Example: To Use Description Key Parameters to Format a Full Description and Scale a Point Symbol

Note: The following paragraphs are intended to help you understand this example. They do not provide a complete overview of description keys. For an overview of description keys, see About Description Keys. Before beginning this example, you should complete the example that shows you how to create a basic description key. For more information, see Example: To Create a Basic Description Key.

When you create a point, the description you enter at the command line is the raw description for the point. The raw description can consist of one element, such as TREE, or it can consist of more than one element, such as TREE OAK 7. The leading element in a raw description is compared against description key codes during description key matching. The remaining elements in the raw description are called parameters. You can use parameters to create a full description for a point or to rotate or scale a point.

In this example, you create a description key that translates a raw description with the format TREE <tree type> <tree size> into a full description that reads: <tree size> inch <tree type> tree, and you will scale the point symbol using the <tree size> value. For example, the raw description TREE OAK 7 will be translated to a full description 7 inch OAK tree. The point symbol will be scaled using a value of 7.

In the raw description TREE OAK 7, OAK is the first parameter and 7 is the second parameter.

Example: Using parameters to format a full description and scale a point symbol

1. Before you begin, create a point style named Tree_Symbol which will display the tree points created in this example. For more information, see To Create a Point Style.
2. In Toolspace, on the Settings tab, right-click the Description Key Sets collection. Click New.
3. For Name, enter Param_Example. Click OK.

   A description key set named Param_Example is created.

4. Right-click Param_Example. Click Edit Keys.

   The DescKey Editor is displayed. If you cannot see the DescKey Editor, click at the top of the Settings tab to display the Panorama window.

   If you cannot see the column headings mentioned in the following steps, you may need to use the column headings context menu to display them, or you may need to expand the column headings. You display and hide the columns in the DescKey Editor as you would in a list view. For more information, see To Customize a List View.

5. In the DescKey Editor, click in the first cell under the Code column heading, and enter TREE for the code.

   The code will match any point raw description whose leading element is TREE.

6. Under the Point Style column heading, select the check box and click in the cell. In the Point Style dialog box, select Tree_Symbol. Click OK.
7. Under the Point Label Style column heading, select the check box. Verify that the Standard point label style is specified.
8. Click in the cell under the Format column heading, and enter $2 inch $1 Tree.

   $2 refers to the second parameter in the raw description. $1 refers to the first parameter in the raw description. This format will translate the raw description “TREE OAK 7” into the full description “7 inch OAK tree.”

   For more information, see Description Key Format.

9. Under the Layer column heading, select the check box. Click in the cell and create a layer named PTS_TREE. A point created using this description key will be placed on the PTS_TREE layer.
10. Under Apply To X-Y, select the check box.
11. Under Apply To Z, select the check box.
12. Under Scale Parameter, select the check box.
13. Under Scale Parameter, select the check box. Select Parameter 2.

    Parameter 2 refers to the second parameter in the raw description, which is 7 in this example. This specifies that the second parameter in a description contains the value by which the point symbol is scaled.

14. Clear the check boxes under all other column headings.
15. Close the DescKey Editor.
16. If you have multiple description key sets defined, move the Param_Example description key set to the top of the search order. For more information, see To Change the Description Key Sets Search Order.
17. Click Home tabCreate Ground Data panelPoints menuPoint Creation Tools.
18. In the Create Points dialog box, click to expand the dialog box.
19. Expand the Points Creation collection and specify the following settings:
    • For the Prompt For Descriptions, select Manual. For more information, see To Edit the Default Point Creation Settings
    • For the Match on Description Parameters ($1, $2, etc.), select True. For more information, see To Control Whether Raw Description Values Are Interpreted as Parameters During Point Creation.
    • For the Disable Description Keys, set the value to False.
20. From the Miscellaneous command list, select Manual.
21. Pick the location for a new point.
22. Follow the prompts. When you are prompted for the description, enter TREE OAK 7.

    A point is drawn and labeled with the full description 7 inch OAK tree, and the tree symbol is scaled.

23. Create another point, and specify TREE OAK 5 for the raw description to see the impact on the full description and the scaled symbol.