MapInfo Pro

One of the main reasons blocking our upgrade from Mapinfo 15 is to do with labelling on layout maps.  We supply pdf maps for high res plotting, so clarity on the map is of key importance.

Currently we paste content to the layout window, buffer it and the resulting label provides a clear and readable result:

Using v2021 we are seeing that the buffer option is not available. Our best efforts are so far not satisfactory from a cartographic point of view:
Which is not as cartographically pleasing as before. It is possible to tweak the label to give some 'edge' using spacing and blank lines, but the result just looks inconsistent.

I reviewed @Peter Møller's response to @Diana Ketza's Labeling Question this​​ provides an alternative which kind of works, except that the result does not have a border, and should you need to move a label, then you need to move two labels, and it becomes increasingly difficult to line things up consistently.

I'm not looking for a 100% programmatic solution to this, as our labels involve a certain amount of human interaction, deciding if we use two lines or three for example.

------------------------------
Paul Brignall
DRILLING INFORMATION LTD
Gloucestershire, UK
------------------------------

Hi Paul

I took a stab at this but I'm not sure if this is better or gets more tricky.

My idea was to create two additional layers in your map for the label boxes: One layer for the actual boxes in the form of rounded rectangles with auto label enabled and an additional layer for the label line pointing to the point that the label refers to.

Below you can see two examples. Notice that I have placed the label line layer under the label box layer. Also notice that I have used stacked styles for the label line to make the black line stand out with a white halo.

The Label Box layer has three columns for the label expression: LabelText1, LabelText2, and LabelText3. I used a label expression to show these three lines on the map: LabelText1+Chr$(10)+LabelText2+Chr$(10)+LabelText3.

To make the label left aligned, I first select Auto Position from the Label Rules dropdown, I then click on the Left Label Position and finally I click on the right Right Label Position.

The trick is to make the rectangles big enough and not too big. This probably takes some trial and error, depending on the zoom and the label size.

You can also use Auto Size to make labels fit inside the rounded rectangle but I'm not sure if that's a better solution.

The benefit of adding these as layers to your map instead of drawing them on top of the layout is that they stay in their location when you pan around the map.

Let us know if this works for you

------------------------------
Peter Horsbøll Møller
Principal Presales Consultant | Distinguished Engineer
Precisely | Trust in Data
------------------------------

Hi Peter,

thanks for the quick response, but I think I've missed a step. How did you create the boxes? My existing label source is a point based file.

Thanks
Paul

------------------------------
Paul Brignall
DRILLING INFORMATION LTD
GLOS
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 01-05-2023 10:54
From: Peter Møller
Subject: How to make good looking map labels?

Hi Paul

I took a stab at this but I'm not sure if this is better or gets more tricky.

My idea was to create two additional layers in your map for the label boxes: One layer for the actual boxes in the form of rounded rectangles with auto label enabled and an additional layer for the label line pointing to the point that the label refers to.

Below you can see two examples. Notice that I have placed the label line layer under the label box layer. Also notice that I have used stacked styles for the label line to make the black line stand out with a white halo.

The Label Box layer has three columns for the label expression: LabelText1, LabelText2, and LabelText3. I used a label expression to show these three lines on the map: LabelText1+Chr$(10)+LabelText2+Chr$(10)+LabelText3.

To make the label left aligned, I first select Auto Position from the Label Rules dropdown, I then click on the Left Label Position and finally I click on the right Right Label Position.

The trick is to make the rectangles big enough and not too big. This probably takes some trial and error, depending on the zoom and the label size.

You can also use Auto Size to make labels fit inside the rounded rectangle but I'm not sure if that's a better solution.

The benefit of adding these as layers to your map instead of drawing them on top of the layout is that they stay in their location when you pan around the map.

Let us know if this works for you

------------------------------
Peter Horsbøll Møller
Principal Presales Consultant | Distinguished Engineer
Precisely | Trust in Data
------------------------------

Hi Paul

I drew them manually - very low tech, unfortunately 🙄

Peter

------------------------------
Peter Horsbøll Møller
Principal Presales Consultant | Distinguished Engineer
Precisely | Trust in Data
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 01-05-2023 11:24
From: Paul Brignall
Subject: How to make good looking map labels?

Hi Peter,

thanks for the quick response, but I think I've missed a step. How did you create the boxes? My existing label source is a point based file.

Thanks
Paul

------------------------------
Paul Brignall
DRILLING INFORMATION LTD
GLOS
------------------------------


Original Message:
Sent: 01-05-2023 10:54
From: Peter Møller
Subject: How to make good looking map labels?

Hi Paul

I took a stab at this but I'm not sure if this is better or gets more tricky.

