Vector Tiles Many Duplicate Labels at High Zoom

JCGuarneri · ‎08-30-2023

I have a long-standing issue with my vector tiles that I've been trying to resolve. The issue is that I design my label classes in Pro and get results that I like. However, in the published vector tiles, there are invariably high densities of repeating labels at high zoom levels (see examples below). I've gone through the suggestions in https://pro.arcgis.com/en/pro-app/latest/help/mapping/map-authoring/labeling-in-vector-tiles.htm and made adjustments accordingly, but I still see this issue. I suspect there's something simple I'm missing. Does anyone have a good suggestion?

I'm working in Enterprise 10.9.1, publishing from Pro 3.1.3, but this has been an issue for years.

Desired:

Actual:

ChrisWesson · ‎04-08-2025

@JCGuarneri I presume they meant converting feature labels or annotations to labelled point features.

Anyway, tricks listed above 🙂

ChrisWesson · ‎04-11-2025

@ChelseaRozek @JCGuarneri Sorry none of this helped. We are fully aware that the labelling options in vector tiles are currently limited when compared to Maplex.
It is possible that what you are seeing is related to a bug we are currently investigating. It is also possible that small undissolved road segments and divided highways could be the cuplrit if you want to check for those.

Unfortunately I don't think there's anything else we can try.

JordanCarmona

Is this still unresolved? I see that it is in the product plan, are we talking 3.7? or is that a more aspirational in the product plan?

This is the same as the bug(s) from 2018?

https://support.esri.com/en-us/bug/vector-tiles-are-repeating-labels-in-linear-features-in-bug-00011...

https://support.esri.com/en-us/bug/duplicate-labels-appear-in-the-vector-tile-package-outp-bug-00011...

BUG-000130533 (unable to find URL)

Also referenced here:

https://community.esri.com/t5/arcgis-pro-questions/duplicate-labels-show-when-exporting-to-agol/td-p...

https://community.esri.com/t5/arcgis-online-ideas/fix-labeling-limitations-for-vector-tiles/idi-p/95...

ChrisWesson

@JordanCarmona @JCGuarneri @ChelseaRozek

I'd love to help finally get to the bottom of this. For us to better assist with unexpected repeating labels, can you please provide any sample data as a support case? It is hard to see what is going on without examing the tiles and changes between levels of detail.

I looked into the 2018 issue for clarification. The customer bug is that remove duplicates does not work, this is expected behavior. The reason we have an issue open is because while remove duplicates should not work, it does seem to be working with horizontal placements in current releases.

Fix labelling limitations is a far, far broader topic for discussion. At present vector tile specification simply does not allow us to control labelling in a similar way to Maplex.

ChelseaRozek

Hi @ChrisWesson, you can view it just south of this parcel in our public app. I can open a support case to send a vtpk over, but is there a way we can escalate it to your team from the get-go? Which product should we call it as it's across Pro/Enterprise/AGO?

ChrisWesson

If you can open a support case with VTPK that would make it much easier, thanks.
Report it for the attention of the ArcGIS Pro, Multiscale Mapping team. That should help it get to us.

Thank you!

ChelseaRozek

@JordanCarmona It's been logged as a bug now, BUG-000179651

ChrisWesson

I don't have the Nashua data but looking at the supplied data for Washtenaw County and Pierce County, in both of those datasets the repeat labels are almost all caused by tile edges.
We would like to improve this going forward with an enhancement but it is not that easy to address. I'll try to keep you posted but its not currently in a release pipeline.

For now I am closing the bug because unfortunately the repeat labels are expected since the roads are labelled once on each tile. Occasionally you may also see a repeat label within a tile close to the edge cause by the buffer, usually if labels cross the tile edge.

If you are happy for me to share, I can post screenshots showing a few extracts of the supplied data with the tile edges added. I attached them to the internal notes on the bug so it might be that the case contacts can also email them to you.
Note that you can do/check this yourselves by running the create vector tile index tool before creating your vector tile packages.

Chris

JordanCarmona

Maybe this is a little bit of inside baseball; is there any discussion on a timeline (assuming the decision is a default yes) for adopting the maplibre tile specification?

https://github.com/maplibre/maplibre-tile-spec

https://github.com/mactrem/presentations/blob/main/FOSS4G_2024_Europe/FOSS4G_2024_Europe.pdf

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YHcoAFcsES0

https://www.arxiv.org/abs/2508.10791

And yes, please, anything that you wouldn't mind sharing would be helpful for us; and I'm sure others.

ChrisWesson

I'm not privy to such discussions or timelines but we are aware of the Vector Tile evolution from MapLibre and others involved. Thanks