FME Transformers: 2025.0
Categories and Related Transformers
Categories
Calculated Values
Related Transformers
CoordinateExtractor
TextAdder
TextPropertyExtractor
TextPropertySetter
TextStroker
VertexCreator
Replaces text with its location geometry, usually a point.
Typical Uses
- Converting text labels to points
- Working with complex annotation input
- Restoring non-point geometry stored with text
How does it work?
The TextLocationExtractor receives features with text geometry and converts them to whatever non-text geometry exists on the feature.
This will usually be a point, but may also be a line or curve representing annotation, or geometry of any type that has been stored using the TextAdder.
Text properties including the text string, size, and rotation are discarded. To extract them into attribute values, use a TextPropertyExtractor prior to the TextLocationExtractor.
This transformer has no parameters.
Examples
Example: Converting text to point geometry
In this example, we have a set of text labels and want to convert them to simple point geometry.
The features are routed into a TextLocationExtractor. There are no parameters to set.
The output features are points, and the text properties have been discarded.
Example: Working with complex annotations
In this example, we have a set of complex annotations that have been retrieved from a geodatabase.
In their source environment, these cartographic labels follow the course of waterways. FME Data Inspector (and most formats) cannot render that detail, so the labels are displayed as normal text.
Note that in addition to the Text Location as Point coordinates, the selected feature also has aggregate multipoint geometry stored.
The features are routed into a TextLocationExtractor. There are no parameters to set.
The text is replaced with geometry representing the original annotation, which can be further manipulated.
If the label text strings are not already stored as an attribute, they can be retrieved by using a TextPropertyExtractor prior to the TextLocationExtractor.
Usage Notes
- To extract a text feature’s coordinates into attributes, use a CoordinateExtractor.
- To convert text to a vector representation, use a TextStroker.
- For an example of storing and restoring non-point geometry to/from text features, see the TextAdder.
- For an example of working with complex annotation, see Working with Curved Multi-part Geodatabase Annotation.
Creating and Modifying Point and Text Features
These transformers work with points, text, and labels in a variety of ways.
Points and Text Transformers Comparison
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Transformer |
Use this to... |
Transformer Description |
|---|---|---|
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Create one or more new features with box geometry of a specific size and position (when Geometry Object is Point or Text). |
Creates features using the parameters supplied, and sends them into the workspace for processing. |
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Replace a feature’s geometry with a point at a specified location. |
Creates a single vertex to replace, be appended to, or be inserted into existing geometry. |
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Create points inside features or their bounding boxes. |
Replaces feature geometry with a point located within the feature, its bounding box, or at its center of mass. |
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Extract the coordinates of a calculated point within the feature. |
Extracts the coordinates of a point located within the feature, its bounding box, or at its center of mass, and stores them as attributes. |
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Create new regularly-spaced points in a specified location. |
Creates a regular grid of points or rectangular polygons of a specified size, position, and coordinate system. |
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Create new regularly-spaced points over the extents of other features. |
Creates a regular grid of points or rectangular polygons that span the extents of all input features. |
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Create points from every vertex of input line or area geometry. |
Chops line, arc, path, or area features into smaller features based on number of vertices or approximate length. |
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Create points where features intersect. |
Computes intersections between all input features, breaking lines and polygons wherever an intersection occurs and creating nodes at those locations. |
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Create points from point cloud features. |
Converts point clouds to point or multipoint geometries, optionally retaining attribute and component values. |
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Label lines. |
Places labels along a linear feature, angled to the orientation of each labeled segment. |
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Label points at an angle. |
Replaces any geometry with a single text label at the center of its bounding box. |
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Label points and areas. |
Replaces point, line, or area geometry with a single text label. |
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Convert text to geometry. |
Replaces text with its location geometry, usually a point. |
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Extract text properties into attributes. |
Retrieves text property values from text geometry, adding them to the feature as attributes. |
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Set or modify text properties. |
Modifies or creates text geometry according to new coordinates, text string, size, or rotation values. |
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Convert text to non-text geometry. |
Converts text to aggregate line or area geometry according to a specific True Type font. |
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Extract point properties into attributes. |
Extracts point orientation to feature attributes. |
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Set or modify point properties. |
Adds or removes point orientation. |
Labelling and Geometry
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Geometry |
Recommended Transformer |
Example |
|---|---|---|
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Point |
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Line |
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Area
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Configuration
Input Ports
Input
Feature with text geometry.
Output Ports
Output
Features with text replaced by point or other location geometry.
<Rejected>
Features with geometry other than text are output here.
Rejected features will have an fme_rejection_code attribute with the following value:
INVALID_GEOMETRY_TYPE
Rejected Feature Handling: can be set to either terminate the translation or continue running when it encounters a rejected feature. This setting is available both as a default FME option and as a workspace parameter.
Parameters
This transformer has no parameters.
Editing Transformer Parameters
Transformer parameters can be set by directly entering values, using expressions, or referencing other elements in the workspace such as attribute values or user parameters. Various editors and context menus are available to assist. To see what is available, click 
beside the applicable parameter.
How to Set Parameter Values
Defining Values
There are several ways to define a value for use in a Transformer. The simplest is to simply type in a value or string, which can include functions of various types such as attribute references, math and string functions, and workspace parameters.
Using the Text Editor
The Text Editor provides a convenient way to construct text strings (including regular expressions) from various data sources, such as attributes, parameters, and constants, where the result is used directly inside a parameter.
Using the Arithmetic Editor
The Arithmetic Editor provides a convenient way to construct math expressions from various data sources, such as attributes, parameters, and feature functions, where the result is used directly inside a parameter.
Conditional Values
Set values depending on one or more test conditions that either pass or fail.
Parameter Condition Definition Dialog
Content
Expressions and strings can include a number of functions, characters, parameters, and more.
When setting values - whether entered directly in a parameter or constructed using one of the editors - strings and expressions containing String, Math, Date/Time or FME Feature Functions will have those functions evaluated. Therefore, the names of these functions (in the form @<function_name>) should not be used as literal string values.
Content Types
| These functions manipulate and format strings. | |
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Special Characters |
A set of control characters is available in the Text Editor. |
| Math functions are available in both editors. | |
| Date/Time Functions | Date and time functions are available in the Text Editor. |
| These operators are available in the Arithmetic Editor. | |
| These return primarily feature-specific values. | |
| FME and workspace-specific parameters may be used. | |
| Creating and Modifying User Parameters | Create your own editable parameters. |
Dialog Options - Tables
Table Tools
Transformers with table-style parameters have additional tools for populating and manipulating values.
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Row Reordering
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Enabled once you have clicked on a row item. Choices include:
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Cut, Copy, and Paste
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Enabled once you have clicked on a row item. Choices include:
Cut, copy, and paste may be used within a transformer, or between transformers. |
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Filter
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Start typing a string, and the matrix will only display rows matching those characters. Searches all columns. This only affects the display of attributes within the transformer - it does not alter which attributes are output. |
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Import
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Import populates the table with a set of new attributes read from a dataset. Specific application varies between transformers. |
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Reset/Refresh
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Generally resets the table to its initial state, and may provide additional options to remove invalid entries. Behavior varies between transformers. |
Note: Not all tools are available in all transformers.
For more information, see Transformer Parameter Menu Options.
Reference
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Processing Behavior |
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Feature Holding |
No |
| Dependencies | None |
| Aliases | |
| History |
FME Community
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Examples may contain information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Vancouver, Open Government Licence - British Columbia, and/or Open Government Licence – Canada.