Is there any way to show the extent of the view of the map frame (layout) on the map view?

ClaudioCarrasco

Hi everyone,

Is there any way to show the extent of the map frame (layout) within the map view in ArcGIS Pro 3.4? Or alternatively, to determine the coordinates of the vertices of the rectangle shown in the map frame? (Not just the center of the view.)

Regards!

Robert_LeClair

It's a little clunky but yes. In the Layout View, right-click the Map Frame and choose properties. In the Map Frame Pane under Display Options->Location Settings, click Extent... In the Map Frame Extent, in the Get Extent From: box, click "Current Visible Extent." On the right side of the Map Frame Extent pane, you'll see Selected extent. You can click the dropdown for the appropriate Display Units - Spatial Reference (units), Map Display (Decimal Degrees) or Degrees. Click the Copy all Extent Values button to copy to the clipboard and paste into Notepad. Back in the Map View, you can create a new polygon feature class for the rectangle. Create a new polygon feature using the top, left, bottom, right coordinates with a right-click Absolute X, Y, Z for each vertex of the sketch. You'll do this 4 times to create each vertex. Double-click to end the sketch and now you have a rectangle in the map frame of the layout extent. I tested this and it works.

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Robert_LeClair

It's a little clunky but yes. In the Layout View, right-click the Map Frame and choose properties. In the Map Frame Pane under Display Options->Location Settings, click Extent... In the Map Frame Extent, in the Get Extent From: box, click "Current Visible Extent." On the right side of the Map Frame Extent pane, you'll see Selected extent. You can click the dropdown for the appropriate Display Units - Spatial Reference (units), Map Display (Decimal Degrees) or Degrees. Click the Copy all Extent Values button to copy to the clipboard and paste into Notepad. Back in the Map View, you can create a new polygon feature class for the rectangle. Create a new polygon feature using the top, left, bottom, right coordinates with a right-click Absolute X, Y, Z for each vertex of the sketch. You'll do this 4 times to create each vertex. Double-click to end the sketch and now you have a rectangle in the map frame of the layout extent. I tested this and it works.

CarsonMorton

I have a polygon feature layer as well. But I activate the map frame and draw a rectangle. Definitely not as accurate, but my purposes don't require it to be.

AlfredBaldenweck

Related: Export Extent Indicators or Map Frame Extents to F... - Esri Community

I have a tool that will do it as well; dm me and I can send it to you. (Currently investigating a bug in it so not willing to share it here-- there's a failure with certain types of curved map frames, but a rectangle is fine).