Note: This topic was updated for 9.3.1.

When coverage, CAD, SDE 3, VPF, or PC ARC/INFO annotation is imported into a feature-linked annotation feature class, a relationship class is created, but the annotation features are not automatically linked to their features. If the annotation feature class you imported has a field that relates to a field in the feature class to which you want to link, you can perform a join between the two feature classes and then use SQL to link the annotation to their features.

Learn more about the composite relationship between a feature class and its feature-linked annotation feature class.

Learn more about using feature-linked annotation.

1. In ArcMap, load the imported annotation and the feature class that the relationship class links to.
2. Right-click the annotation feature class, click Joins and Relates, then click Join.
3. Click the first drop-down arrow and click Join attributes from a table.
4. Click the second drop-down arrow and click the field name in the layer on which the join will be based. This is the field that was imported with the annotation that references the feature it is annotating.
5. Click the third drop-down arrow to choose the table to join to the layer. This is the feature class that was imported.
6. Click the fourth drop-down arrow and click the field in the table on which to base the join. This is the field that was imported with the features that points to the annotation features.
7. Click OK.
The attributes of the table are appended to the layer's attribute table.
Learn more about joins.
8. Open the attribute table for the annotation feature class, right click the FeatureID field, and open the Field Calculator.
9. In the fields list, double-click the OBJECTID field from the joined feature class.
Learn more about making field calculations.
10. Click OK.
11. Remove the join.