HOW TO
Instructions provided describe how to determine if an ArcMap layer is being drawn with symbol level drawing, and to access its settings. In ArcGIS 9.0 and later versions, ArcMap layers can be drawn according to drawing rules that override the basic draw ordering in the Table of Contents. Enable this special drawing by by way of Symbol Level Drawing for a given feature layer or group layer.
Use the steps listed below to determine whether a given feature layer is being drawn using Symbol Level Drawing, and also how to access the settings for a particular layer.
FEATURE LAYER
A feature layer that is not in a group layer.
1. Right-click on a feature layer in the Table of Contents and verify 'Use Symbol Levels' is checked.
2. Make modifications by accessing 'Symbol Level' settings from the layer's properties dialog.
1. In the Table of Contents, right-click on the feature layer and select Properties. Otherwise double-click on the feature layer, or press the enter key with the feature layer selected.
2. Select the Symbology tab.
3. Click the Advanced button and select Symbol Levels. This opens the Symbol Levels properties dialog for the current selected feature layer.
FEATURE OR GROUP LAYERS INSIDE A GROUP LAYER
If a feature layer is in a group layer and 'Use Symbol Levels' is grayed out, then the feature layer is effected by symbol level drawing settings in a higher group layer.
To determine which group layer has Symbol Levels set, open the 'Symbol Level' properties of the group layer from the group layer's properties dialog.
1. In the Table of Contents, right-click on the group layer and select Properties. Otherwise, double-click on the group layer or press the enter key with the group layer selected.
2. Select the Group tab.
3. Click the Symbol Levels button. This opens the Symbol Levels properties dialog for the current selected group layer.
The Symbol Level Drawing dialog indicates which group layer has symbol level drawing settings applied.
In this example, the group layer named 'Polar group layer' is being effected by the higher level group layer named 'Water group layer'.
Once the root of the Symbol level settings have been located, or there is only one group layer in the hieracrchy, make modifications by opening the 'Symbol Level' properties of the group layer from the group layer's properties dialog.
1. In the Table of Contents, right-click on the group layer and select Properties. Otherwise, double-click on the group layer or press the enter key with the group layer selected.
2. Select the Group tab.
3. Click the Symbol Levels button. This opens the Symbol Levels properties dialog for the current selected group layer.
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