Latest Contributions by SeanHlousek

Kyle, I agree with you and I am experiencing the same thing. My work-flow is the same as yours: When I need a new Layout I must create a new map with the correct layers turned on or off (or even present or not present on the map).  I then create a new layout that references that new map made in the previous step.  I have a seperate Map and layout for each variation. It seems to me what you are suggesting is exactly how maps and Layers SHOULD function.  The visibility of layers should be at the "Layout Level". One map should be able to "drive" multiple Layouts.  The only exception would be a scale change. For example if I had a map that I printed or exported at Size C and the same map at Size E - in that case I'd have two different maps so I could set symbology and Labels to the different scales. Just wanted to reply to let you know that I follow the same workflow that you do even though it really feels like it should work the way you are describing it.   ... View more

I'd like more ways to keep Maps and Layouts within projects sorted and organized as well.  I understand adding the date to the Catalog view and Pane is difficult/impossible at least compared to ArcMap, but we really do need more ways to help us track the maps and layouts we have used/edited/viewed recently - and I like the idea about sorting by tag from the metadata too.  (In my world almost no one uses metadata - this would be a really valid reason to change that - at least the tags part). ... View more

That idea would also accomplish most of what I'm looking for. Data management is always a challenge but this challenge has "leveled-up" with Pro because of the way projects help you utilize data.  Projects are a welcome addition to Pro but it's taken me about a year to see how entwined data can get. Granted data complexity and thus data management complexity will always be tied to how an organization operates but even in an organization that's really tight with data management may find, over time, that keeping track of all data connections can be a challenge. Particularly when an old project(s) is accessed. A tool allowing users to look at data connections from an individual data source, OR from the project-level as a "data diagram" would be an ideal solution.  In other words, combining these two ideas into a solution would be VERY helpful. As more users adopt Pro you'll see more calls for something like this. The majority of users probably have not yet reached the level of data-complexity to appreciate why something like this would really be helpful.  ... View more

Just a followup to one specific part of my original Idea Specifically this part of my original idea:  "...Ideally I'd like a Create Legend with only items I want to be included actually created in the Legend".   I discovered that this is possible buy selecting, (highlighting), the items in the TOC you want to have added to your Legend when you create it. If you do not select anything in the TOC, the default behavior is that PRO adds everything in the TOC to the legend.  Please note that it has been 9 months since I submitted this idea and I just now discovered this.  The fact that it took me 9 months and a LOT of created Legends to learn this suggests that this behavior, while VERY welcome, is NOT Intuitive.    I wanted to post this partial solution here in order to help others that are struggling with Legends.  I still do not know how to set other default legend properties upon creation and I still hope to see some of that functionality in an upcoming release.  ... View more

What I mean by locking a layout is making changes to a map and layout combination for a specific task without needing to created both a new map AND Layout when in ArcMap an .mxd drove both. For example, I’ve got a map template built for a Size A Power point map (which is really common around here). I’ve also got a Size A Layout Template that goes along with the Size A Map Template. I use the Map Template as sort of a “starting Point” where I tailor the map how management wants and then marry it to the Layout Template. (This way all font and symbology sizing works for the size requested). After making the requested changes I export a .pdf or a .emf or a .jpg depending on the requirements of the end product. This work flow requires that each time I received a new request that I make a copy of the map template AND a copy to the layout Template. I must rename both to the name I want for the new map that is required, and thus my project grows by a new map and a new layout for every request I get. (Often I’ll need to revisit old maps to make revision up to years later). In ArcMap, I also had a Template – an .mxd. I’d take that template and make one copy, adjust the Map view and layout to specs, export to .pdf, .emf, .jpg and All I’d have is another .mxd. Basically it’s one half the “bloat”. Both workflows accomplish the task – but ArcMap felt more streamlined since it generated ½ the files. Regarding Legends: I like the functionality that you describe (re-ordering and whatnot) but that’s where it ends for me. In ArcMap because I just changed elements I needed in the maps and the Layout was locked to that map, I’d never have to re-create a Legend but in Pro because I want to maintain my map template, I need to copy the map, and I want to maintain my Layout template so I have to copy that. This requires I build a new Legend each time versus having my Legend dynamically update. When building a new Legend there are no options for a “legend template” so I have to change all legend settings every time I make a new Legend. In ArcMap since all of my Legend settings were tied to the .mxd, I set the legend settings once and that was it. Building a new legend in Pro without any template means that every time I do this I need to dig into the settings, set my border properties, background properties, border and background offsets, All Fonts, My Legend title, font-settings, and alignment. Further there is no way (that I’ve discovered) to universally set the font. I have to go into Legend>Title>Font Settings, Legend>Headings>Font Settings, Legend>Labels>Font Settings etc – for every legend setting. Most of the time the font is ALL Tahoma in the legend, but other times it’s all in another font and I can’t figure out why. I don’t necessary mind the UI for the Legends settings if I could set all of them once – for all further layouts, but there is no way to do this (that I have found). Sorry for the long reply – hopefully that makes sense. So much of what people do in Arc products relies on the industry and the organization itself within an industry. I make all paper maps, but many industries are all digital. In some ways Arc is the Swiss-army of data/maps-representation-of-data. Its understandable that a new flagship programmed from the ground up may not accomplish the same task more efficiently in every possibly way. That said, it feels like ESRI didn’t research real-life work-flows as thoroughly as I’d have liked and threads like this one seem to be proof of that especially as more and more people work on switching over to PRO. I do appreciate Kory Kramer and other folks efforts sorting through all of these complaints. I just wish PRO felt like the big step forward from ArcMap that we were led to believe. There are certain UI improvements that feel like they are really heading in the right direction (especially if the program was as snappy and quick as we all hoped). Unfortunately, as this thread points out, improvements to speed are lacking. Not just in the specifics mentioned here, but in a LOT of places. I’ve noticed PRO acting slow when I copy elements in Catalog and Paste them like in my example above, When I change Labeling settings, even when I close a project (like why don’t we have an option for Close and Save the project – one button and done). I can open multiple layouts at the same time but each needs to open – which takes time – and then when I click on the tab – it has to draw which takes more time. I can’t export multiple layouts at the same time so when I make a series of maps that all need to be /pdf’s – I have to run through that export procedure for each map, wait for it to generate the .pdf, and then do the next one. I should be able to export X-number of layouts at the same time to the same format, and close my project while those are exporting. The project may run in the background till those exports are complete – but It should “release me back to Windows” without a wait. This has turned into a rant but I know others in this thread will empathize. That said – I reached out to you about specific work-flows because SOME headaches might be alleviated by sharing with one another how we accomplish even basic requests/Tasks using PRO – and anything we do for each other is something ESRI is at least partly off the hook for. Thanks for sharing your workflow! Sean ... View more

