Access All Editing Tabs When Editing Multiple Symbols

[ZacharyRoy]

Context menus/tabs should not differ when editing a single symbol and when editing multiple symbols in the same feature class.

What I think

When developing symbology, it is often useful to be able to edit many symbols at once. The ability too do so increases efficiency, and ensures consistency in the symbology being developed. While developing symbology, it can be deasy to overpopulate the 'styles' workspace with un-finalized versions of various symbols. For this reason, saving to a symbol to a style is not the preferred method.

The Menus

In ArcMap 10.X, the symbol editor was identical when you were editing 1 symbol, and when you were editing multiple symbols. In ArcGIS Pro, when you are editing 1 symbol you have access to the Symbol Tab, the Layers Tab, and the Structure Tab. However, when you are editing multiple symbols (via 'Symbology' pane> 'More' drop down> 'Symbols'> 'Format all symbols') you only have access to the Symbol Tab.

Current Setup

When Editing a Single Symbol (Unique Values)

Available Options

Feature Type	Symbol Tab Options	Layers Tab Options	Structure Tab Options
Point	Scale Based Sizing Appearance Halo	Appearance (for each Symbol Layer) Position (for each Symbol Layer) Rotation (for each Symbol Layer) Offset distance (for each Symbol Layer)	Symbol Layers
Polyline	Scale Based Sizing Appearance Line Width	Appearance (for each Symbol Layer) Offset effect (for each Symbol Layer) Dash effect (for each Symbol Layer) Caps & Join (for each Symbol Layer)	Symbol Layers
Polygon	Scale Based Sizing Appearance	Appearance (for each Symbol Layer) Offset effect (for each Symbol Layer) Dash effect (for each Symbol Layer) Caps & Join (for each Symbol Layer) Pattern (for each Hatched, Gradient, and Picture Symbol Layer)	Symbol Layers

When Editing Multiple Symbols (Unique Values)

Available Options

Feature Type	Symbol Tab Options
Point	Scale Based Sizing Appearance Halo
Polyline	Scale Based Sizing Appearance Line Width
Polygon	Scale Based Sizing Appearance

[DavidWheelock2]

This is an important ArcMap Equivalence issue.  This is not just some new feature that users want.

Why was this not implemented years ago?

This issue should have been placed In Product Plan in 2019 when it was first brought to ESRI's attention.

[EdiePunt]

Hello @alfrenjeru. I wanted to reply re your comment: https://community.esri.com/t5/arcgis-pro-ideas/access-all-editing-tabs-when-editing-multiple/idc-p/1...

You absolutely can edit the outline of a polygon symbol now. You just need to edit the properties of the stroke symbol layer(s) that are part of the polygon symbol. But yes, this particular idea is about editing multiple symbols at once, and those properties are currently unavailable in a multiselect case, until we address this idea. 

[EdiePunt]

@DavidWheelock2 Thank you for your input in this comment: https://community.esri.com/t5/arcgis-pro-ideas/access-all-editing-tabs-when-editing-multiple/idc-p/1...

I agree with you that this is important functionality and we are also keen to provide it in ArcGIS Pro. It is not something that we overlooked or were unaware of. As you know, the symbol model in ArcGIS Pro is different than the one used by ArcMap, so the symbol schema is different. There's a lot behind this particular functionality to ensure that it operates properly in all cases.