Refining schematic diagram contents

Schematic diagrams can be difficult to read when the proximity between features is too close or too distant to display the symbols and their annotation at the desired scale. Schematic layouts can be applied to automatically clarify and normalize spacing between schematic features, but ArcGIS Schematics also provides a set of tools and commands to manually refine the content of your schematic diagram.

ArcGIS Schematics refining tools and commands are grouped into several types:

• Moving schematic feature tools
• Vertex editing tools
• Alignment commands
• Bypass Nodes command
• Removing schematic features and vertices commands
• Reduce Nodes command
• Rotate Tree command
• Square links command
• Mark Crossings command

Caution:

The refining tools and commands available from the Schematic Editor toolbar are enabled only after an editing session is started on the active schematic diagram.

Moving schematic feature tools

Schematic features can be moved in a schematic diagram. Four tools are provided in ArcGIS Schematics to move them: Edit/Move Schematic Features , Move Vertex , Move Segments , and Edit/Move Node On Link . Most of these tools are available by default on the Schematic Editor toolbar and are enabled only when an edit session is started on the active schematic diagram.

Edit/Move Schematic Features

Clicking the Edit/Move Schematic Features tool allows you to select schematic features by clicking them or dragging a box around them before moving them in the active schematic diagram.

Note:

• When selecting a schematic feature and moving it, its related labels are also moved.
• When moving a schematic link without having selected its origin/extremity nodes, the unselected extremities are also moved.

Tip:

• Hold down the SHIFT keyboard key and drag a box around new schematic features to add these selected features to the current selection.
• Hold down SHIFT and use the number pad keys (8/2/4/6) to slowly move the selected schematic features up/down/left/right, respectively.
• Hold down CTRL and use the number pad keys (8/2/4/6) to move the selected schematic features up/down/left/right, respectively.

When selecting a set of schematic features, either a schematic node or a segment with one of its origin or extremity vertices is systematically highlighted in a different color. This highlighted vertex or schematic node is used as a reference point for the alignment commands that apply on a selection set. For the other commands, there is no impact.

Tip:

The reference point currently highlighted among the selected schematic features is set by default.

• To specify another schematic node as the reference point, you must select it, hold down CTRL, then click the node again.
• To specify a vertex as the reference point, you must select its related segment, hold down CTRL, then click the segment again at any point near to the desired vertex.

Move Vertex

Clicking the Move Vertex tool allows you to move a vertex on a schematic link by clicking it and dragging it to the desired location.

Tip:

• When the Move Vertex tool is active, holding the ALT key down and clicking a vertex removes it.
• When the Move Vertex tool is active, holding the CTRL key down and dragging any segment between two highlighted vertices moves that segment.

Move Segments

Clicking the Move Segments tool allows you to move a segment or a set of segments that is displayed along one or more schematic links. To move a segment, click and drag it. If you want to move several segments at the same time, hold down SHIFT and click each of them so they are selected, then release SHIFT before dragging them to the desired location.

Note:

• Only segments that connect two vertices are movable using this tool. If you want to move the first or last segment on a link, you must work with the Move Vertex tool on the first or last vertex or with the Edit/Move Schematic Features tool on the link's origin or extremity node.
• The displacement of the moved segments is parallel to their initial direction; that is, the final position of the moved segment will correspond to a translation of this segment at any other location.

Edit/Move Node On Link

Clicking the Edit/Move Node On Link tool allows you to select one schematic node-on-link by clicking it in the active schematic diagram and move it along its reference link. A node-on-link cannot be moved beyond the position of its referenced link's origin and extremity nodes.

Note:

• By default, this tool is available from neither the Schematic Editor toolbar nor any other toolbar. To add it on 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 Edit/Move Node On Link command in the Commands list, then drag it to the toolbar.

• This tool is enabled when an edit session is started on the active schematic diagram and there are schematic nodes-on-link in that diagram.

