Customize the reference grid

The reference grid is a configurable square pattern overlay you can use to align features and visualize distances as you modify or create features. You can configure grid spacing, rotation, elevation for 3D maps, snapping and inference, and display and visibility settings.

Change general settings

To change general settings, including grid spacing, major line intervals, rotation, and grid elevation for 3D maps, complete the following steps:

1. On the status bar at the bottom of the current map, hover over Grid , and click the Editor Settings button .

   Alternatively, on the ribbon, click the Edit tab. In the Tools group, click the Editor Settings dialog box launcher .

2. Click the Grid tab and expand General.
3. Change any or all of the following settings:

   Spacing	Specify the distance and units between grid lines.
   Major line interval	Display major grid lines at the specified interval. Major grid lines appear darker and can provide a visual reference in contrast to the minor grid lines.
   Rotate with map	Automatically rotate the grid when you rotate the map.
   Elevation	Specify the z-value height at which the grid appears in a 3D map.

Change snapping and inference settings

Snapping and inference settings customize how the pointer snaps to the grid and infers 90-degree constraints.

1. On the status bar at the bottom of the current map, hover over Grid , and click the Editor Settings button .

   Alternatively, click the Edit tab. In the Tools group, click the Editor Settings dialog box launcher .

2. Click the Grid tab and expand Snapping and inference.
3. Change either or both of the following settings:

   Snap to grid	Snap the pointer to grid lines and grid intersections based on the active snap settings.
   Infer from grid	Snap the pointer perpendicular to a grid line from the previous vertex. This can be useful for quickly sketching orthogonal lines such as square or rectangular features.

Set display and visibility settings

Display and visibility settings customize the appearance of the grid lines, display scale settings for 2D maps, and grid fill options for 3D local maps.

1. On the status bar at the bottom of the current map, hover over Grid , and click the Editor Settings button .

   Alternatively, click the Edit tab. In the Tools group, click the Editor Settings dialog box launcher .

2. Click the Grid tab and expand Display and visibility.
3. Change any or all of the following settings:

   Grid lines	Display the grid as contiguous lines or as grid points at all intersections.
   In beyond	Specify the minimum display scale at which the grid is visible on a map.
   Out beyond	Specify the maximum display scale at which the grid is visible on a map.
   Dynamic scaling	Display a secondary grid at a larger scale when zooming out, exceeding the Out beyond display scale setting. Note: This setting is available only with 2D maps.
   Grid fill	Display grids in 3D maps as shaded sketch planes.