Scenario Sketch styles, called “styles” for short, are collections of predetermined attribute values that can be applied all at once to one or more features within a layer. Styles may also have an associated prototype feature shape, which can be copied multiple times using the Scenario Sketch Clone tool. A given style applies to exactly one layer. There can be many styles within a layer.
Typically, styles are used as an easy way to create alternative scenarios by changing the characteristics of a set of features. For example, alternative land-use plans may make use of several different land-use styles that specify not only a land-use code (such as “R1”), but also several other characteristics of that land-use, such as employment ratio, water use per household, and so on. Assigning a style to a particular land-use polygon automatically gives it all those characteristics or attributes. Styles can be used for many other applications besides land-use. Tree types, treatment plans, road types, and habitat types are just a few examples.
The attribute values of a style are stored in a table that you can view and edit. Style attribute values cannot be formula-driven or dynamic, however.
Styles do not necessarily specify all attributes of a feature: they can be used to set values for any subset of attributes. Styles cannot be applied to attributes which cannot be edited, such as index fields (like OBJECTID) or intrinsic value fields (such as Shape_Area).
Style attribute values can be of any text or number type. For information about using styles with dynamic attributes, refer to About styles for dynamic attributes.
There are many ways to create and manage Scenario Sketch styles. Refer to Working with the Style Manager and Creating styles in the Palette for details.