chart Automation tool, and calculated symbology. The resulting layout has no other layout element but dataframe.

In the last part of this demo, layout element seems to be generated automatically (https://blogs.esri.com/esri/arcgis/2015/09/08/new-arcgis-for-maritime-charting-training-seminar/)

Does the product library contain any layout template or do I need to define one? How would I apply layout elements automatically?

Best Regards,

Amy

[Anonymous User · Accepted solution]

Hi Amy,

My name is Andrea, and I'm a Maritime Specialist here at esri. In order to create surround elements, you can add pre-created elements from the Element Library.

1. Switch to Layout view in your map document.
2. Zoom in on the general area in which you want to insert the note or element.
3. On the Nautical Cartography toolbar, click Database Element.
4. In the dialog that appears, define the database location by clicking Browse and navigating to your Product Library Database.
5. The tree-view should populate below.
6. Expand Nautical, expand Paper Chart, and then expand Notes. Here you will find dozens of notes.
7. When you select one, its preview and description appear on the right. Once you find a note you’d like to add to your map document, click Insert. The element is added to the center of your zoomed extent on the page.
8. Repeat steps 2 and 7 as needed to add more notes.
9. If you have made an element or a note, and would like to save it to re-use it in another product, select the element with the Select Element tool, right-click > Save Element.
10. In the Save Element dialog box, choose the grouping (e.g. Notes) you want to which you want to add the note.
11. Right-click Notes > Add. Rename the element, and then type a description.
12. Click Save to commit the element to the Database Element Library.

You can also create a template. Using the same steps above, you can add a set of notes and elements to your template, so that each chart product you create will inherit those notes. To do this:

1. Click the CHART product class in the Product Library.
2. Right-click > Check Out Class Template.
3. In the Check Out dialog box, navigate to a working directory, and check the Open file check box, then click OK.
4. In the CHART map document, define your page size by clicking File > Page And Print Set up.
5. When finished, close the Page and Print Set up dialog box.
6. Click View > Layout View.
7. Add database elements and place them around the page as you chose.
8. Save the map document.
9. In the Product Library window, click the CHART product class, right-click > Check In Class Template.
10. Leave all default options and then click OK. If necessary dismiss the dialog box when the check in process completes successfully.
11. New products will inherit these elements in their layout views.

Let me know if you have any other questions.

Regards,

Andrea

[Hsing-JuChang]

Hi, Andrea

Thank you for your information. I have tried your steps and have some follow-up questions.

I followed your steps to create a Class Template, but the new product didn't inherit these elements in the layout. However, if I create a Series Template, the new product did inherit those elements from Series Template.

1. Why couldn't I use Class Template as template like you described?

2. I'm confused by the Replace Template functionalities.(http://desktop.arcgis.com/en/arcmap/10.3/guide-books/extensions/production-mapping/replacing-templat...) Is it use for updating product's layout with Series Template or Class Template?

3. How to modify symbology rules? I would like to customize some symbology rules before symbology is calculated.

I deeply appreciate your help!

Best Regards,

Amy

[Anonymous User]

Hi Amy,

1. My apologies, I accidentally omitted a step, where you make a new series after checking in the class template. If you had made a new series, after checking in the class template, it would have inherited the changes. You can still have the series inherit the class template. To do this, you can indicate that the series is updated from the class: Product classes in the solution—Help | ArcGIS for Desktop .

2. You're not far off with the Replace Templates. You could have replaced the series template with the class template, and chosen the option to not "link it". You could have updated the product template if it was completely empty and you wanted to populate it from the series or class. Again, I wouldn't have them linked.

3. Your question is a lot more complex to answer without knowing what you want to do. If you want to change how a symbol looks, that is very easy. You can modify the symbol in the Style File (INT1.style),

To modify representations in the Style manager: Understanding representation rules—Help | ArcGIS for Desktop

Then you can perform an Update on your database Updating nautical symbology—Help | ArcGIS for Desktop before you calculate symbology. Please note, this does not update the template database stored in the Product Library. You'd have to update a product after it was created every time. To update the product template database, you'll need to have more detailed steps. Just let me know, and I can send them.

If you want to change the query that determines which symbol is assigned to which feature, this is much more complicated. If you can explain to me what you want to change, I can give you a better explanation of how to change it.

Thanks and regards,

Andrea

[Hsing-JuChang]

Hi, Andrea

Our organization have our own chart symbols and specifications, which are not exactly following INT1. Based on your previous descriptions, I'll need to modify the color scheme and representation rules.  I might need to add new representation rules and assign to features as well.

When calculating symbology, INT1 style is used by default. Is it possible to create a new set of style and apply to my chart product? I'm trying to figure out how to customize symbology for chart producing if it is different from INT1.

Thanks again!

Best Regards,

Amy

[Anonymous User]

Hi Amy,

Like I said, it's not very straight forward to change the symbology. This is something we usually would have you purchase as a service. I'm not in sales, so I cannot say how much it would cost--or if it would cost you money, depending on your account and credits etc. You can inquire from your local distributor. If a service is not possible (although it would be ideal, because we would do the work for you), there's a second option. If you could log a technical support case, it would really be more helpful for both of us. You can request that it be assigned to me. This way, I could address your needs more quickly--you can contact me directly, and we could arrange phone calls and screen sharing sessions. If that is possible, please log a case. In the mean time, I will try to describe what I can here.

For starters, you can take the INT1.style file, found at C:\Program Files (x86)\ArcGIS\Desktop10.3\Styles\ copy it, and paste it to a working directory you have full read-write access to. You may need to change the file not to be "read only."

Through the Style Manager, you can open the copy of the INT1 style, and edit the representation rules (be sure to edit the rules, and not the representation markers). Here you can change the symbol size, color, or make modifications to the rule. This is the easy part! Managing style contents—Help | ArcGIS for Desktop

Here's a quick tutorial on working with cartographic representations: Introduction to the cartographic representations tutorial—Help | ArcGIS for Desktop This can be a daunting task, as there are hundreds of representation rules. I suggest only changing/modifying the rules you need to change, and ignore the others. This will save you time. I don't recommend deleting rules, as this may have and undesired result when running the Calculate tool. I'm hoping we can address all your symbology requests with changes to the style. Once you're satisfied with the changes in the style file, rename the original INT1 style file something like "INT1_install", and add your modified INT1 style file to the install location C:\Program Files (x86)\ArcGIS\Desktop10.3\Styles. You can test your changes by using the Update command. Updating nautical symbology—Help | ArcGIS for Desktop

Changing the behind-the-scenes file of which SQL statement assigns which representation to which feature is much more complex. I'm hoping you won't need to do this, as this isn't something intended for you to modify. That's not to say you can't, but you need to know how to modify an XML document. If it comes to it, I'd feel more confident describing to you how to do this in person, rather than an email. It can be a bit confusing. Once you get the hang of it, it's not that hard to do.

When you're done modifying the symbols, you can make a new data model based on the changes you made. I have the steps on how to do this. It is very easy to do, however you must follow the steps exactly. I have this in a word document--I can't attach it here, I'll find a way to send it to you.

Lastly, you can make a new chart product to view the changes were successful. I think that as you go, you'll find more things to change. The more you do it, the more familiar you'll become with it, and it'll get easier for you.

Let me know about the technical support case.

Thanks and regards,

Andrea

[Hsing-JuChang]

Hi Andrea,

Thank you for your help. I had contacted my local distributor and asked them for further assistant about the technical support case.

Best Regards,

Amy