Edit topology

The following modifications can be performed with topological editing:

• Align a topology edge
• Edit a topological vertex
• Move a topological edge or feature
• Reshape a topology edge
• Generalize a feature

Align a topology edge

Align Edge reshapes a topology edge to match and be coincident with another topology edge that shares two common topology nodes. This tool is available in the Modify Features pane when map topology is turned on.

Complete the following steps to edit a topology edge.

1. On the ribbon, click the Edit tab, turn on Map Topology, and show the Modify Features pane.
   1. In the Manage Edits group, click the Map Topology drop-down arrow and enable map topology.

      

   2. In the Features group, click Modify .
2. In the Modify Features pane, expand Alignment and click Align Edge .

   The topology graph highlights in the map.

3. Hover over the feature until the edge you want to align highlights as a solid line.

   

4. Click the highlighted solid line.

   The edge reshapes and snaps to the nearby edge that shares two common topology nodes.

   

Edit a topological vertex

Edit Vertices can make simple edits to topologically connected vertices. If map topology is turned on, you can move, delete, or add a topological vertex and preserve the connectedness of shared boundaries. This tool is available in the Modify Features pane.

If you already have map topology enabled, skip to step 2.

1. On the ribbon, click the Edit tab, turn on Map Topology, and show the Modify Features pane.
   1. In the Manage Edits group, click the Map Topology drop-down arrow and enable map topology.

      

   2. In the Features group, click Modify .
2. In the Modify Features pane, expand Reshape and click Edit Vertices .



3. In the Edit Vertices pane, click the Edges tab.

   The topology graph highlights in the map.

4. To move or delete a vertex, click Select edge or node and click the vertex you want to edit.

   The selection appears in a list in the pane and highlights in the pane.

   

   The editing toolbar appears with vertex tools.

   

5. To add a vertex, click a segment, right-click it, and click Add Vertex .
6. To delete a vertex, right-click it and click Delete Vertex .
7. Click Finish or press the F2 key to apply your changes.

   

Note:

The connectedness of your changes is validated when you Finish your edits. If they break the topological graph, the message Edit operation failed appears and your changes are canceled.

Move a topological edge or feature

Move can move topological edges or features. If map topology is turned on, all features that are connected to the selected edge stretch and move to maintain connectivity. This tool is available in the Modify Features pane.

1. On the ribbon, click the Edit tab, turn on Map Topology, and show the Modify Features pane.
   1. In the Manage Edits group, click the Map Topology drop-down arrow and enable map topology.

      

   2. In the Features group, click Modify .
2. In the Modify Features pane, expand Alignment, and click Move .

Follow the steps in the next sections to complete the specific edit action.

Move a topological edge

Click the Edges tab to move a topological edge. Moving a topological edge preserves the direction and distance of the selected edge and stretches the connected edges.

Complete the following steps to move a topological edge:

1. In the Move pane, click the Edges tab.

   The topology graph highlights in the map.

2. Click Select edge or node and click the edge you want to edit.

   

3. Hover near the edge until the segment pointer appears, and drag the selected edge to the new location.
   • To use the selection anchor to snap to other feature, hover over the anchor and press Ctrl .When the vertex pointer appears, drag the anchor to the location you want to snap.
   • To preserve the general shape of the connected edges, turn on Stretch Topology on the editing toolbar.

     

   Coincident edges also move, and any edges connected to its endpoints stretch and remain connected.

4. Click Finish or press F2.

Note:

The connectedness of your changes is validated when you Finish your edits. If they break the topological graph, the message Edit operation failed appears and your changes are canceled.

Move a topological feature

Moving a topological feature preserves the shape of the selected feature and stretches connected edges.

Complete the following steps to move a topological feature:

1. In the Move pane, click the Features tab.

   The topology graph highlights in the map.

2. Click Select and click the feature you want to move.

   The topology graph appears as a highlighted layer of edges and nodes coincident with the corresponding feature geometry.

   

3. Hover near the feature until the move pointer appears, and drag the feature.
   • To use the selection anchor to snap to other feature, press Ctrl and drag the anchor to the location you want to snap.
   • To preserve the general shape of the connected edges, turn on Stretch Topology on the editing toolbar.

     

   Coincident edges also move, and any edges connected to its endpoints stretch and remain connected.

4. To apply your changes, click Finish or press F2.

Move a topology node

Move and Edit Vertices can move topology nodes. If map topology is turned on, all topology nodes and edges that are connected to the selected node stretch and move to maintain connectivity. These tools are available in the Modify Features pane.

1. In the Move pane, click the Edges tab.

   The topology graph highlights in the map.

