Can you set a fixed scale bar length in Pro?

[Tim_Ultee]

I'm using ArcGIS Pro 2.2.3 and want to set my layout scale bar to have a fixed length (1 inch) regardless of the map extent. The Adjust Division Value resize behavior usually worked in ArcMap (it would round to the nearest 10 but otherwise would keep the length static), but in Pro it always resizes smaller than I want. For example, my current map has an extent of 1,680 which means a scale of 140 feet should be exactly 1 inch. When I manually set the length to 140 though and then set the behavior back to Adjust Division Value, it drops the length to 130 feet (see attachment):

It does this regardless of the chosen extent. Does anyone know a way to resolve this issue?

[TomBole · Accepted solution]

Hi Tim, 

The ArcGIS Pro scale bar is more restrictive than the ArcMap scale bar in keeping all the scale bar parts (bar, numbers, labels) within the bounding box of the scale bar element. Therefore, when the resize behavior is changed the ArcGIS Pro scale bar does everything it can to keep within the boundary that you drew for the scale bar and provide round numbers for divisions and subdivisions.

Because of rounding issues there is likely to be some manual adjustment in resizing the scale bar element to get what you want. I was able to replicate what you want by increasing the width of the scale bar element dragging the right middle handle of the selection box.

Hope this helps, 

Tom

[Tim_Ultee]

Thanks a lot Tom, that's exactly the type of solution I was looking for! Seems kind of obvious in retrospect but didn't occur to me for some reason. Also great to see that it does an even better job than ArcMap of keeping the 1 inch scale once I set the size, even when that means dividing it into 5s (i.e. 75ft for 1:900). Thanks again.

[TomBole]

Tim, 

Glad I could help.  Thanks for the feedback.

Tom