How to create ArcGIS Pro Annotation Classes?

[Tim_Ultee]

I'm having trouble getting ArcGIS Pro to display different annotation classes within a single feature class. A common workflow for me in ArcMap involved converting multiple sets of labels to a single annotation feature class (I would create it and then append new subtypes to it). I'm trying to mimic this workflow in Pro by using the Convert Labels to Annotation tool and then the Append Annotation Feature Classes tool to merge the multiple different annotations into a single file.

This worked but now instead of the different subclasses showing up in the contents pane, there is only the Default shown. I've tried field calculating the AnnotationClassID field to match the subclass codes in the SymbolID field and shown in Annotation Feature Class Properties, and have also tried creating Subtypes based on the SymbolID or updated AnnotationClassID fields; no matter what only Default shows as a togglable option in the Contents pane.

I realize I could work around this by using definition queries, but it was so easy to switch between different annotation subclasses in ArcMap and I don't see why this option isn't available in Pro.

I've attached a screenshot of the window showing the issue.

P.S. If this is a bug, an even better fix would be to just have the subclasses be maintained when using the Append Annotation Feature Classes tool, or to allow a single annotation to be created with the Convert Labels to Annotation tool.

[WendyHarrison]

Hi Tim,

We do have an enhancement request for the functionality you mention.  

Add an additional option to Convert Labels to Annotation that allows annotation to be created in just one feature class. Label classes would be merged based on name, scale, and text symbol. Feature-linked annotation would not be allowed in this case. 

The reason that you're seeing the annotation classes collapse into one class is that they are named the same and have the same properties.   

in the example below the annotation classes were appended together but the text symbols were different as their colours were pulled from the symbols.  so in that case the classes were appended individually.

in this next case, the text symbols and scale ranes of the annotation are the same and the names of the annotation classes are the same.  so the annotation classes have been combined - except for the Circle 5 class as it does not have a corresponding class.

I hope this helps out a bit.

thanks

Wendy

[Tim_Ultee]

Thanks for your response Wendy, I'm glad to hear the capability to combine annotations is on the docket to be added.

It is good to know that the feature class name and text symbol have an impact on the output annotation classes. In my case though I believe the underlying problem is that I mistakenly checked the Combine Annotation Classes option in the Append Annotation Feature Classes tool. With that option unchecked, my combined annotations did create separate annotation classes for each input.

It took some finagling to figure out how to change the class names (Annotation Feature Class Properties in catalog) but otherwise seems to work fine. This whole process is still more steps and work than it was in ArcMap, but at least it's workable.

As an improvement over ArcMap though, I was happy to see that the tool allows annotations with different extents to be combined and will automatically adjust the font/symbol size of the different class extents to fit into a single annotation feature class. (ex: reducing the font of a 1:180 class from 12 to 7 so that it shows correctly despite the annotation feature class having a 1:240 extent).

[Scott_Wolfskill]

I came across this post and am wondering what the status is on seeing the append function while creating annotation in Pro?  This workflow is extremely useful in ArcMap and the current method (create new anno and then append to existing) adds time and complexity to a process that would benefit from some streamlining.  Can you please provide an update on the timeline for addition of this functionality?

[BrookeAumann]

Bumping for visibility. Has this been solved yet? This has been my workflow in ArcMap and I don't want to create a new annotation feature class just to append it to an existing one when all I want to do is append more "labels" to the original, and then move them around.

I've been searching the forums for the answer to this. I'd prefer not to create a new annotation feature class just to append to my original, but if that is the only way, I guess that's the only way?

[DavidWard1]

Any update on the status of this functionality?  As a recent convert from ArcMap, I miss the simplicity of appending directly to an existing anno FC when new features appear in an enterprise SDE database.