About Annotations in 2D Layout for 3D Design

Available commands

You can create text, balloon, datum feature, datum target, geometrical tolerance, roughness symbol, welding symbol, and table annotation features.

Important: Datum targets and geometrical tolerances are documented in the Dimensioning.

You can add leaders, positional links and orientation links to existing annotations. Regarding positional/orientation links, some restrictions apply, which are detailed in Behavior of annotations with positional or orientation link below.

General behavior

You can create annotations:

• in the main view, in the background view, or in a 2D component view (on a layout detail sheet).
• in any visible design view (projection view, auxiliary view, section view/cut) or isometric view of the current sheet, whether or not it is the active view.

To do so, select an element of the view in which you want to create the annotation.

Specific behaviors

• Welding symbols: In the Drafting app, welding symbol leaders are positioned associatively to the intersection of two reference elements. As only one element can be selected in 2D Layout for 3D Design, the leader is simply positioned at the indicated position.
• Text with attribute link: In 2D Layout for 3D Design, you can create the same attribute links as in the Drafting app. The update mechanism is the similar: if the referenced parameter is located in the same representation, any modification made to the parameter value automatically updates the text each time. If the referenced parameter belongs to another representation, you must update the attribute link manually (Local Update available in the layout, sheet or view context menu.
• Adding a leader to an existing annotation: You can add a leader to an existing annotation. However, you cannot select any geometry element. The leader is associative if you respect the rules detailed in Behavior of annotations with positional or orientation link below. If not, the leader is positioned at the indicated position.
• Adding a positional or orientation link to an existing annotation: You can add a positional or orientation link to an existing annotation. However, you cannot select any geometry element. The link is created if you respect the rules detailed in Behavior of annotations with positional or orientation link below.
• Updating a positional or orientation link when the reference element is modified: When the reference element for a positional or orientation link is modified, the way the link is updated depends on where the reference element is located.

If the reference element belongs...	... then, when the reference element is modified...
to the view content	the positional/orientation link is automatically updated.
to the view 2D background	the positional/orientation link is updated when you have finished modifying the reference element. For example, if the reference element is a line and you drag it, the positional/orientation link is updated when you release the mouse.
to the view 3D background	you must update the link manually using the Local Update command available on the layout, sheet or view context menu.

The views are not seen as Not-updated prior update.

Behavior of annotations with positional or orientation link

When creating annotations with positional or orientation link, there are two behaviors, depending on where you create the annotation.

• If you create annotations directly in the main view, in the background view, or in a 2D component view (on a layout detail sheet), no specific position in 3D space is defined. Annotations are created exactly in the same context as in the Drafting app. Only view content elements can be selected
• If you create annotations in a design view or isometric view, a specific position in 3D space is defined. In this case, annotation creation and edition commands behave differently than in Drafting. Some restrictions apply regarding whether or not the annotation will be created with a positional/orientation link, as detailed below.

When editing a 3D shape layout outside the context of an assembly: Only elements belonging to the same 3D shape or its associated layout are visible in a design/isometric view (including its background).

The table below summarizes whether or not the annotation will be created with a positional/orientation link, depending on where the selected element is located and on what type of element you select:

If elements belong...	... and if you select...	... then the created annotation will be associative in position/orientation to the selected element:
to the view content	any geometrical element, annotation, axis line or center line	Yes
to the view 2D background	any element which belongs to another view (through the background of a design view)	Yes
to the view 3D background	any edge, vertex or 3D wireframe element	Yes
to the view 3D background	a surface or solid element	No

When editing a 3D shape layout in the context of an assembly: Elements belonging to the same 3D shape or its associated layout, as well as all elements belonging to any other 3D shape or product of the assembly, are visible in a design/isometric view (including its background).

The table below summarizes whether or not the annotation will be created with a positional/orientation link, depending on where the selected element is located and on what type of element you select:

If elements belong...	... and if you select...	... then the created annotation will be associative in position/orientation to the selected element:
to the view content	any geometrical element, annotation, axis line or center line	Yes
to the view 2D background	an element of the same 3D shape instance	Yes
to the view 2D background	an element of another 3D shape or another instance of the 3D shape	No
to the view 3D background	an element of the same 3D shape instance, i.e. any edge, vertex or 3D wireframe element	Yes
to the view 3D background	an element of the same 3D shape instance, i.e. a surface or solid element	No
to the view 3D background	an element of another 3D shape or another instance of the 3D shape, i.e. any edge, vertex or 3D wireframe element	No
to the view 3D background	an element of another 3D shape or another instance of the 3D shape, i.e. a surface or solid element	No