Add and modify dynamic text

Dynamic text is text on a layout that changes based on current properties of the project, layout, map frame, and so on. When that property is updated, the text automatically updates. Dynamic text works through the use of tags, similar to HTML. This allows you to combine dynamic and static text in a single text element. The most common dynamic text tags can be selected from the dynamic text gallery, as described below, but additional tags are available. For a complete list of dynamic text tags and more information about how to work with the tags, see Dynamic text tags.

Table dynamic text returns attribute values or statistics from a specified layer or stand-alone table in a map frame. Since there can be multiple map frames, layers, and stand-alone tables on a layout, table dynamic text requires you to select the data to include and has a slightly different insert experience than other dynamic text. Steps to add dynamic text and table dynamic text are described below.

Note:

If you convert a text element containing a dynamic text tag to a graphic, the tag is replaced with the text currently displayed on the page.

Add dynamic text to a layout

Complete the following steps to add dynamic text to a layout:

1. With a layout view active, on the Insert tab, in the Graphics and Text group, click the Dynamic Text button .

   A gallery appears showing the dynamic text tags.

   Note:

   Using the gallery is the most common way to add dynamic text, but you can also add a dynamic text element by typing the tag directly.

2. Choose a dynamic text tag from the gallery.
3. In the layout view, click and drag a box in the desired location to create the dynamic text element.

   The dynamic text element is added to the layout.

4. Optionally, move, format, and edit the text.

Modify dynamic text

To modify a dynamic text element, do the following:

1. Right-click the dynamic text element in the Contents pane and click Properties to open the Element pane.
2. In the Element pane, on the Options tab, select Text View or Tag View . Modify the text element with text and tags according to your view type.

Dynamic text can be edited using Tag View or Text View . Tag View represents each dynamic text tag as a clickable button, with any static text displayed in the usual text format. Clicking the button opens a window allowing you to edit only that tag. Text View shows the full dynamic text tags together with any static text.

Note:

Spellcheck is not available in Text View for dynamic text, since the tags would always be considered misspelled. Switch to Tag View to check the spelling of the static text.

Table dynamic text

Table dynamic text has a slightly different insert experience. Table dynamic text returns attribute values or statistics from a specified layer or stand-alone table in a map frame. Since there can be multiple map frames, layers, and stand-alone tables on a layout, table dynamic text requires you to select the data you want. Table dynamic text can also be filtered. You can use all the data in a table or a subset. You do this by setting the Query parameter. The following are the query options:

• All rows—Uses every row in the table.
• Visible rows—Uses all the rows for data visible in the map extent. This is not an option for stand-alone tables, because they are not displayed on the map.
• Custom query—Uses a query created by the user using the query builder. This query builder expression is applied to all rows in the table and can't be limited to rows visible in the map extent.
• Map series rows—Uses only the rows that intersect the current map series index feature. This option is only available for a spatial map series and does not apply to stand-alone tables.

Additional parameters can also be set for the Table Attribute and Table Statistic groups in table dynamic text.

Add table dynamic text to a layout

Complete the following steps to add table dynamic text to a layout:

1. With the layout view active, on the Insert tab, in the Text group, click Dynamic Text .

   A gallery appears showing the dynamic text tags.

2. In the gallery, choose a tag from the Table Attribute or Table Statistic group.

   Choosing a tag from this gallery opens the corresponding insert dialog box.

3. Select the map frame, layer or stand-alone table, query, and field you want to use. You can also set additional parameters specific to Table Attribute and Table Statistic tags. Click OK.
4. In the layout view, click and drag a box in the desired location to create the dynamic text element.

   The dynamic text element is added to the layout.

5. Optionally, move, format, and edit the text.

Table Attribute group

Value returns the value or values from one or more records in a layer or stand-alone table. Distinct Values returns the value or values from records in a layer or stand-alone table that are unique, eliminating duplicates in the text. Distinct values are not supported for double or float field types. The following parameters can be set for Value or Distinct Values on the Insert Table Attribute dialog box:

Table Attribute

Parameter	Definition
Map Frame	The map frame containing the layer or stand-alone table to display data from.
Table	The layer or stand-alone table to display data from.
Query	The set of data to display: All rows, Visible rows, Custom query, or Map series rows.
Field	The column of data from the table to display.
Distinct	Return only unique values, eliminating duplicates. This is not available for double or float field types.
Sort Field	The field in the table used to sort the data displayed. If <None> is selected, the data is displayed in the order created. Check Sort Ascending to have the values sorted from smallest to largest or alphabetically, depending on the field type. Uncheck to have the values sorted from largest to smallest or in reverse alphabetical order.
Delimiter	The characters to separate each value. The default is a single space. Use \n to have a new line as the delimiter.
Decimal places	The number of decimal places to display. The default is 2.
Thousands separator	Places a delimiter between thousands.
Expression	An optional Arcade expression to control the precise display of values.

Note:

The Decimal places and Thousands separator controls only appear when a numeric field is selected.

The following are examples of Arcade expressions that you can use with Value:

Concatenate multiple fields. In this example, three fields are used to create a date.

$feature.Day + " " + $feature.Month + ", " + $feature.Year

Avoid displaying null values. For this expression to work properly, there must not be a delimiter set.

if (isEmpty($feature.CROP_ACR97)){}
else($feature.CROP_ACR97 + ", ")

Table Statistic group

There are 15 statistics that can be calculated on a field, as follows:

• Count—Returns the number of nonnull rows
• Distinct Count—Returns the number of unique value rows. This is not available for double or float field types.
• Null Count—Returns the number of null rows
• Minimum—Returns the lowest value
• Maximum—Returns the highest value
• Mean—Returns the average value
• Median—Returns the middle value
• Range—Returns the difference between the highest and lowest values
• Sum—Returns the total of all values added together
• Standard Deviation—Returns the standard deviation of values, a measure of data variation
• Kurtosis—Returns the kurtosis of values, a measure of the heaviness of distribution tails
• Skewness—Returns the skewness of values, a measure of distribution
• Lower Quartile—Returns the value that 25 percent of ordered data values are less than
• Upper Quartile—Returns the value that 75 percent of ordered data values are greater than
• Variance—Returns the variance of the values, a measure of dispersion around the standard deviation

Note:

Count and Null Count can be run on any field, but the other statistics can only be run on numeric fields. In a table with no numeric fields, inserting these statistics results in an error message.

The following parameters can be set for any Table Statistic calculation on the Insert Table Statistic dialog box:

Parameter	Definition
Map Frame	The map frame containing the layer or stand-alone table to display.
Table	The layer or stand-alone table to display.
Query	The set of data to display: All rows, Visible rows, Custom query, or Map series rows.
Statistic	The statistic being calculated.
Field	The column of data from the table to display.
Decimal places	The number of decimal places to display. The default is 2.
Thousands separator	Places a delimiter between thousands.

Modify table dynamic text

Table dynamic text can also be modified after being added to the layout. Table attribute and table statistic dynamic text return properties from a specified layer or stand-alone table in a map frame. As such, there are editable parameters not found in other dynamic text types. These parameters are edited on the Insert Table Attribute or Insert Table Statistic dialog boxes.

To edit table dynamic text, do the following:

1. Right-click the table dynamic text element in the Contents pane or on the page, and click Properties.
2. In the Element pane, on the Options tab, click Tag View . Add or modify existing static text, or click the dynamic text button to open the appropriate editing dialog box.
3. Modify the table attribute parameters or table statistic parameters on the dialog box and click OK.

Tip:

Because of the number of properties that can be changed, it is recommended that you only edit table dynamic text in Tag View.