topic Re: Dynamic text inside symbols in ArcGIS Enterprise Portal Questions

Dynamic text inside symbols

NicolePillipow — Wed, 20 Nov 2013 23:35:52 GMT

Hey guys, I'm relatively new to gis and esri software. If you could help me out I'd appreciate it.

Ive been trying to figure out the best way to create symbols that have text inside them that change based upon an attribute. For example ??? ??? ??? ???. Is there a built in symbology setting or group of symbols available where I could achieve this effect? If so is there a limit to how many digits they can house?

Thanks for reading.

Re: Dynamic text inside symbols

T__WayneWhitley — Thu, 21 Nov 2013 00:22:02 GMT

Sure no problem - I think what you want is this:

Creating text symbols
Desktop » Mapping » Symbols and styles
http://resources.arcgis.com/en/help/main/10.2/index.html#/Creating_text_symbols/00s60000000z000000/

...more to the point, scroll down to "Text inside highway shields or other markers".

Should get you on the right path...

Enjoy,
Wayne

Re: Dynamic text inside symbols

NicolePillipow — Thu, 21 Nov 2013 01:29:21 GMT

Thanks so much.
It turns out that I was looking in the wrong place. It was label properties that allows you to do what I asked not symbols.
Your link helped me figure that out.

Re: Dynamic text inside symbols

BrianDavis — Wed, 27 Nov 2013 13:54:15 GMT

Thanks, but all the on-line ESRI help refers to ArcMap 10.2. I only have access to 10.0, and my Editor interface looks completely different than the help examples.

I have layers which do not have temporal attributes, but I have one for each year. I can easily animate them as a group. However, I am unable to figure out how to accomplish the simple task of animating a text object displaying the year.

I used to do this all the time in ArcScene 9.X, but ArcMap 10.X seems to want to only deal with animating time attributes of layers. My layers have no such attributes.

Any assistance would be appreciated.

Sure no problem - I think what you want is this:

Creating text symbols
Desktop » Mapping » Symbols and styles
http://resources.arcgis.com/en/help/main/10.2/index.html#/Creating_text_symbols/00s60000000z000000/

...more to the point, scroll down to "Text inside highway shields or other markers".

Should get you on the right path...

Enjoy,
Wayne

Re: Dynamic text inside symbols

TrishRice — Wed, 27 Nov 2013 15:17:26 GMT

Thanks, but all the on-line ESRI help refers to ArcMap 10.2. I only have access to 10.0, and my Editor interface looks completely different than the help examples.

I have layers which do not have temporal attributes, but I have one for each year. I can easily animate them as a group. However, I am unable to figure out how to accomplish the simple task of animating a text object displaying the year.

I used to do this all the time in ArcScene 9.X, but ArcMap 10.X seems to want to only deal with animating time attributes of layers. My layers have no such attributes.

Any assistance would be appreciated.

For one, that link isn't for dynamic labels but for text elements added through the Insert menu or the Draw toolbar. It's not the label properties and that's why it looks different. (The instructions for 10.0 look the same.) You might like to bookmark a link to the 10.0 Help library. 🙂

To make labels that are inside a marker symbol you go into the layer properties to the labels tab. If any of the predefined shields or callout boxes will work for you then just click on Label Styles and choose one. If you need to create your own then instead click on Symbol, then Edit Symbol, go to the Advanced Text tab, click on Text Background and properties, and choose the marker symbol you want.

Re: Dynamic text inside symbols

BrianDavis — Tue, 03 Dec 2013 18:29:19 GMT

For one, that link isn't for dynamic labels but for text elements added through the Insert menu or the Draw toolbar. It's not the label properties and that's why it looks different. (The instructions for 10.0 look the same.) You might like to bookmark a link to the 10.0 Help library. 🙂

To make labels that are inside a marker symbol you go into the layer properties to the labels tab. If any of the predefined shields or callout boxes will work for you then just click on Label Styles and choose one. If you need to create your own then instead click on Symbol, then Edit Symbol, go to the Advanced Text tab, click on Text Background and properties, and choose the marker symbol you want.

Thanks for the response, pmcatnip. However, upon following your instructions, When I "go into the layer properties", there is no "labels tab". Only "General", "Source", "Extent", "Display", and "Symbology" tabs. When I attempt your alternate suggestion I have no button or menu "Symbol" to click on.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]29540[/ATTACH]

Re: Dynamic text inside symbols

TrishRice — Tue, 03 Dec 2013 21:26:53 GMT

Thanks for the response, pmcatnip. However, upon following your instructions, When I "go into the layer properties", there is no "labels tab". Only "General", "Source", "Extent", "Display", and "Symbology" tabs. When I attempt your alternate suggestion I have no button or menu "Symbol" to click on.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]29540[/ATTACH]

Sorry I didn't realize you were working with a raster layer. :confused: Maybe some scripting could populate a text box with the layer name (year) from the TOC as the animation cycles through the layers?