Map Export to PDF.

Function Description

Map output is PDF file, which is a widely used map output method. Its advantages are:

  • Maps can be easily shared with non-GIS users;
  • Because PDF allows vector graphics and embedded fonts to be retained, it can provide high-quality map printing materials and is an important hard-copy printing exchange format;
  • Ffectively solves the problem of large-size plotting;

Export to PDF is supported for both vector and Image Map, and the output content and Display Effects are basically the same as the map or layout. The output effect is shown in the following table. For the content that does not support output, please refer to the Map Export to PDF is not supported .

Map/Layout Output effect
Grid Aggregation Map
Thermodynamic diagram
Traffic route map
POI
Image Map
Thematic map

Operating instructions

  1. If there are no Select Objects in the current Map, select Map output as PD F in the Context Menu.
  2. Set Output Path and File Name; in the output properties;
  3. Save the default resolution value. The higher the

    resolution value, the sharper the image usually is. Higher values increase the file size and processing time of Export to PDF.

  4. Set up Export Bounds. You can manually enter the top, bottom, left and right coordinate values, or quickly set them through Whole Map, Current Windows, Custom Bounds on the right.
  5. Click the OK button to complete the Map Export to PDF operation.

Explanation of results

When Map/Export layout to PDF, the PDF retains the vector graphics and text of the map. Therefore, the PDF Editor allows you to edit some of the vector elements and text in the map. However, extensive map-related editing in the PDF is not recommended, and only minor adjustments to the map, such as adjusting the position of individual label text, are appropriate here.

PDF retains the map layer tree structure and Layer Name, but the layer order is reversed from the map layer tree because map layers are drawn from bottom to top, whereas PDF draws layers from top to bottom.

Figure: map and map layer tree
Figure: Map Export to PDF result
Caution:
  • If the current machine lacks the Font File used for the text effect in the map, the text effect in the Export to PDF may be different from the text effect in the map. For example, if the text uses the Microsoft YaHei font and is set to bold and italic, the current machine should have both the Microsoft YaHei bold font library and the Microsoft YaHei italic font library file.
  • If the position of the text in Export to PDF is different from that in the map, you can adjust the DPI parameter value of Export to PDF. The larger the value, the higher the position accuracy.