How do I annotate model elements?

Product(s): WaterGEMS, WaterCAD, HAMMER, SewerGEMS, SewerCAD, StormCAD, CivilStorm, PondPack
Version(s): CONNECT Edition, V8i
Area: Output

Problem

How can I create new annotations for an element type? (show labeling in the drawing pane for certain attributes or results)

How do I annotate model elements by selection set? How do I annotate only certain elements in a model?

How can I rotate and scale annotations individually?

Solution

You can add annotations through Element Symbology. The steps to do this can be found below in this article. First, one must understand the Element Symbology Manager. 

Element Symbology Manager

The Element Symbology manager controls the way elements, and their associated labels are displayed in the drawing area. You can create multiple symbology definitions in which you can create different combinations of color coding and annotations for different scenarios and quickly switch between them.  The Symbology Definitions manager lets you add, edit, and remove and manage the symbology definitions associated with your model. To change the settings for a definition, change the current symbology definition to the one you want to edit in the Element Symbology Manager (using the dropdown at the top) and make the desired changes there (i.e. turn on/off the desired elements, create new annotations and color coding and turn them on or off, etc.).

Note: The element types that are not used in the current model are marked with an icon.

Also, you can different folders within a symbology definition which can have a collection of color coding and/or annotation that can be turned off as one entity. To create a folder in the Element Symbology Manager:

  1. Click View > Element Symbology.
  2. In the Element Symbology Manager, right-click an element and select New > Folder.
  3. You can drag and drop existing annotations and color coding into the folder you create, and you can create annotations and color coding within the folder by right-clicking the folder and selecting New > Annotation or New > Color Coding.

Create a new annotation for an element type

1) In the Element Symbology manager (View > Element Symbology) right click on the name of the element that you want to annotation and choose New > Annotation

2) Choose the appropriate field using the drop down menu, which lists the properties in alphabetical order or select the field using the " > " button, which lists all the properties by category.

The above annotation properties window also has a drop down menu that allows you choose a selection set of elements that will be annotated. This will allow you to label only certain elements in your model instead of allow of them. There is also an option to set the initial X-Y coordinate placement offset of the annotations and set the height multiplier you'd like the annotations to use. This height multiplier is multiplied to the global height setting for annotations that is found on the Drawing tab in the Options manager (Tools > Options).

Note: the "Free Form" option can be used to configure a block of multiple annotations that can be grouped together. See more here: How do you create a free form annotation?

3) After you choose all your setting you can hit the "Ok" button to place the annotations. After placement the annotations can always be moved manually using your mouse cursor. 

Annotating model elements by selection set

In set 1 described above all you need to do is make sure to choose a selection set. Please see the location in the dialog box to do that below.

If you haven't already created a selection set then you can do that using this wiki article.

Rotating and scaling individual annotations

Annotations can be scaled and rotated one at a time by right-clicking on the label and then selecting scale or rotate.

See Also

Annotating elements in an i-model

Annotation labels getting reset after editing height multiplier

Assign elements and annotations to specific levels when a project is attached to a DGN in MicroStation

Changing symbol size, text height, or line width for elements in a model

How do you color code an element?

How do you create a free form annotation?

How is the initial size or height of an annotation determined?

Re-aligning annotations to pipe orientation

Transferring color coding and annotations between elements and models

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