Understanding representation geometry logic

This topic applies to ArcGIS for Desktop Standard and ArcGIS for Desktop Advanced only.

Since geometric effects alter geometry and even, in some cases, geometry type, it is important to ensure that representation rules maintain geometric logic. Geometric effects operate sequentially. The output of one geometric effect becomes the input of the following one, so you can use a chain of geometric effects to achieve the appropriate geometry logic. Regardless of how the geometry is dynamically changed through the chain of geometric effects, the final output of the last effect must match the geometry type of the symbol layer. If a warning symbol appears on the heading of the symbol layer, there is a disconnect in the geometry logic. The symbol layer you just added doesn't have any geometry to symbolize.

Valid and invalid geometry to symbol layer combinations

	Polygon geometry	Line geometry	Point geometry
Fill symbol layer	Symbolizes polygon interior	Produces geometry logic error because there is no polygon geometry to fill	Produces geometry logic error because there is no polygon geometry to fill
Line symbol layer	Symbolizes polygon outline	Symbolizes lines	Produces geometry logic error because there is no line geometry to draw
Marker symbol layer	Places markers in polygons with a marker placement style	Places markers on lines with a marker placement style	Places markers on points with a marker placement style

Geometry-symbol layer combinations

For example, adding a fill layer to a line representation rule would generate a warning because there is no polygon geometry to fill. To repair the logic, add a line-to-polygon geometric effect to either the fill layer or the global effects portion of the rule. However, the opposite scenario—adding a line symbol layer to a polygon representation rule—would not generate a warning, because the line symbol layer will symbolize the outlines of the polygon geometry.

View a full list of geometric effectsView a full list of marker placement styles

Changing geometry dynamically as you symbolize features with representations

To change input geometry	To output geometry	Use	Example
Point	Point	A point input marker placement style	On Point marker placement style
Point	Line	A point-to-line geometric effect A point-to-polygon geometric effect	Radial from Line geometric effect Buffer geometric effect
Point	Polygon	A point-to-polygon geometric effect	Buffer geometric effect
Line	Point	A line input marker placement style	Along Line marker placement style
Line	Line	A line symbol layer alone A line-to-line geometric effect A line-to-polygon geometric effect	Line symbol layer alone Simplify geometric effect Enclosing Polygon (Convex Hull) geometric effect
Line	Polygon	A line-to-polygon geometric effect	Enclosing Polygon (Rectangle Box) geometric effect
Polygon	Point	A polygon input marker placement style	Randomly Inside Polygon marker placement style
Polygon	Line	A line symbol layer alone A line-to-line geometric effect A line-to-polygon geometric effect	Line symbol layer alone Cut Curve geometric effect Donut geometric effect
Polygon	Polygon	A fill symbol layer alone A polygon-to-polygon geometric effect	Fill symbol layer alone (Hatch style) Offset Curve geometric effect (with negative value)

Changing geometry dynamically as you symbolize features with representations