Spatial map series and dynamic elements

You can enhance your spatial map series by adding dynamic elements to the layout. Dynamic elements update in response to changes in the data or map extent. A spatial map series has a different map extent for each page, so using dynamic elements provides information specific to that page.

North arrows, scale bars, and grids are dynamic elements that behave the same for layouts with and without map series. Dynamic text, legends, table frames, chart frames, pictures, and extent indicators have additional properties that can be useful in a spatial map series.

Dynamic text

Dynamic text is text that changes based on the current properties of the project, map frame, and so on. It works through the use of tags, like HTML. There are many dynamic text tags for layouts, displaying information such as the map frame name, the average value of a field, and map metadata. For more information about using dynamic text tags, see Add and modify dynamic text and Dynamic text tags.

Note:

Since dynamic text updates, and the length of that text may vary per page, consider using rectangle text and applying a text fitting strategy to ensure that text doesn't get cut off on different pages. If you have existing straight text , you can convert it to rectangle text to use fitting strategies.

For a spatial map series, there are additional tags unique to map series properties. For example, you can display the map series page number using dynamic text.

The following tags are only available for a spatial map series:

Name	Description	Example syntax	Example output
Page Name	The page name, as defined by the map series name field.	<dyn type="page" property="name"/>	Italy
Page Number	The page number, as defined by the map series page number option.	Page <dyn type="page" property="number"/>	Page 1
Page With Count	The page index of the current page and the total number of pages. The page index tag ignores the starting page number setting. If you have 10 map series pages and the starting page number is set to 3, the first page is listed as Page 1 of 10. This is actually two dynamic text tags, one for the page index and one for the map series page count.	Page <dyn type="page" property="index"/> of <dyn type="page" property="count"/>	Page 1 of 10
Page Index	The page index, which is the sequential order of the pages in the map series. It ignores any page number or group settings.	<dyn type="page" property="index"/>	3
Attribute	The value of a selected attribute in the index layer. This includes fields joined to the index layer. The default behavior is to use coded value descriptions if they're available. If you don't want to use coded value descriptions, change the tag to domainlookup="false"/>. You can also use the table attribute dynamic text to display attributes, which provides additional settings.	<dyn type="page" property="attribute" field="<Field Name>" domainlookup="true"/>	Park

One way to use dynamic text in a map series is to create neighbor labels. These are labels on a page that show the page name of pages to the left, right, above, or below the current page. Neighbor labels are often used when creating a grid index map series or strip map series. To add these labels, you need fields in your map series index feature containing the information on neighboring pages. Use the Calculate Adjacent Fields geoprocessing tool to create and populate fields to label neighboring pages. If you're creating a strip map and use the Strip Map Index Features geoprocessing tool to create the index layer, the layer has precalculated fields for left-right and top-bottom labels.

Once these fields have been added, complete the following steps to add neighbor labels to your map series:

1. On the Insert tab, in the Graphics and Text group, click the Dynamic Text button to access the gallery.
2. Choose Attribute from the dynamic text gallery.
3. In the Insert Dynamic Text window that appears, choose the field name containing the neighbor label, for example, "PageName_N" as the field containing the north page label.
4. Draw the dynamic text element on the layout where you want it.
5. Repeat these steps for additional neighbor labels.

Legends, table frames, and chart frames

Legends, table frames, and chart frames have an option to only show the data visible in the current map extent. In a spatial map series, this option is expanded. You can show all the data visible in the map frame or only the data within the map series index feature. Limiting the displayed data to within the map series feature helps focus the page on the index feature.

Additionally, each of these elements has an option to display only when populated. This option is useful in a map series because elements may not have information for every page. When Display only when populated is checked, the element only draws if there is information, such as a legend item or table row, being shown. When unchecked, the element always draws, showing table headers or chart backgrounds even if no data is available.

Legend

For legends, the option to limit data visibility is set for legend items, not the entire legend. Your legend can contain items that are always visible, items that are only visible if they are within the map frame extent, or items that are only visible if they are within the map series index feature extent. If the legend item is for a feature with multiple classes, such as a layer symbolized by unique values, this option applies to the classes within the item. To set this option, complete the following steps:

1. In the Contents pane, expand the legend to see the legend items.
2. Right-click a legend item and choose Properties to open the Element pane.
3. Check Only show features visible in the map extent.
4. From the drop-down list, choose an option:

   Within map frame shape	Only include the item if it is within the map frame extent.
   Within map series shape	Only include the item if it is within the index layer extent.

