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Making
and Printing Maps Using ArcMap
Using
a Map Template to Create a Map:
When
a new document is opened, the user often views the data layer in Data
View. To view the data in layout view, which is the view in
which a map will be printed, the user must click on the View menu
and select Layout View.
While
viewing the layout, a Layout toolbar appears. These tools
can be used to navigate around the map layout.
A
map template is a map document that allows the user to quickly create a new
map. Map templates often contain data, a custom design, and a predefined
layout that arranges map elements (North Arrows, Scale Bars, and Logos) on
the page. Map templates have a .mxt file extension.
By
default, a normal template is used with every ArcMap™ document. The layout
page will be displayed as a blank, single data frame. Though these features
are characteristic of a normal template, there are other templates available
for use. The ArcMap user is also allowed to design and save their own
template for later use with other maps.
To
open a map template, ArcMap must be launched. In the ArcMap dialog,
the user should click the option to use a template, then click
OK. If ArcMap is already running, the user can click the
File menu and click New.
Within
the New Template dialog box, all of the templates that come
with ArcGIS can be found.
The
My Templates tab contains the templates created by the user.
The General and Industry tab allows the user
to select a particular map layout they prefer to use with their data. The
USA and World tabs allow the user to select from
a variety of USA and World Maps that have already been created.
The
user should select which template they prefer, and click OK. Once
the chosen template appears, the user can begin adding the data they wish
to use in their final map.
In
the following example, a General map template called "Landscape
Classic" was chosen to display a 1999 population map. If the data
is already present within the data view, the user simply needs to switch
to Layout View and select the Map Template
button on the Template Toolbar.
Once a template
is selected, the user's data will be incorporated to the style of the template. The
user can then begin to edit the map elements (title, north arrows, legend,
etc.). Most map elements are already present. The styles can be
changed if the user double-clicks on a specific map element, and edits their
properties.
Creating
Maps Without Using a Map Template:
The previous
section describes how to use a map template. In many cases, the user
prefers to create their own map layout design. This section focuses
on describing the creation
of a map layout without
using an existing map template and the addition of a map title,
a north
arrow,
a scale
bar, and
a
legend.
Map elements
may be arranged within a variety of paper sizes. In addition, the
orientation of a page may be either landscape or portrait. It is
recommended that the user specifies these characteristics before they
begin the map layout process.
Paper sizes
and orientation can be selected by clicking on the File
menu and selecting Page and Print Setup. The
Page and Print Setup dialog box will appear.
In
addition, there are rulers, guides, and grids to help the user arrange map
elements on the page. These can be found by right-clicking on an empty
portion of the map layout and selecting from the context menu that appears.
In
addition, the user may align, nudge, distribute, rotate, and resize selected
elements to place them where they wish.
In
the following example, data has been added to the Data View and no template
has been selected. However, the page size and orientation has been selected,
and has been made visible by displaying the Layout View.
The map background
color may
be changed by selecting the data frame and clicking the down arrow next to
the Fill Color button on the Draw Toolbar. When
the user selects a desired color, the map background color will be updated.
A map title
may
be added to the layout by clicking the Insert menu and selecting
the Title option. A text box will be added to the page. Within
this text box, a default title will be present. The user can type in
a preferred title within the text box and press Enter. After
the Enter key has been pressed, the user can go back and edit
the title by double-clicking the on the title and editing its text properties.
The font, size,
style, or color of the title may be changed using the Draw Toolbar.
A North
Arrow may be added by clicking the Insert menu and selecting
the North Arrow option. In the North Arrow Selector
dialog box that appears, the user may select from a variety of north
arrows and change the properties of any selected arrow.
Once an arrow
has been selected, its properties specified, and the OK button
clicked, the north arrow will be added to the map layout. The user can
resize the north arrow by clicking and dragging on one of its corners. In
addition, the user can move the north arrow to any desired location within
the map layout.
A Scale Bar
may be added by clicking the Insert menu and selecting the
Scale Bar option. The desired scale bar style may be chosen
and its properties my be edited within the Scale Bar Selector dialog
box.
When the OK
button has been clicked, the chosen scale bar will automatically appear
within the map layout. The user can click and drag the scale bar to
the desired location.
A Legend may
be added by clicking the Insert menu and selecting the Legend
option. The Legend Wizard dialog box will appear.
By default,
the legend includes all layers from the map, and the number of legend columns
is set to one. The user can choose which layers may be displayed in
the legend by selecting the layer from the Map Layer box and
clicking the right arrow (>>). The selected layers will be displayed
in the Legend Items box. Once the user selects the layers
they want, the Next button should be clicked. The second frame
of the wizard will appear.
Within this
frame, the user enters a legend title, specifies its properties, and sets
the title justification. Once the parameters are set the user can click
the Preview button in order to see a sample legend displayed
on the map. The user must click the Preview button again
before they can move on to the next frame of the legend wizard
dialog. When all parameters have been selected, the Next button
should be clicked. The next frame of the wizard will appear.
Within this
frame, the user may select a Legend Frame border, background color, and drop
shadow. Once parameters are selected, the Next button
should be clicked. The next frame of the wizard will appear.
Within this
frame, the user may change the size and shape of the symbol patch used to
represent line and polygon features within the legend. Once parameters
have been set, the Next button should be clicked. The
last frame of the wizard will appear.
Within this
frame, the user may change the spacing between the different components of
the legend. Once the spacing has been set, the Finish button
should be clicked. The layout display will updated, and the user can
re-size and move the legend box to a desired location.
Selecting
Print Options:
If the
user has not already selected parameters within the page setup dialog
box, they should do so before printing. This can be done by clicking
the File menu and selecting Page and Print Setup.
A dialog box appears.
The user needs
to make sure that the map size is the same as the printer page size. Once
all parameters have been chosen, the OK button should be clicked.
Before printing
the map, the user should always preview their map. This can be done
by clicking the File menu and selecting Print Preview. This
allows the user to see if anything needs to be changed before the map is
printed.
If changes
need to be made, the Print Preview should be closed
(by clicking the Close button), and the appropriate changes should
be made. If everything appears the way that it should, the user may
click the Print button. Appropriate print parameters must
be set, and the OK button should be clicked when the user
is ready to print the map.
End of Section
6 and tutorial.
Go to:
Section
1: Getting Started with ArcGIS: ArcCatalog,
ArcMap, and ArcToolbox
Section 2: Manipulating Display in ArcMap
Section 3: Querying Data in ArcMap
Section 4: Preparing Data for Analysis
in ArcMap
Section 5: Analyzing Data in ArcMap
Section 6: Making and Printing Maps
in ArcMap
ArcGIS
Introductory Tutorial front page.
Last modified:
Wednesday, May 18, 2005
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