Tools and commands available from the Schematic toolbar in ArcMap

All the commands and tools on the Schematic toolbar concern schematic diagram management in ArcMap—diagram generation, opening, updating—and some useful functions to easily identify and locate schematic features and their associated geographic features and vice versa. The following paragraphs quickly describe each tool and command on the Schematic toolbar:

Generating/Opening schematic diagram commands

Open Schematic Diagrams

The Open Schematic Diagrams command Open Schematic Diagrams button allows you to open a schematic diagram that is already referenced in the schematic dataset—that is, it allows you to open a schematic diagram that has already been generated using the Generate New Schematic Diagram command.

Learn about using the Open Schematic Diagrams command

Generate New Schematic Diagram

Clicking the Generate New Schematic Diagram button Generate New Schematic Diagram button opens the New Schematic Diagram dialog box, which allows you to specify parameters to generate a schematic diagram that is not referenced in the schematic database—that is, to view a schematic diagram once it has been generated and referenced in the schematic dataset. This command works in a different way depending on the schematic builder on which the generated schematic diagram is based.

Learn about using the Generate New Schematic Diagram command for Standard builder diagrams built from GIS features organized into a geometric network

Learn about using the Generate New Schematic Diagram command for Standard builder diagrams entirely built from custom queries

Learn about using the Generate New Schematic Diagram command for diagrams based on the Network Dataset builder

Learn about using the Generate New Schematic Diagram command for diagrams based on the XML builder

NoteNote:

Diagram generation cannot be done correctly if an edit session is opened on the features contained in the map and this edited data is stored along with the schematic dataset in a personal or nonversioned ArcSDE geodatabase. In this case, you must save the edits on the GIS features before launching any diagram generation in the geodatabase. Without saving the edits on GIS features, the generated diagram will be lost. Generating diagrams in a schematic dataset that is stored along with GIS data that is being edited works without any constraint in file or versioned ArcSDE geodatabases.

Learn more about generating diagrams while an edit session is open

Generate Diagram From Selection

The Save Diagram As command doesn't operate only on the whole content of a schematic diagram; it can also operate from the schematic features currently selected in the active diagram when a selection exists. In that case, the Save As Diagram command allows you to generate a new diagram based on that schematic selection. It works as follows:

  • Case 1: No schematic features are selected in the active schematic diagram.

    In this case, the Save Diagram As command operates on all the active diagram content, saving that diagram under another name.

  • Case 2: Schematic features are currently selected in the active diagram.

    Save Diagram As works from this schematic selection to generate a new diagram. Only the selection set is saved in the new diagram. If there are schematic links that are selected without their origin and/or extremity nodes, these missing nodes are automatically added in the resultant saved diagram.

The Save As dialog box that opens when clicking the command allows you to do the following:

  • Select the schematic folder where the schematic diagram will be saved (Schematic Dataset or Schematic Folder drop-down list).
  • Type the name that will be used to store the saved diagram (Schematic Diagram Name field).
  • Specify the data frame that will contain the saved diagram. By default, a new data frame is created (Data Frame drop-down list).
NoteNote:

The Open Schematic Diagrams Open Schematic Diagrams button, Generate New Schematic Diagram Generate New Schematic Diagram button, and Save Diagram As commands display the opened/generated/saved schematic diagrams in viewer windows when the Viewer Windows mode is enabled.

Learn about enabling the Viewer Windows mode

Managing diagram layout commands

Save Diagram As

This functionality is available from the Schematic menu. Clicking the Save Diagram As menu command allows you to save the active schematic diagram with a new name. The Generate Diagram From Selection section above details how this command works.

Copy Layout

The Copy Layout command allows you to copy the active schematic diagram's layout to any other schematic diagram containing schematic features associated with the same GIS features/objects.

