Legend is replicating layers

[ChristineParkerILSR]

I'm using ArcGIS Pro 3.3.0 (updated) on Windows 11. I'm working on some layouts and thought I was going crazy, but for some reason the legend is adding random copies of layers displayed in the map frame. These extra copies don't exist in the map...so it feels like a bug. I've already tried deleting the legend and creating a new one and it's happening again. I've restarted computer/Arc. I have layer visibility turned off in the legend settings. Some of the layers can be toggled off, but some I have to right-click > remove, and then several items will disappear from the legend. 

I've included screenshots of the legend panel, the map frame panel, and what the legend looks like. This is driving me nuts and I feel like this started after the recent update...

[TomBole]

@JuanitaBorden @CodaRain23 

We hope to have a fix included in the next 3.3 service pack/patch. I'll reply to this thread once this has been confirmed and the service pack/patch becomes available.

[KevinN_CSJ]

@TomBole Just to keep this going with new info, I just had this bug occur in a different way. With a map using several features from a network gdb I have a layout that I have exported to .png several times, then in the catalog I duplicated it to make a second layout with a different map. When I went back to the first layout one layer was duplicated about 10 times in the legend with the same symptoms described here. I was able to delete the layer from the legend and re-add from the map frame which fixed it, and I tried the workaround suggested before by @HollyTorpey_LSA , I'll report back if it happens again.

Currently using Pro 3.3.1

[TomBole]

@KevinN_CSJ - I cannot reproduce the issue with the steps you provided.  

Here are the steps I took:

1. Opened a project with a layout, Layout A and 2 maps where one map (Map A) has layer A and another map (Map B) has layers A and B.
2. Opened Layout A (with a map frame pointing to Map A).
3. Exported Layout A 3 times to .png output type.
4. From the Catalog pane, right-clicked Layout A and duplicated it using the Duplicate command from the context menu.
5. Opened the new duplicate layout, Layout A1.
6. Selected the map frame, opened its properties and changed the source map from Map A to Map B.
7. Activated layout A.

I did not see any unexpected legend items in Layout A. Without more information I cannot reproduce your scenario and cannot verify that the fix we made for 3.4 and for 3.3.2 works in your scenario.

Please contact Esri support. They are better equipped to handle troubleshooting steps and gather bug data. They can be contacted at https://support.esri.com/en/contact-tech-support.

Thanks,

Tom

[BrianMcAuslan1]

Hi, I have been having experiencing this issue for many years.  I traced my emails back Mid September 2021(it was happening prior to that!) where my email was called "copy paste layout and ever expanding legend " .  This has been incredibly frustrating.  I have had multiple calls/interaction with our local support. provided examples and workflows to repeat and every release it seems to reoccur in a slightly different form.  

[TomBole]

@BrianMcAuslan1, 

I understand your frustration. You're in good company!

Thanks for reporting this to your local support group.

The "duplicating legend item" issue that has been resolved for Pro 3.4 (and hopefully available with 3.3.2) was introduced at 3.3 (released this past spring). That you've been seeing an issue as far back as 9/21 leads me to believe that your bug is not the same as BUG-000167906 A legend item element gets duplicated when copying a layer from a map frame on one layout to another map frame on another layout. 

We might get lucky and the fix for the scenarios outlined in BUG-000167906 also addresses similar scenarios we did not know about and specifically test against.

Do you know if your local support reported this to Esri Support? If so, is there a bug number or incident number for reference you pass along to me? It would be good to get your scenarios and see if the fix for BUG-000167906 will also work for your scenarios. 

Tom 

[AnneRuthstrom]

@TomBole Well, I just upgraded to 3.4 and the issue remains the same.

[TomBole]

Hi @BrianMcAuslan1 

A separate issue - BUG-000170439 Unassigned layers are unexpectedly appearing in the legend of a duplicated layout when reopening an ArcGIS Pro project file (.aprx) -was recently reported the pre-dated 3.3. The key step to reproduce this issue was to remove legend items from the original legend before the copy/duplication of the layout or legend.

Do you recall removing legend items from the legend as part of your workflows when you ran into issues with the legend? If not, we may have another scenario-specific issue. 

We've made a pretty low level change in the code that handles source map/map frame pathing when duplicating layouts, layout elements and resourcing map frame and other layout elements for Pro 3.4. We believe this should resolve outstanding legend issues. 

Thanks,

Tom

[JuanitaBorden]

Thank you. Looking forward to the patch as this really affects production. Do you know if the fix is available on the 3.3.1 patch? I see that available to download today. 

I wanted to add that as I was trying to get around this issue instead of copying layers from one map to the next I tried exporting the symbology (saving the symbology for a specific layer to my styles) and then when I did this and then went back to the specific map the item had been duplicated! So I guess this also happens when you save symbology? 

So I am back to my only work around to avoid this that is succesful so far has been to share the layer as a layer file and then just add to individual maps. Thank you.

[TomBole]

Hi @JuanitaBorden 

I'm unaware of any fix available in 3.3.1. The fix for the following bug should be available with 3.3.2 - BUG-000167906 A legend item element gets duplicated when copying a layer from a map frame on one layout to another map frame on another layout. 

We are also following up on a bug that the layout team has recently became aware of: BUG-000170439 - Unassigned layers are unexpectedly appearing in the legend of a duplicated layout when reopening an ArcGIS Pro project file (.aprx). We believe this issue is different than BUG-000167906 and has been around for a number of releases (FYI @BrianMcAuslan1). We are currently investigating this issue and I will post when I have more information.

Thanks for the heads up on symbology/styles workflow. I'll take a look to see if I can repro.  Have you contacted support about this? If so, do you have an incident or bug number?

Thanks for the feedback,

Tom

[TomBole]

Hi @JuanitaBorden 

I was unable to reproduce the unexpected duplication of legend items by saving the associated layer's symbology to a style. Applying the style also worked as expected.

Without knowing the exact steps you are taking it is difficult to confirm that there is an issue with this workflow.  Can you contact Esri Support? They are better equipped to handle troubleshooting steps and gather bug data. They can be contacted at https://support.esri.com/en/contact-tech-support.

Tom