Modify feature vertices

In the Modify Features pane, Vertices edits polyline and polygon feature vertices. You can add and delete vertices, and move them by dragging or specifying a distance or a coordinate location.

Vertices can also include z-values that define elevation and m-values that store measurements along a polyline feature such as a highway or railroad. Clearing an m-value in the pane resets it to the value NaN. The ability to store these values is enabled when the feature class is initially created.

This topic shows you how to modify vertices for stand-alone features. For steps to modify vertices as topologically connected nodes and preserve contiguity between features, see Edit topological nodes.

Add a vertex

To add a vertex, click Vertices , click the Features tab, and select the feature. Hover over a segment until the pointer changes to the move symbol, right-click the segment where you want the vertex created and click Add Vertex .

1. On the Edit tab in the Features group, click Modify.

   The Modify Features pane appears.

2. Expand Reshape and click Vertices .

   The tool opens in the pane.

3. In the pane, click the Features tab if Map Topology is enabled.

   Feature editing mode is enabled.

4. In the pane, click Active Select , and select the feature you want to edit.

   The selection appears as a list in the pane, and the vertices toolbar appears at the bottom of the map.

   

5. If you select more than one feature, click an item in the list to flash it in the map, right-click the feature you want to edit, and click Only Select This on the context menu.
6. On the Edit tab in the Snapping group, enable your snapping preferences.
   • Press and hold the Spacebar to temporarily turn snapping off.
7. Hover over the segment until the pointer changes to the edit segment symbol and right-click the segment where you want the vertex created.

   The context menu appears

   

8. Click Add Vertex .

   A new vertex is created.

9. To finish the feature, right-click and click Finish , or press the F2 key.

Add multiple vertices by clicking

To add multiple vertices by clicking a segment, click Vertices , click the Features tab, and select the feature. On the vertices toolbar, click Add Vertex , and click the segment.

1. On the Edit tab in the Features group, click Modify.

   The Modify Features pane appears.

2. Expand Reshape and click Vertices .

   The tool opens in the pane.

3. In the pane, click the Features tab if Map Topology is enabled.

   Feature editing mode is enabled.

4. In the pane, click Active Select , and select the feature you want to edit.

   The selection appears as a list in the pane, and the vertices toolbar appears at the bottom of the map.

   

5. If you select more than one feature, click an item in the list to flash it in the map, right-click the feature you want to edit, and click Only Select This on the context menu.
6. On the Edit tab in the Snapping group, enable your snapping preferences.
   • Press and hold the Spacebar to temporarily turn snapping off.
7. On the vertices toolbar, click Add Vertex , and click the segment.
8. To finish the feature, right-click and click Finish , or press the F2 key.

Add a vertex to the midpoint of a segment

To add a vertex to the midpoint of a segment, click Vertices , click the Features tab, and select the feature. In the pane, in the vertices table, right-click the row for one of the vertices, and click Insert Before or Insert After.

1. On the Edit tab in the Features group, click Modify.

   The Modify Features pane appears.

2. Expand Reshape and click Vertices .

   The tool opens in the pane.

3. In the pane, click the Features tab if Map Topology is enabled.

   Feature editing mode is enabled.

4. In the pane, click Active Select , and select the feature you want to edit.

   The selection appears as a list in the pane, and the vertices toolbar appears at the bottom of the map.

   

5. If you select more than one feature, click an item in the list to flash it in the map, right-click the feature you want to edit, and click Only Select This on the context menu.
6. On the Edit tab in the Snapping group, enable your snapping preferences.
   • Press and hold the Spacebar to temporarily turn snapping off.
7. In the pane, in the vertices table, right-click the row for one of the vertices of the segment.

   The context menu appears

   

8. Click Insert Before or Insert After.

   The vertex is created at the midpoint of the segment

9. To finish the feature, right-click and click Finish , or press the F2 key.

Delete a vertex

To delete a vertex, click Vertices , click the Features tab, and select the feature. Hover over the vertex until the pointer changes to the move symbol, right-click the vertex and click Delete Vertex .

