You can choose from a number of different placement positions when using the Maplex Label Engine to place labels for polygon features. Sometimes a label will not fit within a given polygon. When it is important for these polygons to be labeled, you can allow the labels that do not fit within polygons to be placed outside the polygons. When you check the May place label outside polygon boundary check box, these labels are placed outside the polygons rather than rejected. This option is available with the Horizontal in polygon, Straight in polygon, and Curved in polygon placement positions. You can also specify the preferred zones for placing the labels outside the polygons by using the External zones parameter. You can control the zone order by ranking the zones on a scale of 1 to 8, where 1 is the first zone to be tried and 8 is the last zone. You can give a zone the value 0 to prohibit labels from being placed in it. The ability to rank the external zones is available with the Horizontal around polygon and Curved around polygon placement positions.
The Try horizontal position first option is available with Straight in polygon or Curved in polygon placement positions. When this option is checked, the Maplex Label Engine tries to place the label horizontally inside the polygon before it attempts to place the label using the selected placement style (straight or curved). If this option is not checked, the Maplex Label Engine places the label using the selected placement style.
The Place label at fixed position within polygon option is available with Horizontal in polygon or Straight in polygon placement positions. When this option is checked, you have access to the Internal zones parameter and are able to specify the preferred zones for label placement within the feature. You control the order by ranking the zones on a scale of 1 to 9, where 1 is the first zone in which you want the label engine to try to place the label and 9 is the last zone. You can give a zone the value 0 to prohibit labels from being placed in it.
The Avoid holes in polygons option is available with Horizontal in polygon, Straight in polygon, and Curved in polygon placement positions. It is not available with the Boundary placement style. When this option is unchecked, the Maplex Label Engine ignores the holes in polygons and places the labels on top of them. This option can be used when labeling buildings with courtyards or rivers with islands to place the label on top of the interior features.
The Maplex Label Engine offers the following types of polygon placement positions:
- Horizontal in polygon—Places the label horizontally inside the polygon. See the upper left image below.
- Straight in polygon—Places the label linearly inside the polygon. See the upper right image below.
- Curved in polygon—Places the label curved inside the polygon. See the middle left image below.
- Horizontal around polygon—Places the label horizontally at the best position outside the polygon. An offset distance can be specified for this option. See the middle right image below.
- Curved around polygon—Places the label curved at the best position outside the polygon. An offset distance can be specified for this option. See the lower left image below.
- Ensure that the Maplex Label Engine is enabled.
- Ensure that List By Labeling is the active method of displaying the Contents pane. Click the List By Labeling tab
. - Choose a label class in the Contents pane and click the Labeling tab.
- On the Labeling tab, in the Label Placement group, click Label Placement Properties
. - In the Labeling pane, click Position and click the Position tab
. - Expand Placement.
- Select the Regular placement style from the Placement drop-down list, and select a placement position from the Position drop-down list.
- Optionally, check the Avoid holes in polygons check box.
This option is only available with the Horizontal in polygon, Straight in polygon, and Curved in polygon placement styles.
- Optionally, check the Try horizontal position first check box.
This option is only available with the Straight in polygon and Curved in polygon placement styles.
- Optionally, check the May place label outside polygon boundary check box.
This option is only available with the Horizontal in polygon, Straight in polygon, and Curved in polygon placement styles.
- Optionally, check the Place label at fixed position within polygon check box.
This option is only available with the Horizontal in polygon and Straight in polygon placement styles.