Mapping Center

Have you ever found that even with feature linked annotation and the follow feature option you cannot get your line's label into what you clearly see to be the best position? That leaves the option to edit the baseline sketch of that curved annotation feature. I've seen too many people start editing the base line sketch, then painfully select and delete 12-15 control points, and finally move the 2 or 3 remaining control points into position and adjust the tension lines to finish the job. That can take a few minutes, and it's not fun. Read More...

Just using Maplex to label your map will result in more labels and more of those labels correctly located. We've been saying that for a while now. The simpler your map is (fewer features and fewer clusters of features) the more likely it is that Maplex will be able to place all the labels correctly. Another dimension of getting correctly placed labels is knowledge of what is possible with respect to how Maplex works and how to best leverage its features. However, it does not matter whether your map is complex or you don't know as much as you would like to about Maplex--producing and editing annotation is the answer if you want your map to look its best. Read More...

Last week I was working with a map layer of water mains and at 1:2,400 scale the shorter mains were labeled with leader lines (because they were too short to show the entire label along the line). My map was initially using the Transverse Mercator based on NAD_83 coordinate system. Then I learned that I needed to make the map in a different coordinate system as well: WGS_84, so I could serve it and have it mash up on our ArcGIS Online Street Map. Read More...

Most maps should have some depiction of hydrography.  The problem is, if you're not familiar with the data or the typical symbology conventions, it is hard to find the time to make the required effort. Read More...