populate annotation feature class through code

Question

I'm trying to populate a blank annotation feature class through ArcObjects code, reading in the column values from a remote annotation class.  When I go to view the output annotation file in ArcMap I get an "ArcMap Drawing Errors" window with the message that there is a "Drawing error due to invalid annotation features".

I'm using an IFeatureCursor to edit the target annotation feature class.  However, when I get to the "OVERRIDE" column, I can't push the old value into the new feature class.  I've read that this OVERRIDE column is maintained internally by ArcObjects.  That's fine, but after I've finished editing, I discover that the OVERRIDE column has NULL values and ArcMap will not display the new annotation feature class features.

I'm also reading and writing the ELEMENT BLOB column through ArcObjects, but that seems to be working (BLOBs are going into the ELEMENT column in the target anno feature class).

I think the problem with the output annotation is the NULL value in the OVERRIDE column.  Can anyone help me figure out how to populate that OVERRIDE column through ArcObjects?

Thanks,
Andrew

BobCave · Answer

Thanks for the suggestion.  Actually, it turns out I was using a polygon for the geometry.  When I switched it to a point, the annotations appeared in ArcMap.

To answer your question: my code snippet is C++.

Thanks again.

Bob

AndrewMurdoch · Answer

I had a little trouble following the syntax.  Is the syntax "->put_" for C# or C++?  I don't have any experience with those yet.

I had a similar problem (blank text but bounding box can be selected) initially, when I was using a polygon geometry as input to the IElement object.  I fixed that by using a point geometry instead.  However, I saw in your header that you are using a point geometry for the "gdbGeo" variable.

I think you need to make sure you are setting the point geometry on an IElement object and not just on the ITextElement or ISymbolCollectionElement object.

Good luck!
Andrew

BobCave · Answer

I am also trying to populate annotation features using ArcObjects (ArcGIS 9.3).  In my case, I am using data stored in our custom objects to fill out the annotation.  I have created an annotation layer, and added annotation features to the layer, but when I load the layer into ArcMap, my text does not get displayed.  When I select the features, I see their bounding boxes, and when I look at a feature's properties, I see my text, but I can't figure out how to get ArcMap to show the annotation text.

I haven't been able to find documentation for the steps needed to create an annotation using ArcObjects.  If anyone could provide a pointer to that documentation, that would be very helpful.

Here is the code I am using to create the text element object and annotation:
// pText is my custom text object
// font is the font information from my custom text object
// m_featClass is the annotation feature class
// gdbGeo is the point geometry for the annotation

HRESULT hr = S_OK;
IUnknownPtr ext;
hr = m_featClass->get_Extension(&ext);
IAnnotationClassExtensionPtr annoExt(ext);
ISymbolPtr defaultSymbol;
hr = annoExt->get_Symbol(0, &defaultSymbol);

ITextElementPtr gdbText(CLSID_TextElement); 
ISymbolCollectionElementPtr gdbSymColElem(gdbText);
hr = gdbSymColElem->put_SharedSymbol(0, defaultSymbol);
hr = gdbSymColElem->put_Geometry(gdbGeo);
hr = gdbSymColElem->put_Text(CComBSTR(pText->GetText().c_str()));
hr = gdbSymColElem->put_Bold(font.IsBold() ? VARIANT_TRUE : VARIANT_FALSE);
hr = gdbSymColElem->put_Italic(font.IsItalic() ? VARIANT_TRUE : VARIANT_FALSE);
hr = gdbSymColElem->put_Underline(font.IsUnderlined() ? VARIANT_TRUE : VARIANT_FALSE);
hr = gdbSymColElem->put_FontName(CComBSTR(font.GetFaceName().c_str()));
gdbSymColElem->put_Size(font.GetSize());
IColorPtr gdbColor(CLSID_RgbColor);
gdbColor->put_RGB(font.GetFGColor().ToRGB());
gdbColor->put_Transparency(font.GetFGColor().GetOpacity());
gdbSymColElem->put_Color(gdbColor);
hr = gdbText->put_Text(CComBSTR(pText->GetText().c_str()));

// m_featureBuffer was created for the annotation feature
IAnnotationFeature2Ptr annoFeature2(m_featureBuffer);

if (annoFeature2 != NULL)
{
 HRESULT hr = annoFeature2->put_Annotation(IElementPtr(gdbText));
 if (SUCCEEDED(hr))
 {
  annoFeature2->put_Status(esriAnnoStatusPlaced);
  annoFeature2->put_AnnotationClassID(0);
 }
}

Does anyone have an idea why the text is not being displayed?

Thanks,

Bob