Question

MapTextLabeller Workflow

  • 5 February 2013
  • 6 replies
  • 4 views
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I am evaluating FME 2013 Desktop.  The MapTextLabeller feature is of particular interest to me.  I need an example work flow that can read several shapefiles, create the labels for all, and write out the labels as points/lines to a shape file with attributes for text, rotation angle, font size, etc.  This shape file would be then imported into a GIS software to create the actual labels for display.

 

 

Any help would be much appreciated.

 

 

6 replies

C

Hi Firsttube,

 

 

here you can get more information. Hopefully that helps you...

 

 

http://fmepedia.safe.com/articles/Samples_and_Demos/Introduction-to-MapTextLabeller

 

 

Best regards,

 

 

Stefan

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Thanks for that.  I did read through that and it is of some help.  I got to the point where I can write out a shape file with point objects representing the label location.  I need to be able to write out attributes for font size, font rotation, etc.  I can't seem to find those attributes.
fmelizard
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Hi,

 

 

Using the labeller transformer can produce some of these attributes you need, however it has its limitations (standard size and angle) unless.....you calculate them yourself.

 

Writing to point shp (with label attributes) will mean that you need to transform them into label features in the GIS application...unless you write to a gdb (in case you use ESRI) which supports annotations.

 

Hope this helps.
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Yes, I import the point shape file written by FME into my GIS software and create labels from the points.  I cannot find how to access the attributes such as angle, label font size, etc.  The angle of the label would be important more for line labels in my case.  Maybe there is a way to write the label as a line with attribute for label text?
fmelizard
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Hi Firsttube,

 

 

I am an account exec. here at Safe Software and I wanted to advise you that FME and the MapTextLabeller CAN do exactly what you need.  I have asked one of our resident experts to reply to this post with a specific example. 

 

 

 

In the mean time, please feel free to reach me toll-free at 1-800- 487-9141 x. 294 or Drew@Safe.com.  I will be pleased  to answer any further questions you may have.

 

 

Kind Regards,

 

Drew Rifkin

 

fmelizard
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Userlevel 4
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Hi Firsttube,

 

 

I tried this scenario a couple of weeks ago - I placed the labels with MapTextLabeller, got my labels with font and size information as attributes, extracted text properties with TextPropertyExtractor to get the rotation into an attribute, replaced labels with points, and saved as a shapefile.

 

 

After that I imported the points into TileMill and replaced the points with the labels using the attributes as parameters.

 

 

Here is a screenshot of my results (Note that for the roads on the yellow background I didn't use the correct font size):

 

 

 

 

I still would be cautios about stating that this solution would work in any situation - I think, the best way is to try MaptextLabeller/Text Property Extraction/export/import/re-labelling before making any conclusions.

 

 

Dmitri

 

 

Dmitri Bagh | Scenario Creation and Testing Analyst

 

Safe Software Inc.

 

T 604.501.9985 x 276

 

dmitri.bagh@safe.com | www.fmeusercentral.com | www.safe.com

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