Tip:

• Hold down SHIFT and use the number pad keys (8/2/4/6) to slowly move the selected schematic nodes-on-link up/down/left/right, respectively.
• Hold down CTRL and use the number pad keys (8/2/4/6) to move the selected schematic nodes-on-link up/down/left/right, respectively.

Vertex editing tools

Five tools are provided in ArcGIS Schematics to edit and move vertices displayed along links: Add Vertex , Remove Vertex , Move Vertex , Move Segments , and Edit Vertex . Most of these tools are located on the Schematic Editor toolbar. They are enabled only when an edit session is started on the active schematic diagram.

Add Vertex

Clicking the Add Vertex tool allows you to create a new vertex on a schematic link by clicking and dragging a point on this link.

Remove Vertex

Clicking the Remove Vertex button allows you to remove a vertex on a schematic link by clicking it.

Note:

The Remove Schematic Vertices command on the Schematic Editor toolbar also allows you to remove vertices. This command removes all the vertices from the schematic links selected in the active schematic diagram. If no schematic links are selected in the active schematic diagram, the command removes all the vertices from all the links in the active schematic diagram.

Tip:

You can also remove vertices in a schematic link by using the Move Vertex tool . When the move vertex mode is enabled, holding the ALT key down and clicking a vertex also causes this clicked vertex to be removed.

Move Vertex

Clicking the Move Vertex tool enables the move vertex mode. This tool is described in the Moving schematic feature tools section above.

Move Segments

Clicking the Move Segments tool enables the move segments mode. This tool is detailed in the Moving schematic feature tools section above.

Edit Vertex

Clicking the Edit Vertex tool enables the edit vertex mode. This multifunction tool allows you to add, remove, or move a vertex on a schematic link. It also lets you move a segment connecting two vertices that are displayed along a schematic link. The following are possible when edit vertex mode is enabled:

• To add a new vertex on a schematic link, click the desired link so it is selected. Then click and drag a point on this link.
• To remove a vertex on a schematic link, click the desired link so it is selected. Then hold down ALT and click the vertex you want to remove.
• To move a vertex on a schematic link, click the desired link so it is selected. Then click and drag to the desired vertex.
• To move a segment that connects two vertices on a schematic link, click the desired link so it is selected. Then hold down CTRL and click the desired segment and drag it to the location you want. Note that segments that connect two vertices are the only movable segments—the first or last segment on a link cannot be moved using this tool.

Note:

By default, this tool is available from neither the Schematic Editor toolbar nor any other toolbar. To add it on 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 Edit Vertex command in the Commands list, then drag it to the toolbar.

Note:

The Edit Vertex tool allows you to move only one segment at a time. To move multiple segments, you have to use the Move Segments tool .

Alignment commands

ArcGIS Schematics provides three commands to align a selected set of nodes in your schematic diagrams: Align Horizontal Center , Align Vertical Center , and Align By Angle . These commands are available from the Schematic Editor toolbar when using the Schematic Editor, Align Nodes menu. They are enabled only when an edit session is started on the active schematic diagram and if there are at least two schematic nodes selected in the active diagram, or one selected schematic node and one vertex are set as a reference point.

All the alignment commands operate from a reference point that is highlighted in red by default among the selected schematic features. This point can be either one of the selected schematic nodes or a vertex on a selected schematic link.

To specify a schematic node as the reference point

1. Select the desired schematic node if it is not already selected.
2. Hold down CTRL and click the node again.

To specify a vertex as the reference point

1. Select the schematic link along which the desired vertex is displayed when this link is not already selected.
2. Hold down CTRL and click the desired vertex.

Note:

You can change the default color for the display of this reference point in the Reference Point Selection Color section on the General tab available from the Schematic Options dialog box.

Align Vertical Center

Clicking the Align Vertical Center button arranges the selected set of schematic nodes by moving them vertically so they are displayed along the same horizontal axis. The horizontal axis will be based on the current y-coordinate of the reference point.

