ArcGIS Pro "Convert Labels to Annotation" hanging

[DavidSherman2]

I am attempting to convert some labels on a map to annotations in ArcGIS Pro 2.0 using the new Convert Labels to Annotation tool, and the system is hanging for 10+ minutes every open that tool or attempt to change the tool settings ("Input Map", "Output Geodatabase", etc.). This is a fairly big project, but the map I have open is simple- only 10 layers, 4 of which contain labels. We're talking ~18 labels total. 

I tried starting a brand new project just to test the tool, and everything ran very quickly, so what is causing the tool to hang on my project? I suppose a better question is: what is the Convert Labels to Annotation tool attempting to access when it opens? Every map within a project (open or closed)? Every GDB associated with a project? 

[CiaraRowland-Simms]

Hi David,

Convert labels to annotation should definitely not be taking that long to open. The tool looks for the active map view and pulls out the map's scale and extent - the process should be extremely fast. Could I ask what you mean by a fairly big project? How many maps and layouts are there in the project? When you tried starting a brand new project, were you using the same data to produce your labels, a cut down version of it or a completely fresh set of data? Where was your data coming from?

Sorry for all the questions, but it will help me narrow down the issue and hopefully reproduce it.

[JakubSisak]

I am running converting labels to annotations for 1m interval LiDAR contours and it's taking extremely long time. In ArcMap, this would only takes minutes but in Pro 2.01 the process is at 90% after 1.5 hours of processing.  I will try your suggestion about doing this in a completely new project. 

[CiaraRowland-Simms]

Hi Jakub,
How did it go with setting it up in a new project? If you're still having issues it would be good to know a bit more about your data - how big a dataset is it? How many features are there? Are you converting for the current extent or the entire map extent? Are you converting labels in a local .gdb or on a server? Hopefully we can get to the bottom of the slow down!

[SterlingLoetz5]

This is still an issue in Pro 2.3. Converting map labels to map annotation is very slow. I meet or exceed the hardware requirements for pro 2.3 and have updated graphic drivers to most current available.

My data is not very large/complex - point, line, polygon feature classes in a file geodatabase stored on a server. Less than 70 features in the project. I converted map labels to an annotation feature class successfully, however 2 labels took about 4 minutes to complete. Just 2 labels?...

[AlexTarr1]

I am having the same problem with the Convert Labels to Annotation tool. At the moment I am trying to convert 24 point labels in a local GDB to annotations. The "View Details" pop-out claims the process succeeded in 6 minutes 31 seconds. But it took the tool another 22 minutes to finish "Initializing," during which time several layers were all locked and I couldn't work with the contents.

Any suggestions about adjusting settings or the project to get around this behavior would be much appreciated.

[JakubSisak]

It's January 2020. We are on version 2.4.3 and exporting labels to annotations is taking impossibly long time. The process seems to hang but eventually succeeds. Exporting ~ 5000 labels to annotations (local project, local database all on m.2 solid state hard drive and massive over the top specs on my dell workstation machine) took 14 hours.  There is a bug there somewhere. tried the same project with data in SDE on one machine, then all local with data in FGDB on a local machine then on my private home laptop = same results.  Data is simple, area is defined by an extent. I am willing to provide data and project for troubleshooting upon request. 

[CiaraRowland-Simms]

Jakub Sisak‌ Sorry this is still posing an issue. If you could provide data demonstrating it that would be great!

[JustinJohnston]

I am having this same problem today on a point layer with 7 points.  Converting labels to annotation almost immediately goes from 2% to 100% complete, but then nothing happens.  Just hangs at 100% complete.  Based on the other comments, I am going to leave my computer and see if it actually finishes and shows me the annotation.  I am using the latest version of ArcGIS Pro.  I have converted in the past with not issues.  This is the first time experiencing this.

Cheers,

Justin

[Robert_LeClair]

Justin - I'm seeing this as BUG-000121190 - The 'Convert Labels to Annotation" tool takes too long to create annotations in ArcGIS 2.3.1 compared to ArcMap."  The ArcGIS Pro 2.3.1 notation is when it was reported to Support Services.  The latest update is that it's in the Product Plan to be fixed but I don't see when.  My hope is in the next release of ArcGIS Pro 2.8 maybe?  For now a workaround could be open ArcMap, label your features like you've done in ArcGIS Pro, convert the labels to annotation and then use the annotation layer in ArcGIS Pro.  If you need to edit the annotation layer, you'll need to run the Upgrade Dataset GP tool.  Not an efficient workaround I know but it will reduce the time spent until the bug is resolved.