nav[aria-label="Primary Navigation"] { padding: 0; & ul { list-style: none; width: 100%; display: flex; flex-direction: row; justify-content: start; align-items: start; gap: 30px; padding: 0; & li { margin: 0; } & ul li { list-style: none; } } }

Textstring attribute is not set when creating new annotations. A bug in 3.5?

StåleHaug

We have developed functionality in ArcGIS Pro that lets us create annotations in ArcGIS Pro using the official Norwegian place names registry. The place names registry are presented as a point layer in Pro, and the user can select a place name point and 'push the button' to create an annotation. The annotation is assigned the correct place name registry attributes, and symbology (font, color, size etc) is automatically set based on the type of place name, including the Textstring attribute. However, the first time (and sometimes even the second time) the functionality is used in after starting Pro, the Textstring attribute is set to 'Text' and not the correct place name. 'Text' is the default value when creating a new annotation, and no value is given for Textstring. All other attributes are set correctly.

This problem started when we from ArcGIS Pro 3.4 to 3.5.

The code for creating annotation from place name registry-data looks like this:

private async Task<bool> LagAnnotationFraSSR(SSR_skrivemaate ssr_skrivemaate, string skriftkodetall)
{
bool result = await ArcGIS.Desktop.Framework.Threading.Tasks.QueuedTask.Run(() =>
{
string skriftkode = "Sk" + skriftkodetall;

var fc = m_navnAnnoLayer.GetFeatureClass() as ArcGIS.Core.Data.Mapping.AnnotationFeatureClass;

var label = HentLabelForSkriftkode(fc, skriftkode);

// Finn tekstsymbol-ID for label/annotation class
var symbolName = label.TextSymbol.SymbolName;
var symbolID = HentSymbolIDForLabel(fc, symbolName);

Inspector inspector = m_navnLayer.GetTemplate(skriftkode).Inspector;
var annoProperties = inspector.GetAnnotationProperties();

inspector["AnnotationClassID"] = label.ID;
inspector["SymbolID"] = symbolID;
//THE PROBLEM IS THE FOLLOWING LINE
annoProperties.TextString = ssr_skrivemaate.Valgt_langnavn;
annoProperties.Shape = LagNavnGeometri(ssr_skrivemaate.SSRpunkt);
annoProperties.HorizontalAlignment = ArcGIS.Core.CIM.HorizontalAlignment.Left;
inspector["SKRIVEMAATENUMMER"] = ssr_skrivemaate.Skrivemaatenummer;
inspector["STEDSNUMMER"] = ssr_skrivemaate.Stedsnummer;
inspector["STEDSNAVNNUMMER"] = ssr_skrivemaate.Stedsnavnnummer;
inspector["SKRIVEMATE_ID"] = ssr_skrivemaate.Skrivemaate_ID;
inspector["SPRAK"] = ssr_skrivemaate.Spraak;
inspector["NAVNESTATUS"] = ssr_skrivemaate.Navnestatus;
inspector["NAVNTYPE"] = ssr_skrivemaate.Navneobjekttype_kodeverdi;
inspector["SNAVN"] = ssr_skrivemaate.Valgt_langnavn;
inspector["SKRIFTKODE"] = skriftkodetall;
inspector["OBJTYPE"] = "Tekst";

inspector.SetAnnotationProperties(annoProperties);

var createOperation = new EditOperation();
createOperation.Name = "Lag navn";
createOperation.SelectNewFeatures = true;

createOperation.Create(m_navnLayer.GetTemplate(skriftkode).Layer, inspector);
m_OpprettetFraSSR = true;
return createOperation.Execute();
});
return result;
}

Find more posts tagged with

Accepted answers

All comments

StåleHaug

I didn't share the OnSketchComplete method, because it is not a tool. First the users selects the feature in the map, and then 'pushes the button' to create the annotation. Often the features used to create the annotation are stacked on top of each other, so it was done without using a tool.

But we have another tool, for creating annotation for contour lines. Draw a line across several contour lines and an annotation will be created where the line intersects the contour lines. The annotation textstring is collected from the elevation attribute of the contour line. The same problem is also here: Quite often the created elevation annotation created is 'Text'.

The code for this tool attached. I can also provide some sample data, if needed.

