Making an Existing Annotation Associative

You can add a link between an annotation and another element at any time after an annotation is created.

This task shows you how to:

Before you begin: Open a drawing representation and create a text.

Add a Positional Link

You can add a positional link between an annotation and another element.

Right-click any part of the text (text itself, frame or leader) and select Positional Link > Create.
Select the element to which you want the text's position to be linked to.
A flexible positional link is created. If you select the linked element and drag it in the drawing, the text follows this element. You can move the annotation relative to the selected reference element.

Right-click any part of the text again and select Positional Link > Rigid.

The link is now a rigid positional link. The annotation cannot be moved with respect to the selected reference element.

Tip: To create rigid positional links, by default, for texts, tables and geometrical tolerances, select the relevant check boxes in Me

> Preferences > App Preferences > 3D Modeling > Mechanical Systems > Drafting > Annotation and Dress-Up section.

To replace the reference geometry, right-click the text and select Positional Link > Replace.
Select the new reference element.
If you now select the new linked element and drag it in the drawing, you will notice that the text follows this element.
To remove the positional link, right-click the text again, and select Positional Link > Delete.

You can add an orientation link between an annotation and another element.

Right-click the text and select Orientation Link > Create.
Select the element to which you want the text's orientation to be linked to.
The orientation link is created. If you now select the linked element and modify its orientation, you can notice that the orientation of the text is modified simultaneously.

You can position an annotation on a reference annotation using its attachment points and automatically create positional and orientation links.

Before you begin: Create an annotation of any of the following types: text, text with leader, balloon, datum target, datum feature, table.

Note: For this scenario, you will create a text.

From the Annotation section of the action bar, click Text .
Move the pointer over the existing annotation.
The attachment points are displayed.

The nearest attachment point location is highlighted indicating that the annotation will be positioned on it if that point is selected. For more information about the attachment points, see Annotation Positioning.
Click the required attachment point to position the text.
In the Text Editor dialog box, enter the text and click OK.
The text is positioned at the selected attachment point of the reference text. Its angle is set to the same value as that of the reference text, and positional and orientation links are created between both annotations.
The anchor point of the positioned text is set automatically so that the text is properly aligned with the reference text according to the attachment point.

You can change the position of the text, if required.