Welcome to the Editor’s Corner, your go-to space for practical ArcGIS Online editing tips. In this edition, we’ll break down the basics of new true curve drawing tools. Whether you’re mapping winding roads, updating boundaries, or digitizing cul-de-sacs, these tools allow you to draw true curves that maintain their shape. We’ll walk through the ABCs of each tool so you can get started using them right away.
The backdrop
Previously, drawing and editing true curves was pretty much limited to ArcGIS Pro. In ArcGIS Online, you could view curved geometries, but editing them caused densification. That’s when curves get converted into many short, straight line segments. You can now draw new curved features and edit existing curves without densification. Well, mostly.*
*Note: Features drawn with the bézier curve segment tool will be densified.
Meet the tools
We’ve introduced three new drawing tools in ArcGIS Online:
You’ll find these new tools on the draw toolbar in apps like Map Viewer, Instant Apps, Experience Builder, and on the editing toolbar in Web Editor.
The ABCs of true curve drawing tools
In this section, we’ll get to know true curve drawing tools. It’s not meant to be an in depth exploration, but if you’re looking for that, check out this article on the latest in editing true curves in the SDK.
To get started, you can either create a new feature or update an existing one. Once you’re ready to edit, choose one of the following true curve drawing tools:
Arc segment
Draw an arc between two points in three clicks:
- A — Click to place the first point
- B — Click to place the arc’s interior point
- C — Click to place the endpoint
Pro Tip: You can switch to another drawing tool at any time while editing the same feature.
Endpoint arc segment
Set start and end points first, then adjust the radius:
- A — Click to place the start point
- B — Click to place the endpoint
- C — Move the cursor to set the radius of the arc
Bézier curve segment
Create smooth curves using anchor points and direction handles:
- A — Place the first anchor point
- B — Place the second anchor point
- C — Drag the direction handle to adjust the shape
Note: As of this article’s publication, curves created with this tool are densified in ArcGIS Online.
Pro moves
Speed up your workflow with these two keyboard shortcuts:
- Convert a Line to a Curve: While editing vertices, hold Shift, then click and drag to convert a straight segment into a curve.
- Pause and Perfect: Press V while drawing to pause, go back, and adjust the previous vertex.
That’s a wrap
In this article, we covered the ABCs of ArcGIS Online’s new true curve drawing tools, plus a couple of handy shortcuts. We hope you’ll put this information to use right away. Keep an eye out for future editions of Editor’s Corner, and don’t forget to share your ideas and feedback with us over at Esri Community.
Commenting is not enabled for this article.