My idea was to create two additional layers in your map for the label boxes: One layer for the actual boxes in the form of rounded rectangles with auto label enabled and an additional layer for the label line pointing to the point that the label refers to.

Below you can see two examples. Notice that I have placed the label line layer under the label box layer. Also notice that I have used stacked styles for the label line to make the black line stand out with a white halo.

The Label Box layer has three columns for the label expression: LabelText1, LabelText2, and LabelText3. I used a label expression to show these three lines on the map: LabelText1+Chr$(10)+LabelText2+Chr$(10)+LabelText3.

To make the label left aligned, I first select Auto Position from the Label Rules dropdown, I then click on the Left Label Position and finally I click on the right Right Label Position.

The trick is to make the rectangles big enough and not too big. This probably takes some trial and error, depending on the zoom and the label size.

You can also use Auto Size to make labels fit inside the rounded rectangle but I'm not sure if that's a better solution.

The benefit of adding these as layers to your map instead of drawing them on top of the layout is that they stay in their location when you pan around the map.

Let us know if this works for you

------------------------------
Peter Horsbøll Møller
Principal Presales Consultant | Distinguished Engineer
Precisely | Trust in Data

Hi Peter,
Your response made me laugh alot. Its a shame the buffer option is not available anymore, that worked exceedingly well.  In the old days we used to create the rectangular boxes manually, it would be a shame to have to go back there...
Cheers
Paul

------------------------------
Paul Brignall
DRILLING INFORMATION LTD
GLOS
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 01-05-2023 12:14
From: Peter Møller
Subject: How to make good looking map labels?

Hi Paul

I drew them manually - very low tech, unfortunately 🙄

Peter

------------------------------
Peter Horsbøll Møller
Principal Presales Consultant | Distinguished Engineer
Precisely | Trust in Data
------------------------------


Original Message:
Sent: 01-05-2023 11:24
From: Paul Brignall
Subject: How to make good looking map labels?

Hi Peter,

thanks for the quick response, but I think I've missed a step. How did you create the boxes? My existing label source is a point based file.

Thanks
Paul

------------------------------
Paul Brignall
DRILLING INFORMATION LTD
GLOS


Original Message:
Sent: 01-05-2023 10:54
From: Peter Møller
Subject: How to make good looking map labels?

Hi Paul

I took a stab at this but I'm not sure if this is better or gets more tricky.

My idea was to create two additional layers in your map for the label boxes: One layer for the actual boxes in the form of rounded rectangles with auto label enabled and an additional layer for the label line pointing to the point that the label refers to.

Below you can see two examples. Notice that I have placed the label line layer under the label box layer. Also notice that I have used stacked styles for the label line to make the black line stand out with a white halo.

The Label Box layer has three columns for the label expression: LabelText1, LabelText2, and LabelText3. I used a label expression to show these three lines on the map: LabelText1+Chr$(10)+LabelText2+Chr$(10)+LabelText3.

To make the label left aligned, I first select Auto Position from the Label Rules dropdown, I then click on the Left Label Position and finally I click on the right Right Label Position.

The trick is to make the rectangles big enough and not too big. This probably takes some trial and error, depending on the zoom and the label size.

You can also use Auto Size to make labels fit inside the rounded rectangle but I'm not sure if that's a better solution.

The benefit of adding these as layers to your map instead of drawing them on top of the layout is that they stay in their location when you pan around the map.

Let us know if this works for you

------------------------------
Peter Horsbøll Møller
Principal Presales Consultant | Distinguished Engineer
Precisely | Trust in Data

Could you create the buffers in your map instead?

You'd probably need a line instead of a point, right?

What object did you buffer before?

------------------------------
Peter Horsbøll Møller
Principal Presales Consultant | Distinguished Engineer
Precisely | Trust in Data
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 01-05-2023 12:52
From: Paul Brignall
Subject: How to make good looking map labels?

Hi Peter,
Your response made me laugh alot. Its a shame the buffer option is not available anymore, that worked exceedingly well.  In the old days we used to create the rectangular boxes manually, it would be a shame to have to go back there...
Cheers
Paul

------------------------------
Paul Brignall
DRILLING INFORMATION LTD
GLOS
------------------------------


Original Message:
Sent: 01-05-2023 12:14
From: Peter Møller
Subject: How to make good looking map labels?

Hi Paul

I drew them manually - very low tech, unfortunately 🙄

Peter

------------------------------
Peter Horsbøll Møller
Principal Presales Consultant | Distinguished Engineer
Precisely | Trust in Data


Original Message:
Sent: 01-05-2023 11:24
From: Paul Brignall
Subject: How to make good looking map labels?

Hi Peter,

thanks for the quick response, but I think I've missed a step. How did you create the boxes? My existing label source is a point based file.

