ArcGIS Pro 2.0 | How to author map symbols?

[VincentLaunstorfer]

In ArcGIS 10.5.1, for producing printed maps, I usually right-click layers and "convert features to graphics" in order to edit symbols in cluttered area. In addition, instead of converting into Annotation Groups in which there is no control on ordering, I "convert features to graphics" into empty Annotation Feature Class, stored in my project File GDB. It works well.

In ArcGIS Pro .aprx projects, unfortunately, Annotation Groups (formely stored in .mxd with ArcMap) do not exist. I thought I could still convert features to graphics in Annotation Feature Class with ArcGIS Pro but I cannot find any function to do that. I am stuck!

In ArcGIS Pro, there must be a way to "convert" symbol to graphics for editing? At least I would expect the equivalent of Cartographic representation but I cannot find it either. And Cartographic representation usually needs a Standard or Advanced license.

Any help is very welcome

[VincentLaunstorfer]

In addition to my post and after some investigation, opening Annotation Feature Class containing symbols in ArcGIS Pro is not possible to edit (in the Edit mode under the Contents pane, there is an exclamation mark saying "Annotation is not editable". Also, upgrading the Annotation Feature Class containing symbols fails.

As for the Cartography Toolbox, in particular the Add Representations, is not yet implemented in ArcGIS Pro:

Tools that are not available in ArcGIS Pro—Appendices | ArcGIS Desktop 

This clearly leaves no option to edit (move) manually symbols in the map to produce and end product! To me, it makes ArcGIS Pro unusable...

[CraigWilliams]

The annotation model in ArcGIS Pro is focused on providing an experience for text based annotation and does not support graphics at this time.  Graphic support is something we will continue to evaluation.

The representations experience in ArcGIS Pro has also evolved into an experience working with symbol overrides on any symbology type in ArcGIS Pro.  More options for this will be available in the next release, ArcGIS Pro 2.1.

For you particular case, we've found that a large number of organizations use derived data and edit the data to provide custom placement of symbols.  From a workflow standpoint, this only differs from editing graphics in that you're editing features now instead. When combined with symbol override capabilities, this can be quite powerful.

See this topic for more information on attribute driven symbology: Attribute-driven symbology—ArcGIS Pro | ArcGIS Desktop 

[VincentLaunstorfer]

Thanks for these explanation. However, to me editing derived data is not desirable, neither good practice. This process is for the time being far too slow for editing and symbol alignments are not possible. Perhaps symbols overrides will solve the problem with future ArcGIS Pro releases and hopefully with good performance.

It looks like ArcGIS Pro has not (yet) been designed for users with traditional mapping workflows, focusing on ArcGIS Online instead. In addition to editing symbols, editing annotation lacks lots of basics control, such as leader lines ending, accent bars not available, graticule, extent indicators for insets...

https://community.esri.com/thread/203823-arcgis-pro-20-how-to-move-end-of-leader-line 

In order to take advantage of the improved graphic engines of ArcGIS Pro and better PDF exports, I prepare all my layers in Pro for symbolizaztion and I continue all my symbols and annotations editing, as well as graticule, in ArcMap 10.5.1. After, I compile all my layers in Adobe Illustrator. Not ideal but it works!

ArcGIS Pro - Export to Illustrator 

[CraigWilliams]

Did you leverage shape overrides for your move operations?

As for annotation editing tools, more capabilities are coming in the 2.1 release.  We have additional tools that will be coming in later releases as well.

What graticule functionality is missing for you?

[VincentLaunstorfer]

Hi Craig,

I recently discovered the graticule (screenshot below) in the Insert tab of the layout in ArcGIS Pro. It looks good and I liked the dynamic formatting of labels.

I just cannot replicate the grid of ticks from ArcMap, as explained in this discussion:

https://community.esri.com/thread/206037-arcgis-pro-20-how-to-display-a-graticule-as-a-grid-of-ticks 

If you have any advice on this, it would be really appreciated.

Regards

[ThomasColson]

Maybe I'm missing something, but I'm not seeing where it's possible to replicated the dual-UTM-ZONE grid collar as described http://www.arcgis.com/home/item.html?id=e0b0c2f2160c4812b4c11bc599e629f1.

[VincentLaunstorfer]

Hi Thomas,

In ArcGIS Pro 2.0, I managed to recreate several dynamic grids/graticule as shown below, for info. However, I have to admit that ArcGIS Pro became instable and crashed several times... 

I cannot figure out what was special in the script you mentioned. Although, I would be interested to know how to display extra labels within the map on the gridlines, as shown here:

[ThomasColson]

Vincent Launstorfer‌ this may be closed to the map collars I describe. https://www.usgs.gov/news/new-gis-ready-topographic-map-style-template-released However, you'd have to do it in Arc and import the map to Pro, as the USGS is not planning on updating the tool(s) to work in Pro.

[VincentLaunstorfer]

Hi,

Now with ArcGIS Pro 2.1, I am back this graphics editing issue. As you confirmed, in Pro it is not possible to convert to graphics. You mentioned a workflow in which to edit derived dataset (I am not keen on this method) in order to move symbols around to produce the final map.

Unfortunately, performance in Pro is very poor and my machine should handle ArcGIS Pro 2.1 (see below). In the Edit tab, clicking any point symbol to Move, it takes 25s to select! It is terrible. You also mentioned shape overrides for Move operation. How does this work?

I really need some help to solve this problem as I just cannot edit maps in ArcGIS Pro! For the time being, I made my maps in Pro and performed the editing in ArcGIS 10.5.1. But on import, I encountered alignments problem and I am now try to edit the map 100% with ArcGIS Pro.

Please help!