Map layout

Exercise 11

TASK: Prepare a map of the watershed ( from exercise 10)  which include 

• The streams of the watershed 

• Towns 

• Classification of the watershed altitude based on the traditional Agro-ecological classification  (Berha, Kolla, Woynadega , dega and Wurch; if there is ) 

• Include a graph of slope classification in degree (0-2, 2-5, 5-10, >10)

• A photograph of a gauge in the out let 

10. CREATING A MAP LAYOUT IN ARCGIS

There are two primary map display panels in ArcMap: the data view and the layout view. In data view you can display and work with geographic information as a series of map layers. A single map document can contain several data frames, which are separate arrangements of map layers. Only one data frame can be displayed in data view at a time, but more than one data frame can be viewed in layout view.

When you're preparing your map's layout, you'll want to work with it in layout view. In layout

view, you will see a virtual page on which you can place and arrange map elements such as

maps [the data frame you see in the data view], a scale bar, a legend and a map title. You can

do almost the same things in Layout view that you can in Data view, plus design your map.

Changing layer names in the Table of Contents: 

For map layers to display with meaningful labels in your map layout, change the layer name in the Table of Contents.

1. In the Table of Contents, double click on the name of the layer that you want to

change.

2. In the Properties Window click the General tab.

3. Change the layer name to your desired name and click Close.

Opening the Layout View and arranging the data frame:

1. In the View menu click Layout View.

2. The layout displays the data frame. It is a selected element – you can tell by the hatched blue outline and the blue square anchors.

3. Use the anchors to click and drag the data frame to a smaller or larger size.

4. With your mouse in the centre of the map, click and drag to position the data

frame on the page.

Setting up a map layout

1. Before you start a map layout, it is important to think through 

a. What you want to do and how you want your map to look? 

b. What do you want to show? How large do you want your final map to be?

c. Portrait or landscape orientation? 

d. Do you need space for additional text or graphics? 

e. This tutorial example will assume a paper size (8x11 inch) map but often you are making map for publications where they must be smaller, or for Powerpoint where they need to be a certain size (e.g., 7.5x10 inches), or for posters where they may be much larger than 8x11.

2. In ArcMap, choose View   Layout View from the main menu.

3. The view changes to show your data frame on a page layout and a new toolbar appears – the Layout toolbar

4. The first thing you should do is to set up your Page properties. Choose File – Page and

Print Setup

5. In the Page Setup dialog box, make sure that the page size is set to Letter. Also check

either Portrait or Landscape (which would be better for the map you want to create?

The example map is in Landscape orientation). Press OK to return to the map. 

Moving around in the page and data frame 

It is very important to understand the difference between the Layout toolbar and the regular

(data frame) Tools toolbar. They share similar tools (zoom in and out, pan) but the layout tools

work on the layout as if you were zooming in and out of the paper itself, while the same tools on the Tools toolbar work on the data inside the data frame (e.g., zoom into Davis Square). You

will get confused occasionally, but once you get the hang of the two toolbars, you will be off and running. For now experiment with both to see what happens. 

Adding Other Map Elements

Adding a North Arrow

1. Click the Insert menu > North Arrow.

2. Select a north arrow and click OK. The north arrow will be added to a random location on the map, usually somewhere in the centre.

3. Click and drag the north arrow into place on your map. Resize the north arrow by

clicking and dragging a selection handle.

Adding a Scale Bar

1. Click the Insert menu > Scale Bar.

2. Select a scale bar.

3. Click Properties to modify the scale bar’s properties.

4. Click the Scale and Units tab.

5. Click the arrow buttons to set the number of divisions.

6. Click the arrow buttons to set the number of subdivisions.

7. Click the When resizing drop-down arrow and click how you want the scale bar to respond when the map scale changes:

• Adjust width – the width of the scale bar will vary with the map scale. The division value and number of divisions remain constant.

• Adjust division value – the division value will vary with the map scale. The number of divisions and the width of the scale bar remain constant.

• Adjust number of divisions – the number of divisions will vary with the map scale.