Thanks
Paul

------------------------------
Paul Brignall
DRILLING INFORMATION LTD
GLOS


Original Message:
Sent: 01-05-2023 10:54
From: Peter Møller
Subject: How to make good looking map labels?

Hi Paul

I took a stab at this but I'm not sure if this is better or gets more tricky.

My idea was to create two additional layers in your map for the label boxes: One layer for the actual boxes in the form of rounded rectangles with auto label enabled and an additional layer for the label line pointing to the point that the label refers to.

Below you can see two examples. Notice that I have placed the label line layer under the label box layer. Also notice that I have used stacked styles for the label line to make the black line stand out with a white halo.

The Label Box layer has three columns for the label expression: LabelText1, LabelText2, and LabelText3. I used a label expression to show these three lines on the map: LabelText1+Chr$(10)+LabelText2+Chr$(10)+LabelText3.

To make the label left aligned, I first select Auto Position from the Label Rules dropdown, I then click on the Left Label Position and finally I click on the right Right Label Position.

The trick is to make the rectangles big enough and not too big. This probably takes some trial and error, depending on the zoom and the label size.

You can also use Auto Size to make labels fit inside the rounded rectangle but I'm not sure if that's a better solution.

The benefit of adding these as layers to your map instead of drawing them on top of the layout is that they stay in their location when you pan around the map.

Let us know if this works for you

------------------------------
Peter Horsbøll Møller
Principal Presales Consultant | Distinguished Engineer
Precisely | Trust in Data

In V15 you can buffer text on both the layout and the map.  We were using this feature on the layout as a simple way of posting labels, and tidying them up.
In v2021 this option is not possible, which is a shame because the finished result looked smart.
We have for now decided to go with this option:
1. create text object on the layout, frame it and backfill. The result is a text label with a rectangle around it as per my second image in the original post.  We need the flexibility of the users being able to manipulate and place the text easily.

Thanks
Paul

------------------------------
Paul Brignall
DRILLING INFORMATION LTD
GLOS
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 01-05-2023 13:23
From: Peter Møller
Subject: How to make good looking map labels?

Could you create the buffers in your map instead?

You'd probably need a line instead of a point, right?

What object did you buffer before?

------------------------------
Peter Horsbøll Møller
Principal Presales Consultant | Distinguished Engineer
Precisely | Trust in Data
------------------------------


Original Message:
Sent: 01-05-2023 12:52
From: Paul Brignall
Subject: How to make good looking map labels?

Hi Peter,
Your response made me laugh alot. Its a shame the buffer option is not available anymore, that worked exceedingly well.  In the old days we used to create the rectangular boxes manually, it would be a shame to have to go back there...
Cheers
Paul

------------------------------
Paul Brignall
DRILLING INFORMATION LTD
GLOS


Original Message:
Sent: 01-05-2023 12:14
From: Peter Møller
Subject: How to make good looking map labels?

Hi Paul

I drew them manually - very low tech, unfortunately 🙄

Peter

------------------------------
Peter Horsbøll Møller
Principal Presales Consultant | Distinguished Engineer
Precisely | Trust in Data


Original Message:
Sent: 01-05-2023 11:24
From: Paul Brignall
Subject: How to make good looking map labels?

Hi Peter,

thanks for the quick response, but I think I've missed a step. How did you create the boxes? My existing label source is a point based file.

Thanks
Paul

------------------------------
Paul Brignall
DRILLING INFORMATION LTD
GLOS


Original Message:
Sent: 01-05-2023 10:54
From: Peter Møller
Subject: How to make good looking map labels?

Hi Paul

I took a stab at this but I'm not sure if this is better or gets more tricky.

My idea was to create two additional layers in your map for the label boxes: One layer for the actual boxes in the form of rounded rectangles with auto label enabled and an additional layer for the label line pointing to the point that the label refers to.

Below you can see two examples. Notice that I have placed the label line layer under the label box layer. Also notice that I have used stacked styles for the label line to make the black line stand out with a white halo.

The Label Box layer has three columns for the label expression: LabelText1, LabelText2, and LabelText3. I used a label expression to show these three lines on the map: LabelText1+Chr$(10)+LabelText2+Chr$(10)+LabelText3.

To make the label left aligned, I first select Auto Position from the Label Rules dropdown, I then click on the Left Label Position and finally I click on the right Right Label Position.

The trick is to make the rectangles big enough and not too big. This probably takes some trial and error, depending on the zoom and the label size.

You can also use Auto Size to make labels fit inside the rounded rectangle but I'm not sure if that's a better solution.

The benefit of adding these as layers to your map instead of drawing them on top of the layout is that they stay in their location when you pan around the map.

Let us know if this works for you

------------------------------
Peter Horsbøll Møller
Principal Presales Consultant | Distinguished Engineer
Precisely | Trust in Data