topic Font Size from Column in Feet in Map Advice Community Questions

Font Size from Column in Feet

GordonLuckett1 — Thu, 14 Jun 2018 17:50:41 GMT

Hi All,

I am using the following Expression to drive my Font Size based on the column (in ArcMap):

"<FNT size = '" & [TEXT_SIZE] & "' > " & [TEXTSTRING] & " </FNT>"

Works great but the font is in Ponts. I would like to have the FONT to be in FEET. They are fixed Feet on the ground.

For example, I have a label that should be exactly 10 feet high on the ground.

What can I do to my expression to use feet?

thanks

gordon

Re: Font Size from Column in Feet

CraigWilliams — Thu, 14 Jun 2018 21:26:57 GMT

Text is drawn in screen units defined in points in ArcGIS. An 8 pt font is 8 pts at any scale unless a reference scale is set (of the text is part of annotation that has a reference scale). You can mimic real-world sizes with a reference scale and a simple formula:

outputPoints = (mapUnitsInches * 72) / scale

In your case, if you want a piece of text to be a foot high at say a scale like 1:1000. Convert feet to inches, so 12 in this case. A point is 1/72 of a inch, you multiple by that. Then divide it by the scale denominator.

outputPoints = (12 * 72) / 1000

outputPoints = .864pts

Note that the size of the text block will be 1 foot on the ground. Letters themselves are often smaller than their block height and you may need to compensate for this if you're expecting a capital letter to be 1 foot.

Re: Font Size from Column in Feet

deleted-user-cKnlbhmCGZAZ — Thu, 14 Jun 2018 22:31:22 GMT

Thanks, this is kind of what I figured. I was hoping for "Use mapping units for text height" button.