character marker symbol with real world measurements

[LisaAngstadt2]

I have inherited an .mxd project that is using a character marker symbol for points. The symbol is to represent a 4' x 8' rectangle on the ground. The outline needs to be thinner but I haven't been able to find anyway to do that. I'd like to just make a new symbol, but I don't know how to do that with specific measurements! Any help would be greatly appreciated!

[rachelg_esri]

Hello Lisa,

Out of curiosity, is there a particular reason you're wanting to use point symbols instead of drawing a polygon where the 4'x8' area is? If you choose to set up your symbol to be "real world size", then the symbol would be shrinking as you zoom out anyway, so you don't particularly lose anything by using a polygon. And that way you can control the orientation of the area defined, rather than just taking a rectangle that's always longer left-to-right.

Thanks!

Rachel

Esri Support Services

[LisaAngstadt2]

Hey Rachel,

Thanks for your reply! Unfortunately this is a project I'm completing that

someone else had created, and they're using points for the data. (It's a

huge cemetery and each point designates a grave, with all the person's

information in the attribute table.) They must have created a symbol to

equal the size of the plot, 4' x 8', and symbolizing with that for the

point. Since I posted this question, I was able to created a rectangle in

Adobe Illustrator with equal proportions to 4' x 8' and thin lines which I

brought in as a Picture Symbol and it seems to be working!

I agree with you though that polygons would be much easier to work with!!!

Thanks again,

Lisa