Technical Articles >  ArcGIS Desktop  >  ArcMap  >  Importing Symbology

Knowledge Base - Technical Articles


Technical Article   Error:  The import geometry type does not match destination geometry type

Article ID: 22484
Software:  ArcGIS - ArcEditor 8.1, 8.1.2, 8.2, 8.3, 9.0, 9.1, 9.2, 9.3, 9.3.1, 10 ArcGIS - ArcInfo 8.0.2, 8.1, 8.1.2, 8.2, 8.3, 9.0, 9.1, 9.2, 9.3, 9.3.1, 10 ArcGIS - ArcView 8.1, 8.1.2, 8.2, 8.3, 9.0, 9.1, 9.2, 9.3, 9.3.1, 10
Platforms:  Windows XP, Server 2003, NT 4.0, 2000, ME, Vista, Server 2008, Windows 7

Error Message

This error message occurs when importing layer symbology into ArcMap:

"The import geometry type does not match destination geometry type"

Cause

This message means that the .lyr file selected has a different geometry type than the current layer. Symbology can only be imported from a .lyr file of the same geometry type. For example, for a polygon layer, symbology can only be imported from a polygon.lyr file.

This message may also appear if importing symbology from a .lyr file with a broken data path. Symbology cannot be imported from .lyr files with broken data paths.

Solution or Workaround

  1. Open ArcCatalog and browse to the location of the .lyr file.
  2. Double-click on the .lyr file to open the Layer Properties dialog box.
  3. Select the Source tab.
  4. Click Set Data Source and browse to the correct data source.
     If the .lyr file was created from a map service, then you can only look for a map service layer, regardless of the geometry type that is present in the service.

  5. Click OK to close the Layer Properties dialog box.
  6. Open ArcMap.
  7. It is now possible to import symbology from the .lyr file.
     For more information on absolute and relative paths, see the "Referencing data in the map" topic in the ArcGIS Desktop Help > Contents tab > ArcMap > Creating Maps > Referencing data in the map.


Related Information


Created: 5/13/2002
Last Modified: 2/15/2013

Article Rating: (3)
If you would like to post a comment, please login

Comments

By ddrake57 - 02/02/2013 8:33 AM

The article is incorrect or the solution didn’t work.

This method is too general.... When I do the steps for a .lyr file the only file choice I get from the "set data source" is MAP SERVICE. The computer shows that a file of this type does not exist.

Rating:

By Anonymous - 12/01/2009 3:47 AM

The article needs to be updated.

Double-clicking gave me an error message "Failed to edit the selected object(s)."

By Anonymous - 10/26/2006 7:04 AM

The article has missing, misleading, or conflicting information.

<> This error also occurrs, if trying to add a *.lyr to a shapefile/coverage,etc. (match to style) and the path information within the *.lyr is not valid anymore. E.g. after delivering the data incl. *lyr file to a customer, so that paths are not identical anymore. This error is displayed in that case independent of the geometry. (ArcGIS 9.1)

Rating:

By Anonymous - 03/11/2003 1:36 AM

We have to deliver the lyr-files with our shapefiles to clients. It is cumbersome to explain them how to fix this problem. Please make it possible to import the symbology, no matter if the data path is broken or not!

By Anonymous - 01/13/2003 5:01 PM

Rating: