Save multiple "unique value" symbols to style

[BenHarwood]

I'm working with a fairly long list of rock types for a detailed geology map, and I've just spent a bunch of time fixing the "unique values" colours for all the different rock types for one layer. Now I have a second layer for a different area that I'd like to colour using the same legend. I would have thought it would be easy to save the complete symbology for a layer to a style file and "pick a legend" for the new layer. All I can find by searching "saving styles" is to save each colour one at a time, and then the colours are not linked directly to each unique "ROCKTYPE."

I'm new to ArcGIS so bear with me. I'm sure it must be easy to do and I'm just missing something... Thanks.

[DavidPike · Accepted solution]

Are the rock type names the same?

if so you could:

https://pro.arcgis.com/en/pro-app/help/mapping/layer-properties/import-symbology-from-another-layer....

or save as a layer file for repeated use

[BenHarwood]

Yeah, the rock codes are the same. It seems absurd to have to load the symbology from another layer. In all the geology software I use you can set up legends to map colours (etc) to specific codes, whether it's rock type, alteration, gold grades, etc etc., and you can apply that legend to any field in a table. So regardless of whether it's "ROCKTYPE" in one table and "LITHO" in another, you can still apply the same legend (provided codes are the same). If this is the best option I guess it'll have to do, but it seems like a major/ludicrous oversight for a mapping software not to be able to generate/store legends in the way I described!

[RachelRozendaal]

I'm sure you're right and there's a better way to do this out there. Off the top of my head, here's a shortcut you could try:

Copy and paste the layer that you adjusted symbology for (so you have two identical layers in your map document). Then go into the properties of one of the identical layers and set the data source to the 2nd layer you want symbolized. However, I think this will only work if the two layers are symbolized off a field with the same name.

[Anonymous User]

So, is it true that there is no way to save something like an ArcMap .lyr file for a standard organizational symbology for reference in ArcPro? 

I have just defined over 40 symbols for this category display but I can only save it in MAP?

[RachelRozendaal]

Layer Files still exist in Pro:

https://www.esri.com/about/newsroom/arcuser/creating-and-using-layer-files-in-arcgis-pro/

https://pro.arcgis.com/en/pro-app/latest/help/sharing/overview/save-a-layer-file.htm