Align Horizontal Center

Clicking the Align Horizontal Center button arranges the selected set of schematic nodes by moving them horizontally so they are displayed along the same vertical axis. The vertical axis will be based on the current x-coordinate of the reference point.

Align By Angle

Clicking the Align By Angle button aligns the selected set of schematic nodes by moving them along the imaginary axis defined by the following:

• The reference point that fixes the axis origin
• The angle specified on the Align Nodes tab of the Schematic Editing Options dialog box that determines the axis inclination

Note:

There is another option on the Align Nodes tab of the Schematic Editing Options dialog box, called Rotate symbols of the aligned nodes along the same angle. Checking this option causes the current rotation angle to be stored in the ROTATION field of the schematic feature classes that implement the aligned schematic nodes in your schematic diagram. To display the schematic nodes with rotated symbols in ArcMap, you must use the Layer Properties dialog box related to the desired node feature layer. In this dialog box, click the Advanced button and click Rotation. From the Rotate dialog box that opens, choose ROTATION from the Rotate Points by Angle in this field list. You also need to check the Arithmetic option so the assigned symbol is rotated as expected (that is, from east in a counterclockwise direction).

Tip:

To open the Schematic Editing Options dialog box, click Editing Options on the Schematic Editor drop-down menu.

Square Links

The Square Links command computes and inserts vertices along selected schematic links in the active schematic diagram so these links are displayed with right angles. If no schematic links are selected in the active schematic diagram, the command applies to all links in the schematic diagram.

This command is located on the Schematic Editor toolbar from the Schematic Editor, Square Links menu and enabled only when an edit session is started on the active schematic diagram.

During the square links process, vertex positions automatically inserted on a link are computed according to the current position of the following:

• The schematic links' origin and extremity nodes
• Their vertices if such points already exist along the schematic links and the Preserve Path check box is checked on the Square Links tab of the Schematic Editing Options dialog box

The process takes the direction of the links into account when vertices already exist on the schematic links and the Preserve Path check box is checked. In that case, the vertices along the schematic link are each treated in turn—from the first vertex displayed along the link to the last one.

Note:

To check the status of the Preserve Path check box, open the Schematic Editing Options dialog box by clicking Editing Options on the Schematic Editor menu and activating the Square Links tab.

Rotate Tree

The Rotate Tree command rotates the tree associated with the schematic node currently selected in the active schematic diagram according to the parameters set on the Rotate Tree tab of the Schematic Editing Options dialog box. The value for the rotation angle as well as the other parameters applied by the algorithm are specified on this tab.

This command is located on the Schematic Editor toolbar from the Schematic Editor, Rotate Tree menu . It is enabled only when a single schematic node is selected in the active schematic diagram and an edit session is started on that diagram.

Note:

To edit the Rotate Tree command parameters, click Editing Options on the Schematic Editor toolbar to open the Schematic Editing Options dialog box and click the Rotate Tree tab.

Learn more about the Rotate Tree command parameters

Bypass Nodes

The Bypass Nodes command redraws the selected set of schematic links in the active schematic diagram to avoid node crossings. Schematic links that go through one or more schematic nodes are repositioned, if possible, so the nodes can be bypassed. Vertices are inserted on the schematic link paths. If no selected set has been defined in the active schematic diagram, the command applies to all schematic features in the diagram.

The Bypass Nodes command is located on the Schematic Editor toolbar from the Schematic Editor, Bypass Nodes menu . It is enabled when an edit session is started on a diagram.

Reconnecting schematic links

The Reconnect Schematic Link tool allows you to disconnect a schematic link from one of its origin or extremity nodes and reconnect it to another origin or extremity node. It also allows you to connect schematic links at specific ports.

The following explains how to use this tool:

1. Click and hold the mouse button at the point on the link segment that is closest to the origin/extremity node you want to disconnect, or past the center of the link toward that node when there is only one segment. The link automatically disconnects, and the clicked point becomes the origin/extremity point to reconnect to.
2. Drag this point to the desired new origin/extremity node or origin/extremity port.

