Locked Multiple Layouts in ArcGIS Pro

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04-03-2017 11:22 AM
Status: Open
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MikePrice
New Contributor II

In ArcView 3 (AV 3) users often created multiple layouts and disconnected the live link to each one.  The AV 3 help text below briefly explains what we could do in the program.

Add a view

 

To create a map for output containing geographic data you must first add a view to your layout. When you add the view you can choose to make it live linked. This causes any changes in the view to be reflected in the layout. If you decide not to live link your view, it will not change in the layout even if you make changes to the view.

Layouts were not especially powerful in AV 3, but users could create multiple static objects and print them as displayed. 

In ArcGIS Pro, multiple layouts are available for within a single Pro project and multiple layouts are associated with a specific Pro map within the Project.  In each layout, the user specifies the extent, layers displayed, cartographic elements, and more.  In each individual Pro layout, the user now refines/updates the associated map, before printing or exporting the layout.  If the map is modified later, the layout changes, too.

It would be very helpful to lock individual layouts to preserve user settings and parameters, without modifying the underlying map.

I strongly recommend that this feature should be submitted as a near term enhancement.  I, and others, once used this AV 3 feature often.

70 Comments
SeanHlousek

Paul,

I have noticed the same behavior, not only with labels but in fine-tuning the legend. The menus and dialogs are all there but those final “fine-tuning” behaviors seem to take a long time.

I don’t know if you experienced the TOC graying out while it “thinks”? I experience graying out irregularly to a point where I can’t reliable replicate it for tech support but it’s happening enough that it is frustrating.

I also wish Arc would not redraw layers that I’m not actively working on. For example, if make a change to symbology on Layer A, Layer B should not need to redraw/re-label if I’ve made no changes there. OR, if we make changes to labels, Arc should not need to re-draw symbology – only the labels. There seems to be a lot of re-drawing when it should not be necessary.

Sean

Paul_Christensen

I'd love to see them have separate layer visibility as well. Basically I want multiple layouts, each with different layers visible. As it sits now if you turn a layer off in one layout, it changes all the layouts. 

AriVillafuerte

I'm experiencing the same problem. I wonder if you have found any solutions to lock the settings on each layout?

SeanHlousek

Could we get the same type of save functionality as we had in ArcMap with Pro.

In ArcMap, I could open an .mxd, make changes to that .mxd, add or remove shapefiles and feature classes and even do analysis, and then quit without saving.  When I re-opened the .mxd it was as-if I had never done anything.  

In PRO when I make any change, that change is "live" in the map - and any associated Layouts, even if I don't save the project.

I'd like the ability to save but have that save apply the changes I have made rather than everything being "live". 

I've worked around this right now using a "Working Map" that is not tied to an layouts but having one working map to answer any question is cumbersome. It was easier with ArcMap to open up a map that was somehow related to the question they might be asking and answer the question with that map, then close it without saving. 

Maybe there is a setting somewhere to toggle this function?  I haven't found it if there is. 

This functionality would improve my PRO experience a LOT. 

KoryKramer

Hi Sean,

Can you give a specific example of Pro saving a change that you have not asked it to save in the project?

Here is a map that I was working with to do a drag and drop demo... and then I started doing some subdivide polygon work in it.  This is how it opens up:

No I will add some data, remove some data, change the projection, and turn of the map clipping that I had in place above from the mid-century map:

Now I'll close the project and I'm asked if I want to save all those changes:

I click No.

I re-open the same project and nothing that I did was saved in the project.

If you have a case where you're seeing that this isn't the case, please share.

Thanks!

SeanHlousek

Hi Kory,

Thank You for the quick response.

I was not clear in my post. Let me clarify: What I am looking for is a specific save button to save changes I make in a specific map or layout, independent from the “global” project save

You are correct, (and I was not in my original post), that changes are not saved when you do not save a project.

What I am looking for is control over specific project elements.

So for example, I’d like to be able to open a project and open a layout where I would like changes saved, and a working map where I want to be able to do some work but not save changes. I’d like to be able to save the work I did on my layout, but NOT save the work I do in my working map.

At present I am only allowed to save the entire project which means any changes in the working map remain.

Sean

KoryKramer

Thanks for the clarification.

KateNewell1

This capability is really needed.  Otherwise we are copying maps/layouts and unnecessarily bloating our projects.  This is pretty insane that it is not already available in PRO. 

CherylTrine

I recently started a project in which I am needing to print out floorplans for all of our buildings.  I decided to try AGP since it has the ability to do multiple layouts.  I was surprised to find that, although I can have multiple layouts where I can put different text items on the different layouts, I cannot create layouts that have different layers visible.  For example, if I have separate layouts for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd floors, I cannot make Layout 1 always and only show me 1st floor, and Layout 2 to always and only show me 2nd floor, etc.  As I switch between layouts, I have to go into the map frame and manually change which layers are visible--if I forget, I end up printing erroneous data!  This really is a problem and I hope Esri will change it, or if not, give an explanation as to why it would not be a good idea.

Cheryl

deleted-user-sYHsW3p_gN5o

Yeah I think for now you'd have to create different Maps, each tied to their own layout.