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Can you synch the map frame within the layout view

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07-23-2021 12:01 PM
HeatherHanson
New Contributor

We recently switched over to ArcGIS Pro 2.8 from ArcMap 10.6.1.  I am trying to get a project set up for daily usage and I'm encountering many things that were once easy, take a lot of setting up

Current conversion problem:

In ArcMap we would have a layout setup that we would simply have to switch to after completing the work in map view.  With Pro, the layout view locks the map extent once it is created.  Since we do parcel editing, we create before and after views of what we worked on to be sent to other departments.  Once one parcel is done, we move on to the next.  It seems like in Pro the map frame will have to be adjusted separately from the map view every time a new area is worked and a map is needed.  In ArcMap it was simple; whatever was showing in map view where the edits were done was the same area displayed in the layout view to print the map.

Is there a way to synch the map frame within the layout view to automatically display the current extent in the map view?  

5 Replies
AubriKinghorn
Esri Regular Contributor

Hi,

In Pro you can't sync map and layout views like in ArcMap. This is because you can have many maps and layouts in Pro, and each map or layout can have multiple open views. In ArcMap because there was one map view and one layout view it was easy to keep them in sync, in Pro it would be far more complicated because there are so many. Instead, we recommend activating the map frame and making adjustments in the layout, or using bookmarks.

Cheers,
Aubri
-_Ashley-B-Potter_-
Frequent Contributor

Would ESRI be open to considering this request? I have developed a master printing template to facilitate standardization in printing maps for both internal and external stakeholders, including property owners. It's important to note that the users of this template may not be GIS professionals. The requirement to activate the template each time and create new map frames can lead to complications, making it challenging to train individuals on its proper use.

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AubriKinghorn
Esri Regular Contributor

Pro still can't automatically keep layout and map views in sync like ArcMap, because there can be a one-to-many relationship when multiple map views are open at the same time. However, in ArcGIS Pro 2.9, which came out after my original comment, we provided a way to manually sync them up. If you right-click on the view you can use the Zoom to Last Active Map to automatically adjust the map frame to the last map frame view that was used. If no map views are open this option is disabled. 

AubriKinghorn_0-1731015820732.png

 

For a project with one map and one layout, this works really well and is fast since you can get to it from the context menu. If you have multiple maps or views of the same map, the Layout ribbon provides a more robust zoom to map view experience. 

AubriKinghorn_1-1731015886111.png

 

Cheers,
Aubri
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by Anonymous User
Not applicable

Not very elegant but you can make sure your focused parcel is selected prior to switching to layout and then click the "zoom to selection" option on the Map frame Format tab.  It would be nice to chose to link the layout map frame to the map view though.  I too will miss this and it is one more reason for some of my workflows to remain in ArcMap.  😞

EricMahaffey1
Frequent Contributor

This is an old post and I'm not sure if you ever found a solution, but I've noticed this issue as well.  Having all of the map frames and layouts in one area is nice, but it makes things more complex with regards to synching the map frame extent within the layout.  I believe there's a solution though (at version 3.1.3).  If you select the map frame within the layout, then right click, there's an option to "Zoom to Last Active Map".  This seems to synch the layout with the map frame that is set within the layout properties.  In my opinion, this menu option should be renamed to something that's not so confusing.  Maybe there's more to it that I'm not aware of.  However, if it were named something like "Synch with Map Frame", it might make more sense.  *Correction, the "Zoom to Last Active Map" does exactly that.  It takes you to the extent of the last map frame that was active.  Even f it was a completely different map frame that the one that is defined in the layout properties.  Which I cannot figure out why anyone would ever want to do that.*   

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