8. Choose the units for the scale bar.

9. Click Symbol and choose a test style for the scale bar labels.

10. Click OK and OK again to close the dialog box.

11. Click and drag the scale bar into place on your map.

Adding a Legend

1. Click the Insert menu > Legend. The Legend wizard appears.

2. By default, all the layers on the map will appear as legend items in the legend. To remove a legend item, select it, and click the left arrow button.

3. Use the Up and Down arrow buttons to order the legend items.

4. Click Next.

5. Type a title for the legend.

6. Set the text color, font, and size as desired, and click Next.

7. Select a border, background and/or drop shadow as desired by clicking their respective drop-down boxes.

8. Click Next.

9. Select a legend item in the list to modify the symbol patch.

10. Set the patch properties as desired and click Next.

11. Set the spacing between legend elements by typing a value in the appropriate box.

12. Click Finish.

13. Click and drag the legend into place on your map.

Add graticules and grids 

1. Select the layer 

2. Right click   Properties

3. Got to coordinate tab and select the appropriate coordinate system 

4. Go to  grid tab  New grid  measured grids  and use 500 meter interval for both easting and northing  next ………………. oK ………Apply 

Changing the Graticule 

Intervals Since you zoomed into Cuba, the intervals of the template graticule have become a little too wide to be truly useful for describing the locations of features in the map. Here you will reduce the interval size to better fit the extent chosen. 

1. In the Table of Contents, right-click on the “Central America & Caribbean” Data Frame and select “Properties.” Select the Grids Tab. 

2. Click on the Properties Button. Select the Intervals Tab. 

3. Replace the X & Y Axis Interval values 

4. Click OK twice. 

The graticule now has an interval that is more useful for describing the position of features in the map layout. 

Adding a Title to a Map

1. Click the Insert menu and click Title.

2. A box bearing the name of the map document (i.e. _____.mxd) will appear on your map layout, enclosed in a blue box. Double-click the box to open the Properties dialog box.

3. Delete the existing text in the large Text box and type in the desired title. Format the text as desired using the settings in the dialog box. Click OK.

4. Click and drag the title into place on your map.

5. The title can also be formatted using the Draw toolbar.

Create Graph Wizard

1. Calculate slope of the watershed  in degree 

2. Classify slope  as (0-2, 2-5, 5-10, >10)

3. Calculate area of each class 

4. Export the result in excel and save as “slope of watershed” 

5. In layout view  Insert   object (picture)

6. Microsoft graph chart  

7. copy Elements  from excel of  “slope of watershed”  edit the graph and close 

 Exporting Maps

• File > Export Map

• If you just need paper copies of your maps, you will probably have the best results printing them

from ArcGIS.  But if you need to insert maps into PowerPoint or word processing files, will need to

export your maps. You can export a map from ArcMap when you are in Data View or Layout View.

However, if you want your exported map to include titles, legends, scale bars, north arrows, and

anything else you added to the layout, you need to export from Layout View. There are many options for export formats in the “Save as type” drop down menu.

.PDF — The .pdf format allows you to open the map directly (without inserting it into PowerPoint or MS Word) as long as you have Acrobat Reader. This is probably the best option if you need to send someone a map or post a map on the Internet.

.JPG — The .jpg format will compromise the quality of your image, so be sure to click on the “options” button when you export and increase the resolution to at least 200 dpi. The .jpg format is good because it stores your map in a fairly small file and, unlike some other file types, your map will not be compromised if you open it on a computer that does not have ArcGIS installed.

.TIF and .EPS — The .tif and .eps formats work well if you are going to open your maps in a graphics software package, but they result in larger files.

Screen Capture — If all else fails, you can take a screen capture (print screen, or alt + print screen) and crop the image, but this will not result in a presentationȬquality map.

Working on multiple layers 

Adding layers 

1. In Layout View, choose Insert - Data Frame from the main menu – a new data frame box

appears in your layout. You’ll see the New Data Frame listed in the table of contents:

2. Activate the data layer 

3. Add files 

Creating Extent Rectangles (Inset Maps)

1. Activate a data layer which exceeds the other data layer in its spatial extent 

2. From the Table of Contents, right click the (receiving) data frame > Properties > “Extent Rectangles” tab