Creating data frame rules for multiple data frames

Data frame rules define a data frame's extent, size, scale, rotation, and coordinate system. In map documents with multiple data frames, you can specify that a data frame inherits another's settings. For example, one data frame could use the same scale and size as a source data frame. This allows you to enforce standardized settings from a basemap to make overview or inset maps.

The following steps outline how to apply data frame rules in such an environment.

Steps:

1. Start ArcMap.
2. Switch to layout view.
3. Click the Add Data button on the Standard toolbar.

   The Add Data dialog box appears.

4. Navigate to <ArcGIS install folder>\ArcGIS\Desktop10.0\TemplateData\Template.gdb.
5. Add the States feature class from the USA feature dataset to ArcMap.
6. Resize the data frame to half the page size.
7. Zoom to California until it covers the entire data frame.
8. On the main menu, click Insert > Data Frame.

   A new data frame appears on the page layout.

9. Drag the new data frame below the Layers data frame.
10. Click the Add Data button on the Standard toolbar.

    The Add Data dialog box appears.

11. Navigate to <ArcGIS install folder>\ArcGIS\Desktop10.0\TemplateData\Template.gdb.
12. Add the Counties feature class from the USA feature dataset to ArcMap.
13. On the main menu, click Customize > Toolbars > Production Cartography.

    The Production Cartography toolbar appears.

14. Click the Layout window button on the Production Cartography toolbar.

    The Layout window appears.

15. Click New Data Frame in the Layout window.
16. Click the Apply Data Frame Rules button on the Layout window.

    The Apply Data Frame Rules dialog box appears.

17. Click the Source Data Frame drop–down arrow, then click Layers.
    Note:

    The new data frame inherits some properties from the source data frame.

18. Click the Properties button .

    The Data Frame Rules dialog box appears.

19. Click the General tab.
20. Click the Allow drop-down arrow, then click Scale.
21. In the Extent area, check the Same as source data frame check box.
22. In the Extent area, check the Clip to shape based on extent check box.
23. Click the Rotation tab.
24. Click the Rotate to True North option.
25. Click the Coordinate Systems tab.
26. Click the Type drop-down arrow, then click Calculate UTM Zone.
27. Click OK.

    The Apply Data Frame Rules dialog box appears.

28. Click Apply on the Apply Data Frame Rules dialog box.

    The data frame rules you defined are applied to the active data frame. The Status - Data Frame Rules dialog box displays the operation status.

29. Click OK to close the Status - Data Frame Rules dialog box.

Tip:

To save data frame rules to an .xml file, click Save on the Apply Data Frame Rules dialog box.

Note:

To review changes to a data frame made by the application of data frame rules, right-click that data frame in the Layout window, then click Properties.