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Home - General / All posts - Positioning line labels
tonyw
736 post(s)
#04-Dec-14 17:42

Hi, is there a way to position line labels where I want them. I have an area, which I've transformed using Transform > Boundaries, to an outline. I've created a label using a field in the table. The label is follows along the boundary line nicely, however I prefer the label to be somewhere else along the boundary line. When I create a map and layout, I'm zoomed into a scale where the label is off the viewed map. If I can move the label to the other side, then it will be visible in my finished map.

I discovered by accident if I start deleting label tie points and splitting at tie points, the label starts to move around but there is no predictable cause and effect, the label randomly moves around. What dictates where a line label appears? Screen shot and map file attached.

thanks for any tips

Attachments:
Line label example.JPG
Line label example.map

Mike Pelletier

2,122 post(s)
#04-Dec-14 18:40

The label gets placed at the line's midpoint. The problem with manipulating tie points in the label is that if you modify the line geometry the label location manipulation you did gets erased. It might be better to manipulate the line's geometry so the midpoint of the line is where you want it. Neither is an elegant solution I'm afraid.

tjhb
10,094 post(s)
#04-Dec-14 20:57

There are some obvious points as well--forgive me for stating them unnecessarily.

For a Labels component you can adjust several things in the Labels > View > Display options dialog. One is to have Multiple labels per branch, where you can set the repeat spacing (in points). You can turn off Resolve overlaps between labels, and also Optimize horizontal/vertical alignment (though I'm not sure whether or how the optimize options affect line labels).

Secondly, if you are customizing the position of one or more labels, you will want to check Labels > Per-label format first.

When you have your labels where you want them, you can Unlink them so that they will not move when the source geometry is edited.

Lastly, you can create as many different Labels components as you want for a given drawing, and set them to display at different zoom ranges.

tonyw
736 post(s)
#13-Dec-14 01:41

Thanks Mike and TJHB,

With the label component open, the View > Display Options > Multiple lines per branch worked, for the example map I now get at least one label on the line visible at my zoom level.

Thanks!

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