change default to classic snapping

[AndyMurray1]

ArcGIS 10
Win XP SP 3

Is there a way, perhaps in the registry, to make "classic snapping" the default?

Every time I start an ArcMap session I have to go in and click Editor>Options>Use classic snapping, and of course often I forget to set it up until I'm in the middle of editing a feature.   I know it's a small thing but it's getting old.

[JoeBorgione]

Andy- I didn't even know there was an option so thanks for the tip.  I have a specific mxd that I use to edit a set of points that is forever changing; I checked classic snapping, saved and closed the mxd.  I reopened the mxd and it was still checked.  Then I opened a blank document in another ArcMap session, and as you describe it's un-checked.

Here is a work around; I checked classic editing in an empty ArcMap session.  Then I saved the mxd. (MyEdits.mxd) When I reopened it, it was still checked.  I agree it should be writing that setting to the default.mxd.  Maybe it's a reported bug?

[edited moments later]   I couldnt find a bug listing for it, but I did add it to the ArcGIS Ideas page

[JohnSobetzer]

You can create a normal.mxd (or use another name) and save it in your templates folder.  You can customize that in ways that can't be done with the mxt, but every time you start ArcMap or go to File New you get to use that as your template (My templates), at least in 10.1.  The disadvantage of this approach is that projects that were/are created without using this normal.mxd may have to "customized if the change doesn't also "stick" in the mxt.  I think the classic snapping is one of those that doesn't stick and it would be nice if it did.

[JoeBorgione]

Hey guys check out the response that just rang in my email from the Ideas Guys @ ESRI (And thanks to Chris Fox for a quick reply!)

Thank you for contributing on ArcGIS Ideas. We are happy to inform you that your idea, Set Classic Snapping as Default, has been implemented.

For more information about the implementation of this idea, please refer to this Idea's Comments section.

Regards,
ArcGIS Ideas Team

Follow the link and you'll see it can be done with a registry modification...

[JohnSobetzer]

I've tested this on my computers and got some interesting results.  On my secondary XP computer the registry setting did work if I chose to create a new map based on the �??blank�?� map of �??My templates�?� , or if I opened previously created map projects.  They opened with the classic snapping setting checked.

But if I instead opened a new map based on my normal.mxd (which does not have the box checked), they opened with the snapping setting unchecked, and any map I opened after it in that ongoing ArcMap session had the setting unchecked.

On my Windows 7/main computer, I had saved my normal.mxd with the classic snapping box checked and I don�??t yet have the registry tweak in place.  Any new project based on the normal.mxd or any previously created project that I opened thereafter in a continuing ArcMap session had the setting checked.  But if I started a new ArcMap session then maps based on the �??blank�?� template or previously created maps opened with the setting unchecked.

[JoeBorgione]

John- I made the (reg)edit and it seems to be working as promised on my NT machine....

[JohnSobetzer]

I think it is working for me too, Joe, I just found it interesting that the registry entry doesn't affect the normal.mxd setting, and further that the normal.mxd can in effect switch off the registry setting for an ArcMap session, i.e. for all the maps that I open in ArcMap until I close it.  I think I actually kind of like that; it gives me some options.