| | 108 | |
| | 109 | The Data property includes a resource id that corresponds to the feature source definition defining the feature source for print element layout data. The !FeatureClass property within the Data property describes the fully qualified feature class name of the print element layout data. |
| | 110 | |
| | 111 | The Stylization property refers to a resource id that corresponds to the layer definition containing stylization information for the print layout element data (described by Data property). Typically, this will include the composite type style but in general can include any capability we have today in a !LayerDefinition schema. The composite type style can include composite symbolization comprising simple or compound symbol definitions. |
| | 112 | |
| | 113 | A particular type of print layout element has a couple of choices when it comes to how it wants to describe its stylized geometry. The first choice is that it can use feature geometry as the main geometry of the element and use the layer definition symbology to further enhance the stylization aspects of the geometry. The second choice is that it can use the layer definition symbology as the primary means to describe its stylized geometry. A classic example for the second choice is a north arrow where the underlying feature would be a point feature with its insertion point coinciding with the north arrow insertion point and using an AutoCAD block defining the north arrow graphics as a symbol that would appear at the insertion point. For Grids and graticules, on the other hand, the better choice might be the first choice where the geometry might tend to be complicated enough to warrant needing actual features (one or more) of different types with simple or complex symbology. |
| | 114 | |
| | 115 | The main reason for this seemingly unnecessary complex mechanism to draw stylized geometry has to do with the sharing of components and language already built into the Common Platform API. We currently use the Platform stylization engine that renders stylized geometry of any FDO feature set using a custom renderer and a layer definition at a particular scale. This pipeline is common to multiple applications. The Data and Stylization properties are just an artifact of the need to have FDO features for geometry of data to be drawn and Layer Definition for stylization of that data. |
| | 116 | |
| | 117 | All the print layout elements can leverage the existing enhanced vector symbolization so we can ensure 100% visual and data fidelity across products. While there are attractive and native solutions, the print layout architecture refrains from using those solutions mainly for interoperable definitions and visual fidelity of print layouts. |
| | 118 | |
| | 119 | A print layout element can reference one or more data sources. These data sources provide information that the print layout element needs. For example, a grid print layout element always needs to know which viewport it is drawing the grid on. The resource identifier for the map viewport will thus be contained within the References property. Another example is a viewport needs to know which map it needs to display in the viewport. Currently, we have an explicit property called !MapName on the !MapViewport resource, but the References property can point to the id of a Map Definition resource. |
| | 120 | |
| | 121 | A print layout element can also reference a print layout element definition. As was alluded earlier, a print layout element definition contains values of common properties that multiple instances of a print layout element type can share. |
| | 122 | |
| | 123 | The !ExtendedData1 property is added to preserve data added in a later version of the resource in a round-trip scenario. |
| | 124 | |
| | 125 | |
