N:\\Wyles\ust_434_intro_to_gis\lab_info\08layout.doc 5/27/10
MAPINFO EXERCISE - Lab 8
Layout Window: Creating Presentation Quality Output
Objective: To develop advanced skills in creating presentation quality paper output that can be
composed of maps, legends, browsers, graphs, a north arrow and a scale bar.
The following MI tables are used in this exercise:
CITIES
(Cities in Cuyahoga County shown as Polygons; source: Census Bureau TIGER Files)
ROAD_T
(Streets in Cuyahoga County shown as Lines; source: Census Bureau TIGER Files)
TOXIC
(Locations of toxic sites in Cuyahoga County shown as Points; source: NODIS)
COUNTIES
(Counties in Ohio shown as Polygons; source: Census Bureau TIGER Files)
In MapInfo, open the CITIES, ROADS and TOXIC tables:
 File > Open table
 Press the Ctrl key and select the 3 layers cities, road_t, & toxic > Open
Expand the map window screen to maximize the size of the window:
 Use the select arrow and mouse to “grab” the bottom right corner of the map window. Drag the
corner down and outward to stretch the window to its maximum size.
 Select map> view entire layer> all layers> OK
Adjust the window so that there is minimal white space outside the cities’ boundaries:
By following the steps below, your printed map will be as large as possible.
 Select the grabber tool
in the main toolbar.
 Place the grabber within the map window and move the cities to the top left corner of the map
window. Be sure that you can still see all of the city boundaries.
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 Shrink the map window to minimize the remaining white space on the right side of the window. Do
this by moving the select arrow to the bottom right corner of the map and dragging the window
inward to shrink the window to the edge of the city boundaries.
Hint: If your map layer
shrinks or expands when
you change the window
size:
Select map> options>
Preserve current scale
Change the display settings for the data layers:
 Select Map> Layer control
 Highlight the cities layer and select the up button once so that it is positioned below the toxic layer
and above the road layer.
 Highlight toxic and select the display button
 Select the style override box and select the button with the red star on it
 Change the star to a solid diamond, color: red; size 14
 Select OK> OK
 Follow the same process to change the road_t layer to a light blue line; width: 1 pixel
 Follow the same process to change the cities layer to no fill, with a solid black line; line width: 2
pixels.
 Select OK
Create a nominal (name) legend of the data layers that will be placed in the layout:
 Select Map> Create legend
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 In the window (Create Legend – Step 1 of 3), the Legend Frames field should contain the three data
layers: TOXIC, ROAD_T AND CITIES.
 Select Next
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In the window (Create Legend – Step 2 of 3), complete the following commands:
Window Title: <default> (you are accepting the default setting)
Select Portrait
Style Name Pattern: Highlight and delete the %. Type #. (by typing #, you are telling to place the
layer name next to the symbol in the legend window).
 Select Next
 In the next window (Create Legend – Step 3 of 3), select Finish
 The Legend will be placed to the right of the mapper window. You will need to scroll to the right
and use the grabber tool to move the the legend back to your view with the mapper.
 Resize the legend box to fit around the legend text. Do this with the mouse and arrow select tool
just as you did for the map window.
Modify the legend so that more appropriate descriptive names are shown:
 In the legend box, double-click on the word “toxic.” The Legend Frame Properties window will
open.
 In the field “edit selected text here,” select and delete the word toxic. It its place type: Toxic Site
 Select OK
 Use the same steps to change the text for road_t to Road
 Use the same steps to change the text for cities to City
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Create a new layout window:
These instructions are for creating ONE layout window (a mapper and associated legend, a grapher, a
browser, an info box, or a statistics box) to display all of the currently open windows.
 Select Window> New Layout Window
 Select One frame for window: toxic, road_t, cities map> OK
Hint: There are two other options for a
layout window:
1. Frames for all currently open windows—
All of the open map windows will be placed
into the layout window.
2. No Frames—An empty layout is created.
You can then use the frame tool
in the
drawing toolbar to draw a frame within the
layout and place one open window into that
area.
Set the printer and page settings for the layout (printer name, paper size and page orientation):
 Select File> Page Setup
 Paper Size = Letter
 Orientation = Landscape
 Select OK
Resize the layout window:
 Resize the layout window so that you can see your work. Do this with the mouse and arrow select
tool just as you did for the map window.
 Select layout> view entire layout
Enlarge and center the map image in the layout window:
 Select the arrow select tool
in the main toolbar.
 Use the mouse to select on the map image.
 Click and drag the corners of the map image so that it fills the white space of the layout window.
However, do not make the map image so large that the picture runs off the edge of the frame. If it
does this, try to make the map image a little smaller.
