Rule-Based Text Symbol Placement

Cartographic production is enhanced with ESRI ArcGIS. ArcGIS stores text in the geodatabase as annotations that can be free standing or feature linked. Feature-based annotations allow association of text labels with map features that can be updated as real-world changes occur. In addition, a wide range of symbol specifications can be applied to text associated with cartographic elements.

ArcGIS special text handling features include

• Controlling the text size by the reference scale of the map
• Specifying the drawing order by symbol levels
• Variable depth masking
• Setting transparency properties

ArcGIS supports standard text font formats including

• TrueType
• Adobe Type 1 (PostScript)
• OpenType

Font integrity is maintained because font information is embedded into map output, export and print formats, reducing the risk of font substitutions.

Maplex for ArcGIS offers advanced text placement tools to automate labor-intensive labeling tasks. Rules can be defined for offsets, conflict detection, stacking, curving, abbreviation, and truncation.