Table frame

For table frames, the number of records displayed in the table can be filtered by the map frame extent or map series index feature. This is done by setting the table frame Query option. To set the query, complete the following steps:

1. In the Contents pane, right-click a table frame and choose Properties to open the Element pane.
2. In the Element pane, choose a query type from the Query drop-down menu.

   All rows	Show all the records in the table.
   Visible rows	Show only the records for features visible in the map extent.
   Map series rows	Show only the records for features in the map series index feature.

Chart frame

For chart frames, the number of points included in the chart can be filtered by the map frame extent or map series index feature. To set this, complete the following steps:

1. Right-click a chart frame in the Contents pane and choose Properties to open the Element pane.
2. Check Only show features visible in the map extent.
3. From the drop-down list, choose an option:

   Within map frame shape	Only include the item if it is within the map frame extent.
   Within map series shape	Only include the item if it is within the index layer extent.

Dynamic pictures

Dynamic pictures update for each page in a spatial map series by pointing to picture file locations in the map series' index layer. To add a dynamic picture, complete the following steps:

1. Ensure the spatial map series layout is the active view.
2. On the Insert tab of the ribbon, click the Picture drop-down button and choose Dynamic Picture .
3. Select the attachment or field in the index layer that contains the picture for each page on the Insert Dynamic Picture dialog box.

   If there are multiple attachments, the first added attachment is displayed. You can choose a different attachment by setting the Filter value to the name of another attachment.

   If the full picture name is not in the field, or if pictures are available in multiple fields, you can set an Arcade expression to specify the correct picture. Click the Expression button to open the expression builder and write the Arcade expression. For example, this expression creates a picture URL by concatenating two fields and using static text to provide the correct URL format:

   "https://" + $feature.DomainName + TextFormatting.BackwardSlash + $feature.URLFileName + ".jpg"

4. On the layout, click or drag to position the picture.

   If you click and drag a box, the picture appears within that box. If you click a single point, the picture is added at its original size.

Note:

If the value in the field is empty for a particular index feature, no picture is displayed.

Once a picture has been added, you can edit the field or expression the picture is based on, as well as filter attachments in the Element pane. Access the Element pane by right-clicking the picture and choosing Properties .

Picture paths

When using a text field containing file paths to pictures, you have the option of using full or relative paths. A full, or absolute, path begins with a drive letter or UNC (Universal Naming Convention) for accessing shared network folders on a local area network. Here are examples of full paths:

Example path	Description
D:\Pictures\Landuse.png	A full path using a drive letter
\\Projects\Pictures\Landuse.png	A full path using UNC

A relative path refers to a location that is relative to the directory containing the ArcGIS AllSource project (.aprx). Relative paths make use of the double dot (..) special character. Double dots are used for moving up in the directory hierarchy. Here are examples of relative paths:

Example path	Description
Landuse.png	A relative path for pictures that are in the same directory as the ArcGIS AllSource project
Pictures\Landuse.png	A relative path for pictures that are in a folder in the same directory as the ArcGIS AllSource project
..\Pictures\Landuse.png	A relative path for pictures that are in a folder above the ArcGIS AllSource project

Extent indicators

Extent indicators show the extent of one map frame within another map frame. If your spatial map series contains multiple map frames, for example, the map frame being updated and a locator map frame, you can use an extent indicator. By default, extent indicators are the same shape as the map frame of which they are showing the extent, but you can change the shape of the indicator. In a spatial map series, the extent indicator can be drawn to match the map series index feature.

To change the extent indicator's draw shape, right-click the extent indicator in the Contents pane and choose Properties to open the Element pane. Select a drawing option from the Shape drop-down list:

• Frame—Draw the extent indicator the same shape as the map frame of which it shows the extent.
• Rectangle—Draw the extent indicator as a rectangle, regardless of map frame shape.
• Current map series shape—Draw the extent indicator the same shape as the map series index feature.