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I would like to change the dynamic script for a coordinate system from

"GDA 1994 MGA Zone 54" (Taken from a cut down version of the dynamic text>coordinate system)

to "GDA 94 z54"

How would I do this?

Really I just want the "z54" part on my template map dynamic (cause we have two zones and I always forget to change the legend to the right one).

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just an update on this. I had issues viewing my WMS imagery after changing my .prj file. They would be listed in my TOC but be invisible and wouldn't export. I didn't realise for a long time that this was the issue - it was only after I changed my data layers projection to predefined that I was able to view my aerial imagery again. – sni Mar 30 '12 at 5:13

3 Answers

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if you don't mind a hack, how about this - manually update the label inside the file:

C:\Program Files\ArcGIS\Desktop10.0\Coordinate Systems\Projected Coordinate Systems\
National Grids\Australia\GDA 1994 MGA Zone 56.prj

to read with your desired label. It seems to work, but no responsibility taken for badly projected maps as a result :)

enter image description here

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that looks like it will work! I'm too scared to edit my prj files though in case something goes wrong, might try it at home first. – sni Mar 8 '12 at 2:49
you can always make a copy and edit those - PRJ files are just plain text which you can edit in Notepad. Some caution is probably advisable, though :) – Stephen Lead Mar 8 '12 at 2:56
I'm keen to hear if you find this works - if it is just a label that is modified then I think it should - and that would give everyone a workaround. I was lucky that when I hit the issue I was already determining the MGA Zone and setting text elements from an ArcPy script that only needed minor modification. – PolyGeo Mar 8 '12 at 3:04
Ok it works if I create a new mxd and use the national grid system, but my mxds have the coordinate system located in a custom folder (in layers>coordinates). I am not sure where this is located? its not on my C drive at least. – sni Mar 8 '12 at 4:41
otherwise it may only work for new mxds – sni Mar 8 '12 at 4:47
up vote 1 down vote

I posted the same requirement to the ArcGIS Discussion Forum very recently. I thought it could not be done without using ArcPy but was wrong (see Steve Lead's reply). To use "pseudo-dynamic text" what I do is to use a text element that has something like a mgaZoneVar string as part of it. Then I use a Python script that looks at the centre point of my map (while Coord Sys is set to Geographic) to determine the appropriate zone and set it to a variable. Finally I loop through my text elements and when this one is found replace the mgaZoneVar with the contents of the variable just created.

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that sounds overly complicated for me :( I think I will just try remember to change the zones when I export the map..it is a pity its not easily done in dynamic text as there are ways to change the date format and other things quite easily. – sni Mar 8 '12 at 2:07
No problem - I agree that it should be easier - I'm having an issue logging a new ArcGIS Idea from where I am today but should be able to later and will then post a link to it here to try and gather some votes for it. – PolyGeo Mar 8 '12 at 2:22
up vote 0 down vote

According to the help file entry Defining dynamic text using VBScript it should be possible to write a VBScript expression to modify the text string as necessary. enter image description here

However, I can't get this to work using ArcMap 10.0 Sp4. If I add dynamic text using > Insert > Dynamic Text > Coordinate system, then double-click the dynamic text, I get a standard Properties dialog (not the "Dynamic Text Properties dialog box") so there's nowhere to enter a VBScript expression.

You might have more luck...

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I only have arcmap 10 sp2 (my work won't allow me to upgrade) but I can't seem to find a properties either. Though there is a way to edit text in a standard text box, I think that is the method PolyGeo is referring to. I need an example of the code though – sni Mar 8 '12 at 2:14

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