LagKurveTall.zip

høydetall_text.png

Header image.png

2024-04-23 09_03_21-.png

Wolf

You didn't share your tool's OnSketchComplete method. Is it possible that it contains code to create an annotation feature? If you create a Construction Tool from the ArcGIS Pro SDK item templates you notice that this code is inserted with the template:

			// Create an edit operation
			var createOperation = new EditOperation();
			createOperation.Name = string.Format("Create {0}", CurrentTemplate.Layer.Name);
			createOperation.SelectNewFeatures = true;

			// Queue feature creation
			createOperation.Create(CurrentTemplate, geometry);

			// Execute the operation
			return createOperation.ExecuteAsync();

this snippet will actually create an annotation feature using the current template (which usually has the string 'Text' as the default value):

My guess is that only a 'Create' call on an EditOperation that is using the current template will produce your 'Text' annotation entry.

Also, if you get the text for the annotation feature from a Query Cursor make sure to 'copy' the text string when you retrieve the string from your current feature. I would do the same if you get the geometry via a feature cursor, make sure to .Clone() the geometry.

StåleHaug

Thanks a lot for the help and code sample! I have tested it, and it works perfectly for me. However, if the case was that 'createOperation.Create' was called twice in my code, this can't explain the fact that sometimes my code works perfectly and sets the correct TextString, while other times the resulting TextString is set to 'Text'. Even when I try creating the same annotation from the same feature several times. Sometimes the TextString attribute is set correctly, or it is just set to 'Text'. All other annotation attributes (like FontName and Size) are set correctly, but TextString is set to 'Text'.

I have come to the conclusion that I must change my code and check if TextString attribute of the newly created annotation feature is 'Text'. And if so, I must modify the feature and set the TextString correctly.

But thanks again for all the help. It is greatly appreciated!

Wolf

The 'Text' string you're seeing is coming from the annotation editing template. Somehow, there must be an extra 'createOperation.Create' function call that adds the default template settings to the annotation feature class. I wrote a sample add-in which is an annotation tool that allows you to select a set of point features (cities in my sample) via rectangular selection and then creates annotation features for all selected point features.
I attached the sample code and also the project file i used for testing. Maybe you can compare the sample code to your code and find the difference. I tested my addin in both 3.4 and 3.5.
To use the sample, open the attached SampleAnno.aprx, use the Create Features dockpane to select the 'Retrofit Annotation for points' tool

and rubber band select a few cities to create the matching annotation strings.

AnnotationRetrofit.zip

SampleAnno.zip

Style.png

LayerTemplates.png

StåleHaug

Once again, thanks for all the help and the effort you make. It is greatly appreciated.

When AG Pro is started, and editing is started for the first time, the resulting textstring is always ‘Text’. See ‘name_test1.png’. The textstring should have been ‘Skolo’. From there on it seems to be random whether the textstring is ‘Text’ or correct. See ‘name_test2.png’. If I discard all the edits, and starts creating the same annotations once more, everything is correct. See ‘name_test3.png’.

But if I restart Pro, and start editing again by creating the same annoations, the same happens once more. The first annotation is always ‘Text’, and from there it is random if the textstring is ‘Text’ or correct. See ‘name_test4.png’.

There is a lot going on in my code, from calculating annotation geometry with the correct angle to collecting a lot of information from the place name registry layer. It could be this is the problem, creating an annotation by just doing

annoProps.TextString = "New City Annotation";

works correctly for me too.

I hope this explanation was 'understandable'. Like I said, up until AG Pro 3.4 this worked perfectly.

All data are stored locally on my PC in a file geodatabase.

MM.zip

Tennessee Conference Churches Database 7.22.21.csv

WinRM_Monitor.jpg

AGO-AttachmentIssue.jpg

SumitMishra_016

I tried creating a new annotation feature class — it's working, could you please explain"but not the first time the functionality is used"

await QueuedTask.Run(() =>
{
    // Get default GDB path
    string gdbPath = Project.Current.DefaultGeodatabasePath;
    var gdbConnection = new FileGeodatabaseConnectionPath(new Uri(gdbPath));

    using (Geodatabase geodatabase = new Geodatabase(gdbConnection))
    {
        // Feature dataset name
        string featureDatasetName = "Places";

        // Annotation feature class name
        string annotationFeatureClassName = "CitiesAnnotation";

        // Create a SchemaBuilder object
        SchemaBuilder schemaBuilder = new SchemaBuilder(geodatabase);

        // Open existing annotation feature class name
        using (AnnotationFeatureClass existingAnnotationFeatureClass = geodatabase.OpenDataset<AnnotationFeatureClass>("testanno"))
        {

            // Create Feature dataset description
            FeatureDatasetDescription featureDatasetDescription =
              new FeatureDatasetDescription(featureDatasetName, existingAnnotationFeatureClass.GetDefinition().GetSpatialReference());

