Gridded Reference Graphic widget

(Added at v2.8)

Gridded Reference Graphic (GRG) allows an analyst to create grids for use in partitioning geographic areas of interest. Grids can be defined from a point or area and based on dimension, reference system, or time and speed. Gridded reference graphics can be used in a variety of operations, including search and rescue, cordon and search, and clearing operations.

Configure the Gridded Reference Graphic widget

This widget can be set to open automatically when an app starts. Hover over the widget and click the Do not open this widget when the app starts button to change the setting to Open this widget automatically when the app starts. (For widgets that you need to add to the app first, you can turn on this option after configuring the widget.)

1. Hover over the widget and click the Configure this widget button to open the configuration window.

   Note:

   If you need to add the widget to the app first, click a widget placeholder on the Widget tab. In the Choose Widget window that opens, select the widget and click OK.

2. To replace the widget icon with your own, click the Change widget icon button.

   A file explorer window appears, allowing you to select a local image file to use as the widget icon.

3. Use the Lock Settings toggle switch to set whether the settings will be locked when the app is deployed.
4. On the Grid tab, set the following:

   • Cell Outline color and transparency
   • Cell Fill color and transparency
   • Cell Shape
   • Cell Units
   • Grid Origin
   • Operational layer for results—Polygon feature layers from the current web map to which users can save results.

     Note:

     The list only includes layers from your organization. If the map uses polygon feature layers from another organization, they do not appear in the list.

5. On the Labels tab, set the following:

   • Label Style
   • Label Type
   • Label Direction
   • Label Origin

6. On the Reference System tab, set the default reference system:
   • Military Grid Reference System (MGRS)
   • U.S. National Grid (USNG)
   • Universal Transverse Mercator (UTM)

Use the Gridded Reference Graphic widget

You can create and change the appearances of grids in multiple ways. Open the settings to see how.

Grid creation settings

Open the grid creation settings dialog box to change the settings.

Note:

These settings are not available if settings were locked during configuration before the app was deployed.

1. Select a method for creating a grid.
2. Click the Settings button.
3. Click the Grid Settings tab.
4. Choose a value for Cell Shape.

   Note:

   Cell shape is not available when creating grids by reference system.

5. Choose the value for Cell Units.

   Note:

   Units are not available when creating grids by reference system.

6. Choose the value for Grid Origin.

   Note:

   Grid origin is only available when creating grids from a point by dimension.

7. For Reference System, choose the system to use.

   Note:

   Reference system is only available when creating grids by reference system.

8. From Cell Outline Settings, choose a color and set the transparency.
9. From Cell Fill Settings, choose a color and set the transparency.
10. Click the Label Settings tab.
11. Choose a label origin option from the Label Origin drop-down list.

    Note:

    Label origin is not honored when label type is reference system.

12. Choose a label type from the Label Type drop-down list.

    Note:

    Reference system label type is not available when creating grids by dimension or time and speed.

13. Select a label direction from the Label Direction drop-down list.

    Note:

    Label direction is not available when creating grids by reference system or when using the hexagon cell shape.

14. Choose a font from the Font drop-down list.
15. Choose the value from the Text Size drop-down list.
16. Choose a color from the Text Color drop-down list.
17. Set the value for Transparency using the slider or text box.
18. Choose the size and color for Halo using the drop-down list and color picker.
19. Turn the Show toggle switch on or off to show halos.

Define a grid from an area

Learn how to create grids by defining the area by dimension or by reference system.

Define a grid from an area by dimension

You can create a grid from a user-defined extent and a specified cell width and height or number of horizontal and vertical cells.

1. Draw an area using either the polygon or extent interactive drawing tool.
2. Turn on the Define number of rows and columns toggle switch and enter values for # Horizontal Cells and # Vertical Cells to define the grid by a specific number of rows and columns, or leave it in the off position and enter values for Cell Width (x) and Cell Height (y).

   Note:

   • Units for cell width and height are set in the grid settings.
   • Only cell width is available when the cell shape is a hexagon.

3. Set a value for Grid Rotation.

   Note:

   Grid rotation units are degrees.

4. Optionally, click the Settings button to change the settings available on the configuration dialog box.
5. Click Create GRG.
6. Delete cells from the grid by right-clicking a cell and clicking Delete.
7. Optionally, click Publish after the GRG has been created to save it as a hosted feature layer.

