Create a point feature in a specified corner of an annotation feature class in relation to text rotation

Summary

Instructions provided describe how to create a new point feature in a specific corner of each annotation feature of an annotation feature class.

The point feature class is in the desired corner (lower-left or lower-right) of the text, no matter the rotation of the text. For instance, if the code is set to lower-left, and the text is rotated so it reads vertically, bottom to top, the point would be placed in the geographic lower right of the text envelope.

Procedure

1. Open Arcmap, and add an annotation feature class.
2. Open Windows Explorer, and navigate to the C: drive. Create a new folder in the C: drive called 'Test' without quotes. Close Windows Explorer.
3. In ArcMap, click Tools > Macros > Visual Basic Editor.
4. In the Table of Contents in Visual Basic Editor, click the plus sign to expand Project, and expand the plus next to ArcMap Objects. Double-click on ThisDocument.
   
   
5. Copy and paste the following code into the ThisDocument code box. It is not necessary to click save:
   
   

   Code:
   Public Sub GetLabel()
   
   'Create csv file and write values to it
   'The folder named "Test" must exist on the "Drive C"
       Dim FileNum As Integer
       If Dir("C:\Test\coord.csv") <> "" Then
           ' deletes the file if it exists
           Kill "C:\Test\coord.csv"
       End If
       FileNum = FreeFile
   
       Open "C:\Test\coord.csv" For Output As #FileNum
       Write #FileNum, "Object_ID", "Anno_ID", "Text_String", "Point_X", "Point_Y"
   
   Dim pMxDoc As IMxDocument
   Dim pMap As IMap
   Dim pFeat As IFeature
   Dim pEnumFeat As IEnumFeature
   Dim pEnumFeatSetup As IEnumFeatureSetup
     
   Set pMxDoc = ThisDocument
   Set pMap = pMxDoc.FocusMap
   Set pEnumFeat = pMap.FeatureSelection  'select some annotation
   Set pEnumFeatSetup = pEnumFeat 'QI
   pEnumFeatSetup.AllFields = True
   Set pFeat = pEnumFeat.Next
   
   Dim pAnnoFeature As IAnnotationFeature
   Dim pPolyline As IPolyline
   Dim sText As String
   Dim pElement As IElement
   Dim pTextElement As ITextElement
   Do While Not pFeat Is Nothing
       If (TypeOf pFeat Is IAnnotationFeature) Then
           Set pAnnoFeature = pFeat
           Set pTextElement = pAnnoFeature.Annotation
           Set pElement = pTextElement
           
           If (Not pTextElement Is Nothing) Then sText = pTextElement.Text
           Dim pSegmentCollection As ISegmentCollection
           Dim pSegment As ISegment
           Set pPolyline = pElement.Geometry
           Set pSegmentCollection = pPolyline
                      
           Write #FileNum, pFeat.OID, "A" & pFeat.OID, sText, pPolyline.FromPoint.X, pPolyline.FromPoint.Y
   
       End If
   Set pFeat = pEnumFeat.Next
   Loop
   
   Close #FileNum
   
   MsgBox "Coordinate File generated successfully"
   End Sub
   

   
   
   

   Note:
   In order to change the corner from the lower-left to lower-right, replace the following line of code:
   
   

   Code:
   Write #FileNum, pFeat.OID, "A" & pFeat.OID, sText, pPolyline.FromPoint.X, pPolyline.FromPoint.Y 

   
   
   With this line:
   
   

   Code:
   Write #FileNum, pFeat.OID, "A" & pFeat.OID, sText, pPolyline.ToPoint.X, pPolyline.ToPoint.Y

   
   
   
6. Close the Visual Basic Editor. Return to ArcMap.
7. In the Table of Contents in ArcMap, right-click the annotation feature class > Selection > Select All.
8. Click Tools > Macros > Macros. Select the Macro called 'ThisDocument.GetLabel' and click Run.
9. After the 'Coordinate File generated successfully' message, click Add Data. Navigate to the C: drive > Test folder. Add the .csv file that was created called 'coords.csv'.
10. In the Table of Contents, right-click the .csv > Display XY Data. Select the Point_X field for X field and Point_Y field for Y field. Select the same coordinate system as the annotation feature class. Click OK.
11. After the points plot, right-click the point event layer in the Table of Contents, click Data > Export Data, and export the event layer to a permanent feature class.