1. On the Edit tab in the Features group, click Modify.

   The Modify Features pane appears.

2. Expand Reshape and click Vertices .

   The tool opens in the pane.

3. In the pane, click the Features tab if Map Topology is enabled.

   Feature editing mode is enabled.

4. In the pane, click Active Select , and select the feature you want to edit.

   The selection appears as a list in the pane, and the vertices toolbar appears at the bottom of the map.

   

5. If you select more than one feature, click an item in the list to flash it in the map, right-click the feature you want to edit, and click Only Select This on the context menu.
6. On the Edit tab in the Snapping group, enable your snapping preferences.
   • Press and hold the Spacebar to temporarily turn snapping off.
7. Hover over the vertex until the pointer changes to the move symbol, and right-click the vertex.
   • To delete a vertex in the pane, right-click the row for the vertex, an click Delete Vertex .

   The context menu appears.

   

8. To delete a vertex in the pane, click the row, and on the toolbar above the vertices table, click Delete Vertex .
   • To use the context menu, right-click the row and click Delete.

     

9. To finish the feature, right-click and click Finish , or press the F2 key.

Delete multiple vertices by clicking

To delete multiple vertices by clicking them, click Vertices , click the Features tab, and select the feature. On the vertices toolbar, click Delete Vertex , and click each vertex.

1. On the Edit tab in the Features group, click Modify.

   The Modify Features pane appears.

2. Expand Reshape and click Vertices .

   The tool opens in the pane.

3. In the pane, click the Features tab if Map Topology is enabled.

   Feature editing mode is enabled.

4. In the pane, click Active Select , and select the feature you want to edit.

   The selection appears as a list in the pane, and the vertices toolbar appears at the bottom of the map.

   

5. If you select more than one feature, click an item in the list to flash it in the map, right-click the feature you want to edit, and click Only Select This on the context menu.
6. On the Edit tab in the Snapping group, enable your snapping preferences.
   • Press and hold the Spacebar to temporarily turn snapping off.
7. On the vertices toolbar, click Delete Vertex , and click each vertex.
8. To finish the feature, right-click and click Finish , or press the F2 key.

Move a vertex by dragging

To move a vertex by dragging it, click Vertices , click the Features tab, and select the feature. Hover over the vertex until the pointer changes to the move symbol, and click and drag the vertex. In a scene, press and hold the H key to drag a vertex vertically in the z direction.

1. On the Edit tab in the Features group, click Modify.

   The Modify Features pane appears.

2. Expand Reshape and click Vertices .

   The tool opens in the pane.

3. In the pane, click the Features tab if Map Topology is enabled.

   Feature editing mode is enabled.

4. In the pane, click Active Select , and select the feature you want to edit.

   The selection appears as a list in the pane, and the vertices toolbar appears at the bottom of the map.

   

5. If you select more than one feature, click an item in the list to flash it in the map, right-click the feature you want to edit, and click Only Select This on the context menu.
6. On the Edit tab in the Snapping group, enable your snapping preferences.
   • Press and hold the Spacebar to temporarily turn snapping off.
7. To preserve the general shape of a feature, turn on Stretch Proportionately .

   Note:

   Stretching feature geometry proportionately is an editing mode that preserves the general shape of a feature by scaling the relative lengths of its segments when you move an edge or a vertex.

8. Hover over the vertex until the pointer changes to the move symbol, and click and drag the vertex.
   • In a scene, press and hold the H key to drag the vertex vertically in the z direction.
9. To finish the feature, right-click and click Finish , or press the F2 key.

