Graphics Load - Load graphics from an ODB file

With this function graphic elements from an ODB text file (Object Data Base) can be loaded and added to the view respectively layout. Use the function Graphics Save to store graphics in an ODB file. Additionally the ODB files of other common extensions are supported (e.g. AVALabel 2, AVALabel 3 and LabelMan 3).

• Select a file to import graphics: Before the main dialog is opened (see above), the usual ArcView file dialog appears first and you must select the ODB file in which the graphic elements are stored.
• Filename: Path and name of the ODB file is shown. Click on the corresponding button to reopen the file selection dialog, if you have chosen the wrong ODB file (e.g. one without graphic elements).
• Graphics: Select which graphics should be loaded (Point, Line, Polygon or Text). The number of graphics that will be loaded is displayed above. If none are chosen, you can't run the function (the button isn't active).
• Limit to Visible Extent: You can limit the graphics to be loaded to the ones that fall inside the visible extent of the view (the number of matching graphics will be displayed at Graphics). As the bounding box of the graphics is used to do this, graphics touching the extent on the edges may not be visible after loading them. Just zoom out the view a bit to check if some graphics have been loaded by mistake.
• Attach Graphics to Theme: Attaches the loaded graphics to a theme (corresponds with the ArcView command Graphics - Attach Graphics), i.e. they are only visible if the theme is visible. You must activate the checkbox before you can choose a theme. Deactivate the checkbox if you don't want to attach the graphics.
• Reference Scale: The scale at which the graphics were saved must be defined for views because it determines the symbol size (font size, point size or line width). If no scale was found in the ODB file (e.g. if the graphics of a layout have been stored), the value is 0 and the graphics are loaded at the current scale. If you double the value, the symbol size will be doubled as well (the graphics themselves keep their original size). For loading the symbols in the right size the Map Units of the view must be defined properly (see also Graphics Save).
• Click on the button to run the function. When finished, the status bar shows the number of loaded graphics.

Hint: Keep in mind that the graphics of a view can't be loaded in a layout and vice versa, because the coordinate systems are completely different (the graphics would be put somewhere outside the visible extent and will have the wrong size).