Label Those Lot Lines

Do you ever have the need to label lot lines in Map3D? Civil3D users have the parcel labels but with just Map3D it was always the old text command. Try using the map annotation block features instead. Here’s how you can create a annotation template that makes it a little easier. First the lot or parcel lines need to be lines or single element plines. So if you need to use the drawing cleanup tool first to break those polygons or closed plines into single element plines.
We start with creating an annotation template then use the property value “Length” for the value for our length tag. But we need to add a few extras to make it look right. First thing we don’t want all the labels to be 8 decimal places long, two is the standard most places, and second we need to add the FT (single quote) mark at the end.

So to accomplish this the value should look like this
(STRCAT (RTOS .LENGTH 2 2) “‘ ” )
The RTOS converts the real (Length) value to a string value with the first 2 being the units type as Decimal and the second 2 as the precision. The STRCAT and the “‘ ” (double quote, single quote, double quote) then takes that length value and adds the single quote mark at the end. If you work in Meters you can replace the single quote with Meters, just make sure you keep it inside the double quotes. For the text options use your text style you need and for the height use the value that will meets your standards. Keep the rotation at 0 but set the justification at Middle Center. Use you own standards on the object properties for layer,, color and lineweight.
When you click OK and are asked for” Specify middle-center of text: ” go with 0, “your text height” this places the tag at it’s proper location with the justification at middle center.
Now for the bearings part of the annotation. Start a new annotation tag and for the value we use the angle property of the line but convert it to a string.

We do this because the angle property returns the angle in Radians not in degrees. So the value will be (ANGTOS .ANGLE 4 3).
The ANGTOS converts the radian value to a string and the 4 tells it what angle type to use in this case Surveyors and the 3 is the precision, taking it all the way down to seconds. Set the text options the same as for the length tag and the object options to your standards. This time when you are asked “Specify middle-center of text:” use 0, - “your text height”, to place it below the length tag.
Save your template and use the annotation tools in Map3D to label your lot lines. When you insert the annotation blocks is when you need to set the rotation value so use the expression .ANGLE to set it. Doing it here makes for cleaner labels and keeps the two lines aligned.

Now for a couple of disclaimers: The annotation angle will be in the direction that the line was created. Most surveys start at the POB and go around in one continuous path. The labels need to follow that rule, that’s the way I was taught years ago and that’s the way I taught for years. However if your drawing is from a source that doesn’t follow that rule or you used the drawing cleanup tools the line may not be drawn in the proper order and will need to be adjusted. Another thing is the text may be upside down or on some of them the length is on the inside with the bearing on the outside while others are vise-versa. By setting grips enable for blocks and using the two tags instead of a multiline attribute tag allows you to move and adjust the placement as needed.

The Finished project.

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