 Select Layout> Align Objects
 Horizontal: Align center of selected objects with respect to entire layout
 Vertical: Align center of selected objects with respect to entire layout
 Select OK
Move the legend:
 Select within the legend box on the layout window and drag the legend to any position off of the
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map area.
Place a title on the layout:
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Select the
button on the drawing toolbar.
Font = Arial
Size = 24
Select Bold
Text Color = Black
Select OK
Select the
button in the drawing toolbar.
Place the cursor and click once toward the upper left corner of the layout window (close to where
you think the title should go).
 Type the title: Toxic Sites in Cuyahoga County, 1990
 Use the mouse to move the title so that it is well positioned at the top of the window.
 Unselect the title text by selecting query> unselect all
Place a “source” and “prepared by” on the layout:
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Select the
button on the drawing toolbar.
Font = Arial
Size = 8
Unselect bold> OK
Select the
button in the drawing toolbar.
Place the cursor and click once toward the bottom right corner of the layout window.
Type: Source: U.S. Census Bureau TIGER Files,1997 (City, Road)
NODIS, 1990 (Toxic Sites)
Prepared By: Your Name, Date
 Check that you spelled correctly by double-clicking on the text.
 Select the magnify button
and draw a box around the text.
 Select the arrow select button and move the text so that it is well positioned on the layout.
 Select layout> view entire layout
Place drop shadows on the layout: (Note- Drop shadows should only be used if necessary)
 Select the arrow select tool and select inside the boundary of the layout map window in order to
highlight it.
 Select Layout> Create Drop Shadows
 Horizontal = 0.1 in
 Vertical = 0.1 in> OK
 Select query> unselect all (or
on the main toolbar)
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Drop shadow
example.
Use only if
necessary!
Create Inset map to display a new window to show Cuyahoga County to other Ohio counties:
 Select File> Open> File Name: Counties
 Select Preferred View: New Mapper> Open
 With the grabber tool,
, move the counties map to the top left corner of the window.
 Use the arrow select tool to resize the map window to minimize white space around the counties
map.
Create a point symbol to show the location of Cuyahoga County:
 Select Map> Layer Control
 Select the editable on
icon for the cosmetic layer
 Select the point symbol
from the drawing toolbar
 Place a symbol in the center of Cuyahoga County
OR create a new data layer that color fills Cuyahoga County:
 Select Cuyahoga County using the Arrow Select icon; then select File> Save copy as> Name the
file Cuyahoga County. Select File> open > select Cuyahoga County to display on top counties.
Change the display to a color fill for Cuyahoga County.
Use the frame tool to place the new map (inset map) on the layout window:
 Select the title bar of the layout window so that it is the active window.
 Select the frame tool
from the drawing toolbar.
 With the frame tool, draw a box (click and drag) on a blank spot on the layout window
 Select Window> Counties map> OK
 Use the arrow select tool to move and/or resize the new map as desired.
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Draw a North Arrow on your layout window:
 Select Tools> Tool Manager
 Scroll down the list and select the box for North Arrow in the Loaded column so that a check
mark appears in the box.
 Select the layout window as the active window
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In the Tools toolbar, select the north arrow icon
Click and drag a box on the layout window where you would like to place the north arrow
Scroll down to select the north arrow style 2
Select the foreground brush to be black and leave the remaining options the same> OK
To move or resize the North arrow:
In the TOC, Select the editable on
cosmetic layer
icon for the
Use Arrow select move or resize by pointing to one
of the 4 edit handles (dots that surround the North
arrow) and shrink or expand
Draw a scale bar on your map window:
The scale bar must be placed on a mapper window.
 Select the cities map window as the active window
 In the Main toolbar, select the scale bar icon
Select the general location for the scalebar to be placed on the layout
(i.e. southeast corner of map window)
Select Finish
Type the appropriate length of the scalebarin this example, 8.
Select the appropriate units- i.e. mi
Select the bar type: Check, Solid, Line, or Tick
The 4 types of scalebars are shown below.
Select the font size for the scale mile markers: 8
Select the border icon and select N (no box border)
Select Finish
 Select the scalebar on the layout using the arrow select, , and move the scalebar to the desired
location. Note: There is a white background box surrounding the scalebar. Avoid covering part of the
map with the white background.
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Below are examples of the types of scale bars that can be created:
Check
Solid
Line
Tick
To delete or change properties: right click the scale bar, then select properties or remove.
You final map should look similar to:
Create a new workspace:
 Select File> Save Workspace
 Path: h:\\ust_434_intro_to_GIS\mi-training
 File name: toxic_city.wor
Create a map image:
 Select File> Save Window As> select raster image: .emf or .jpg. Place image in appropriate
directory. Later, place the image into a Word document or Power Point Presentation.
 Select File> Close All
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