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I am using ArcMap 10.5.

I'm just trying to add some text, and I have no idea why but for the last maybe 30min, after I create them, they just disappear. I have tried other draw features (lines, polygons), restarting my map, trying different mxd's, restarting ArcMap and even restarting my computer.

I am using the 'Drawing' toolbar.

I am in Data View.

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7
  • Are you changing between Layout and Data Views? If so, which one are you using to add the text?
    – PolyGeo ♦
    Commented Jun 27, 2019 at 19:36
  • I am not changing views, I am in data view.
    – Emma Pascoe
    Commented Jun 27, 2019 at 19:39
  • I cannot reproduce the problem. What are the properties of your text? do you still see the rectangle around the text when you select with a box around the position of your text? Sometimes, deleting the normal.mxt file helps.
    – radouxju
    Commented Jun 27, 2019 at 19:46
  • I'm not exactly sure what you mean by properties of my text, but its just arial font, 10 pt size. I see the rectangle and I'm able to type it in, but once i click out of it to move it, it disappears
    – Emma Pascoe
    Commented Jun 27, 2019 at 19:47
  • Try right clicking the rectangle, select order, then bring to front
    – Maksim
    Commented Jun 27, 2019 at 19:49

1 Answer 1

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5

If you are adding text to a map in the data view it will be added as annotation. There's a difference between text (on a layout, like a title) and text in the data view (actually an annotation). The data frame has a default annotation group. The only way I can recreate the described problem is by adding text from the drawing toolbar when the default annotation group is turned off.

As a possible fix, go to your dataframe in the table of contents, right click and select properties:

enter image description here

Then in the properties dialog box choose the annotation groups tab and make sure the default annotation group is checked and click okay. Your text should appear:

enter image description here

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