When you need to create annotation with a leader line or callout, you can use the Leader tool to add the leader to a regular annotation feature template. This method is flexible because you can set a different leader for each annotation feature or use the same one for all features. If you want to use the same leader line symbol every time you create a new annotation feature, create an annotation class and a feature template from it that has a predefined leader symbol.
- Click an annotation feature template in the Create Features window.
- Click the Leader construction tool
on the Create Features window.
- Type the text of the new annotation feature into the text box on the Annotation Construction window.
If you want the text string to come from an attribute of an existing feature on the map, click Find Text
and click the feature, or press CTRL+W over a feature. Find Text populates the text box with a string based on the label expression of the layer containing the topmost visible feature. With feature-linked annotation, the text is derived only from a feature in the origin feature class. If there are multiple features underneath the pointer location, press the N key to cycle through the possible text strings. If no suitable feature is found, the string reverts to the word Text. - Use the Annotation Construction window to change the formatting of the text, such as the font, size, and symbol. Click Toggle Formatting Options
to show additional settings. You can also enter text formatting tags with the text string, allowing you to change the appearance of just a part of the text.
- Click where you want to start the annotation feature's leader line.
- Drag the annotation feature where you want to place it.
- Click again to finish placing the annotation.
Annotation with a leader line is created.
