Latest Contributions by TomBole

Salah,  The functionality that you are looking for can be accomplished by using Layout Files. Tom  ... View more

There is nothing in the UI that automatically places new layout elements, though you could use ArcPy to write code to do this. As inserting an element for the first time, copy and pasting elements will require you to size and position the element manually as you see fit. For tighter control you can set size and position values through the element properties pane (last tab in the dialog). I'm not sure I'm following your workflow.  You state "Both solutions do not place the formatted layer element in the same position in the frame." Same position as what exactly? Are you trying to overwrite existing elements by having them point to a new map frames?  If so, you can do this through the properties pane. Swapping the source map for map frames and swapping the source map frame for map surround elements (legend, scale bar, etc...) can be done without having to create duplicate elements. You might also want to consider using Layout Files as templates with pre-configured element positions for your layouts. ... View more

Hi Salah, There a couple ways you can do this. You can save a style from your formatted layout element (ex: scale bar, north arrow, etc...). Or, you can copy the formatted element, open it's properties and redirect the source map frame of the element to a different map frame. Hope this helps, Tom ... View more

Hi Timothy,  If you want all images (of different sizes and aspect ratios) to be centered  you set the anchor point of the picture element via the elements properties. Right-click the element to open the Format Picture pane (basically the element properties) and go to the Placement tab and set the anchor point under the Position group to the center location. Any border or background for the element should be removed since these parts of the element are not dynamic and will not adjust as new images populate the element. As far as the issue with picture orientation. We fixed a similar issue with version 2.7.  If you are using 2.7 or later you may be running into a different bug. If so, can you contact Esri Support? They are better equipped to handle troubleshooting steps and gather bug data. They can be contacted at https://support.esri.com/en/contact-tech-support. Hope this helps, Tom ... View more

Glad I could help! ... View more

Hi Zach,  Thanks for the screenshots.  It appears that you have rectangular index features of various sizes. In order to fit the area of each index feature within the set area (height and width) of a map frame the map scale will change accordingly, like if you manually zoom to each feature in a map view.  Unfortunately, Pro does not yet support the automatic resizing of the map frame.  The Best Fit Extent option has a "Round scale to nearest". Are you rounding the scale? This might account for what you are seeing. Of course, if you want the scale to round it is expected that the rounding may affect the area shown in the map frame depending on the relative size of the index feature (i.e. the map scale in which the feature would "fill" the map frame) and the digit set for rounding. I did some quick testing to confirm that there is not an obvious bug with this functionality and did not find any. It is working as expected. However, that does not mean there is not a bug. It just means that my testing does not include all the variables (settings, data, etc...) that lead someone like yourself to run into an issue.  This was the case with BUG-000133166. And it may be the case with your scenario. If that is the case, and you issue cannot be resolved by adjusting the value for scale rounding, then can you contact Esri Support? They are better equipped to handle troubleshooting steps and gather bug data. They can be contacted at https://support.esri.com/en/contact-tech-support.  Hope this helps,  Tom ... View more

Hi Nick,  Thanks for the extra info. I did a quick test creating Table Frames with both a table from a Database View and a Query Layer table.  Both Table Frames display as expected in the exported PDF. It's quite possible that there is a variable to your data/workflow that I am missing that is ceasing your issue. Can you contact Esri Support? They are better equipped to handle troubleshooting steps and gather bug data. They can be contacted at https://support.esri.com/en/contact-tech-support. Thanks for the feedback, Tom ... View more

Hi Kyle,  Were you able to submit a bug with support?  Until we are able to get a reproducible case to a developer the likelihood of fixing this issue is not very high.  Tom ... View more

Hi Arne,  I believe you correct when you state "I don't think that layer templates have any record of spatial reference." Map frames on a layout (and layout file/template) simply reference a map. It is the map that handles the spatial reference and applying any transformations/on-the-fly projection to any layers whose native spatial reference is not the same as the map's. What might explain the "2 sets of layers" is if the layout file (template) was created with the map frame pointing to a map with layers, in which case that map and those layer will automatically be there every time you use the template. If you want the map frame to start out as empty you will need to create the template with an empty map frame. For more information please see Layout files—ArcGIS Pro | Documentation. I highly doubt this issue is specific to layout file/template. However, the title of this post certainly makes it look like this is question/issue with layout templates. Unfortunately I am not an expert in publishing workflow can cannot comment on the specifics of your workflow. Perhaps revising the title of this post to highlight the Javascript/Python/Publishing aspect of the question might get the attention of others with more expertise in these areas might help. Also, you might want to consider posting this question in the appropriate Javascript/Python/Publishing communities as well. Hope this helps. Tom ... View more

Hi Arnie,  You may also want to consider using Map Graphics. I think it might also be helpful to highlight the difference between map "space" and layout (page)"space". Map space is the geographic space, or real-world coordinates that your features and graphics (shapes, pictures, text...) are placed.  Layout (page) space is the graphical, on screen representation of the medium (such as a piece of paper) that your map and all the map surrounds and extra map marginalia (title, pictures, and text) are placed. Obviously these are not the same. This is true for ArcMap as it is true for ArcGIS Pro, though, unfortunately, terminology is not consistent across the products and this may be cause for some confusion. Here is the pertinent information from the ArcMap help (Working with data frames in page layouts😞 "In layout view, focusing the active data frame allows you to work with the features and elements in that data frame as though you were in data view. You can create, delete, and edit features, graphics, and text in a focused data frame. When working in layout view with an unfocused data frame, text and graphics that you draw are added to the page layout, stored in the units of the page, and won't appear if you switch to data view." In ArcGIS Pro the ArcMap "data frame" is a "map view" and "focusing the active data frame" is "activating a map frame". Terms are different but the concept is the same.  Hope this helps,  Tom ... View more

My suggestion would be to repost with a clear title and a clear description of what you would like the software to do - with examples. Your link above to InDesign was useful. If important info is "buried" within the back and forth posting it is more likely to get lost, or missed entirely.  ... View more

I'll take a look to see if I can reproduce the issue with this information. However, the best way to process bugs is through support. They are better equipped to handle troubleshooting steps and gather bug data. They can be contacted at https://support.esri.com/en/contact-tech-support. Processing a bug through support also offers a better way to track issues and to help us prioritize work. Thanks for the feedback. ... View more