            // Add the creation of the Places dataset to DDL task
            FeatureDatasetToken featureDatasetToken = schemaBuilder.Create(featureDatasetDescription);

            // Create an annotation feature class description using existing annotation feature class
            AnnotationFeatureClassDescription annotationFeatureClassDescription = new AnnotationFeatureClassDescription(annotationFeatureClassName, existingAnnotationFeatureClass.GetDefinition())
            {
                IsAutoCreate = true,
                IsSymbolIDRequired = false,
                IsUpdatedOnShapeChange = true
            };

            // Add the creation of the Cities annotation feature class inside Places feature dataset
            schemaBuilder.Create(new FeatureDatasetDescription(featureDatasetToken), annotationFeatureClassDescription);

            // Execute the DDL
            bool success = schemaBuilder.Build();

            // Inspect error messages
            if (!success)
            {
                IReadOnlyList<string> errorMessages = schemaBuilder.ErrorMessages;
                //etc.
            }
            
            var newAnnoFCPath = System.IO.Path.Combine(gdbPath, featureDatasetName, annotationFeatureClassName);
            var annoLayer = LayerFactory.Instance.CreateLayer(new Uri(newAnnoFCPath), MapView.Active.Map) as AnnotationLayer;

            
            var op = new EditOperation { Name = "Insert new annotation" };

            var insp = new Inspector();
            insp.LoadSchema(annoLayer);

            var annoProps = insp.GetAnnotationProperties();
            annoProps.TextString = "New City Annotation";
            annoProps.FontSize = 16;
            insp.SetAnnotationProperties(annoProps);

            // Set shape to center of current map view
            var centerPoint = MapView.Active.Extent.Center;
            insp["SHAPE"] = centerPoint;

            op.Create(annoLayer, insp);
            if (!op.Execute())
                System.Diagnostics.Debug.WriteLine("Annotation creation failed.");
        }
    }
});

StåleHaug

Thanks for your your feedback!

Changing the textstring works, but not the first time the functionality is used. Then the textstring is only set to 'Text'. I have also tried to hardcode a textstring like you do

annoProperties.TextString = "PleaseDontBeText";

but the same still happens. I have no idea why, this has never happened before.

I have tried running isolated code like you do in your sample, and then this is not a problem. But we have also several other tools, that picks out attributevalues from features and turns them into annotations (for example, taking the altitude attribute of a lake feature and creating an annotation out of it). Then the problem is still there, the first time the code is run the textstring is set to 'Text' and not the altitude value.

We have had this code running for years, through various editions of Pro (both 2.x and 3.x), and this started happening with version 3.5.

SumitMishra_016

I tried to change the TextString in ArcGIS Pro 3.5 and it worked if I understood the problem correctly

 // Get the first annotation layer in the map
 AnnotationLayer annoLayer = MapView.Active.Map.GetLayersAsFlattenedList()
     .OfType<AnnotationLayer>().FirstOrDefault();
 if (annoLayer == null)
     return;

 await QueuedTask.Run(() =>
 {
     // Open the table for the annotation layer
     using (Table table = annoLayer.GetTable())
     {
         // Get the first row (or define your own query)
         ArcGIS.Core.Data.QueryFilter qf = new ArcGIS.Core.Data.QueryFilter
         {
             WhereClause = "1=1",
             SubFields = "*"
         };

         using (RowCursor cursor = table.Search(qf, false))
         {
             if (!cursor.MoveNext())
                 return;

             using (Row row = cursor.Current)
             {
                 long oid = row.GetObjectID();

                 // Load feature into Inspector
                 var insp = new Inspector();
                 insp.Load(annoLayer, oid);

                 // Get and update annotation properties
                 var annoProps = insp.GetAnnotationProperties();
                 annoProps.TextString = "Updated annotation text";
                 annoProps.FontSize = 24;
                 annoProps.HorizontalAlignment = ArcGIS.Core.CIM.HorizontalAlignment.Center;
                 annoProps.VerticalAlignment = ArcGIS.Core.CIM.VerticalAlignment.Bottom;
                 insp.SetAnnotationProperties(annoProps);

                 // Apply edit operation
                 var op = new EditOperation
                 {
                     Name = "Update annotation text",
                     SelectNewFeatures = false
                 };
                 op.Modify(insp);

                 if (!op.Execute())
                 {
                     System.Diagnostics.Debug.WriteLine("Failed to update annotation.");
                 }
             }
         }
     }
 });

Join the Conversation

Signed in members can post, follow updates, and more. New here? Register a free account.

Quick Links

Community Help
Find useful guides, FAQs, and documents to help you navigate and make the most of Esri Community.