2. Click Select edge or node , press N and drag a selection across the nodes you want to edit.

   

3. Drag the topology node.

   Coincident edges also move and any edges connected to its endpoints stretch and remain connected.

4. On the toolbar, click Finish or press the F2 key to apply your changes.

   

Note:

The connectedness of your changes is validated when you Finish your edits. If they break the topological graph, the message Edit operation failed appears and your changes are canceled.

Reshape a topology edge

Reshape can reshape shared topological boundaries. If map topology is turned on, the linear shape you draw across an edge replaces existing topology edges where the first and last segment cross or touch one or more topologically connected features. This tool is available in the Modify Features pane.

When multiple features are selected, you can refine the selection in the pane and choose the features to be modified. If your edits break the topology graph, an error message appears in the pane and your changes are canceled.

If you already have map topology enabled, skip to step 2.

1. On the ribbon, click the Edit tab, turn on Map Topology, and show the Modify Features pane.
   1. In the Manage Edits group, click the Map Topology drop-down arrow and enable map topology.

      

   2. In the Features group, click Modify .
2. In the Modify Features pane, expand Reshape and click Reshape .
3. In the Reshape pane, click the Edges tab.

   The topology graph highlights in the map.

4. Click Select one or more edges and click the edge you want to reshape.


The selection appears in a list in the pane and highlight in the map. The editing toolbar appears with construction tools.

5. Draw the new boundary across the existing edge so that it crosses or touches the edge in at least two places.

   

   Note:

   The first and last segment must cross or touch one or more contiguous features.

6. Click Finish or press the F2 key to apply your changes.

Note:

The connectedness of your changes is validated when you Finish your edits. If they break the topological graph, the message Edit operation failed appears and your changes are canceled.

Generalize a feature

Generalize reduces the complexity of a line or a polygon feature while retaining its basic shape. If map topology is turned on, connectivity among all shared boundaries is preserved. This tool is available in the Modify Features pane.

Tip:

Generalizing features can help you simplify features for display at smaller scales or standardize a dataset to a more uniform scale resolution. Alternatively, you can generalize features using a geoprocessing tool.

To generalize a feature, perform the following steps:

1. On the ribbon, click the Edit tab. In the Manage Edits group, click the Topology drop-down arrow and choose one of the following settings:

   Map Topology	Modify adjacent features and maintain connectivity among all shared boundaries.
   No Topology	Modify only the selected features and create coincident boundary segments between them.

   

2. On the Edit tab, in the Features group, click Modify .
3. In the Modify Features pane, expand Reshape and click Generalize .
4. In the Generalize pane, check or uncheck Show Preview.

   Checked	Dynamically preview the results for values typed in the pane before generalizing the feature.
   Unchecked	Do not show a preview.

5. Click the Select tool , and select line or polyline features that are on the same layer.
   • To remove features from the selection, right-click a feature in the tree view and click Unselect or Only Select This .

     

6. Choose a method for generalizing the selected features.

   Simplify	Change curved segments to a series of line segments. Existing line segments remain unchanged. The final shape is generalized within the maximum allowable offset setting you specify in the pane.
   Smooth	Change straight edges and angular corners to Bézier curves. The final shape is simplified and smoothed within the maximum allowable offset setting you specify in the pane. Tip: Alternatively, you can use geoprocessing tools to smooth a line or polygon feature.
   Densify	Insert vertices at constant intervals and change curved segments to a series of line segments. You can insert segments that approximate the entire feature or modify only the curved segments within a maximum offset distance or deflection angle.

   

7. If Simplify is enabled, click the Maximum Allowable Offset text box, and type the distance in map units within which you want the feature generalized.

   Values greater than zero (0) simplify curved segments along the curve using the Douglas-Peucker simplification algorithm.

8. If Smooth is enabled, click the Maximum Allowable Offset text box, and type the distance in map units within which you want the feature generalized.

   • Zero (0) converts each segment to a Bézier curve.
   • Values greater than zero (0) first generalize the feature using the Douglas-Peucker simplification algorithm. Finally, Bézier curves are created for each remaining segment with complementary tangents that create smooth transitions between segments.

9. If Densify is enabled, choose how segments are densified.

   Distance	Replace the entire feature with line segments at constant intervals whose lengths do not exceed the specified linear distance. If the distance is zero (0), no vertices are added. If the distance is negative, the system default value is applied.
   Offset	Replace curves with line segments whose vertices do not extend beyond the specified maximum offset.
   Angle	Replace curves with line segments whose deflection angles do not exceed the specified angle.

10. Click Generalize.