Why doesn't my layer show labels?

[bpstewar]

I'm adding a feature layer to an esri.map, and I can't understand why labels aren't showing up. This is the layer I'm trying to add, and it has a labeling definition. Am I missing something in the definition of the map? Or of the feature layer?

        var map = new esri.Map("map", { extent: esri.geometry.geographicToWebMercator(initialExtent), slider: true, nav: false });
        dojo.connect(map, "onLoad", initSelectToolbar);
		
        var baseMapLayer = new esri.layers.ArcGISTiledMapServiceLayer("http://server.arcgisonline.com/ArcGIS/rest/services/World_Street_Map/MapServer");
        map.addLayer(baseMapLayer);
		
		//Add regional summation data
		var content = "<b>Region</b>: ${Region_1}" +
                        "<br><b>Value USD(Millions)</b>: ${SUM_MAX_TotalAmt}" +
                        "<br><b>Number of Projects</b>: ${SUM_COUNT_ProjectID}";
		var infoTemplate = new esri.InfoTemplate("${FIELD_NAME}", content);		
		featureLayer = new esri.layers.FeatureLayer("http://maps4.arcgisonline.com/ArcGIS/rest/services/World_Bank/WB_World_Bank_Projects/MapServer/1",{
          mode: esri.layers.FeatureLayer.MODE_ONDEMAND,
          infoTemplate: infoTemplate,
		  outFields: ["*"]		  
        });
	map.addLayer(featureLayer);

[swingley]

Feature Layers don't support a layer's labels. When you create a feature layer from a layer in a map service, you get the geometry and attributes. If you want to label feautres, look into using a Text Symbol.

[bpstewar]

Is there a better way to add a feature layer to my map then? I feel like I must be missing something. Placing each label with the TextSymbol function seems like an incredibly in-efficient way to add labels to a map service.

[swingley]

Use a dynamic map service layer. You can control individual layer visibility with setVisibileLayers.

[brightbluesky]

Use a dynamic map service layer. You can control individual layer visibility with setVisibileLayers.

hi i know this thread is months old, but i am wondering if you guys can help out. I bumped into the same problem as the TS and I tried using the visible layers, but the problem is that i have several hundred layers, if i add one layer the rest disappear and I cannot add more than like 10 layers to it as the old map just hangs there.

I have been trying to set the default visibility to a layer of the dynamic map service but to no avail as the map does not take the value of the default visibility and set the layer i want to be visible.