Advanced callout/multiple text element annotation

Aeronautical charts generally have features that need to be annotated with text in a specific style and format. Most commonly, annotation for Navigational Aids and Airspace feature classes are more complex than basic functionality allows. Through this functionality, you can customize any part of the annotation to meet specifications for the appearance of the text and background, such as in the example below.

Example of custom annotation for the Navaid annotation feature class:

To use this functionality, you need to have prior experience and knowledge of visual specifications and XML formatting.

ArcMap will let you open any map document (MXD). However, if a layer is unsourced, and if data or functionality in the MXD depends on a particular extension, it will not be available if a license is not available for that extension. Layers referencing this data will be disabled in the ArcMap table of contents with a red exclamation mark next to them. If an extension that the layer needs to display properly is not installed on the workstation, the red exclamation mark will remain next to the layer even after sourcing to the appropriate data.

Structure of custom annotation

Despite being a single piece of annotation, the multiple text elements and advanced callout are two different entities that need to be modified differently.

The multiple text elements refer to seven separate text parts displayed together as one piece of annotation. Each of the seven parts represents an individual piece of text located at a specific location within the single piece of annotation. For instance, the middle text element is the center of the entire multiple text element, while the top, bottom, left, and right text elements all surround it accordingly. The Floating text element is located below the bottom text element. The seventh text element is the vertical Morse code element, which is a unique text element located within the middle text element specifically designed to display vertically stacked Morse code.

All the text elements are surrounded by the advanced callout. The advanced background/callout portion is the actual shape and style of the background behind the text elements. The advanced callout is also composed of multiple parts including the background, shadow, and callout. These parts can be individually configured to represent a specific shape or color based on a specific style or can be manipulated to change based on the attributes of the specific feature it is annotating.

Abbreviating annotation

Aeronautical charts require complex annotation, and there is the ability to dynamically abbreviate annotation with a single click. With multiple text elements, there is often a need to display only a portion of the annotation, such as only the top and middle elements. The abbreviation option is chosen from a feature shortcut menu, and the abbreviation applied for each feature is stored in the database. The annotation redraws on the screen, while the database still stores the information to revert to full annotation display or a different abbreviation if necessary. If you are already using visual specifications and label expressions, you can modify them to allow abbreviation.