Question on how to use the editor tool and snapping in ArcGIS 10

Question

I am new to ArcGIS 10 and am having trouble in using the new editing tool and snapping interface they have now. I cannot find the Task and Target options that allow me to choose Modify feature and define which layer I need to edit (and toggle between layers). Also, I could not find the Trace tool that used to be in ArcGIS 9.x versions that could be useful for redrawing curvy boundaries. There seems to be a problem with Sanapping because now there is a small toolbar that gives me only the options (End, Vertex, Point, Edge, Tangent, etc) but without reference as to which layer I want to snap to. Yet I can not snap properly to the vertex I want. Previously the cursor would be snapped to the point I was hovering over within a reasonable proximity (defined by the tolerance). Now it seems that that sometimes does not happen even if I zoom in close enough. This of course results in problems since sometimes I got the snapping right, sometimes not.

Has anybody experienced similar problems and if so how did you resolve them? I would appreciate the information very much. Thanks

Answer 1

You can use the "classic" snapping as well as editing environment in version 10. Look at the Editing Options dialog box.

More here: http://help.arcgis.com/en/arcgisdesktop/10.0/help/index.html#/Enabling_snapping_classic_snapping/001t00000047000000/

Answer 2

A lot of things here. The task list has been replaced by tools. For example, the Modify Feature task is now the Edit Vertices tool, and Reshape Feature is now a tool as well.

To set the target layer, you need to work with feature templates and the Create Features window. A feature template defines the target layer, but also other properties, such as the default attributes the new features will be assigned.

The Trace tool is on the palette on the Editor toolbar (or the pop-up Feature Construction toolbar). To use it, you need to choose a template on the Create Features window, either the Line or Polygon tool (depending on whether you are making lines or polygons), then Trace will be active. It is a little different from before, since you do not have to select a feature to trace it, which allows you to use Cut Polygons and Reshape Feature with trace now.

Snapping is simpler and is always enabled. To change the snapping tolerance, go to the Snapping toolbar menu and look on the Options dialog. If you must have full control over which layers and the order you snap to them, enable classic snapping as suggested.

Probably worth a read through the What's new in 10 http://help.arcgis.com/en/arcgisdesktop/10.0/help/index.html#/What_s_new_for_editing/00qp00000006000000/