ArcGIS Pro offers powerful symbology tools, but managing styles across multiple feature layers can be time-consuming. There's currently no way to centrally define and manage color themes used throughout a map. This is particularly problematic when working with brand guidelines or thematic maps that rely on specific color palettes.
Scenario:
Consider a map using a brand theme with three core colors (BrandBlue, BrandRed, BrandGreen). If the brand decides to change BrandBlue to a new shade, the current workflow requires manually editing every single element in the map that uses BrandBlue. This can be extremely inefficient, especially for maps with numerous feature layers.
Benefits of a Centralized Color Theme System:
- Improved Efficiency: Define colors once in a central theme. Any element referencing that color would update automatically if the theme color changes.
- Reduced Errors: Eliminates the need for manual edits across multiple layers, minimizing the risk of inconsistencies and errors.
- Enhanced Maintainability: Simplifies map updates and maintains consistent color usage throughout the project.
Desired Functionality:
- Theme Palette Definition: Allow users to define a central theme palette with named colors.
- Style Reference: Enable feature layer symbology to reference colors from the defined theme palette.
- Dynamic Updates: When a theme color changes, all elements referencing that color in the map automatically update with the new color.
Similar Functionality in Other Software:
Software like Adobe Illustrator offers style definitions that allow for centralized theme management and dynamic style updates. Implementing a similar system within ArcGIS Pro would significantly improve the workflow for users working with color-coded maps.
If you have familiarity with HTML and CSS, you'll know that it's considered bad practice to assign "inline styles" to elements on a website, and instead assign style "classes" to elements and define those styles in the CSS (cascading style sheet). A similar workflow with ArcGIS Pro would be extremely powerful.
Conclusion:
A centralized color theme system with dynamic style updates would be a valuable addition to ArcGIS Pro. This functionality would streamline map creation and maintenance, especially for projects with strict color palettes or those undergoing design revisions.