Zach, This is similar to how I work but how do you handle Legends in Pro? The lack of default legend properties and the way properties are changed (lots of menus and clicking to get to the property I need to change) is really time consuming compared to ArcMap. Also do you have Layout templates that you import your maps from Desktop into? Right now since you can’t lock layouts in Pro, if I want a new map and layout in Pro I literally have to copy a similar map, paste, and rename and then import that into a layout template (also copy and pasted). Its clunky compared to ArcMap but it could just be my workflow. Just wondering how you are handling a new layout using an existing map. (I’m a one man shop and what I’m doing “feels” correct, but seems really awkward coming from ArcMap. At first I figured it was growing-pains learning the new system but I’ve been using Pro for 80%+ of my work now for 9 months and it still feels awkward). I really appreciate seeing descriptions of how people handle their workflows – even the simple ones. Thanks, Sean ... View more

Pam, I'm right with you. Legends are an example of where I am VERY critical of the UI design team.  It's clear that designers were NOT doing real paper map creation in a typical setting.  I'm considering migrating some of my work-flows back to ArcMap until the design is re-worked. One specific example is I need to produce 5 simple plat-style maps for locations on a regular basis. The locations change so new plats need to be generated for each location.  In ArcMap I could create a "template" for each of these - including Legends, then literally find the new locations, change definition queries, and the Plat titles to reflect the new locations, export to .pdf's,  and I was done. In PRO the same process requires me to:  Create a new Map and a new Layout for each plat in my project.  This is five new maps and five new layouts.  I know Projects can be as big as we want but in ArcMap I could have one template for each different plat, make my changes to the template and export my .pdf and be done. Next I have to recreate the Legend for all five layouts for each layout because of exactly what you describe.  For each legend (since there are no legend creation default options) I must: create a new Legend, Un-check all of the data elements I do not want in the legend since they all come over even though most of the elements in the plat do not need to be included in the legend.    Set my Legend to have a background and a border. Set the back ground and border buffers Set all of the Legend Fonts to Times New Roman because they all default to Tahoma Check that I want the Legend Title included, that I want it Times New Roman and Centered - since none of those options are available as a universal set property. Check that only elements in the view are included in the legend since that is unchecked by default - and again - there is no ability for us to set this universally. Finally I have to export each layout separately because there is no option to export multiple layouts at once - even though we can open multiple layouts at once..... My example is rather simple but the key is that I must do this 2-3 times a month. When you compare the time it takes, and the complexity of the work-flows, it's absolutely better to do this in ArcMap.   If ESRI is serious about PRO being the new flagship of GIS and map production they should have evaluated simple repetitive workflows. I've worked in GIS 17 years and what I'm doing, (or very similar), is pretty bread-and-butter for multiple organizations in different disciplines. In fact, it's so bread-and-butter one of the companies I worked for in the past actually wrote an ArcMap extension to more or less replicate my use case above. They sold that extension to several different agencies in the Federal government so I KNOW what I'm doing is a pretty normal, real-life, example of how a lot of people USE ESRI products.  Apologies for the rant/long post. I am really TRYING to migrate and adopt PRO.  I've figured out how to use the product but I'm continually frustrated that what I used to do is now more difficult, more complex, requires more checks/clicks on an "improved" product. It would be one thing if my work-flows were unique, but I know they are not.  I think many people are waiting to migrate. Right now, even though I see the direction ESRI is going with PRO - and generally agree with the direction, the application is really lacking in some areas.  Legends are definitely not an improvement at this point in PRO.  They are in fact, in my experience, a significant decline in my productivity.   ... View more

That’s a good suggestion. Thanks! Sean ... View more