I agree with all user comments here. Please bring back the scale bar to the new map viewer. It will streamline my work and is really quite a basic part of a map. As it stands, I have to open the measure tool, select units, create a sample line, then hold dividers up to my monitor!
I work for an Esri Distributor and got a case requesting this. I found an Enhancement logged for this, (i think this is the one mentioned by @JessicaBirrell above). The enhancement is closed with the explanation "Will not be adressed". The public explanation for this is:
"The scale bar is not included because it can be misleading and inaccurate in a dynamic mapping environment where you can pan and zoom. The measure tool can be used to get accurate, precise distance measurements. Additionally, map print outs, where you can lock in the map scale, include the scale bar."
If you want this reopened, please contact your local Esri technichal Support team and refer to the enhancement to attach your case to it. If we want them to reconsider this, we need more attached cases.
Thanks for the information Mira. I'll plan to do what you suggest. Both Google and Bing Maps include scale bars. Knowing the map scale is crucial for so many of our users.
Additionally, map print outs, where you can lock in the map scale, include the scale bar." Yeah, but it's this ugly thing at the bottom which takes up valuable space when it could just sit neatly inside the map.
The scale bar is not included because it can be misleading and inaccurate in a dynamic mapping environment where you can pan and zoom.
What a bizarre notion. The whole point of a scale bar is to give you some sort of frame of reference in this "dynamic" environment; it shows you where along the spectrum of scale you are at the current moment.
At a minimum, the current scale should be available somewhere for us to check, e.g. a little 1:24,000 in the corner somewhere, but I don't seem to find that, either. Really odd choices all around; you'd think that you'd want to have some sort of idea of how far out you're zoomed. Between this and the stupid "City/County/State" zoom levels, it really seems like the webmapping team is not aiming to satisfy professional users' needs for traditional scale standards and use.
