Unable to Edit the Annotation Using Default Tool When Annotation Is Created Using ArcGIS Pro SDK Custom Tool

SashiRekha — Thu, 09 Oct 2025 09:35:47 GMT

Annotations created using a custom SDK tool ("CustomToolText") in ArcGIS Pro cannot be edited using the out-of-the-box ArcGIS Pro Feature editing tools. In contrast, annotations created using the default ArcGIS Pro tool ("DefaultToolText") are editable as expected. The screenshot below illustrates the difference in behavior between the two types of annotations.

SampleFeature2

Features ‘CustomToolText1’, ‘CustomToolText2’, ‘CustomToolText3’ are created by custom tools. Used Esri Move tool does not work. Shows the message below.

Feature ‘DefaultToolText1’ created using Create feature from ArcGIS Pro option. Used Esri Move tool works fine. Shows the message below.

We compared the attribute values of both types of annotation features and found no differences. Despite this, the SDK-created annotations remain non-editable.
Has anyone encountered a similar issue or know what might be causing this behavior? Are there specific properties, schema elements, or feature class configurations that need to be set when creating annotation features via the SDK to ensure compatibility with ArcGIS Pro’s editing tools?
Any insights or suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

Code snippet of Custom Tool for creating Annotation:
private void CreateAnnotation(Geometry geometry)
{
QueuedTask.Run(() =>
{
try
{
if (Module1.isModify)
{
if (inspector == null)
{
inspector = new Inspector();
inspector.Load(ModifyAnnotation.pLayer, Module1.objectId);
}
annoProperties.LoadFromTextGraphic(ptextGraphic);
}
else
{
annoProperties.LoadFromTextGraphic(ptextGraphic);
if (inspector == null)
{
var currenttemplate = ArcGIS.Desktop.Editing.Templates.EditingTemplate.Current;
if (currenttemplate == null || geometry == null)
{
if (currenttemplate == null)
MessageBox.Show("select the annotation feature to create point rotate. current template is null.", "create point rotate");
else
MessageBox.Show("invalid geometry.", "create point rotate");
ActiveMapView.ClearSketchAsync();
return;
}

inspector = currenttemplate.Inspector;
}
}
annoProperties.Angle = 0;
annoProperties.Shape = geometry;
annoProperties.SymbolID = _symbolID;

inspector.SetAnnotationProperties(annoProperties);
}
catch (Exception ex)
{
ActiveMapView.ClearSketchAsync();
ptextGraphic = null;
inspector = null;
return;
}
});
}

Re: Unable to Edit the Annotation Using Default Tool When Annotation Is Created Using ArcGIS Pro SDK Custom Tool

NarelleChedzey — Mon, 13 Oct 2025 00:18:31 GMT

Hello,

I would double check the geometry that you are using within the line "annoProperties.Shape = geometry;"

I took a look at the geodatabase you posted with your sample annotations and noticed the following - the length of the polyline in the annotationProperties.Shape for the "DefaultToolText1" is 73.40126, whereas the length of the polylines for the annotation features created with your custom construction tool are 0 (CustomToolText1), 0.001 (CustomToolText2), 0.0009 (customToolText3) respectively.

The annotationProperties.Shape is the geometry of the CIMTextGraphic which represents the baseline geometry that the annotation text sits on.

The small length values indicate that the CIMTextGraphic shape for your features is not correct or a long enough polyline.

Narelle

topic Re: Unable to Edit the Annotation Using Default Tool When Annotation Is Created Using ArcGIS Pro SDK Custom Tool in ArcGIS Pro SDK Questions

Unable to Edit the Annotation Using Default Tool When Annotation Is Created Using ArcGIS Pro SDK Custom Tool

Re: Unable to Edit the Annotation Using Default Tool When Annotation Is Created Using ArcGIS Pro SDK Custom Tool