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Use snapping

In this topic

  1. Enable snap agents
  2. Set the snapping tolerance with the pointer

Snapping is a configurable drawing aid that uses snap agents to control the accuracy of the pointer when you hover near a vertex or other geometric element. Snap agents specify the geometric element to which the pointer snaps. Snapping Snapping is available on the status bar, and on the ribbon on the Edit tab.

When snapping is on and you hover near a feature, the enabled snap agents snap the pointer to the geometry element if it is within the snapping tolerance. Concurrently, snap tips appear near the pointer showing the type of snapping that is actively snapping the pointer.

When you use snapping, press the Spacebar to temporarily turn off snapping as you create, modify, or measure features.

Enable snap agents

You can enable a combination of snap agents to help you work efficiently and accurately. You can also turn snapping on and off to control when the enabled snap agents are applied to the pointer.

To enable snap agents, complete the following steps:

  1. Click Snapping Snapping on the status bar to turn on snapping.

    You can, instead, hover over the Snapping Snapping button on the status bar until the Snapping pop-up menu appears, and turn on the Snapping toggle button.

    Another alternative is to click the Edit tab on the ribbon, and in the Snapping group, click Snapping Snapping.

    The Snapping pop-up menu appears.

  2. Click a snap agent to enable or disable it. Configure a combination of snap agents to help you work efficiently and accurately.

    Point Point

    Snap to the nearest point or LAS point feature.

    Endpoint Endpoint

    Snap to the nearest start point or end point of a polyline feature.

    Vertex Vertex

    Snap to the nearest vertex of a polyline or polygon feature.

    Edge Edge

    Snap to the nearest edge of a polyline or polygon segment.

    Intersection Intersection

    Snap to the nearest intersection of two or more lines or edges.

    Midpoint Midpoint

    Snap to the nearest midpoint of a polyline or polygon segment.

    Tangent Tangent

    Snap to the nearest point of tangency on an arc or curved segment.

  3. Move the pointer back to the map and create or modify features.

Set the snapping tolerance with the pointer

The snapping tolerance is the 2D x,y planar distance between the pointer and a geometric element within which an enabled snap agent snaps the pointer. The default snapping tolerance is 10 pixels. You can change the distance and choose pixels or map units.

The optimal snapping tolerance distance depends on the scale of the data and the complexity of the features in the map.

You can set the snapping tolerance on-screen with the pointer, or provide a tolerance distance.

To set the snapping tolerance with the pointer, complete the following steps.

  1. Hover over Snapping Snapping on the status bar.

    Alternatively, on the ribbon, click the Edit tab, and in the Snapping group, click the Snapping drop-down arrow Snapping.

    The Snapping pop-up menu appears.

  2. Click Set snapping tolerance Snapping Tolerance, and move the pointer back to the map.

    The current tolerance value appears near the pointer.

  3. Click the map and move the pointer.

    As you move the pointer, the tolerance value updates showing the current distance between the first click and the pointer.

  4. Click the map when the pointer displays the tolerance distance you want to set.

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In this topic
  1. Enable snap agents
  2. Set the snapping tolerance with the pointer