Transform bookmarks to data driven pages in ArcGIS?

Question

We have this large project in ArcGIS with 30 maps with different extents using Bookmarks to pan between these maps/pages.

Now we would like to use Data driven pages instead. The question is, is it possible to convert bookmarks to data driven pages or do we have to create a lot of polygons covering each map extent?

Answer 1

Not directly, but you can do this with python and the arcpy.mapping module. Use arcpy.mapping.ListBookmarks to get the extent of each bookmark. Then create features for each extent. You will now be able to use this feature class as the index layer for Data Driven Pages.

Answer 2

You seem to be far from alone in wanting this as Out-Of-The-Box functionality. There are at least three ArcGIS Ideas that I would recommend you add your name to:

• Bookmarks for MapBook - which is Under Consideration
• Bookmarks for DataDriven Maps - which has a comment from Chris Fox that "At 10.1 you will be able to do this through python as you can utilize the new ListBookmarks function to return a list of extents of your bookmarks and in a loop adjust the extent of your data frame based on the extent of each bookmark."
• Layer to Bookmarks Tool & Bookmarks to Layer Tool

In the meantime if someone is inspired to write a BookMarks To Feature Class tool, then I am sure its output would be well used as an Index Feature Class for Data Driven Pages.