topic Re: Editing Annotation Attributes: Selection and Apply oddness in ArcGIS Pro Questions

Editing Annotation Attributes: Selection and Apply oddness

Craig_Eissler_Iceman — Wed, 08 Mar 2023 18:32:49 GMT

Hello, and see below.

I am attempting to edit these 5 annotation texts.

When I drag a box to select them on the map, they do NOT all get selected in the Edit > Annotation > Attributes pane. ...In this example , only the city of Arecibo would get edited. ...So, why would I also have to select the others in the pane?

A separate question, but related: Where did the 'Apply' button go in 3.0?
What is the proper sequence now for having these changes "applied"?

Re: Editing Annotation Attributes: Selection and Apply oddness

Robert_LeClair — Thu, 09 Mar 2023 19:36:44 GMT

To do a group attribute edit in the Attributes Pane, you need to select the GroupAnno: PR_CitiesAnno(5) text. Then you can do a group edit on the data. This has been the same workflow in ArcMap for years.

To get the Apply/Cancel buttons back in the Attributes Pane, go to the bottom left of the pane and uncheck the "Auto Apply" checkbox. Then you will see the Apply/Cancel buttons again.

Re: Editing Annotation Attributes: Selection and Apply oddness

Jennifer_Cadkin — Thu, 09 Mar 2023 20:14:53 GMT

Thanks for the questions. For your first question, I want to confirm that you would like the layer name PR_CitiesAnno highlighted rather than the first selected feature. If so, we are aware of this enhancement request and appreciate the input.

For your second question, The Apply command is shown when the Auto Apply checkbox is unchecked. This checkbox is at the bottom left of the Attribute pane. If it is unchecked and the Apply command still doesn't show, please provide a screenshot of the entire pane. It is possible the data is not editable. To check editability, review the List by Editing tab in the Contents pane.

Re: Editing Annotation Attributes: Selection and Apply oddness

Craig_Eissler_Iceman — Thu, 09 Mar 2023 20:15:14 GMT

OK thanks, but I guess I'm still wondering "why" I have to select the Annotation twice; first on the map, then again in the Modify > Attributes pane? I'm seeking the reason, because that usually informs me of some other functionality that I may not be aware of that's directly related to this.

-CCE

Re: Editing Annotation Attributes: Selection and Apply oddness

Jennifer_Cadkin — Thu, 09 Mar 2023 20:22:57 GMT

You shouldn't need to select features twice. Can you expand on the workflow to help me understand what is happening? Also, how you want to complete this workflow. By selecting again in the Attribute pane, you mean highlighting the feature identifiers in the treenode so you can perform a bulk update, correct?

Re: Editing Annotation Attributes: Selection and Apply oddness

Craig_Eissler_Iceman — Thu, 09 Mar 2023 22:20:47 GMT

Thank Jennifer; it sounds like maybe we should turn this around since, apparently, I'm not going about it most efficiently. ...So, if you don't mind, please let me know the proper sequence to edit Annotation Attributes, especially if you have a few, if that's any different. ...For instance in my example, there were 5.

Thanks, CCE

Re: Editing Annotation Attributes: Selection and Apply oddness

Jennifer_Cadkin — Thu, 09 Mar 2023 22:23:41 GMT

I don't understand what you are trying to accomplish- are you needing to make the same attribute edit to multiple annotation features?

Re: Editing Annotation Attributes: Selection and Apply oddness

Craig_Eissler_Iceman — Thu, 09 Mar 2023 22:41:22 GMT

Yes!

Re: Editing Annotation Attributes: Selection and Apply oddness

Jennifer_Cadkin — Fri, 10 Mar 2023 00:13:46 GMT

Yes, bulk attribute editing is a two step process...select the features in the map (or table) and then highlight the features in the treenode (by highlighting the layer or ctrl+click to highlight particular features). As to why it does not highlight the layer node for speeding up bulk editing, as @Robert_LeClair noted, this goes back to ArcMap. My assumption is that since the Attribute pane is used for a variety of workflows (bulk updates, single feature editing, single feature review), a decision was made to do something which ended up as highlighting the first feature in the first layer. We have considered changing this to highlighting a layer rather than a feature--if there are multiple layers with multiple features, it would highlight the first layer in the treenode.

Thank you for the question and feedback.

Re: Editing Annotation Attributes: Selection and Apply oddness

Craig_Eissler_Iceman — Fri, 10 Mar 2023 00:41:02 GMT

I don't know what you mean by "treenode" or "layernode"; those aren't terms I use.

But, if you're both saying that, yes, you have to click the Annotation Features on the Map, then ALSO highlight them in the Attributes pane, but not exactly sure why, that's fine. I just want to make sure I'm going about it the right way. It just "seemed" to me that it would automatically highlight whatever it is that I have selected.

Re: Editing Annotation Attributes: Selection and Apply oddness

Jennifer_Cadkin — Fri, 10 Mar 2023 01:00:54 GMT

The treenode (treeview may be better term) is where the selected features are listed, nested under their layer's name in the top half of the pane. The layer name with the expander arrow to its left is what I meant by layer node. In your screenshot, it is 'Group Anno: PR_CitiesAnno'.

One tip- it will remember your choice between selections if you do not clear the selection.

-Make the selection in the map

-In Attribute pane, highlight the layer name in the treeview for bulk editing

-Make the attribute edit

*do not clear selection*

-Update the selection in the map- layer name will remain highlighted for bulk editing

Re: Editing Annotation Attributes: Selection and Apply oddness

Craig_Eissler_Iceman — Fri, 10 Mar 2023 04:26:16 GMT

OK thanks for that clarification. However, can you expand a bit on the last two steps?

Why should I NOT clear the Selections?
And, I don't know at all what you mean by the last step, sorry?

*do not clear selection*

-Update the selection in the map- layer name will remain highlighted for bulk editing

Re: Editing Annotation Attributes: Selection and Apply oddness

JenniferCadkin — Fri, 10 Mar 2023 15:39:20 GMT

I have elaborated on the steps here:

1. With the Select tool active, interactively select the annotation features in the map (alternatively, highlight rows in table)

2. In the Attribute pane, highlight the annotation layer name in the treeview for bulk editing

3. Update the attributes and apply the edit

4. Do not clear the selected annotation features by clicking Clear Selection on the tab or some other way

5. With the Select tool active, update annotation selection by interactively selecting features in the map (or highlight rows in table). This will update the selection list of features in the Attribute pane treeview and will keep the annotation layer name highlighted from step 2 for quick bulk editing.

If you clear the annotation selection, the Attribute pane treeview will default back to highlighting the first feature identifier in the list of selected annotation features.

Hopefully this helps clarify. If not, I will work on a video.

Re: Editing Annotation Attributes: Selection and Apply oddness

Craig_Eissler_Iceman — Fri, 10 Mar 2023 16:31:59 GMT

Thanks, Jennifer -- yes, this does clarify! .

..And now I can see that it is, indeed, the way the Attributes pane "highlights or not" is what was confusing me all along. In my opinion, it's not very intuitive ...and specifically because it only highlights that first-top feature. That said, it sounds like others have already suggested this as an enhancement, and so I agree!

Thanks again for your time,

Craig E.

Re: Editing Annotation Attributes: Selection and Apply oddness

JenniferCadkin — Fri, 10 Mar 2023 16:34:50 GMT

Thank you for your patience as we worked through different terminology and assumptions.

-Jennifer

Re: Editing Annotation Attributes: Selection and Apply oddness

Craig_Eissler_Iceman — Fri, 10 Mar 2023 17:02:30 GMT

✔️👍