Dynamic Scaling for Annotation Feature Classes

DrewC

I'm using Map Series to create hundreds of maps using an Index layer where each view has a different scale. I have several layers including an Annotation Feature Class with a Page Query applied. It would be nice to have the option to set the reference scale for the Annotation Feature Class to "none" or "dynamic" or something of that nature so that font sizes are consistent between maps.

Labels aren't an option because I would have to adjust conflict settings constantly, or the labels are placed in undesirable spots regardless of any adjustments I make to the conflict settings. A graphics layer also isn't an option because of the Page Query requirement.

Jesse Wickizer

The Tiled Labels To Annotation geoprocessing tool allows you to create annotation layers for each polygon in your index layer. The map series index layer is used as input to the Tiled Labels To Annotation tool.  

To start, the polygon index layer for the map series should include a page scale field indicating the map scale of the page. Then in the Tiled Labels to Annotation tool, set the Reference Scale Field to use this page scale field. 

The result of the Tiled Labels To Annotation tool will be separate annotation feature classes for each labeled layer at each unique scale. Since you have hundreds of pages, you could use a Python script to quickly apply the Page Query to each of these annotation layers in the map. Run this in the Python Window from your ArcGIS Pro project. 

# Suffix used in Tiled Labels To Annotation tool
annoSuffix = "_anno"
# Field name in the annotation containing the unique page ID for each map in the series. This was also referenced in the Tiled Labels To Annotation tool.
pageId = "TileID"
# Map name in the project
mapName = "Map"

aprx = arcpy.mp.ArcGISProject("CURRENT")
map = aprx.listMaps(mapName)[0]
layers = map.listLayers()
for layer in layers:
	# These filters could be refined further depending on how your data is named and organized.
    if layer.isFeatureLayer and annoSuffix in layer.name:
        print(layer.name)
		# See https://pro.arcgis.com/en/pro-app/latest/arcpy/mapping/python-cim-access.htm for details about accessing and editing layer CIM properties.
        layerCim = layer.getDefinition('V3') 
        layerCim.pageDefinition = {"type" : "CIMPageDefinition", "pageFieldName" : pageId, "excludePages" : False}
        layer.setDefinition(layerCim)

This method creates a new annotation feature class for each page in your series that you can further edit if you need. 

Changing the reference scale of annotation, while possible with a GP tool, isn't recommended in this type of workflow because you will likely end up with labels overlapping one-another, and odd spacing of text in other cases. Here is an illustration of how changing the annotation reference scale can affect text placement. In all 3 cases the annotation text draws at the same size, but the spacing and overlap are undesirable.

Original annotation, converted at 1:150,000 scale:

Annotation reference scale and map scale changed to 1:100,000:

Annotation reference scale and map scale changed to 1:200,000: