Toggling representation or annotation visibility

Representations allow you to separate a feature's appearance from its geometry. Annotation is made up of features that have a geographic location and attributes but usually display as text. Annotation has font, size, color, and other text symbol properties.

You can use tools on the Production Cartography Editing toolbar to toggle on or off the visibility of selected representations or annotation. Hiding or showing a selected representation or annotation feature does not alter that feature's geometry, only its visibility. Use this functionality to improve a map or chart's aesthetic or cartographic quality by hiding overlapping features or removing visual clutter.

Contour lines displayed using representations.

Contour lines with several representations hidden.

1. Start ArcMap.
2. If necessary, load data in the map.
3. On the main menu, click Customize > Toolbars > Production Cartography Editing.
4. On the main menu, click Customize > Toolbars > Production Editing.
5. Click the Production Start Editing button on the Production Editing toolbar.
6. Select representation or annotation features using one of the following tools:
   • The Select Features tool on the Tools toolbar
   • The Edit tool on the Production Editing toolbar
7. Click the Hide Representation or Annotation button on the Production Cartography Editing toolbar to set the selected features to invisible.
8. To set hidden representation or annotation features visible, perform the following substeps:
   1. Select the hidden features using one of the following methods:
      • Select Features button
      • Edit tool
      • Select Layer By Attribute geoprocessing tool

   2. Click the Show Representation or Annotation button on the Production Cartography Editing toolbar.