Selecting a line label position

You can select from a number of different placement positions, offset types, and distances when placing labels for line features using the Maplex Label Engine. You can also control whether labels must be placed exactly at the location specified by the placement parameters you set or they may vary within a given distance from that position.

There are combinations of label positions. The first two are the following:

• Centered—Places the label on the feature at the midpoint of the label
• Offset—Places the label at a default or user-defined distance or distance range from the line feature's symbol

These two placement positions are combined with the following to create all the choices:

• Horizontal—Places the label horizontally relative to the upper and lower map border
• Straight—Places the label on a straight line tangent to the feature
• Curved—Places the label along the curve of the line feature
• Perpendicular—Places the label perpendicular to a straight line tangent to the line feature

Different combinations of these positions are available with the different line label styles.

• Learn more about the Street Placement style
• Learn more about the Contour Placement style
• Learn more about the River Placement style for line features

1. Enable the Maplex Label Engine.
2. Click the Label Manager button on the Labeling toolbar.
3. Check the check box next to the layer you want to label.
4. Choose a label class under the layer.
5. Click the Properties button.
6. Click the Label Position tab.
7. Click Position.
8. Click a placement position option.
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.