Learn more about copying a schematic diagram layout to another schematic diagram

NoteNote:

This command is not available by default on the Schematic toolbar, but there is a context menu available when right-clicking schematic diagram layer entries in the ArcMap table of contents. When the command is launched from that context menu, the clicked schematic diagram in the table of contents is considered the source diagram for the command execution. If you want to add the command in your toolbar, click the ArcMap Customize menu and click Customize Mode. Click the Commands tab on the Customize dialog box, click the Schematics category, click Copy Layout from the Commands list, then drag it onto the toolbar you want to put it on.

Restore Initial Layout

Clicking the Restore Initial Layout button Restore Initial Layout button deletes the saved geometries for all schematic nodes and links contained in the active schematic diagram. After command execution, the active schematic diagram's content is restored to its initial layout—that is, the schematic nodes contained in the diagram are shown at their original locations, and the vertices that may initially display along the schematic links are restored, or, if a default layout is configured for the diagram template, this layout algorithm is executed, and the schematic nodes and links geometry reflect this default layout. This command is disabled if no saved layout exists for the active schematic diagram.

NoteNote:

By default, the Restore Initial Layout command is available neither from the Schematic toolbar nor from any other toolbar. To add it to this toolbar, click the ArcMap Customize menu and click Customize Mode. Click the Commands tab on the Customize dialog box, click the Schematics category, click the Restore Initial Layout command in the Commands list, then drag and drop it on the toolbar.

Update Diagram command

The Update Diagram command Update Diagram button allows you to update the active schematic diagram.

The schematic diagram's update process depends on the schematic builder on which the diagram is based. The process for each builder is detailed in the topics listed below:

This command is disabled if no schematic diagram is active.

CautionCaution:

Diagrams cannot be updated correctly if an edit session is opened on the features contained in the map and this edited data is stored along with the schematic dataset in a personal or nonversioned ArcSDE geodatabase. In this case, you must save the edits on the GIS features before launching any diagram update in the geodatabase. Without saving the edits on GIS features, the diagram update will be lost. Updating diagrams in a schematic dataset that is stored along with GIS data that is being edited works without any constraint in file or versioned ArcSDE geodatabases.

Learn more about updating diagrams while an edit session is open

Searching associated geographic features/schematic features commands

Propagate Schematic Selection To Map

The Propagate Schematic Selection To Map command Propagate Schematic Selection To Map button propagates the active schematic feature selection set to the map. Use this tool to find all the GIS features associated with the schematic features currently selected in the active schematic diagram and select them accordingly in the map. The map automatically centers on the selection if the Always zoom to the selected features when selection is propagated from Schematic > Map option is checked on the Propagate tab on the Schematic Options dialog box. This command is unavailable if there are no schematic features selected in the active schematic diagram.

NoteNote:

The result of the selection in the map depends on the Create New Selection or Add to Current Selection interactive selection mode currently checked in the Selection > Interactive Selection Mode on the ArcMap menu. The Remove From Current Selection and Select From Current Selection modes are not supported. In those cases, the result is the same as running with the Create New Selection mode.

NoteNote:

To open the Schematic Options dialog box, click Schematic > Schematic Options from the Schematic toolbar.

Learn more about Schematic Options

Propagate Map Selection To Schematic

The Propagate Map Selection To Schematic command Propagate Map Selection To Schematic button propagates the map geographic feature selection set to schematic diagrams. Use this tool to find all the schematic features associated with the GIS features selected in the map data frame and select them accordingly in the active schematic diagram or in all the opened schematic diagrams. The schematic diagram or diagrams are automatically centered on the selection if the Always zoom to the selected schematic features when selection is propagated from Map > Schematic option is checked on the Propagate tab on the Schematic Options dialog box. The propagation operates on all the open diagrams when the Propagate to all diagrams check box is checked or only on the active diagram when this check box is unchecked. This command is unavailable if there are no GIS features selected in the map.

NoteNote:

The result of the selection in the diagrams depends on the Create New Selection or Add to Current Selection interactive selection mode currently checked in the Selection > Interactive Selection Mode on the ArcMap menu. The Remove From Current Selection and Select From Current Selection modes are not supported. In those cases, the result is the same as running with the Create New Selection mode.

