Unique Layouts within Data Driven Pages (ArcGIS 10.2)

Question

I am fairly new to working with data driven pages and have run into a problem that I can't solve on my own. I have a set of maps organized with data driven pages from a grid shapefile that I generated through the "grid index features" tool. Everything is set up perfectly to be finished with the project... except that I noticed my legend covers up a bit of my project area on a few of the maps. So my problem is that no matter where I move the legend, it covers up some portion of my project area on one or more of my maps.

Is there some way to have the legend placement be unique on individual pages within the data driven pages file? I feel like there is a button to click somewhere I just can't seem to find it.

Answer 1

No, there isn't a way to do that unless you write your own code. Are you handy with arcpy?

Barring that, what you could do is use a side panel for the legend, and decrease the size of your data frame slightly. Then you won't have anything sitting on top of your data.

Also, do you have "Only show classes that are visible in current map extent" checked on in the legend properties? That might shrink your legend enough that you can get by with it sitting in the corner of your df.

Answer 2

I figured out a great work around...

Within the data driven pages attribute table: I select the pages in which the legend placement works and export only those pages. Then I move the legend to work for the other pages, switch my selection within the attribute table and export the new selection.

In a perfect world I could individualize the layouts within data drive pages... but this work around worked well in this case.