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Dynamic text

Dynamic text is text on a layout that changes based on the current properties of the project, map frame, map, and so on. You can add dynamic text to include information such as the following:

When you insert a piece of dynamic text, it automatically displays the current value of its respective property. When that property is updated, the dynamic text automatically updates. Dynamic text works through the use of tags, similar to HTML. This allows you to combine both dynamic and static text in a single text element and apply the available formatting options to customize the resulting text display.

Note:

If a dynamic text value does not update automatically, press F5 to refresh the layout.

The following is an example of a dynamic text tag for the name of the project:

<dyn type="project" property="name"/>

This is what you see in the Text View box in the Element pane. On the page layout, you see the name of the current project.

There are several types of dynamic text:

  • Map Frame (<dyn type="mapFrame" name="<Map Frame Name>"/>)—Returns property values of a specified map frame and its map

  • Table (<dyn type="table"/>)—Returns attribute values or statistics from a specified layer or stand-alone table in a map frame

  • Layout (<dyn type="layout"/>)—Returns property values of the current layout

  • Project (<dyn type="project"/>)—Returns property values of the project

  • Date (<dyn type="date"/>)—Returns the current date

  • Time (<dyn type="time"/>)—Returns the current time

  • User (<dyn type="user"/>)—Returns the name of the current user

  • Computer (<dyn type="computer"/>)—Returns the name of the machine currently viewing the project

Table dynamic text is different from other dynamic text because table data can be filtered. You can choose to display the property for all the data in a table, only the data visible on the layout, or only a custom subset of the data. Since table data can be filtered, there are additional parameters for table dynamic text.

Learn more about working with dynamic text

Note:

Dynamic text is only supported on a layout or report.