How to use 'Data Tags' to label plant objects without adjacent plant objects hijacking the tool?

[hollister design Studio]

 On another post Tamsin said the following:

 

On 8/2/2021 at 9:45 AM, Tamsin Slatter said:

 

... the Data Tag tool to apply tags to the Plants (this is my preferred suggestion. If you get into Data Tags, you can tag ANYTHING that has data attached to it.)...

 

 

My question is how to use Data Tags to label plant objects without Coincident or Adjacent plant objects hijacking the tool?

 

This is less an issue with a beam or a landscape area... but with a plant object the tag has to be connected to the center of the first or last plant  in a group (first/center from now on).

 

I'm finding that often this 'first/center' position highlights an adjacent plant objects.

If I connect the leader anywhere selectable and then try to move the leader to the 'first/center', the tag re-connects with the adjacent object again.

 

And I can't right click and use the 'select coincident object' menu - no right click while in the data tag tool.

 

SOMETIMES using 'Z' snap loop I can zoom in and re-connect to the first/center and it will stay connected... but this isn't regularly repeatable.

 

Tamsin - a little help!

 

 

[Tom W.]

I saw a video by the normally very helpful + knowledgeable Katarina Ollikainen where she said she always inserts her plant Data Tags on the Design Layer to make selecting overlapping plants easier. So contrary to the normal advise about putting all annotations in viewports. I have never tagged planting so have had no experience myself but have had similar issues trying to tag architectural objects + not being able to place the end of the leader exactly where I wanted it. Be interested to know how practical it is to tag plants on the design layer if you try it. In the video she actually inserted the tags in the VP annotations so never got to see the practise she was recommending!

 

I will do a proper planting plan one day...

[hollister design Studio]

Glad it's not just frustrating for plant tagging!

 

 

Maybe the Data Tag tool needs an In Tool ''coincident object' selector?

 

It seems to select not the geometry but the 'object box' for lack of a better word.

Making some wide groupings of small plant objects into a huge target - one that in some cases overlaps MANY smaller objects.