ArcGIS Pro 2.1 | How to change reference scale in Annotation Feature Class?

In ArcMap 10.5.1, once labels converted to Annotation Feature Class in a FGDB, it is posssible to change the reference scale in the Properties. It is an unusual function as alignement might appear. However, very handy in certain situation.

In ArcGIS Pro 2.1, I made a map at scale 1:900,000 and edited all annotations. Unfortunately, I just discovered that my map fit my page at scale 1:1,000,000 . Is there any way to change the reference scale of an Annotation Feature Class stored in FGDB? Or should I wait for Pro 2.2?

by DanPatterson_Re tired

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So this doesn't apply?

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I recently upgraded to ArcGIS Pro 2.2.

Unfortunately, the functionality I was asking above, I mean changing the reference scale of an Annotation Feature Class stored in FGDB, is not implemented in ArcGIS Pro 2.2.

I'd like to approach the problem differently. Is it possible to access Annotation Feature Class properties with arcpy in Python in order to write a simple script to change the reference scale? This would solve my problem until ESRI implement this functionality in a future release.

Here is the functionality that was available in ArcGIS 10.5:

by DanPatterson_Re tired

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So this doesn't apply?

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Fantastic! And there is even a tool in the Annotation toolset:

Although, the change Reference Scale is not accessible from right-click Annotation Feature Class Properties (greyed out), as shown below, thus my question initially.

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Would this tool run on annotation that was imported into an aprx file from an mxd, but the annotation was not upgraded for Pro?

Is the screenshot provided above available in Pro from annotation that is imported from ArcMap?

If you start with a reference scale of say 1:1,000,000 and run the Update Annotation Reference Scale tool to be 1:2,000,000, would the Reference scale be updated in the Annotation Properties box shown in the screenshot?

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The screenshot I shared above is with Annotation created in Pro (not imported from ArcMap). Also, the tool documentation states in the Usage section :

"Before an annotation feature class can have its reference scale updated, it must be upgraded to the current release using the Upgrade Dataset tool. "

And I believe the Reference scale would be updated in the Annotation Properties

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Thanks for the info.

I was able to go through this process on a copy of the annotation from SDE in a file gdb. The real issue is that once upgraded in SDE, the annotation is no longer even readable in ArcMap and my org cannot just flip the switch and move all work to Pro so this is sort of a temporary showstopper. Another ESRI user unfortunately got burned by this issue and can no longer use annotation in their ArcGIS Server mapservices (A lesson learned from other GeoNet contributors which is one of the great benefits of GeoNet).

If ESRI could at least make the upgraded annotation readable in ArcMap, that would be a much quicker and easier more forward towards a migration to Pro.