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 minimum system requirements.

  3. An IDE for Java.

Steps

Open a Java project with Gradle

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

  2. Open the build.gradle file as a project in IntelliJ IDEA.

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

Add import statements

Add import statements to reference the ArcGIS Runtime API classes.

  1. In the IntelliJ IDEA > Project tool window, open src/main/java/com.example.app and click App.

  2. Add the following imports above the existing imports:

    App.java
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    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.Viewpoint;
    import com.esri.arcgisruntime.mapping.view.Graphic;
    import com.esri.arcgisruntime.mapping.view.GraphicsOverlay;
    import com.esri.arcgisruntime.symbology.SimpleFillSymbol;
    import com.esri.arcgisruntime.symbology.SimpleLineSymbol;
    import com.esri.arcgisruntime.symbology.SimpleMarkerSymbol;
    
    import com.esri.arcgisruntime.ArcGISRuntimeEnvironment;
    import com.esri.arcgisruntime.mapping.ArcGISMap;
    import com.esri.arcgisruntime.mapping.BasemapStyle;
    import com.esri.arcgisruntime.mapping.view.MapView;
    

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 the start() method, create a new GraphicsOverlay and add it to the mapView.

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        // set the map on the map view
        mapView.setMap(map);
        mapView.setViewpoint(new Viewpoint(34.02700, -118.80543, 72223.819286));
    
        // create a graphics overlay and add it to the map view
        GraphicsOverlay graphicsOverlay = new GraphicsOverlay();
        mapView.getGraphicsOverlays().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 getter.

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        // create a graphics overlay and add it to the map view
        GraphicsOverlay graphicsOverlay = new GraphicsOverlay();
        mapView.getGraphicsOverlays().add(graphicsOverlay);
    
        // create a point geometry with a location and spatial reference
        Point point = new Point(-118.80657463861, 34.0005930608889, SpatialReferences.getWgs84());
        // create an opaque orange (0xFFFF5733) point symbol with a blue (0xFF0063FF) outline symbol
        SimpleMarkerSymbol simpleMarkerSymbol =
          new SimpleMarkerSymbol(SimpleMarkerSymbol.Style.CIRCLE, 0xFFFF5733, 10);
        SimpleLineSymbol blueOutlineSymbol =
          new SimpleLineSymbol(SimpleLineSymbol.Style.SOLID, 0xFF0063FF, 2);
    
        simpleMarkerSymbol.setOutline(blueOutlineSymbol);
    
    
    Expand
  2. Create a Graphic with the point and simpleMarkerSymbol. Display the Graphic by adding it to the graphicsOverlay's graphics collection with getGraphics().

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        simpleMarkerSymbol.setOutline(blueOutlineSymbol);
    
        // create a graphic with the point geometry and symbol
        Graphic pointGraphic = new Graphic(point, simpleMarkerSymbol);
    
        // add the point graphic to the graphics overlay
        graphicsOverlay.getGraphics().add(pointGraphic);
    
    Expand
  3. Run the app. Ensure to run the app as a Gradle task and not as an application in your IDE. In the Gradle tool window, under Tasks > application, click run.

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, create a new PointCollection with a SpatialReference and add new Points to it.

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        // add the point graphic to the graphics overlay
        graphicsOverlay.getGraphics().add(pointGraphic);
    
        // create a point collection with a spatial reference, and add three points to it
        PointCollection polylinePoints = new PointCollection(SpatialReferences.getWgs84());
        polylinePoints.add(new Point(-118.821527826096, 34.0139576938577));
        polylinePoints.add(new Point(-118.814893761649, 34.0080602407843));
        polylinePoints.add(new Point(-118.808878330345, 34.0016642996246));
        // create a polyline geometry from the point collection
        Polyline polyline = new Polyline(polylinePoints);
    
        // create a blue line symbol for the polyline
        SimpleLineSymbol polylineSymbol =
          new SimpleLineSymbol(SimpleLineSymbol.Style.SOLID, 0xFF0063FF, 3);
    
    
    Expand
  2. Create a Graphic with the polyline and polylineSymbol. Display the Graphic by adding it to the graphicsOverlay's graphics collection with getGraphics().

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        // create a blue line symbol for the polyline
        SimpleLineSymbol polylineSymbol =
          new SimpleLineSymbol(SimpleLineSymbol.Style.SOLID, 0xFF0063FF, 3);
    
        // create a polyline graphic with the polyline geometry and symbol
        Graphic polylineGraphic = new Graphic(polyline, polylineSymbol);
    
        // add the polyline graphic to the graphics overlay
        graphicsOverlay.getGraphics().add(polylineGraphic);
    
    Expand
  3. Run the app. Ensure to run the app as a Gradle task and not as an application in your IDE. In the Gradle tool window, under Tasks > application, click run.

You should see a point and a 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, create a new PointCollection with a SpatialReference and add new Points to it.

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        // add the polyline graphic to the graphics overlay
        graphicsOverlay.getGraphics().add(polylineGraphic);
    
        // create a point collection with a spatial reference, and add five points to it
        PointCollection polygonPoints = new PointCollection(SpatialReferences.getWgs84());
        polygonPoints.add(new Point(-118.818984489994, 34.0137559967283));
        polygonPoints.add(new Point(-118.806796597377, 34.0215816298725));
        polygonPoints.add(new Point(-118.791432890735, 34.0163883241613));
        polygonPoints.add(new Point(-118.795966865355, 34.0085648646355));
        polygonPoints.add(new Point(-118.808558110679, 34.0035027131376));
        // create a polygon geometry from the point collection
        Polygon polygon = new Polygon(polygonPoints);
    
        // create an orange fill symbol with 20% transparency and the blue simple line symbol
        SimpleFillSymbol polygonFillSymbol =
          new SimpleFillSymbol(SimpleFillSymbol.Style.SOLID, 0x80FF5733, blueOutlineSymbol);
    
    
    Expand
  2. Create a Graphic with the polygon and polygonSymbol. Display the Graphic by adding it to the graphicsOverlay's graphics collection with getGraphics().

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        // create an orange fill symbol with 20% transparency and the blue simple line symbol
        SimpleFillSymbol polygonFillSymbol =
          new SimpleFillSymbol(SimpleFillSymbol.Style.SOLID, 0x80FF5733, blueOutlineSymbol);
    
        // create a polygon graphic from the polygon geometry and symbol
        Graphic polygonGraphic = new Graphic(polygon, polygonFillSymbol);
        // add the polygon graphic to the graphics overlay
        graphicsOverlay.getGraphics().add(polygonGraphic);
    
    Expand
  3. Run the app. Ensure to run the app as a Gradle task and not as an application in your IDE. In the Gradle tool window, under Tasks > application, click run.

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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