tut Pro: Curved Annotation

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Curved (or Splined) Annotation

See:

Creating Curved Annotation (From Curved Labels)

The simple way to create curved (or "Splined") annotation in ArcGIS Pro is to first create curved Labels and then convert the labels to annotation. To create curved Labels:

From the Contents, right-click on a data layer and choose Labeling Properties
In the Label pane choose the Position tab
- In the Position tab choose the Position sub-section
  - For Placement choose River or Regular placement (or you can experiment with the other options)
  - Below Placement choose Offset Curved or Centered Curved
Convert Labels to Annotation...

Curved annotation text is placed along a curved, invisible line. These annotation lines use Bezier curves (a mathematical method of creating curved lines). Once created, the location and text of the annotation text string can be modified as usual. The shape of the curve can be modified by editing the vertices of the annotation text line.

Recommended: Complete modifications to the text wording, font, style, character spacing, etc. before finalizing the curve of the annotation line (using the Attributes pane: select Attributes from the Edit ribbon).

To Modify Existing Curved Annotation (Typically Annotation Converted from Curved Labels)

Curved annotation consists of a text string that is placed along an invisible line. The annotation line is only visible when it is being edited. Once the shape of the line is changed, the text string will follow the new line.

From the Edit ribbon, use the Select tool to select an annotation text string
Recommended: zoom in to the selected annotation text string
With the annotation text string selected, choose Vertices from the Tools group of the Edit ribbon
- The vertex context toolbar should be added to the bottom of the Map
- The annotation line for the selected text should be shown on the map
  - The annotation text should have green and red vertices
  - The red vertex is the end of the annotation line (the last vertex)
- If the text string is curved annotation there will also be blue vertex handles
  - The blue handles should be connected to their respective vertex with a blue line
  - The vertex handles are used to define the shape of the line between the vertices
    - The angle of the handle line to the annotation line will define the angle of the line leaving the vertex
    - The distance of the handle from the vertex will determine the steepness of the curved line
- The vertex context menu contains 4 tools (in addition to the Finish and Cancel buttons)
  - The General / Select tool - used for selecting / moving vertices or handles
  - The Add Vertex tool
  - The Delete Vertex tool
  - The Continue Feature tool - used to extend the annotation line by adding more vertices
    - When a line is Continued it is extended (continued) from the red (end) vertex
- Recommended: Use the General / Select tool to select a blue handle
  - Drag / drop / move the handle to various locations around the vertex
  - Note how the curve of the line changes as the handle is moved to get a sense of how Bezier curves and handles work...
- To reposition a vertex:
  - Choose the General / Select tool to select a vertex
    - Drag / Drop the vertex to a new location
    - Note that the blue handle(s) move with the vertex, maintaining their relative position to the vertex
- To modify a handle:
  - Choose the General / Select tool to select a blue handle
    - Drag / Drop the handle to a new location
- Repeat the process of locating vertices and/or handles to create the desired shape of curve for the line
Once the line has been reshaped, click on the Finish button to complete the edit
Note that some (converted) annotation strings will be broken up into individual text strings with each individual word being it's own text string with individual curvature lines
- In many cases it is beneficial to combine the different text segments into a single text string
- The line / curve of the combined text string can then be extended / modified as desired - as a single set of curves
- The other, unused text string segments can be deleted
Note that it is easier to modify and work with a simple Bezier curve line
- Recommended: Use the Delete Vertex tool to remove some of the vertices - leaving a simple curved line with only 2 or 3 vertices
  - Reposition the remaining vertices and handles as desired
Note that if the curve (or other properties) of an annotation text string are messed up the Undo button (from the top menu above the ribbon) can be used to restore the previous version of the annotation

To Add a Curve to Existing (Non-Curved) Annotation

Most annotation (by default) does not have a curved annotation line. Vertices can be added or deleted (see above) to create a bent line (and a bent annotation string), but the line will not have an actual curve. Recommended: Complete modifications to the text wording, font, style, character spacing, etc. (using the Attributes pane: select Attributes from the Edit ribbon) before adding or finalizing the curve of the annotation line.

Select an annotation string (using the Select tool from the Edit ribbon)
From the Edit ribbon, click Vertices (this should display the baseline and vertices)
Right-click on the baseline (between the two end vertices) and choose Change Segment / To Bezier Curve

Or you can add a new section of line, with Bezier curve vertices (and handles), to be added to the line. Once added, the vertices and handles of the Bezier curve segment can be modified as desired.

From the Edit ribbon, use the Select tool to select an annotation text string
Recommended: zoom in to the selected text string
With the annotation text string selected, choose Vertices from the Tools group of the Edit ribbon
- The vertex context toolbar should be added to the bottom of the Map
- The annotation line for the selected text should be shown on the map
  - The annotation text should have green and red vertices
  - The red vertex is the end of the annotation line (the last vertex)
- The vertices will not, however have the blue handles
  - Without the handles the line cannot be curved
- From the vertex context menu choose the Continue Features tool
  - From the line segment context menu, click the Arc Segment drop-down menu
    - From the Arc Segment drop down menu, click the Bezier Curve Segment tool
- Add a new vertex:
  - With the Bezier Curve Segment tool click once at the approximate location where a new vertex should be located
- Add a handle for the new vertex:
  - With the Bezier Curve Segment tool, click a second time at the approximate location of the handle
- Neither of these locations (the vertex or the handle) are critical at the moment, as they will need to be re-adjusted shortly
- Repeat this process a second time to add a second vertex and handle:
  - With the Bezier Curve Segment tool click once to create a new vertex and a second time to locate the handle
- Recommended: Only create two new vertices (at the moment) - each with a handle
- Click the Finish button on the context toolbar to compete the line modifications (for the moment)
- With the text string still selected, choose Vertices from the Edit ribbon to re-open the vertex context toolbar
  - Choose the Delete Vertex tool from the vertex context menu
  - Delete the original vertices (typically there will be two of them) from the text string (the vertices that do not have handles)
  - This should leave only the two, new vertices with handles and a Bezier curve between them
  - Click the Finish button on the context toolbar to compete the line modifications (for the moment)
- With the text string still selected, choose Vertices from the Edit ribbon to re-open the vertex context toolbar
  - Choose the General / Select tool from the vertex context menu
    - Be sure you do not have the Delete Vertex tool still activated, as you do not wish to delete either of the remaining vertices
  - Use the General / Select tool to reposition the vertices and / or handles as required to achieve the desired curve for the line / annotation text string (see notes above)
  - Click the Finish button on the context toolbar to compete the line modifications
Note that if the curve (or other properties) of an annotation text string are messed up the Undo button (from the top menu above the ribbon) can be used to restore the previous version of the annotation

Note: changes to the wording, font, size, style, character spacing, etc. can be made before or after edits to the annotation line. Text changes often require readjusting the line, but modification can be done in either order. Typically you would want to do all of the edits to the text first, and then adjust the line for the curve...