Caution:

To connect schematic links at specific ports, the symbol used to display the schematic nodes must be composed of several layers, these symbol layers being tagged as schematic ports (using the specific SchematicPort string).

Learn more about representing schematic nodes with ports

Any reconnection persists when the diagram edits are saved. It can also be preserved when the diagram is updated while the Persist manually removed, reduced or reconnected features option is checked.

This tool is enabled only when an edit session is open on the active schematic diagram.

Caution:

By default, this tool is available from neither the Schematic Editor toolbar nor any other toolbar. To add it on 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 Reconnect Schematic Link in the Commands list, then drag it to the toolbar.

Removing schematic features and vertices commands

Two commands are provided in ArcGIS Schematics to remove schematic features and vertices contained in schematic diagrams. These commands are found on the Schematic Editor toolbar from the Schematic Editor menu. They are enabled only after an editing session is started on the active schematic diagram.

Remove Schematic Features

Clicking the Remove Schematic Features button causes the schematic features currently selected in the active schematic diagram to be removed. Removing a schematic node causes its connected schematic links to also be removed even if they are not selected when the Remove Schematic Features command is applied.

Any schematic feature removal persists when the diagram edits are saved. They can be also be preserved when the diagram is updated with the Persist manually removed, reduced or reconnected features option checked.

This command is enabled only when an edit session is open on the active schematic diagram and a set of schematic features is currently selected in that diagram.

Caution:

Because removing schematic nodes causes their connected schematic links to be removed, the topology in the schematic diagram is not maintained. Removing schematic features but maintaining the topology of the network can be done by using theReduce Nodes command .

Remove Schematic Vertices

The Remove Schematic Vertices command removes all the vertices from the schematic links selected in the active schematic diagram. If no link is selected in the active diagram, the command removes all the vertices from all the links in the diagram. Saving the diagram causes the vertices displayed along the links to be lost.

Reducing nodes

The Reduce Nodes command reduces each currently selected schematic node in the active schematic diagram. All selected nodes are removed from memory, and their connected links are reconnected. Schematic nodes are treated in the order they are selected—the first selected is the first treated. For each reduced node, its shortest connected link is graphically removed. The other end of this shortest link becomes the node where the other connected links are reconnected.

Note:

The initial nodes' coordinates (the geographic coordinates, in many cases) are those used to detect the shortest link connecting a node. The computation rules are independent of the current node positions.

Any reduction persists when the diagram edits are saved. It can also be preserved when the diagram is updated while the Persist manually removed, reduced or reconnected features option is checked.

This command is located on the Schematic Editor toolbar from the Schematic Editor, Reducing Nodes menu. It is enabled only after an editing session is started on the active schematic diagram and there is a set of schematic features currently selected in that diagram.

Mark Crossings

The Mark Crossings command turns on or off the display of crossing marks where two schematic links cross each other.

• When the Mark Crossings menu item is unchecked, clicking it launches an algorithm that detects the horizontal and vertical schematic links that cross each other at a right angle in the active schematic diagram and marks the detected intersections with a symbol placed on the horizontal schematic links. The menu command is then checked.
• When the Mark Crossings menu item is checked, clicking (unchecking) it removes all crossing marks from the active schematic diagram.

The Mark Crossings detection and positioning can be automatically launched after schematic features have been moved in your diagrams when the Dynamic mode check box is checked on the Mark Crossings tab on the Schematic Editing Options dialog box. This allows the cross marks to always be correctly positioned after any editing operation in the diagram.

Tip:

Having the dynamic mode on all the time could cause performance problems when you are doing a lot of editing. In this case, it is better to leave this option off until the layout is complete, then check the Mark Crossings command at the end.

Note:

To open the Schematic Editing Options dialog box, click Editing Options on the Schematic Editor menu.