Using the Buffer Wizard to buffer from selected graphics
Release 9.1 Last modified December 7, 2006

About buffering from selected graphics

Sometimes you will have many graphics and annotation features on your map and will only want to buffer a selected set of graphics. Since graphics are initially stored in the default annotation target layer, you should separate the graphics you want to buffer from the other graphics and annotation features also stored in this annotation layer.

How to buffer from selected graphics

1. Select the graphic or graphics you want to buffer.
2. Click the Edit menu and click Cut.
3. Click Drawing on the Draw toolbar and click New Annotation Group.
4. Type a name for the new annotation group
This new annotation will store the graphics you want to buffer and will isolate them from other graphics and annotation.
Optionally, set other options for the annotation group as shown in Creating an annotation group.

5. Click the Edit menu and click Paste.
6. Click Drawing on the Draw toolbar and click Active Annotation Target. Make sure that the new annotation target (the one containing the graphics to be buffered) is the active target.
7. Click the Tools menu and click Buffer Wizard.
If you've placed the Buffer Wizard in another location, then go to this location and open the Buffer Wizard.

8. Click the graphics in the data frame option and work through the Buffer Wizard.
The name of the active annotation target is listed in parentheses on the first panel of the Buffer Wizard. The annotation target you just created should be the one listed. If not, click Drawing and click Active Annotation Target. Make the new annotation target active and proceed back to the Buffer Wizard.

Tips

The Buffer Wizard does not, by default, appear in any of the menus or on any of the toolbars. To add it, see Adding the Buffer Wizard to the Tools menu. To use the buffers you create on different maps, save the buffer as a new data source such as a shapefile. Then you can easily add the data to another map. You need to set the data frame's map units before buffering. You can do this in the Data Frame Properties dialog box on the General tab. For more conceptual information on buffering features, see The ESRI Guide to GIS Analysis.

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