10038: Data Frame uses the Maplex Label Engine

You are using the Maplex labeling engine for computing map labels on the fly. Maplex does an excellent job placing labels on the fly but will decrease performance due to the calculations involved. For this reason, Maplex labeling is recommended only for cached map services when publishing map services. When working with a basemap layer, Maplex labeling may decrease performance of map display between pan and zoom operations.

Solutions

First, check the drawing performance of your basemap layer in ArcMap or your map service in the Preview window. See Working with basemap layers or Publishing map services for more information. If you need to make changes, do the following:

• You can change on-the-fly map labeling to use ESRI Standard Label Engine, which is faster. However, this can lower the quality of your label placement.
• Alternatively, you can precompute your map labels using Maplex, then save these as annotation features. Using this alternative, you would replace on-the-fly Maplex labeling with annotation layers in your high-performance dynamic map.

More information

There are three options for generating map text:

• Use ESRI Standard Label Engine, which performs simple map labeling and places fewer map labels but has faster performance.
• Use ESRI Maplex Label Engine, which does highly intelligent, advanced map labeling, saving significant editing time and placing more labels. However, advanced Maplex labeling capabilities can lead to poor performance and are only recommended for cached map services.
• Use annotation to save text labels that have been precomputed.

See An overview of working with text for more information.