Text Macro Lose Arrow Associations When Reopening Plan

[Radius1]

I’m running into a persistent issue with text macro callouts and arrows losing their associations after reopening a completed plan.

 

Workflow:

• Project is fully built and annotated
• Text macros are used with arrows pointing to objects (walls, fixtures, components)
• Everything displays correctly when saved and closedIssue:
• After reopening the plan, many (sometimes all) text macro callouts are no longer connected to their arrows
• The arrow still exists, but the macro text is no longer properly associated and must be manually reconnected
• This happens consistently and adds a lot of rework time on larger projects

Notes:

• File is not being converted between versions
• Happens even when no geometry changes are made
• Occurs across multiple projects, not file-specific

 

Overall, I'm finding this software is just not stable enough to be used in any real long term professional environment. I was sold on the pretty pictures but over a year into it, I'm starting to export all my projects to CAD (which is a total pita!) and let this subscription die. Just a quick nod to something that needs to be fixed before i go.

[Joe_Carrick]

In the Arrow Defaults try selecting:

• Attach Tail to Other Objects
• Auto Position Head (might not be necessary)
• Attache Head to Other Ojects

[DBCooper]

This post probably doesn't belong on the suggestions forum.  Sounds more like a support issue or a Q&A issue.

 

You didn't say which version you are using or if you have the latest update. 

 

I haven't seen this problem myself and don't remember seeing any other posts on it.  It might be something different that you are doing instead of a bug in the program.  Seems a shame to give up before you have figured out what the problem is.

 

Post your plan that you are having problems with.  Then someone can look into it and see if they can figure it what might be the cause.

 

Or, contact tech support.  It's free with your subscription.  I haven't used them in years but had good luck with them in the past.

 

Edited Saturday at 05:40 PM by DBCooper

[Radius1]

Thanks Joe, There is the "add an arrow" setting that i checked. but as soon as you move the arrow to the target the setting undoes it self. additionally, the arrow only attaches to the left of the text.

when its connected it works as intended. Its when i close the file and reopen it. The connection is lost. Its not predictable behavior. 

additionally, its not really that helpful of a setting anyways now that i look at it. The wall height is not 255" but the elevation is. At this point its better than nothing. (which its trying to be anyways) idk i give up. 

 

Hey Coop! I'm using X17 27.3.2.5. - I still have 9 months of my second year subscription. I'm just hoping there is a revelation on the developers side that smooths out some of these documentation issues.

Edited Saturday at 05:41 PM by Radius1

[DBCooper]

"Add an arrow" just adds an arrow automatically when you click ok and close the dialog.  It's not an "attribute" or "setting" so the next time you open the dialog, it will not be checked.  If you check it again, you will get another arrow and it might be hidden because it is on top of the old one.  It's actually pretty dumb and you don't have any control over where the arrow starts and ends until you edit it manually.  You can also just draw the arrow manually using the "diamond" handle when the text is selected or by using the "text line with arrow" tool.  Personally, I like to use the diamond handle because it gives you more control.

 

You can always tell when the arrow is connected by looking at the end handles when you select it.  When they are both filled, as you show in your picture above, then it is connected to both the text object and to the wall.  If one or both of them is not filled, then it is not connected and your macro won't work.

 

I am still not sure why you would lose the connections when you close and reopen the plan.  It could be because you have multiple arrows on top of each other.  It could be because you have bad settings in the arrow itself (like Joe mentioned in his post).  Be sure that the arrow is marked as "attach tail" and "attach head" otherwise it will never work.  I don't think the auto position matters unless you are moving either the text or the wall around.  It could be something else, but we would need the plan to know more.

 

 

 

 

Edited Sunday at 12:28 AM by DBCooper

[JKEdmo]

I wonder if it's related to this issue that I reported to Support a few days ago.  Seems similar to me.  Chief acknowledged it as a bug and I assume they are working on it.

 

In any case, you should probably open a support ticket and report it as a possible bug.

 

 

 

 

[Renerabbitt]

On 12/20/2025 at 9:29 AM, DBCooper said:

I haven't seen this problem myself and don't remember seeing any other posts on it.  It might be something different that you are doing instead of a bug in the program.  Seems a shame to give up before you have figured out what the problem is.

I've run into it in previous versions of X17
to the OP, do you have grid snaps turned on, have you considered right aligning the text... and if you have auto width turned on for the text box consider turning it off. the program may try and size the box before the macro fires. Why are you using that particular macro? I would say that one is a risky one, there are so many conditions I can think of where that becomes a liability. Couldn't this be handled better in a detail or ceiling height macro?