Shifting labels from a fixed position

Sometimes, even when you have specified that labels should be placed at a fixed position, you might want to allow a label to shift slightly from that position. For example, if a label cannot be placed due to an obstacle, allowing it to shift a small amount may allow the label to be placed on the map.

You can choose the May shift label upon fixed position option to give the ESRI Maplex Label Engine the flexibility to slightly move labels to avoid label or feature conflicts. When you use this option, the shift can be up to one-half the height of the label in the vertical direction and up to one-half the label's length in the horizontal direction.

The direction the label can be shifted depends on the placement position you selected for the label.

Placement position	Direction of shift
North	Allows horizontal shift
Northeast	Allows both vertical and horizontal shift
East	Allows vertical shift
Southeast	Allows both vertical and horizontal shift
South	Allows horizontal shift
Southwest	Allows both vertical and horizontal shift
West	Allows vertical shift
Northwest	Allows both vertical and horizontal shift
Center	Allows both vertical and horizontal shift

Available shifts

A label with a placement position of North or South can only shift in the horizontal direction, since any shift in the vertical direction would violate the label offset distance. Likewise, a label with the position style of East or West can only shift in the vertical direction, since any shift in the horizontal direction would violate the offset distance.

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.
5. Click the Label Position tab.
6. Click Position.
7. Choose the position you want to use.
8. Check the May shift label upon fixed position check box.
9. Click OK to close all dialog boxes.

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 you want to label.