To begin digitizing lines, select the appropriate layer, such as “road_network”, within the “Create Features > Templates” panel. Click on the “Line, Create a line feature” button to activate the drawing tool. To draw the line, start by marking the initial point, and then continue adding vertices one by one. The line is completed by either double-clicking the last vertex or pressing the “F2” key. Green nodes represent intermediate points, and a red node indicates the last point added to the polyline.
This process is repeated for each segment to fully digitize the road network visible in the image. Ensuring proper connectivity between line elements is essential. Lines should connect precisely and not extend beyond or fall short of adjacent segments. Unconnected or poorly connected sections should be avoided to maintain topological accuracy.
To support accuracy and minimize errors, enable the “Snapping” tools. These tools automatically align the pointer with existing features—such as edges or vertices—within a defined tolerance, improving geometric precision during digitization.
The same digitizing procedure can be applied to other layers, such as “water_network”, to map river channels and related features.
Digitizing lines in ArcGIS Pro
To modify a polyline, such as one in the “road_network” layer, start by selecting the layer and accessing the “Edit” tab. In the “Features” group, choose “Modify”. Within the “Modify Features” panel, under the “Tools” group, click the “Move” tool. Then select the polyline to be modified. The selected line will appear highlighted in light blue with a yellow circle indicating its active selection.
At this stage, the line can be repositioned or deleted. To confirm a move, double-click to complete the repositioning and then save the edit using the “Save” option in the “Manage Edits” group. To deselect the feature, click the “Clear” button in the “Selection” group.
To delete a line, select it using the “Select” tool in the “Selection” group and double-click the desired polyline. Once the feature is highlighted in blue, press the “Delete” key on the keyboard. To delete multiple lines at once, hold the “Shift” key while selecting them.
Selecting a polyline in edit mode
To adjust the shape of a polyline by moving its vertices, activate the “Edit Vertices” tool from the “Edit > Tools” group. After enabling the tool, double-click the polyline to be edited. This action reveals all the vertices that make up the line. Individual vertices can then be repositioned or deleted as needed.
It is essential to save edits by clicking “Save” under the “Manage Edits” group. The “Edit Vertices” tool also displays the XY coordinates of each vertex, allowing for precise manipulation of the polyline geometry.
Modifying the vertices of a polyline
When creating or editing straight lines, avoid inserting an excessive number of vertices, as this complicates further editing. Ideally, a straight segment should only have two vertices: one at the start and one at the end. Curved lines, however, may require additional points to accurately represent the curve.
To remove a vertex, right-click on it and select “Delete Vertex”, or press the “Delete” key. To insert additional points, right-click on the segment where a new vertex is needed and choose “Add Vertex”.
In some cases, dividing a polyline into multiple segments is necessary. To do this, select the polyline and click the “Split” tool found in the “Edit > Tools” group. Then double-click at the location where the line should be split. This operation divides the polyline into separate features.
Structure of vertices in a polyline
As with all edits, it is important to save the changes afterward by using the “Save” option under the “Manage Edits” group.