Honor deselection of 'equal column widths' when using word wrapping in legend
Request to reduce the blank space provided for word wrapping when equal column widths is unchecked. Right now (3.3) your only option to reduce this space is to turn off word wrapping, which is undesirable in many circumstances. As you can see in the image below, there is no difference in the legend when unchecking equal column widths. I have an awkward gap between my first and other legend items. The idea here is to keep word wrapping, but only using the 1.3" label wrap I've specified when it's needed.
Not trying to ESRI bash, but the legend adjustments, particularly this issue wherein we are unable to deactivate "equal column widths" in order to standardize font sizes within legend items across figure sets is really poor form by them. This post is two years old, and it's just classic frustrating ESRI-stuff. IN general, it seems they're either lacking resources to address these issues or prioritizing others. Also classic in that it's a bunch of broken knobs strewn like land mines throughout their sprawling suite of half-baked functionality ambitions. Seems like an easy programming / software fix, especially considering these knobs are similar to Desktop and they work there. In screenshot below, notice that the column widths remain equal despite being deactivated.
I'll link this exact same idea from 2020. Not sure I'd call it an idea, more pointing out broken functionality. Formatting Legends in Pro is a nightmare. Specifically adjusting column widths in relation to text size, element size, etc. The knobs simply don't work. "Equal Column Widths" check box does not function. Fitting Strategy options to anchor Font Size, Column Width, etc. don't fully work either. We need the ability to create legends that don't look like the below screenshot (notice all the white space between column 2 and 3).
Trying to be productive by reiterating a previously proposed idea / identified bug. It's high time ESRI fixed this. We are version 3 of Pro, yet core functionality present in Desktop is still missing. It reinforces my observation that ESRI seems to prioritize resources towards software suite sprawl and functionality half-bakedness at the expense of core functionality. I'm pretty sure I love you guys (ESRI) but PLEASE (!) look in to this finally. It's a big issue for a lot of users.
https://community.esri.com/t5/arcgis-pro-ideas/adaptive-legend-label-wrapping/idc-p/1239213#M22466
Zach
Hi @AubriOtis and thanks for your response. I believe the below screenshots and explanation will offer some clarity. But the issue is two parts: 1) The Fitting Strategy functionality in Pro is confusing and far less intuitive or functional than my recollection of Desktop. 2) It would be excellent if we could Word Wrap AND have Unequal Column Widths simultaneously. The low hanging fruit for this idea is essentially the latter idea (2), and recognizing that Word Wrapping is 50/50 Word Wrapping and Equal Column Widths. It's arguably more setting the Column Width than Word Wrapping.
- The only way to activate variable column widths is withOUT Word Wrapping.
Word Wrapping in reality is just Equal Column Widths + Word Wrapping
- Reduce Word Wrapping val and notice that column sizes take that value
- Note that once Word Wrapping value is less than width of labels (0.7), words wrap. But we are stuck with Equal Column Widths
Which is kind of the same as Equal Column Widths without automatic fitting (Bullet Point 3)
@AubriOtis Sometimes it is hard and time-consuming to explain a complaint/idea/question properly, but believe me - Desktop was WAY more functional. Admittedly, part of it is understanding how the Fitting Strategy Options have changed. But to keep it simple - my idea is "Word Wrapping + Unequal Column Widths".
Much Appreciated,
Zach
