As far as I know, there is no way to edit a Parcel Label. So if you really need that leading zero, I think the only way to get it is to explode the label into MTEXT. If you do this, you may notice that any background mask the label may have will remain as a Hatch object that can then be deleted, if you can manage to select it (which can be tricky).
So far, I've been able to tell everyone that the software can't do the leading zero, and although no one is really happy with the appearance, everyone seems willing to let it go.
With multi-page plats, there are a few issues that combine to make it something of a nightmare:
- It is impossible to place a Parcel Label on a Parcel unless it exists in the current drawing.
- It is impossible to create Data References or Data Shortcuts to Parcels.
- Parcel labels always "live" on the same layer as the Parcel Segment they are attached to, and trying to change the layer of the Label will also change the Parcel Segment layer, and the layer of all other labels attached to the same segment.
That last item means that we need to keep all our Parcel Segments on Layer 0, then use the layer in the Parcel Label Style to control appearance. Unfortunately, this means that in order to use VPFREEZE to control what labels are visible on what layout, we must have one style for every layer you want a Parcel Label to appear on.
But if you consider how many different label styles are necessary for a complex plat, you can see how creating an entire set of labels for every layer you want to have labels on quickly leads to a HUGE number of styles, which lead to a huge timesink, as large numbers of styles are more-difficult to maintain.
So we've come up with a bunch of tricks. For the most part, we label everything in our plat as if it were going to appear on one giant sheet. Then we create a bunch of layouts in the drawing, one for each page of the plat. Then we create some layers that get VPFROZEN so that they only appear on certain layouts, and go around and place wipeouts on these layers as-needed. The wipeouts go on top of the labels, but are only visible in certain viewports, so they cover up the text that gets "chopped" by the edges of each viewport.
We will also periodically draw a line or an arc over a parcel segment, and use General Line/Curve labels on that segment. Unlike Parcel Labels, General Line/Curve labels can be moved to different layers without creating a new style. So we can put the Line/Curve labels on the layers that get VPFROZEN. This method lets us label a segment in one way for page two, but a different way for page three, etc. But since we have to draw a piece of duplicate linework in order to do it, we only use this method where we have to. For most items, we use Parcel Labels. But by using General Line/Curve labels for some segments, we get away from that need to create an entire set of Parcel Label Styles for every layer we want labels on. Instead, we have one set of Parcel Labels, and then use General Line/Curve labels where we need a label on a different layer.
We are hoping that we can move Parcel Labels to different layers without affecting the Parcel Segment in 2009. Actually, we're hoping for more-significant improvements than that, but we aren't holding our breath. If Autodesk simply made it so Parcel Labels were not always on the Parcel Segment layer, and worked more like Line/Curve labels, that alone would make our life much easier.
Also, when doing this, it becomes very apparent how Parcel Curve labels and General Curve Labels work in different ways, and need different settings in the Styles to get the same result. This is just obnoxious. Parcel labels are also affected by the way the original linework was drawn, which can also lead to "interesting" (aka "frustrating") behavior...
It takes some time to get used to all the pitfalls, but once you figure it all out and get all your styles setup and get used to the stilted way of working, it goes relatively fast. In some ways, the dynamic nature of Parcels make them easier to use than Map Topologies, but Map Topologies had tools for analyzing and fixing linework, which is missing from C3D Parcels. And of course, they are incompatible, so it is impossible to create a nice Map topology and convert it to C3D Parcels.
This whole area is pretty messy, and one of the areas where C3D provides the least value over older software. But so far, we've been able to do everything we need to. The thing that affects us the most is that inability to create Data References to Parcels. It means we end up with duplicate Parcel Information spread all over among drawings, which is a breeding ground for problems. A change to a Parcel means that same change may need to be made in a several drawings, and forgetting to update a drawing can lead to serious problems. But I guess you do what's ya gots ta do.