Creating new symbols and map elements
Release 9.2 Last modified January 4, 2008	Print all topics in : "Styles and symbols"

About creating new symbols and map elements

When you're creating symbols and map elements from scratch, use the Style Manager. You can create new symbols to add to the style contents, or you can modify an existing symbol.
Since symbols and elements are organized by type, you create a new symbol or element by first identifying the type, then selecting the appropriate folder. When you choose to create a new symbol or element, the properties you can choose from are only associated with that symbol or element type.
Learn about automating map production by matching symbol names to data attributes and drawing features to show multiple attributes
Learn about adding north arrows, scale bars, and other map elements

Exporting the current styles used in a map

Besides creating brand new symbols and map elements, you can also export the current styles used in your map to a new style.
You can create and modify symbols and map elements as you design your map and save everything into a style. Exporting map styles allows you to save map elements and symbols from many styles into a single style.

How to create new symbols and map elements

Creating a new symbol using the Style Manager

1. Click the Tools menu, point to Styles, then click Style Manager.
   
2. Click the symbol folder in the style tree where you want to create more symbols.
   
3. Right-click the open space in the Symbol contents window, point to New, click Line Symbol (or whatever choice you're given), use the properties on the Symbol Property Editor dialog boxes to create the symbol you want, then click OK.
   
4. Name the new symbol.
   

Tips

The locking property on a symbol layer controls whether or not the color option can be modified in the Symbol Selector dialog box. A locked layer can't be modified. Turn off drawing for a symbol layer when you want to modify the symbol for a particular application but you don't want to lose the original symbol definition. Learn about working with hatch styles To create a new scale bar style, click the Scale Bars folder in the Style Manager, right-click the open space in the Symbol contents window, point to New, then click the type of scale bar you want to create. Set the properties of the scale bar and click OK. Learn more about working with scale bars, north arrows, and other map elements

Using the Symbol Property Editor dialog box to define symbols

1. Click the Tools menu, point to Styles, then click Style Manager.
   
2. Click the symbol folder in the style tree where you want to create more symbols.
   
3. Right-click the open space in the Symbol contents window, point to New, and click Line Symbol (or whatever choice you're given).
   
4. Set the type of symbol.
   
5. Set the units of measure.
   
6. Click the tabs to set other symbol properties.
   
The tabs vary depending on the symbol type.

7. Preview the symbol's appearance.
   
8. Zoom in and out on the preview using the preview mode options.
   
9. Click each layer to preview it.
   
10. Click to turn on or off drawing for a layer.
    
This allows you to change a layer's appearance without deleting it.

11. Click to lock or unlock a layer's color.
    
12. Select layer options to add, delete, move up, move down, copy, or paste.
    
13. Click OK.
    

Tips

The locking property on a symbol layer controls whether or not the color option can be modified in the Symbol Selector dialog box. A locked layer can't be modified. As a shortcut to the Symbol Property Editor dialog box, you can click the Preview window on the Symbol Selector dialog box instead of clicking the Properties button on the Symbol Selector dialog box. Turn off drawing for a symbol layer when you want to modify the symbol for a particular application while keeping the original symbol definition.

Exporting the current styles used in a map

1. Click the Tools menu, point to Styles, then click Export Map Styles.
   
2. Navigate to where you want to save the new style.
   
By default, the browser is set to your Styles folder.

3. Type a style name.
   
4. Click Save.
   

Tips

When you draw anything in ArcMap—symbols, map elements, or graphics—they are copied into the map document. Therefore, you don't need the original referenced styles to open and draw the map again. If you need to modify the symbols in a map and don't have the original styles, you can easily create a style of the existing map elements and symbols.

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