Keyboard shortcuts

Keyboard shortcuts for the Edit Vertices tool

Keyboard shortcut	Action	Comment
T+hover	Show vertices within the snapping tolerance.	Flash a square at vertices that are within the current snapping tolerance of the pointer.
A+click	Add a vertex .	Create a vertex where you click a segment.
D+click	Delete a vertex .	Delete the clicked vertex.
H+drag	Edit the elevation.	Move a z-enabled vertex vertically and preserve its x,y coordinates. Hover over a control handle until the pointer becomes a vertex and drag the vertex. This shortcut is available in 3D scenes.
Ctrl+drag	Move a Bézier curve.	Move a Bézier curve and preserve its shape. Hover over a curve until the pointer becomes a segment, and drag the curve.
Ctrl+drag	Move a Bézier handle.	Move a Bézier control handle that can't otherwise be selected when it is coincident with another vertex. Hover over a control handle until the pointer becomes a vertex and drag the handle.
Ctrl+H	Move the z-value to the pointer.	Move the z-value for the selected vertex to the elevation of the pointer. The x- and y-values are preserved. This is available only when stereoscopic mode is enabled.
Ctrl+G	Move the pointer z-value.	Move the pointer z-value to the elevation of the selected vertex. This is available only when stereoscopic mode is enabled.

Move a vertex to a coordinate location

To move a vertex to a coordinate location, click Vertices , click the Features tab, and select the feature. Hover over the vertex until the pointer changes to the move symbol, right-click and click Move to on the context menu.

1. On the Edit tab in the Features group, click Modify.

   The Modify Features pane appears.

2. Expand Reshape and click Vertices .

   The tool opens in the pane.

3. In the pane, click the Features tab.

   Feature editing mode is enabled.

4. In the pane, click Active Select , and select the feature you want to edit.

   The selection appears as a list in the pane, and the vertices toolbar appears at the bottom of the map.

   

5. If you select more than one feature, click an item in the list to flash it in the map, right-click the feature you want to edit, and click Only Select This on the context menu.
6. On the Edit tab in the Snapping group, enable your snapping preferences.
   • Press and hold the Spacebar to temporarily turn snapping off.
7. To preserve the general shape of a feature, turn on Stretch Proportionately .

   Note:

   Stretching feature geometry proportionately is an editing mode that preserves the general shape of a feature by scaling the relative lengths of its segments when you move an edge or a vertex.

8. Hover over the vertex until the pointer changes to the move symbol.
9. Right-click the vertex, click Move to , type the coordinates in the dialog box, and press Enter.
10. To edit vertex values in the pane, click its x, y, or z field in the vertices table, and type the new value.
    • To apply the same z-value to several vertices, select the rows, click Change z value , type the elevation, and press Enter. Press Ctrl to select multiple rows. Press Shift to select all rows between the first and last row you click.
11. To finish the feature, right-click and click Finish , or press the F2 key.

Move a vertex a specified distance

To move a vertex a specified distance from its current location, click Vertices , click the Features tab, and select the feature. Hover over the vertex until the pointer changes to the move symbol, right-click and click Move on the context menu.

1. On the Edit tab in the Features group, click Modify.

   The Modify Features pane appears.

2. Expand Reshape and click Vertices .

   The tool opens in the pane.

3. In the pane, click the Features tab.

   Feature editing mode is enabled.

4. In the pane, click Active Select , and select the feature you want to edit.

   The selection appears as a list in the pane, and the vertices toolbar appears at the bottom of the map.

   

5. If you select more than one feature, click an item in the list to flash it in the map, right-click the feature you want to edit, and click Only Select This on the context menu.
6. On the Edit tab in the Snapping group, enable your snapping preferences.
   • Press and hold the Spacebar to temporarily turn snapping off.
7. To preserve the general shape of a feature, turn on Stretch Proportionately .

   Note:

   Stretching feature geometry proportionately is an editing mode that preserves the general shape of a feature by scaling the relative lengths of its segments when you move an edge or a vertex.

8. Hover over the vertex until the pointer changes to the move symbol.
9. Right-click the vertex, click Move , type the x, y, and z distances you want to move the vertex in the dialog box, and press Enter.
10. To finish the feature, right-click and click Finish , or press the F2 key.