Automating symbology (Maritime Charting)

Symbols are used to display real-world objects in a way that is meaningful to those who use charts for navigation. The Maritime Charting uses Nautical Symbology and feature class representations to apply symbology. The following steps describe how to automate the process of symbolizing the features that compose a nautical chart.

To automate symbology, the first task is to complete is calculating nautical symbology. Once calculating symbology has completed, you can apply a preconfigured view, which will set up label classes and properties, set the layer list draw order, and many other layer properties.

Calculating symbology

Symbols are used to display real-world objects in a way that is meaningful to those who use charts for navigation. The ArcGIS for Maritime: Charting uses tools in the Nautical Symbology toolbar and feature class representations to apply symbology.

Steps:

1. Start ArcMap.
2. Open the product map document if necessary.
3. Ensure all layers to be symbolized have been added to the map document.

   For example, features from the CartographicFeatures feature dataset.

4. In the Table Of Contents window, click the List By Drawing Order button.
5. Ensure you are in the appropriate edit version for all feature classes to calculate symbology.
6. Select all layers in the Table Of Contents window .
7. On the Nautical Symbology toolbar, click Symbology > Calculate (All).

   Representation rules and text fields are assigned to all features.

Setting the chart display (using a preconfigured view)

The drawing order of layers and symbols is important for the correct display of features within a chart. This can be controlled and set with views. Applying a view will rearrange the Table Of Contents drawing order and set the labels and masking layers. If your agency has created preconfigured views, follow these simple steps to apply one.

Steps:

1. From the Nautical Symbology toolbar, click the View drop-down list and choose PaperChartView.
2. Click Apply.
3. Save the map document by clicking the Save button on the Standard toolbar.

The map document will refresh. Once complete, the layers in the Table Of Contents window will have been updated to include labels.

Note:

Some of the most important information on a nautical chart is conveyed with the use of a textual description, or label. Most feature classes require labeling, and in some cases a single feature class can require multiple label classes. The Calculate Symbology tool will assign values to text fields for labeling. However, you will still need to make adjustments to most, if not all, layers before creating annotation feature classes from these labels.