ArcMap 10 - Maplex crash

GrahamSteel · ‎06-14-2011

We upgraded from version 9.3 to 10 after experiencing many labelling problems - when generating raster map tiles, we suffered from occasional inexplicable tiles with no labels - when regenerating those tiles, the labels appear - but it was wasting a lot of our time. We ran extensive tests with ArcMap 10 trial and found no problems in this respect.

We now have the upgrade. My colleague is building a map of France. Whenever he turns labelling on for a land usage layer, ArcMap crashes and offers to send a .dmp file to ESRI. We have sent one. We can reload the MXDs, try again to turn labelling on for the problem layer, and the crash predictably reoccurs. We have turned Maplex off, then tried turning labelling on for the problem layer (standard labelling engine), and the map is rendered without problem; so it seems that Maplex is to blame.

Whilst building the map, my colleague noticed the MXD files growing to an unusual size - up to 30 MB. When he turned Maplex off, the MXD files went down to about 4 MB. But having turned Maplex back on and left labelling turned off for the land usage layer, the MXD files are slowly growing again. Not sure if there is a connection between the MXD bloat and the crashes.

Anybody know what might cause the crashing? Any solutions?

JonMorris · ‎07-13-2011

Crashes are bad news and we need to be informed if you have experienced one. Thanks for sending in the crash dump - that will help us to get to the bottom of the problem. If you could submit a support request to your local distributor or to ESRI Support Services with a sample of your data, that would be even more help. That way we can try to reproduce the problem in ArcMap and get a better idea of what has gone wrong.

Have you got the latest service pack? At the moment, 10 SP2 is the most recently released service pack.

The mxd bloat issue could be caused by GP tool history. See this KB article.

GrahamSteel · ‎07-13-2011

We raised a support request (id ES112978) after placing the message on the Forum. We have been given a kind of workaround for the crash (ie, pointers to simplifying some of the layers that use labelling), but I would still like a bug-fix, even if it just means that ArcMap displays a Message Box telling us that a capacity limit has been exceeded and that we need to reduce the number of labels / styles / whatever.

FredIausly · ‎06-22-2012

I am having a very simular issue with an added wrinkle. I am using Maplex labeling in a map series using Data Driven Pages. I need to develop a number of series for different communities using the same template. For the most part the tools are working very well. However, when cycling thru the pages I get to one page that causes ArcMap to error out and then asks to send the error to ESRI. I have done that but yet to hear back from anyone. In review of the MXD the error is contained to one feature and the labeling connected to it. There is nothing very complex about the labeling for this feature. If I reload the feature and rebuild the labeling it will then work. But at after a while the error reappears.