HOW TO

Prevent label leader lines from overlapping marker symbols in ArcGIS Pro

Last Published: October 24, 2023

Summary

In ArcGIS Pro, leader lines can be added to labels in a point feature class using callouts. However, the leader lines are anchored to the center of the point marker symbols by default. As a result, a portion of the leader lines overlap or cover the marker symbols on the map, as shown in the image below.

A point symbol overlapped by the leader line of its label on the map

This article provides two workflows to prevent label leader lines from overlapping marker symbols in ArcGIS Pro.

Procedure

Note:
These workflows do not work for labels with the balloon callout.

Prevent label leader lines from overlapping marker symbols by applying the Cut effect

  1. Open the ArcGIS Pro project.
  2. In the Contents pane, right-click the feature class > Labeling Properties… to open the Label Class pane.
  3. In the Label Class pane, on the Symbol tab, expand Callout.
  4. Click the Leader line symbol drop-down arrow > Format line symbol….
Formatting the leader line symbol in the Label Class pane
  1. Apply the Cut effect to the leader line.
    1. In the Format Embedded Line Symbol subpane, click Structure The Structure icon.
    2. Under Layers, browse to the leader line layer and click Add effect > Cut.
Adding the Cut effect to the leader line layer
  1. Click the Layers The Layers icon icon and expand Cut effect.
  2. Increase the Begin cut value until the leader line does not overlap the marker symbol and click Apply.
Increasing the size of the Cut effect on the leader line
Note:
Increase the End cut value to cut the other end of the leader line if required.

The image below shows the label leader line and marker symbol before and after the Cut effect is applied.

The marker symbol and leading line before and after the Cut effect is applied

Prevent label leader lines from overlapping marker symbols by adding a new marker symbol to the end of the leader line

  1. Open the ArcGIS Pro project.
  2. In the Contents pane, right-click the feature class > Labeling Properties… to open the Label Class pane.
  3. In the Label Class pane, on the Symbol tab, expand Callout.
  4. Click the Leader line symbol drop-down arrow > Format line symbol….
Formatting the leader line symbol in the Label Class pane
  1. Add a marker symbol to the end of the leader line.
    1. In the Format Embedded Line Symbol subpane, click Structure The Structure icon.
    2. Under Layers, click Add symbol layer > Marker layer.
Adding a marker layer to the leading line
  1. Style the new marker symbol layer.
    1. Click Layers The Layers icon and select the new marker symbol layer.
    2. Under Appearance, click Style... to open the Choose a shape window.
Styling the marker layer of the leading line
  1. In the Choose a shape window, select the desired shape, and click OK. In this example, Circle 3 is selected.
Selecting a shape for the marker layer
  1. In the Label Class pane, under Appearance, increase the Point size value until the leader line marker symbol conceals the point feature class marker symbol.
  2. Configure any remaining text symbol properties of the leader line marker symbol as desired, such as color, and click Apply.

The image below shows the new leader line marker symbol concealing the original point feature class marker symbol.

The leader line marker symbol concealing the point feature class marker symbol below

Article ID: 000031372

Software:
  • ArcGIS Pro 3 1
  • ArcGIS Pro 3 0
  • ArcGIS Pro 2 9x

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