Modify graphics and text

Once you've added a graphic or text element to a page, you can edit its geometry using the tools in the Edit group on the Graphic or Text tab. The tools are divided into three categories: edit vertices, rotate or flip, and merge shapes.

Edit vertices

The Edit Vertices tool allows you to move, add, or delete vertices on a line or shape. You can also use this tool to change a line segment to a line, circular arc, or Bezier curve.

To edit vertices, select a graphic on the layout or in the Contents pane. On the Graphic or Text tab, click Edit Vertices . You can also right-click and choose Edit Vertices from the context menu. The layout switches to editing mode and the vertices of the graphic appear. The vertices toolbar also appears with the following options:

Option	Use
Move	Click a single vertex and move it, or draw a lasso with the mouse to select multiple vertices and move them simultaneously.
Add	Click the shape to add a vertex, then drag to position that vertex.
Delete	Click a vertex to delete it.
Continue	Insert vertices from the last created vertex. In editing mode, the red vertex represents the last created vertex.
Finish	Finish the sketch and exit editing mode.
Cancel	Cancel the edits and exit editing mode without changing the shape.

In editing mode, right-click a shape to open the edit context menu. From this menu, you can choose Add Vertex , Delete Vertex , Finish , or Cancel the sketch. Additionally, you can choose Change Segement to change a line segment to a Line, Circular Arc, or Bezier Curve. If you are editing a line, you can choose Reverse Direction to switch the from-to direction of the line. This reverses the order of the vertices but preserves their location and is useful when using the Continue tool .

Note:

Along with line and polygon graphics, you can also edit the vertices of a map frame.

Rotate or Flip

The Rotate or Flip menu has tools to rotate the graphic or flip its geometry. The following tools are available:

Name	Description
Rotate Right 90°	Rotate the graphic 90 degrees to the right. If the graphic is already rotated, 90 degrees is added to the existing rotation.
Rotate Left 90°	Rotate the graphic 90 degrees to the left. If the graphic is already rotated, 90 degrees is added to the existing rotation.
Flip Horizontal	Create a mirror image of the graphic. This does not change the x- or y-positions of the graphic.
Flip Vertical	Turn the graphic upside down. This does not change the x- or y-positions of the graphic.

To rotate or flip a graphic, select it on the layout or in the Contents pane. On the Graphic or Text tab, click the Rotate or Flip button and choose a tool from the drop-down menu.

Merge Shapes

The Merge Shapes menu has tools for combining multiple polygon graphics into one graphic. Merge shape tools are not available for lines, polygons, or groups. For each tool, the resulting graphic takes the symbology of the first selected graphic. The following merge tools are available:

Name	Description
Union	Combines selected graphics into a single graphic.
Intersect	Combines overlapping graphics by keeping only the areas that intersect all the graphics.
Remove Overlap	Combines overlapping graphics by keeping everything except the overlapping areas.
Subtract	Combines overlapping graphics by taking the first selected graphic and removing the overlapping areas, as well as any other selected graphics.

Note:

Intersect , Remove Overlap , and Subtract are designed for use on overlapping graphics. Using these tools on graphics that do not overlap can lead to unexpected results.

To merge graphics, select multiple graphics on the layout or in the Contents pane. On the Graphic or Text tab, click the Merge Shapes button and choose a tool from the drop-down menu.