An interface to create marker symbols by drawing them. A whole combination drawing lines, polygons, text that can be saved as a symbol, much like a block in CAD. A user should not have to create a custom font just to create a custom marker symbol.
Another feature that CAD blocks have that ArcGIS should have is that the block symbology can be stored within the CAD drawing itself. So if you create a custom symbol in your ArcMap document and then share this MXD document to someone else who doesn't have this symbol saved on their computer, they could still see this symbol in the map, use it, modify it, and save this symbology in a separate file along with other saved symbols. Using cartographic representations to store custom symbology only in a geodatabase is quite a limitation.
This is a great idea. Not everyone has the license level where you can use representations. This would allow everyone, regardless of their license level, to create their own custom symbols.
You can currently create very simple or complex marker symbols by going to Customize > Style Manager > Your Style > Marker Symbol > Right-Click > New Marker Symbol. This will bring up the symbol property editor. Through a combination of simple marker symbols, character marker symbols, picture marker symbols, different sizes, colors, offsets and rotation you can create some very customized marker symbols that is saved to your style. You can then share your style with whomever may want to use the same symbology.
I wish I could vote for this twice. I need to match some CAD symbols that I can't quite create by mashing together marker symbols. Creating a font is quite a headache.
I'd like a Georgia Highway Shield symbol. I was hopin git was in the ESRI Shields Font but only see Arizona and Idaho. I can't make out what the other states are in ESRI Shields.
