Maplex label placement properties for advanced labeling

When you use the ESRI Maplex Label Engine, you get access to a new set of label placement properties that let you control the following:

• How labels will be oriented and placed
• How labels will be formatted
• How labels will be placed in congested areas
• How ArcMap will resolve conflicts between labels

Label position

The first tab of the Placement Properties dialog box, Label Position, helps you answer the question, Where does the label go? This tab controls how a label is positioned with respect to a feature. Point, line, and polygon feature classes have different label position options. You can specify curved or straight label placement, align labels with features or with the projection graticules, choose single or repeating labels for line features, and set the word and character spacing within labels. These options combine to offer a wide variety of label placements.

Learn more about labeling point features with MaplexLearn more about labeling line features with MaplexLearn more about labeling polygon features with Maplex

In addition to the standard feature types, Maplex for ArcGIS provides label placement options for features such as streets, contours, rivers, boundaries, and land parcels.

Learn more about labeling street features with MaplexLearn more about labeling street address ranges with MaplexLearn more about labeling contours with MaplexLearn more about labeling rivers with Maplex (line feature)Learn more about labeling rivers with Maplex (polygon feature)Learn more about labeling using land parcel placementLearn more about labeling boundaries with Maplex

Label fitting strategies

The second tab, Fitting Strategy, helps you answer the question, What can I do to a label to make it fit on the map? This tab allows you to control if and how Maplex for ArcGIS will alter a label's placement or format when placing labels in crowded areas of the map. These parameters allow you to maintain the overall clarity of the map while increasing the number of labels that are placed on it. The label-fitting strategy parameters control label stacking, feature overrun, font size reduction, label abbreviation, and minimum feature size to be labeled. In addition, Maplex for ArcGIS allows you to specify a preference for the order in which these strategies will be applied to the placement of the label.

Learn more about stacking labelsLearn more about allowing labels to overrun featuresLearn more about reducing the size of the label textLearn more about abbreviating words to place more textLearn more about specifying a minimum feature size for labelingLearn more about setting a strategy order

Label conflict resolution strategies

The third tab, Conflict Resolution, helps you answer the question, What wins a space when multiple labels are competing for it? This tab contains parameters that order the importance of label class labels and their associated features. Maplex for ArcGIS has a number of label conflict resolution strategies to solve label problems in congested areas. Feature weights let you indicate which feature classes may be covered by labels. Background labels may be overlapped by other labels. You can also save space by removing duplicate labels or indicate that certain labels are important enough that they must appear on the map. A buffer size can also be set to control the space around labels.

Learn more about preventing labels from overlapping certain featuresLearn more about setting labels to be background labelsLearn more about removing duplicate labelsLearn more about ensuring that all labels are placedLearn more about setting the size of a label buffer

Steps:

1. Click the Label Manager button on the Labeling toolbar.
2. Check the check box next to the layer you want to label.
3. Choose a label class under the layer.
4. Click the Properties button.

The Placement Properties dialog box appears, and you have access to the Maplex for ArcGIS advanced label placement controls.

Tip:

You can also open the Placement Properties dialog box by clicking the Placement Properties button on the Labels tab of the Layer Properties dialog box for the layer that you want to label.