How to ensure different colors for surrounding polygons in ArcGIS?

Question

I can symbolize my polygon in ArcGIS by categories. I tried for every field. But unfortunately in few polygon it showing same color those are just beside of same color polygon. I have to categorized 572 polygon. So it will be a hectic task if I have to do this manually. Is there any way to categorized polygons which are not identical in color with the polygons its surrounded?

Answer 1

This is a common problem in Cartography. There is also an important Mathematical theorem on this, called the four color theorem

To use this in ArcMap, there was a sample tool for this, called the Map Coloring - Four Color a Map". If you are still at ArcGIS 9.x, you can use it directly.

If you are at ArcGIS 10, you can still use the tool, by registering with esriRegasm, like this:

"C:\Program Files (x86)\Common Files\ArcGIS\bin\esriregasm.exe" <TargetPath> /p Desktop /v 10.0

Fore more details, read this Forum post: "Four Color a Map" for ArcGIS 10

The following two questions are related:

• Coloring thousands of polygons so each is distinct from its neighbors?
• How to apply the four colors theorem in a polygon map in ArcGIS/ArcToolBox automatcally?