How can I shade specific lots in a city or export these features to a new shapefile?

[__6]

I need to shade various lots to show what district they are in. I initially tried selecting the districts to export them into a new shapefile (at which point applying the proper shading shouldn't be an issue) but because when I added the file I got this old error:
"the following data sources you added are missing spatial reference infomration. This data can be drawn in ArcMap but cannot be projected"
I can not export it. I tried going to properties but it would let me specify a coordinate system.

Any idea what I can do to solve this?

I'm in 9.3 by the way.

[CoryMacNeil1 · Accepted solution]

Hi,
It sounds like your data does not have a projection defined.  To do that you need to use the Define Projection tool in ArcToolbox.

Also, instead of exporting the selected data into a new shapefile why not create a layer from the selected data.  It is just another layer in your MXD pointing to the same source data but with a definition query.  You can symbolize it differently and even perform geoprocessing on that data.  All you have to do is right-click on your layer with a selection in the Table of Contents --> Choose Selection --> Create Layer from Selected Features.

I hope this helps.
Cory

[TerrySilveus]

why not use just symbology to apply shading (assuming you mean fill and not transparency) differently to different features based on district value.  If you only want to shade one particular district, then use whatever field that district is in as your category - unique value add only that district value to the categories list, and have all the others lumped in the "all other values" category.

[__6]

All you have to do is right-click on your layer with a selection in the Table of Contents --> Choose Selection --> Create Layer from Selected Features.

Thanks! It looks like I could have tried to export the data from the same place too but your post plus the website below (which I'm including just in case someone else sees this needing the info) I got it taken care of!

To the person who replied afterward, that was about what I tried to to earlier. It was multiple lots though. Thanks to both of you for answering!

http://rla.unc.edu/postanal/UserManual/NewLayerFromSelection.html