Add a point, line, and polygon

Learn how to display point, line, and polygon graphics in a map.

add a point line and polygon

You typically use graphics to display geographic data that is not connected to a database and that is not persisted, like highlighting a route between two locations, displaying a search buffer around a point, or tracking the location of a vehicle in real-time. Graphics are composed of a geometry, symbol, and attributes.

In this tutorial, you display points, lines, and polygons on a map as graphics.

To learn how to display data from data sources, see the Add a feature layer tutorial.

Prerequisites

Before starting this tutorial:

  1. You need an ArcGIS Location Platform or ArcGIS Online account.

  2. Confirm that your system meets the system requirements.

  3. An IDE for Android development in Kotlin.

Steps

Open an Android Studio project

  1. To start this tutorial, complete the Display a map tutorial. Or download and unzip the Display a map solution in a new folder.

  2. Modify the old project for use in this new tutorial. Expand More info for instructions.

  3. If you downloaded the solution, get an access token and set the API key.

Add import statements

  1. Replace app-specific import statements with the imports needed for this tutorial.

    MainActivity.kt
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    package com.example.app
    
    import android.os.Bundle
    import androidx.appcompat.app.AppCompatActivity
    
    import com.esri.arcgisruntime.ArcGISRuntimeEnvironment
    import com.esri.arcgisruntime.geometry.Point
    import com.esri.arcgisruntime.geometry.PointCollection
    import com.esri.arcgisruntime.geometry.Polygon
    import com.esri.arcgisruntime.geometry.Polyline
    import com.esri.arcgisruntime.geometry.SpatialReferences
    import com.esri.arcgisruntime.mapping.ArcGISMap
    import com.esri.arcgisruntime.mapping.BasemapStyle
    import com.esri.arcgisruntime.mapping.Viewpoint
    import com.esri.arcgisruntime.mapping.view.Graphic
    import com.esri.arcgisruntime.mapping.view.GraphicsOverlay
    import com.esri.arcgisruntime.mapping.view.MapView
    import com.esri.arcgisruntime.symbology.SimpleFillSymbol
    import com.esri.arcgisruntime.symbology.SimpleLineSymbol
    import com.esri.arcgisruntime.symbology.SimpleMarkerSymbol
    
    import com.example.app.databinding.ActivityMainBinding
    
    Expand

Add a graphics overlay

A graphics overlay is a container for graphics. It is used with a map view to display graphics on a map. You can add more than one graphics overlay to a map view. Graphics overlays are displayed on top of all the other layers.

  1. In Android Studio, in the Android tool window, open app > java > com.example.app > MainActivity.

  2. Create a new function named addGraphics().

  3. Create a GraphicsOverlay to display point, line, and polygon graphics and add it to the mapView's collection of graphics overlays.

  4. Call the addGraphics() function from the onCreate() lifecycle function.

    MainActivity.kt
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        override fun onCreate(savedInstanceState: Bundle?) {
            super.onCreate(savedInstanceState)
            setContentView(activityMainBinding.root)
    
            setApiKeyForApp()
    
            setupMap()
    
            addGraphics()
    
        }
    
        override fun onResume() {
            super.onResume()
            mapView.resume()
        }
    
        override fun onPause() {
            super.onPause()
            mapView.pause()
        }
    
        override fun onDestroy() {
            mapView.dispose()
            super.onDestroy()
        }
    
        private fun setApiKeyForApp(){
    
            ArcGISRuntimeEnvironment.setApiKey("YOUR_ACCESS_TOKEN")
    
        }
    
        private fun addGraphics() {
    
            // create a graphics overlay and add it to the map view
            val graphicsOverlay = GraphicsOverlay()
            mapView.graphicsOverlays.add(graphicsOverlay)
    
        }
    
    Expand

Add a point graphic

A point graphic is created using a point and a marker symbol. A point is defined with x and y coordinates, and a spatial reference. For latitude and longitude coordinates, the spatial reference is WGS84.

  1. Create a Point and a SimpleMarkerSymbol. To create the Point, provide longitude (x) and latitude (y) coordinates and a SpatialReference. Use the SpatialReferences.getWgs84() convenience function.

    Next create a solid, blue, 2px-wide SimpleLineSymbol and assign it to the outline property of simpleMarkerSymbol.

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        private fun addGraphics() {
    
            // create a graphics overlay and add it to the map view
            val graphicsOverlay = GraphicsOverlay()
            mapView.graphicsOverlays.add(graphicsOverlay)
    
            // create a point geometry with a location and spatial reference
            // Point(latitude, longitude, spatial reference)
            val point = Point(-118.8065, 34.0005, SpatialReferences.getWgs84())
    
            // create an opaque orange (0xFFFF5733) point symbol with a blue (0xFF0063FF) outline symbol
            val simpleMarkerSymbol = SimpleMarkerSymbol(SimpleMarkerSymbol.Style.CIRCLE, -0xa8cd, 10f)
    
            val blueOutlineSymbol = SimpleLineSymbol(SimpleLineSymbol.Style.SOLID, -0xff9c01, 2f)
            simpleMarkerSymbol.outline = blueOutlineSymbol
    
        }
    
    Expand
  2. Create a Graphic with the point and simpleMarkerSymbol. Display the Graphic by adding it to the graphicsOverlay's graphics collection.

