Esri Mapping Center - Ask a Cartographer

Outline for several polygon features

May 11 2008 | 2 comments
Categories: ArcGIS Methods, Data Modeling

I would like to create an outline for several polygon features, while also keeping the theme for each individual polygon. Basically: I have a zoning map and I want to see each of the the different zones and their color scheme, but I want the entire village boundary to be represented by another outline. Is there a way to do with without creating another polygon for the whole area? I am using ArcView 9.2. Please see the attached file - I have highlighted the area I want to use as a boundary with "ink".
Thanks for the help.

Mapping Center Answer:

There's no way to do this without creating new data. You could either use the dissolve tool (don't specify a field), or create a new feature class and use the Editor's trace tool to create a polygon that follows the outside edges of your selected polygons.

Attachment: Highlighted boundary of Budrus Zone map

Outline posted by Nava Sheer on May 13 2008 12:09AM

Thanks for answering - but I was really hoping you could show me a better way. I really wish there was a way to quickly and easily create a polygon just as a graphic and just as easily delete it. If I have the outline polygon as part of the shp I am going to be constantly fighting with it to put it underneath the other zones - or on top of them.

Thanks anyway,

Nava

Create a graphic posted by Aileen Buckley on Aug 20 2008 12:14PM

You could simply draw in the polygon as you have done using the Drawing toolbar (there is a New Freeform tool that would probably do the trick). And if you wanted to make sure that the graphic always stayed in the same geographic location, you could "focus" the data frame while you are drawing the polygon. See this link in the online help:
http://webhelp.esri.com/arcgisdesktop/9.2/index.cfm?id=417&pid=415&topicname=Focusing_a_data_frame

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