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. Your system meets the system requirements.

Steps

Open the Xcode project

  1. To start the tutorial, complete the Display a map tutorial or download and unzip the solution.

  2. Open the .xcodeproj file in Xcode.

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

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 Xcode, in the Project navigator, click ViewController.swift.

  2. Create a new method named addGraphics. Create an AGSGraphicsOverlay to display point, line, and polygon graphics, and add it to the mapView's collection of graphics overlays. Call the addGraphics() method from the ViewController's viewDidLoad() method.

    ViewController.swift
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    import UIKit
    
    import ArcGIS
    
    class ViewController: UIViewController {
    
        @IBOutlet weak var mapView: AGSMapView!
    
        private func setupMap() {
            let map = AGSMap(
                basemapStyle: .arcGISTopographic
            )
            mapView.map = map
            mapView.setViewpoint(
                AGSViewpoint(
                    latitude: 34.02700,
                    longitude: -118.80500,
                    scale: 72_000
                )
            )
        }
    
        private func addGraphics() {
    
            let graphicsOverlay = AGSGraphicsOverlay()
            mapView.graphicsOverlays.add(graphicsOverlay)
    
    
    
    
        }
    
        override func viewDidLoad() {
            super.viewDidLoad()
    
            setupMap()
    
            addGraphics()
    
        }
    
    }

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 an AGSPoint and an AGSSimpleMarkerSymbol. To create the AGSPoint, provide longitude (x) and latitude (y) coordinates, and an AGSSpatialReference. Use the AGSSpatialReference.wgs84() convenience method.

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        private func addGraphics() {
    
            let graphicsOverlay = AGSGraphicsOverlay()
            mapView.graphicsOverlays.add(graphicsOverlay)
    
    
            let point = AGSPoint(x: -118.80657463861, y: 34.0005930608889, spatialReference: .wgs84())
            let pointSymbol = AGSSimpleMarkerSymbol(style: .circle, color: .orange, size: 10.0)
    
            pointSymbol.outline = AGSSimpleLineSymbol(style: .solid, color: .blue, width: 2.0)
    
    
    
        }
    
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  2. Create an AGSGraphic with the point and pointSymbol. Display the AGSGraphic by adding it to the graphicsOverlay's graphics collection.

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            pointSymbol.outline = AGSSimpleLineSymbol(style: .solid, color: .blue, width: 2.0)
    
            let pointGraphic = AGSGraphic(geometry: point, symbol: pointSymbol)
    
            graphicsOverlay.graphics.add(pointGraphic)
    
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  3. Press Command + R 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 an AGSPolyline and an AGSSimpleLineSymbol. To create the AGSPolyline, provide an array of AGSPoints.

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            graphicsOverlay.graphics.add(pointGraphic)
    
    
            let polyline = AGSPolyline(
                points: [
                    AGSPoint(x: -118.821527826096, y: 34.0139576938577, spatialReference: .wgs84()),
                    AGSPoint(x: -118.814893761649, y: 34.0080602407843, spatialReference: .wgs84()),
                    AGSPoint(x: -118.808878330345, y: 34.0016642996246, spatialReference: .wgs84())
                ]
            )
    
            let polylineSymbol = AGSSimpleLineSymbol(style: .solid, color: .blue, width: 3.0)
    
    
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  2. Create an AGSGraphic with the polyline and polylineSymbol. Display the AGSGraphic by adding it to the graphicsOverlay's graphics collection.

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            let polylineSymbol = AGSSimpleLineSymbol(style: .solid, color: .blue, width: 3.0)
    
            let polylineGraphic = AGSGraphic(geometry: polyline, symbol: polylineSymbol)
    
            graphicsOverlay.graphics.add(polylineGraphic)
    
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  3. Press Command + R 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 an AGSPolygon and an AGSSimpleFillSymbol. To create the AGSPolygon, provide an array of AGSPoints.

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            graphicsOverlay.graphics.add(polylineGraphic)
    
    
            let polygon = AGSPolygon(
                points: [
                    AGSPoint(x: -118.818984489994, y: 34.0137559967283, spatialReference: .wgs84()),
                    AGSPoint(x: -118.806796597377, y: 34.0215816298725, spatialReference: .wgs84()),
                    AGSPoint(x: -118.791432890735, y: 34.0163883241613, spatialReference: .wgs84()),
                    AGSPoint(x: -118.79596686535, y: 34.008564864635, spatialReference: .wgs84()),
                    AGSPoint(x: -118.808558110679, y: 34.0035027131376, spatialReference: .wgs84())
                ]
            )
    
            let polygonSymbol = AGSSimpleFillSymbol(style: .solid, color: .orange, outline: AGSSimpleLineSymbol(style: .solid, color: .blue, width: 2.0))
    
    
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  2. Create an AGSGraphic with the polygon and polygonSymbol. Display the AGSGraphic by adding it to the graphicsOverlay's graphics collection.

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            let polygonSymbol = AGSSimpleFillSymbol(style: .solid, color: .orange, outline: AGSSimpleLineSymbol(style: .solid, color: .blue, width: 2.0))
    
            let polygonGraphic = AGSGraphic(geometry: polygon, symbol: polygonSymbol)
    
            graphicsOverlay.graphics.add(polygonGraphic)
    
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  3. Press Command + R 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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