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            val blueOutlineSymbol = SimpleLineSymbol(SimpleLineSymbol.Style.SOLID, -0xff9c01, 2f)
            simpleMarkerSymbol.outline = blueOutlineSymbol
    
            // create a graphic with the point geometry and symbol
            val pointGraphic = Graphic(point, simpleMarkerSymbol)
    
            // add the point graphic to the graphics overlay
            graphicsOverlay.graphics.add(pointGraphic)
    
    Expand
  3. Click Run > Run > app to run the app.

You should see a point graphic in Point Dume State Beach.

Add a line graphic

A line graphic is created using a polyline and a line symbol. A polyline is defined as a sequence of points.

  1. Create a Polyline and a SimpleLineSymbol. To create the Polyline, first create a PointCollection and add individual Points. Then pass the PointCollection to the Polyline constructor.

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            // add the point graphic to the graphics overlay
            graphicsOverlay.graphics.add(pointGraphic)
    
            // create a point collection with a spatial reference, and add three points to it
            val polylinePoints = PointCollection(SpatialReferences.getWgs84()).apply {
                // Point(latitude, longitude)
                add(Point(-118.8215, 34.0139))
                add(Point(-118.8148, 34.0080))
                add(Point(-118.8088, 34.0016))
            }
    
            // create a polyline geometry from the point collection
            val polyline = Polyline(polylinePoints)
    
            // create a blue line symbol for the polyline
            val polylineSymbol = SimpleLineSymbol(SimpleLineSymbol.Style.SOLID, -0xff9c01, 3f)
    
    
    Expand
  2. Create a Graphic with the polyline and polylineSymbol. Display the Graphic by adding it to the graphicsOverlay's graphics collection. Next, add a blue outline.

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            // create a blue line symbol for the polyline
            val polylineSymbol = SimpleLineSymbol(SimpleLineSymbol.Style.SOLID, -0xff9c01, 3f)
    
            // create a polyline graphic with the polyline geometry and symbol
            val polylineGraphic = Graphic(polyline, polylineSymbol)
    
            // add the polyline graphic to the graphics overlay
            graphicsOverlay.graphics.add(polylineGraphic)
    
    Expand
  3. Click Run > Run > app to run the app.

You should see a point and line graphic along Westward Beach.

Add a polygon graphic

A polygon graphic is created using a polygon and a fill symbol. A polygon is defined as a sequence of points that describe a closed boundary.

  1. Create a Polygon and a SimpleFillSymbol. To create the Polygon, first create a PointCollection and add individual Points. Then pass the PointCollection to the Polygon constructor.

    Next, create a SimpleFillSymbol that has a solid, 20%-transparent orange fill, and the blueOutlineSymbol defined earlier.

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            // add the polyline graphic to the graphics overlay
            graphicsOverlay.graphics.add(polylineGraphic)
    
            // create a point collection with a spatial reference, and add five points to it
            val polygonPoints = PointCollection(SpatialReferences.getWgs84()).apply {
                // Point(latitude, longitude)
                add(Point(-118.8189, 34.0137))
                add(Point(-118.8067, 34.0215))
                add(Point(-118.7914, 34.0163))
                add(Point(-118.7959, 34.0085))
                add(Point(-118.8085, 34.0035))
            }
            // create a polygon geometry from the point collection
            val polygon = Polygon(polygonPoints)
    
            // create an orange fill symbol with 20% transparency and the blue simple line symbol
            val polygonFillSymbol =
                SimpleFillSymbol(SimpleFillSymbol.Style.SOLID, -0x7f00a8cd, blueOutlineSymbol)
    
    
    Expand
  2. Create a Graphic with the polygon and polygonFillSymbol. Display the Graphic by adding it to the graphicsOverlay's graphics collection.

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            // create an orange fill symbol with 20% transparency and the blue simple line symbol
            val polygonFillSymbol =
                SimpleFillSymbol(SimpleFillSymbol.Style.SOLID, -0x7f00a8cd, blueOutlineSymbol)
    
            // create a polygon graphic from the polygon geometry and symbol
            val polygonGraphic = Graphic(polygon, polygonFillSymbol)
            // add the polygon graphic to the graphics overlay
            graphicsOverlay.graphics.add(polygonGraphic)
    
    Expand
  3. Click Run > Run > app to run the app.

You should see a point, line, and polygon graphic around Mahou Riviera in the Santa Monica Mountains.

What's next

Learn how to use additional API features, ArcGIS location services, and ArcGIS tools in these tutorials:

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