Adding graphics in ArcPro, but they grow ~24x the size I digitized them when I finish

[Anonymous User]

Here's a new one.  I am adding graphic patches to 8.5 x 11" layouts, so my text can be more easily read over linear features like roads.  These are little polygons: 1/12" x 1/8" or less.  Adding either a polygon or a rectangle, I digitize my small patch, double click to finish it off, and the graphic immediately grows to about 3" x 3". If it is a polygon, no matter what shape I digitize, it reforms and grows to a 4-vertex trapezium of the same size and shape as the last failed polygon did, so there is no resizing it to fit (especially since we can't edit vertices in graphics yet).  If I digitize at about 1/8" x 1/8", the polygon I digitize remains the same size and shape as I drew it.  I can resize rectangles when they will work for the patch I need, but that is a bother, and really, this should not be a problem!

This makes me think this is a grain problem, but didn't grain tolerance go the way of coverages? I admit being far more savvy with ArcGIS (and Info for that matter) than Pro, so I am still learning the nuances.  I have turned off all snapping that I can think of.  Can I change the grain tolerance?  Other ideas?

Runnning ArcGIS Pro 2.4.1

[WendyHarrison]

Hi Katherine,

Layouts are not my specialty, but I think we can accomplish what you're looking for a different way coming from the text side of things.

If your text is a series of labels you could create a symbol with a background and use that for labeling.  See the text symbols topic for help.

Text symbols—ArcGIS Pro | ArcGIS Desktop 

You can also create this text symbol for annotation if you wish.

If you're dealing with annotation and you want to use the polygon like a mask so you don't see the road underneath, but do see other features you can run the feature outline masks gp tool to create the polygons and then use those polygons as the masking feature.

this masking topic will help out with that

Mask features—ArcGIS Pro | ArcGIS Desktop 

hope this helps

Wendy

[Anonymous User]

Thanks, Wendy. The text is added graphics text, using the insert text tool. I have used html described below for some featureclass-based labels, and am well-versed in masks, halos, text outlines, etc.  Maplex is my good friend as well.  But these aren't labels or annotation.I have been using text backgrounds with html coding to mask certain areas of the map. I honestly geeked out to how cool it looks, especially with transparency to blur problematic background (like hillshade) to make text clandestinely readable.   I am mostly happy with that technique, but I cannot figure out how to change the height of the background. At times, it bleeds into different colors of the background and brings unwanted attention to the technique (to my perfectionist mind).  I posted in the html group here to see if there was a code I could use, but have no answer.  I eventually resorted to the patching (which is actually easier - if I didn't have the resizing problem - and if there is a chance I have to move the text, better).  Very nice that ArcPro now allows transparency in graphics.  How to size text background in html   Any html ideas? 

[WendyHarrison]

Hi Katherine,

In your post you say that you're using Pro and that you're using graphic text.  Graphic text on a map is map annotation and it is not supported in Pro.  Can you provide more information so we know where you are?

Are you doing this in the layout?  on the "glass" overtop of the map frame?  If you send a screenshot of where you're doing this work we'll have a better idea of what's going on.

thanks

Wendy

[Anonymous User]

Sure.  I may be using incorrect terminology:  This is text I added using Insert-Text on the ribbon.  This is in the layout.  These pieces of text are things like the Title, and labels that are easier to just add instead of fine-tuning the label engine.

[WendyHarrison]

Hi Katherine,

Titles and descriptive text are great on the layout.  For labels that are marking things actually on the map we don't recommend this workflow.  One slight pan or zoom to the map and all your text is rendered useless.  It would be better to create an annotation feature class for these text features if you don't want to do them with labels.

For the text that you have on the layout you can modify the text symbol to include a rectangular background instead of putting a polygon behind the text.  Use the Background Callout but don't turn on the accent bar or the leader line.  that will leave you with a nice rectangle behind the text.  Easy to move around as well as it is all one feature.

[Anonymous User]

I agree on using labels and annotation whenever possible. Sometimes, though, it takes more manipulation of the labeling engine parameters than it is worth, so adding text is most efficient.  As for accidental panning - that's what bookmarks are for!

As for callouts, same problem as with backgrounds (as discussed in the messages with Thomas Colson, below) - I cannot figure out how to change the height of the background.  Do you know of an html command that I can specify height on background? 

[WendyHarrison]

to change the height of the background it's just the margins that need to be edited.  in the image above see the left margin, right margin, top margin & bottom margin.  they default at 5pt but you can make them as large as you want

[WendyHarrison]

just as i clicked reply i thought of our new background tag.  it's a formatting tag that adds a background

see an example of how to set up here

Airport signs—ArcGIS Pro | ArcGIS Desktop 

[Anonymous User]

I hate to be contrary, but I did try that and it had no effect on my background.

For future use, if I ever get a chance to exorcise my machine so my polygons work and background margins work, this will be of use, so I thank your efforts. As I mentioned before, I've been using the html tags for my text, as I want to blend the background of the text with the background of the map to make it not obvious, and the html lets me do that letter by letter.  I think it looks really nice (snip of example below).  I just wish there was html code that I could change the height/margins of html-coded background.

But for this particular problem, I really just need to make tiny polygons.  Thomas suggested it is my video card, which makes sense as he cannot reproduce my error, and no one else in all the internet has posted this odd problem of mine.