Esri Mapping Center - Ask a Cartographer

Create custom USNG Grid

April 22 2010 | 4 comments
Categories: Map Elements, Page Layout

How do I create a custom 100m USNG in my ArcMap document that has the correct labeling? I am attempting to make a USNG map at a 1:2,500 scale with a 100 m grid. The Reference System Selector has a US National Grid option, however it is for a 1000 meter grid which doesn't give enough information for the scale I'm tyring to produce. I'd like to make a custom 100m USNG grid that has the correct labeling at the 100m lines, I believe it is currently labeling the UTM coordinates. I would normally just create the grid and then label it manually, however I'm attempting to make a map book and editing each page is too time consuming.

Thanks for the help.

Mapping Center Answer:

At 9.x., using Grid Manager, you can modify MGRS grids from the Data Frame Properties dialog.

There is also a download that you can use to create a Military Grid Reference System and add it to your data frame. This download has the Grid Manager in it and grid .xml templates for larger scales. There is a 100 m grid interval in this download.

At 10, we are providing as part of the core software a new geoprocessing tool called Make Grids and Graticules Layer along with grid definition templates for USNG grids at all the large scales, including the 100 m grid.

Attachment: 100m USNG Mislabeled

labeling the grid posted by Aaron Greiner on Apr 22 2010 1:38PM

This is helpful, but it doesn't solve my problem. I still cannot label the grid on the 100m graticules and have them automatically updated when creating a multi-page map book.

Some but not all options available posted by Aileen Buckley on Aug 25 2010 4:08PM

Looking at the existing styles for MGRS grids, there are options for setting labeling, but I don't see anything about setting the spacing, although it might be built into the grid type. It would be great if we could do this without MPS-Atlas! If you think so, too, submit a request on the ArcGIS Ideas page to sponsor this enhancement request! http://ideas.arcgis.com/

Any updates here? posted by Jennifer Morris on Dec 23 2011 7:30AM

I have the same question - labelling the 100m grid.

Still working on this posted by Aileen Buckley on Jan 18 2012 12:36PM

We have not made progress on adding the ability to create an MGRS grid with a 100 meter interval in the data frame grid properties, and currently the only way to create an MGRS grid with a 100 meter interval is through the use of the Production Mapping tools. Can I suggest that you submit this on the ARcGIS Ideas page to help bring attention to the issue? http://mappingcenter.esri.com/index.cfm?fa=ask.gateway&activeTab=4 Or if someone else has already posted the idea, please vote to support it!

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