NoteNote:

To open the Schematic Options dialog box, click Schematic > Schematic Options on the Schematic toolbar.

Learn more about Schematic Options

Find Diagrams

The Find Diagrams command Find Diagrams button functionality is available from the Schematic menu. It allows you to

  • Search for all the diagrams that contain schematic features associated with the geographic features currently selected in the map or with the schematic features currently selected in the active diagram.
  • Search for diagrams where schematic features have been removed or added during their last update.

Learn more about the Find Diagrams command

About Schematic Options

The Schematic Options dialog box that opens when you click the Schematic > Schematic Options menu contains two tabs:

The General tab

The General tab groups several general options:

  • The Viewer Windows section allows you to manage the display of schematic diagrams in viewer windows. To display an open diagram in a viewer window, you can activate the data frame that contains your diagram and, using the menu in ArcMap, click Windows and click Viewer. But if you want, this display mode can be set as the default so that each time a diagram is opened or generated, a viewer window automatically opens for this diagram.
    NoteNote:

    Any operation on schematic diagrams can be done inside viewer windows. A viewer window doesn't disappear each time you switch to another data frame containing another schematic diagram. You can also set Geography as the active data frame and keep your active diagram displayed in a viewer window at the foreground.

  • The Layout Algorithms section allows you to manage the extent of the diagram each time a schematic layout algorithm is applied. Checking the Automatically zoom to full extent after applying layout task on the entire diagram check box causes the system to zoom to the full extent of the schematic diagram each time a schematic layout algorithm is applied on the entire diagram.
  • The Network Analyst section allows you to manage the extent of the trace result each time a schematic network analyst trace task is applied in a schematic diagram. Checking the Automatically zoom to schematic network analyst task result check box causes the system to automatically set the diagram extent to the extent of the analyst trace result each time a schematic network analyst trace task is performed in a schematic diagram.
  • The Reference Point Selection Color section allows you to specify the color that will be used to highlight the reference point among the selected schematic features. This reference point is used for the alignment commands.
  • The Symbol/Label Sizes section allows you to customize the ratio applied when using the Increase Label Sizes Increase Label Sizes button/Decrease Label Sizes Decrease Label Sizes button and Increase Symbol Sizes Increase Symbol Sizes button/Decrease Symbol Sizes Decrease Label Sizes button commands.

    After clicking the Increase Symbol Sizes command, the symbol sizes for all schematic nodes in the active diagram are multiplied by the Ratio parameter. After clicking the Decrease Symbol Sizes command, the symbol sizes for all schematic nodes in the active diagram are divided by the Ratio parameter. This Ratio parameter also applies in the same way for labels brought by any schematic feature when using Increase Label Sizes or Decrease Label Sizes. When the ratio is 1, the increase/decrease sizes commands have no effect. Clicking one of the increase/decrease sizes commands twice while Ratio is set to 1.2 causes the same symbol or label size changes as clicking the command once while it is set to 1.44 (that is, 1.2 x 1.2).

The Propagate tab

The Propagate tab regroups options related to the Propagate Schematic Selection To Map Propagate Schematic Selection To Map button and Propagate Map Selection To Schematic Propagate Map Selection To Schematic button commands.

When the Always zoom to the selected features when selection is propagated from Schematic > Map option is checked, the Propagate Schematic Selection To Map tool automatically selects the GIS features associated with the currently selected schematic features in the active schematic diagram and zooms in on the selected GIS features in the map.

By checking the Always zoom to the selected schematic features when selection is propagated from Map > Schematic option, the Propagate Map Selection To Schematic tool automatically selects all the schematic features associated with the GIS features currently selected in the map data frame in the following:

  • All open schematic diagrams when the Propagate to all diagrams check box is checked
  • Only in the active schematic diagram when the Propagate to all diagrams check box is unchecked
Then all diagrams (or only the active diagram) are automatically centered on the selection.

Related Topics

2/10/2012