Creating a Map Series
A map series uses a series of features from a shapefile (study site polygons, river reaches, etc.) to automate creation of a series of matching map pages. (The idea is that a field crew could print and take to the field for notes, or use digital copies to annotate and collect field notes.)
This example refers to a set of 50 study site polygons (created in this geoprocessing exercise).
You will want to use an aerial imagery basemap for this.
To work this demonstration you will need an "Index" layer.
The index map layer contains the individual features on which you want each map to be centered.
You could use a state, county or census block shapefile for this demonstration.
The Map Series tool uses this index layer to drive the creation of individual map pages.
Each polygon feature in the dataset automatically gets its own page.
Here's How:
Start an ArcGIS Pro project
Add an index-type dataset to a map.
Set up the map the way you want all the maps to ultimately look.
- Create a blank Layout page
- Insert a Map Frame on your Layout o Make it approximately square and occupying the top or left side of your page (depending on orientation).
- On the Layout tab, in the Page Setup group, click Map Series.
- On the Layout Properties dialog box, click Map Series.
- Make sure the map series in enabled, and set it to ‘Spatial’
- Under the Index Layer group, check the default setting for the map frame. If this is not the map frame you want for the map series, choose a different map frame from the drop-down menu. Set the layer to your final 50 sites.
- On the Map Extent tab, choose Center and Maintain and set the scale to 1:1000.
- Click OK.
This should fill the map with one of the site area polygons
Adjust the symbology of the site so the ground is fully visible within the polygon
On the left side of the page, you should see a list of all of your sites, 1-50. Double click on one to be taken to that page. Remember, any change you make to the layout applies to every page.
Now we’re going to add a second map frame to our layout. This will serve as our locator map, so the field techs can find the site easily.
- Insert another map frame
- Draw it at the bottom or right side of the page, depending on your page orientation
- Double click the map frame and click on the display options tab
- Set the scale for the new map frame to 1:15000
- Set the constraint to “Linked Map Frame Center” and select the other map frame. You should recall doing something similar in last week’s lab.
Now you should have two maps: One up close, and one zoomed out. Navigate to other pages in the map book to make sure both map frames update properly. If you can’t see all of the pages, click on the “Map Series Pages” tab in the contents pane.
Almost done. Now, because roads are how our field techs are going to find the sites, we need to make sure we have the roads clearly labeled and visible.
- Adjust the symbology of the roads layer so they are visible against the basemap. Think carefully about how thick they should be, and what color.
- Add labels to the roads o Click back on the Map tab o Right click the roads layer o Click Label. This won’t do anything yet, but it enables the labels.
- Right click again and open Label Properties
- Click the symbol tab at the top to adjust the way the roads are labeled
Dynamic Text.
This is where dynamic text becomes really helpful.
You can insert dynamic text from the Insert menu.
Text options include Coordinate Locations which will automatically update for each map's location.
- Insert scale bars
- These will also dynamically update for each map's individual scale.
- Remove dynamic basemap credits for full credit (and personal pride).
- But give credit to Esri and the other contributors in your hand written data credits
- Add a simple title or caption to describe the maps.
- Note that you can insert dynamic text here, too, that will input a name or other description from the attribute table
- Add all of the necessary data and author credits
- Page numbers can also be dynamically added