Note: This topic was updated for 9.3.1.

NOTE: ArcEditor or ArcInfo is required to import into a feature-linked annotation feature class.

You can import one or more coverage annotation feature classes with the Import Coverage Annotation tool. Similarly, you can import one or more CAD annotation feature classes with the Import CAD Annotation tool. Both tools import into a new standard or feature-linked annotation feature class they create in the process. Importing from these formats into a feature-linked annotation feature class does not link annotation to features but does create the relationship class.

Learn how to link the imported annotation.

Values stored in regular text attributes in the annotation feature classes you import are carried over to the new feature classes.

Coverage and CAD annotation import into the geodatabase as they appear in ArcMap. For this reason, you should carefully set up the display of the annotation before you import. If you’re importing several tiled annotation feature classes at the same time, you need only to set up symbology for the first annotation feature class you list in the Import Coverage Annotation or Import CAD Annotation tool. The tools allow you to apply the same symbology to all the other feature classes you import.

Coverage pseudo items and annotation appearance

1. In ArcMap, add the coverage or CAD annotation feature class you want to import.
2. Zoom to the scale at which you'll normally view the imported annotation.
3. Symbolize the annotation as you want it to appear once converted.
4. Open the ArcToolbox window, click Toolboxes, click System Toolboxes, click Conversion Tools, and click the plus sign to expand To Geodatabase.
5. If you're importing coverage annotation, double-click Import Coverage Annotation. If you're importing CAD annotation, double-click Import CAD Annotation.
6. Add the layers with the annotation feature class data sources you want to import.
7. For Output feature class, navigate to the location of the new annotation feature class and specify its name.
If you're importing into a new feature-linked annotation feature class, you must specify a feature class in the same feature dataset as the linked feature class or at the root level of the geodatabase if the feature class you're linking to is at the root level of a geodatabase.
8. Specify the reference scale.
9. For Create annotation classes from levels, check this box if you want to create an annotation class for each level defined by the $LEVEL field.
If you want to combine levels into a single annotation class in the output feature class, leave this box unchecked.
10. If you're importing a set of annotation feature classes that all use the same symbols and the same $SYMBOL value to refer to each symbol, check the check box Match symbols from first input. This prevents a symbol from being added to the new feature class's symbol collection more than once.
11. For the Require symbol to be selected from the symbol table option, see Annotation feature class editing properties.
12. For Feature-linked, if you want to import into a feature-linked annotation feature class, check this box.
If you don't want to import into a feature-linked annotation feature class, skip to step 15.
13. For Linked feature class, navigate to the existing geodatabase feature class to which the new annotation feature class will link.
14. For the Create annotation when new features are added and Update annotation when feature's shape is modified options, see Annotation feature class editing properties.
15. Click Environments.
16. Expand General Settings.
17. Set the output coordinate system.
18. Expand Geodatabase Settings.
19. If you’re importing into a file or ArcSDE geodatabase and you want to create the feature classes using a custom storage keyword, type the keyword.
20. If you're importing into a personal or ArcSDE geodatabase and know an optimal spatial index grid size for your data, specify it in map units.
21. If you’re importing to an ArcSDE geodatabase and have additional grid sizes, type them in.
22. Set the x,y domain.
23. Click OK.
24. On the Import tool, click OK to import the annotation feature classes.

Tips You can run the Import Coverage Annotation tool from ArcCatalog as well. However, all imported annotation is assigned the default font Arial, and—if the $SIZE value is zero—the default size is 14 pt. If there are errors, an error message and dialog box will appear after you import your annotation. You can get more information about the errors by checking the log files listed in the dialog box. A log file is only created if there are errors. The file is created in your user temp directory, which is commonly found under \Documents and Settings\user\Local Settings\Temp. The log file will have the name GL<feature class name>#.log. For example, if the target annotation feature class is AlbanyAnno, then the first error log file created for this target will be named GLAlbanyAnno0.log. The second file will be named GLAlbanyAnno1.log, and so on. The errors listed in the log file are geodatabase errors associated with loading or changing features. If you are working with an ArcSDE geodatabase, when possible, import the annotation before you version your data. This will eliminate the processing time required for reconciling and posting the edited version back to the parent version. The row length for an annotation feature varies depending on: the length of the text string, whether or not the text is curved (curved text takes up more space), and the internal symbol storage. For text annotation, row lengths of 80–100 bytes are typical. Graphics stored as annotation will require 400 bytes or more per row. When importing into feature-linked annotation, if your target annotation feature class is linked to a network feature class, you should import the annotation after building the geometric network. This is recommended because when features are snapped in the network building process, their geometry is modified in such a way that linked annotation features are not updated.