Disperse Markers - within constraints of a polygon?

[Anonymous User]

Original User: DeSchlong

Not sure if this functionality exists (or if it doesn't, it should): I am successfully using the 'Disperse Markers' tool to spread out points that are coincident.  However, this data is collected inside lakes, and I want to make sure that the points that I disperse still occur within the boundary of the lake!  Basically, I want to tell ArcGIS to spread the markers out, but don't put them beyond the boundary of the polygon they lie inside. 

Anybody else come across this or found a solution?  I'd rather not wait until version 12 comes out when ESRI finally sees the light.

Thanks!

[Anonymous User]

Original User: maplex

Hi Eric

I had a play around with this thinking there may be a setting in Environments but couldn't find any. Might be one for the ideas

Did find this but its not an option for disperse http://help.arcgis.com/en/arcgisdesktop/10.0/help/index.html#/Output_Extent/001w00000009000000/

[CharismaAcey]

There is a solution to this (sort of). There does not seem to be a way to specify an environment setting mask that would automatically constrain the dispersed markers to a polygon; however, you can edit your dispersed markers after the fact. It's not an elegant solution, but it will allow you to make maps that don't have markers spilling outside of boundaries where they don't belong!

The thing to remember is that dispersed markers are a type of cartographic representation. You can use the representation editing tools to modify how your markers are displayed. You can set up polygon masks by specifying a many to many relationship in your geodatabase between a new polygon layer and your feature representation (dispersed markers) layer. Using the editing window, you can then specify your masking polygons interactively.

An alternative, quick and dirty approach is to use the Representations toolbar, turn on the Editor, and use the direct select or lasso tools to select the stray markers and either erase them or move them.

You can read more about masking feature representations at  http://resources.arcgis.com/en/help/main/10.1/index.html#//00s500000051000000