More flexible map titles:
Titles in the Layout window won't need to be re-positioned if you change
the map view (pan/zoom). It is possible to enter title text
directly in the Map window, but we strongly discourage it.
Print at a specific map scale:
Map frames in a layout can be set to have a specific printed map scale.
In Layout window, dbl-click on the map frame.
Note: Changing the "zoom"
level for a Map window, is not an accurate way to print maps at a
specific scale. However, you can use File > Print > Options to set
the print scale for maps printed from a Map window.
Combine separate maps or other
windows on 1 page:
A layout window can show one or many maps on the same page, as well as
Legends and Browser(s).
Example: To export a Map with Legend etc to PowerPoint or Word:
a. Create a Layout window via Window > New Layout window
b. Place both Map and Legend windows on it using the Frame tool or
MapInfo Pro's automatic placement.
c. Save the Layout window as a JPEG, WMF or other supported format
via File > Save Window As ...
d. Place the JPEG etc in PowerPoint or Word.
Note: It is also possible to
merge a legend into a single map window using
the "Legend Manager" tool:
Tools > Tool Manager > Legend Manager ...
Layouts can span multiple
pages.
Map windows can't.
Browser frames in a layout can
print only a few rows. Conversely, if you print from a
browser window, you will print all records in the table, whether or not
visible in the browser.
With Layout
windows you can arrange overlapping map or other frames.
This makes it possible to have inset or key maps, among other options.
If printing directly from a Map or Browser, only one window prints at a
time.
Print "special" windows:
eg., Statistics window.
The Message, Info, and Statistics windows can only be printed if
displayed in a frame in a Layout window.
WYSIWYG: Preview readability,
esp. text size and line width.
The layout shows the actual printed size of lines, patterns, text etc.
Use "Layout > View Actual size ..." Note: WYSIWYG = "What You
See Is What You Get"
Preview which labels
that will print.
Often, the map window doesn't display all the text labels that would
print on the page, if "Allow overlapping text" is un-checked
[Map > Layer Control > Labels ...]
When re-positioning map labels, it's useful to toggle back and forth
between map and layout windows.
Add page
titles in the Layout window only, not the Map
window.
Add map labels (for lines, points or regions) in the Map window only. Why? If
you place titles in the Map window, the titles will need to be
re-positioned each time you adjust the map zoom or pan.
Rule-of-thumb: If the text should be aligned with what is on the map,
the text should be in the map window. Otherwise, put the text in the
Layout.
Check and
adjust the printer
and page orientation immediately after creating a new Layout
window. Layout windows, like all other MapInfo Pro windows, can have
distinct Printer and Page Orientation (Portrait/Landscape).
Different printers have different margin and paper size limits.
Set up your Layout's printer options first, before you fine tune the
Layout content.
Save your Layout by saving a
Workspace
There is no other way. Layout titles, frame positions and other layout
content is ONLY saved by saving a Workspace.
Align page titles, frames etc.
Use Layout > Align objects ... to true-up object positions. There
is, unfortunately, no such command in a Map window.
Create a "template" layout.
A template layout can have predefined frames for map, company logo,
disclaimer, and other standard page content. A template workspace
can be saved even if it has no table references. This can be handy
if you want to distribute the Workspace around your organization.
Refer to SGSI's "Workspace: Tips, Tricks & Traps" document for more
details.
Record the workspace name on
each layout page.
Later, you will may need this filename to recreate the map for
re-printing etc. You can use a small enough type size that the notation
need not be intrusive.
FAQs: Frequently Asked Questions
In the Layout my map frame has
a thin black line around it. How do I get rid of it.
Using the selection Pointer tool, select the frame in the Layout. Use
Options > Region Style from the menu, or click on the Region Style tool
button. You can specify "None" as the perimeter line style. Note: You can use the same
commands to set the background fill to a map window to be "blue", to
represent water, for example.
The Layout window shows a
slightly different view than my Map window. Why?
Map windows may have a different "aspect ratio" (height v. width) than
the frame on a layout page. Something has to give, or your layout frame
will not be fully filled with map content.
To cause the map on the Layout to correspond more exactly with the map
in the Map window:
-- Dbl-click on the map frame in the Layout;
-- Uncheck the checkbox "Fill frame with contents";
-- Adjust the height/width of either your layout frame or your map
window to suit.
The row-and-column ("browser")
frame on my layout does not show all the columns displayed in the
separate browser window.
Try widening the frame on the Layout or narrowing the column widths in
the source browser window.
When I select a title or other
text on the layout, the highlighted area is wider (to the right) than
the text itself. Why?
Rely on the width of the red *highlighted* area, not the apparent Text
position, to position text objects, e.g., to be "centered". The red
highlight reflects more accurately how the text will print.
Alternatively, zoom in close on the Layout page to double-check.
The more zoomed-in your view, the smaller the discrepancy between the
highlighted area and the visible text. E.g.,
Zoomed-*out* on the Layout window:
Zoomed-*in* on the Layout window:
Can I drag a Layout window into
a Word or PowerPoint page?
No. The "Drag Window" tool works with a Map window but not a Layout
window.
Workaround: Use File > Save Window as ... to create a BMP, JPG or other
image file of the Layout window. This image file can then be inserted
into Word or PowerPoint.
I have a page title and
sub-title. I want them both centered on the page. I dbl-click each title
and have set "Justification" to be "Centered" but the titles never get
centered. Why?
The "Justification" settings in the Text Object dialog apply to a single
text object only: e.g., when a text entry has multiple lines of
text. If you have two *separate* text objects, you can still align them
in a Layout using the menu. Select the two objects, then:
Layout > Align objects ... Note: You cannot do this in a
Map window.
Can I place a scale bar in the
Layout?
Yes, the Scale Bar tool (in Tool Manager) can draw a scale bar in the
Layout. Unlike scale bars in Map windows, the scale bar in a Layout will
not be accurate if you, later, adjust the size of the map frame or
change the map zoom level. Note: Scale Bar tool support
for Layout windows was added at Revision 6.5+.
2. Relevant Tool Manager tools:
The Tool Manager is a handy interface for loading add-on MapBasic
software tools including a large set that are shipped free with MapInfo
Pro. Several pertain specifically to Layouts:
a. Tool Manager
> Legend Manager:
Use to embed a legend within a single map window.
b. Tool Manager >
North Arrow:
Use to create a North Arrow symbol, including adjustments for Magnetic
North (declination).
c. Tool Manager > Scale Bar:
Use to create a standard scale bar in a Map window (recommended) or
Layout window (not recommended). Note: Scale bars created with this utility are a
set of distinct text and region objects, so each piece can be separately
edited. If you move it, be sure to select *all* the pieces!