Define a grid from an area by reference system

You can create a grid from a user-defined extent, based on a reference system.

1. Draw an area using the extent interactive drawing tool.
2. Select a grid size from the Grid Size drop-down list.
3. Turn the Clip Grid to GRG Area toggle switch on to limit the grid to only the extent drawn, or leave it off to include all grid cells the drawn extent intersects.
4. Optionally, edit the text in the Label Format text box.
5. Optionally, click the Settings button to change the settings available on the configuration dialog box.
6. Click Create GRG.
7. Delete cells from the grid by right-clicking a cell and clicking Delete.
8. Optionally, click Publish after the GRG has been created to save it as a hosted feature layer.

Define a grid from a point

Use a point to create grids defined from a point by dimension, reference system, or time and speed.

Define a grid from a point by dimension

You can create a grid from a user-defined point, either manually input or interactively selected, based on a number of horizontal and vertical cells and cell width and height.

1. Set a grid origin either by manually inputting coordinates in the GRG Origin text box or using the interactive GRG origin tool.
2. Optionally, click the Format Input button to adjust how the coordinate is formatted on the Set Coordinate Format String dialog box.
3. Enter values in the # Horizontal Cells and # Vertical Cells text boxes.
4. Enter values in the Cell Width (x) and Cell Height (y) text boxes.

   Note:

   • Units for cell width and height are set in the grid settings.
   • Only cell width is available when the cell shape is a hexagon.

5. Set a rotation value in the Grid Rotation text box.

   Note:

   Grid rotation units are degrees.

6. Optionally, click the Settings button to change the settings available on the configuration dialog box.
7. Click Create GRG.
8. Delete cells from the grid by right-clicking a cell and clicking Delete.
9. Optionally, click Publish after the GRG has been created to save it as a hosted feature layer.

Define a grid from a point by reference system

Create a grid from a user-defined point, either manually input or interactively selected, based on a reference system.

1. Set a grid origin either by manually inputting coordinates in the GRG Origin text box or using the interactive GRG origin tool.
2. Optionally, click the Format Input button to adjust how the coordinate is formatted on the Set Coordinate Format String dialog box.
3. Select a grid size from the Grid Size drop-down list.
4. Enter values in the # Horizontal Cells and # Vertical Cells text boxes.
5. Optionally, edit the text in the Label Format text box.
6. Optionally, click the Settings button to change the settings available on the configuration dialog box.
7. Click Create GRG.
8. Delete cells from the grid by right-clicking a cell and clicking Delete.
9. Optionally, click Publish after the GRG has been created to save it as a hosted feature layer.

Define a grid from a point by time and speed

Create a grid from a user-defined point, either manually input or interactively selected, based on time and speed.

1. Set a grid origin either by manually inputting coordinates in the GRG Origin text box or using the interactive GRG origin tool.
2. Optionally, click the Format Input button to adjust how the coordinate is formatted on the Set Coordinate Format String dialog box.
3. Enter a value in the Time text box and select the units from the drop-down list.
4. Enter a value in the Speed text box and select the units from the drop-down list.
5. Turn the Define number of rows and columns toggle switch on and enter values in the # Horizontal Cells and # Vertical Cells text boxes to define the grid by a specific number of rows and columns, or leave it in the off position and enter values in the Cell Width (x) and Cell Height (y) text boxes to define the grid by cell size.

   Note:

   • Units for cell width and height are set in the grid settings.
   • Only cell width is honored when the cell shape is a hexagon.

6. Set a rotation value in the Grid Rotation text box.

   Note:

   Grid rotation units are degrees.

7. Optionally, click the Settings button to change the settings available on the configuration dialog box.
8. Click Create GRG.
9. Delete cells from the grid by right-clicking a cell and clicking Delete.
10. Optionally, click Publish after the GRG has been created to save it as a hosted feature layer.

Publish a GRG

Publish a grid as a hosted feature layer to a portal or organizational account.

Note:

Publishing a GRG will add the grid to your map as an operational layer until the app is refreshed.

1. Type a name for the hosted feature layer in the Published GRG Layer Name text box.
2. Click Publish.
3. On the Sign In dialog box, enter a username and password.
4. Click OK.