Currently, ArcGIS Pro lacks the necessary manual controls for annotation leader lines, which forces cartographers to rely on outdated workarounds (like separate graphics or split features) in high-density mapping environments, such as nautical charting.
I would like to request two critical enhancements to the Annotation editing tools to bring ArcGIS Pro's text placement capabilities up to par with standard CAD and illustration software:
1. Manual Anchor Point Placement (Source Control)
Right now, ArcGIS Pro dynamically calculates the leader line's anchor point on the text's bounding box. When moving text slightly, the leader often "jumps" to a different corner or midpoint, completely ruining the intended layout.
Proposed Solution: Allow users to manually place, drag, and lock the text-end anchor point of a leader line to a specific spot on the annotation, overriding the dynamic bounding box calculation.
2. Multi-Vertex Leader Lines (Routing around obstacles)
Currently, leader lines are strictly straight segments between the feature and the text. In dense maps, a straight line often crosses and obscures other critical features (e.g., soundings, buoys, or landmasses).
Proposed Solution: Allow users to add vertices to an annotation leader line (e.g., right-click > "Add Vertex") to bend and route the leader around map obstacles, ensuring a clean and readable layout without having to move the text exceptionally far away.
Business Case / Value:
For precision cartography readability and exact placement are matters of safety. Relying on dynamic, straight-only leader lines leads to cluttered maps. Giving cartographers absolute topological control over their annotation leaders will drastically reduce manual editing time and eliminate the need to use disconnected "Graphics Layers" as a workaround.
