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Beginner Question - Changing One Attribute's Symbology in a Layer

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Thursday
SB2024HT
New Contributor

I am VERY new to GIS. I have only been going off of Esri courses, online forums, and random YouTube videos, so thank you in advance to anyone who helps me with what is probably a very basic concept to others.

This project was started by the person in the position before me, so I am using her data, which is where this map comes from.

I'm trying to change one parcel in our Zoning map to a different zone. The parcels are all in the "Parcels" layer and the Zone colors are in the "Zoning" layer.  Here's a screenshot of what the "Zoning" layer looks like.

Changing zone color on parcel 2.png

Here's a screenshot of the area. The three triangle-shaped parcels all the way on the left and the tiny triangle on the bottom middle are what need to changed from the "HS" zone to the "AG" zone. When the specific parcel is selected in the attribute table of the "Parcels" layer, I can't change the symbology of the one parcel to the color of the different zone in the "Zoning" layer.

Changing Zone Color on parcel.png

Changing zone color on parcel 3.png

Do I have to modify the coordinates of the "HS" attribute in the "Zoning" layer to exclude these parcels? Or is there any way to just highlight the parcel and change the symbology of the parcel to the symbology of the "AG" attribute in the "Zoning" layer? What's the simplest way to do it? This is something I probably will find myself doing a bit, so I'd like to familiarize myself with it ASAP.

Let me know if more context is needed. Again, this may be a very basic concept, but I appreciate any guidance!

4 Replies
Eugene_Adkins
Occasional Contributor III

The solution is to figure out what data field is populated with the zoning information your symbology is based upon.

Select the parcel in question, find the field in the "selection" portion of the attributes pane, which is to the left of the layers section in your screenshot (or in the attribute table - right click the feature and click "attribute table"), for the specific feature/parcel that is populated with the "HS" data and update the field by typing "AG".

Unless you're working with data that is not editable, I believe this workflow will solve the current issue by automatically updating your symbology.

SB2024HT
New Contributor

That has worked for me in other settings, but it seems like the "Zoning" layer is almost like an overlay on all the parcels the zones are in. So the parcels themselves are not individually attached or labeled to the zones. This is what the selection of one of the parcels looks like. Nothing in the Attributes section about the zone. I think there's something off with the data itself.

Attributes - no symbology.png

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Eugene_Adkins
Occasional Contributor III

I thought this could be case, hence my comment about the feature itself being editable. I could tell something looked a little off when looking at the shape of the smaller parcels compared to the layer underneath your highlighted polygon.

Check the source of your data. You can do this by clicking on the database icon at the top of your table of contents pane. It’s possible this polygon in question was created using an intersect or merge tool (or something similar) using criteria predating your involvement. It’s also possible you’re viewing a map service (which is not editable, and if this is the case it could keep you from viewing the “zoning” field due to the way the service was published) instead of a feature class or feature service, or even something like a shapefile.

At the end of the day, you will have to figure out what data you need to be the source of the information you’re looking to keep up-to-date. This could be the larger polygon you’re currently working with, or a different dataset you create yourself. It’s also important to figure out if you’re working with data that is sourced from a file geodatabase, an enterprise geodatabase, or from services published via a portal or ArcGIS online.

Hope these suggestions help. 

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Ed_
by MVP Regular Contributor
MVP Regular Contributor

Hi I am not entirely sure what your end output goal is. Maybe use a simple and better explanation please, thank you 🙂 

Question | Analyze | Visualize
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