A quick tour of straight line diagrams

The Generate Straight Line Diagram wizard

In ArcMap, linear referencing data is displayed along line features that represent the physical geometry of the road.

To display data about the feature in a straight line diagram view, the Generate Straight Line Diagram wizard can be used to quickly generate new reference geometry that will be used to display the events and information about the routes in the schematic view. When you complete the wizard, a new data frame will be created that depicts the route as a straight line, and each aspect or piece of information about the route is displayed parallel to it.

The Generate Straight Line Diagram wizard allows you to specify whether you want one diagram created for each road or if you want to divide the route into individual diagrams for sections of the road. The wizard also allows you to choose which events you want displayed in the diagram and the order you want them to appear in.

Once you complete the wizard, a new map document is opened that depicts both the geometric and the straight line diagram view of your data.

The straight line diagram layers

When a straight line diagram is created using the Generate Straight Line Diagram wizard, group layers are automatically added to the data frame you choose as the straight line diagram data frame. One group layer is created for each event layer you choose to use as part of the straight line diagram. The group layer comprises a layer that displays the events and a layer that is the m-enabled line on which the event is displayed. The reference layer is created at the bottom of the layers list and is not included inside a group.

The display of the group layers is slightly different depending whether you choose to divide the route. If you choose to not divide the route, the original event layer is used. Also, the m-enabled lines that are created for each event are prefixed with Edit_.

If you choose to divide the route, a copy of the original event layer is created and named View_<event table name>. Also, the m-enabled lines that are created for each event are prefixed with View_.

Nota:

This topic describes how the layers are initially added to the map. You are not prevented from changing this. If you make a change and use the changed .mxd file as a template, the results from the wizard are going to contain your changes rather than the default display.