035] Global Mapper - Printing 05: Map Layout Editor 04

Today, we conclude our series on the Map Layout Editor.

Key Advantage of Map Layout Editor

The biggest difference between this and the standard File - Print menu we discussed previously is that the ratio of legends, north arrows, and vector elements remains consistent even if the resolution changes. In the standard "File-Print," the thickness of north arrows or lines would change whenever the resolution was altered. In the Map Layout Editor, this doesn't happen; everything maintains the exact proportions you see on the screen.

Once you've finished decorating your page, you need to either save it as an image or print it to finalize the work. Let's open the file we worked on in the last session.

[img 2 : Main interface of the Map Layout Editor with the current map design]

First, select the File - Print menu within the Editor.

[img 3 : Navigating to File - Print in the Map Layout Editor]

The Map Layout Print Options window will appear.

[img 4 : Map Layout Print Options dialog showing Page Range settings]

In the Page Range section, you can choose whether to print all pages, only the current page shown in the editor, or a specific range of pages. After making your selection, click OK.

Next, the standard Windows Print dialog will appear.

[img 5 : Windows Printer selection dialog]

This part is straightforward. Select your desired printer and click OK (Confirm) to start printing. If you want to export the layout as an image file instead of printing on paper, follow the steps below.

Exporting as an Image File

Go to the File - Print menu again, but this time, check the box for "Print to an Image File Rather Than to a Printer." Then, click the Select... button to choose the file name and storage location.

[img 6 : Checking the Print to Image File option]

[img 7 : File explorer dialog to set the image file name and path]

Once you return to the print options window, select your preferred image format (BMP, JPG, PNG, or GeoTIFF) and click OK.

[img 8 : Selecting the image format like JPG or PNG]

Interestingly, the printer selection window will pop up again. You might wonder, "Why is it asking for a printer when I want to save it as an image?"

[img 9 : Re-selecting a printer driver to determine image resolution]

The reason is that Global Mapper saves the image based on the resolution and color settings of the selected printer driver. For example, if I select my Brother printer, the image will be generated using the DPI and color profiles defined in that printer's properties. If I choose "Hancom PDF," it follows those specific settings. It’s a bit unique, but it works!

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Creating a MapBook (Grid-based Tiled Printing)

If you need to split a large map into a grid for multi-page printing, use the Create MapBook feature.

[img 10 : Selecting Create MapBook from the File menu]

The MapBook setup window has several tabs:

• General Tab: Allows you to maintain the legend on every page even when split into a grid, or create an index page showing the grid layout.
• Tiling Tab: Defines how many rows and columns to split the map into and sets the naming convention for each tile.
• Layers Tab: Lets you choose which layers to show or hide for the MapBook pages.

[img 11 : MapBook Options - General Tab]

[img 12 : MapBook Options - Tiling Tab]

[img 13 : MapBook Options - Layers Tab]

After clicking OK, you will see the index and each grid area (A1, B1, etc.) registered as new pages in the editor.

[img 14 : Map Layout Editor showing the generated MapBook index and tiled pages]

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Exporting to Geospatial PDF

Finally, there is the Export to Geospatial PDF option.

[img 15 : Selecting Export to Geospatial PDF]

A Geospatial PDF is special because it stores the coordinate system within the PDF itself. When opened in GIS-compatible software, the map automatically aligns with the correct geographic coordinates.

Feature	Standard PDF	Geospatial PDF
Contains Map	Yes	Yes
Coordinate Info	No	Yes
Location Search	No	Yes
Distance/Area Measurement	No	Yes
GIS Software Support	Limited	Full Support

Give the PDF export a try—it's quite simple! This concludes our brief overview of how to use the Map Layout Editor.

Conclusion

If these features are enough for your workflow, Global Mapper is a great tool. However, if you find it lacking (as many professional cartographers might), I recommend using QGIS for more advanced layout capabilities.

That's all for today!