XMS Print Layout

Example of the XMS Layout dialog.

The layout tool helps to bring up the current view(s) of the XMS window along with its view parameters. User needs to go to File menu and choose Layout menu item to get the XMS Layout window.

Layout Editor Description

Below is a brief explanation of the Layout Editor dialog's macros, tools, and functions.

General Use Macros

• Import – Opens a saved layout (*.mwl)
• Export – Saves the layout in a user specific folder.
• Print – Prints the layout.

Layout Tools

• Insert map – Inserts the map control to layout control. It brings the current view of the screen from XMS window.
• Insert north arrow – Adds a north arrow to the selected map control.
• Insert scale bar – Inserts a scale bar to the selected the map control
• Insert Text: – Inserts a text box.
• Insert rectangle – Inserts a rectangle on the layout
• Insert Bitmap: Inserts a bitmap on the layout control.

View Macros

• Update view: Updates the selected map control based on the current view from XMS window.
• Zoom map to full extend: Extends the map control image to full extend.
• Zoom in: Zooms in on the layout control.
• Zoom out: Zooms out from the layout control.
• Fit to screen: Changes the layout control to fit to screen.
• Percentage field: Changes the the given zoom level.

Layout Editor Menus

File menu in the XMS Layout dialog.

File menu items:

• New: Creates a new layout.
• Open: Opens the saved layout.
• Save: Saves the layout in the temp process folder
• Save as: Saves the layout in a user specified folder.
• Choose printer: To select which printer to print to.
• Page Setup: This brings up the page setup dialog box.
• Print: Prints the current layout.
• Close: Exit the layout control.

Select menu items.

• All: Selects every controls from layout.
• None: Deselects the controls from layout control.
• Invert: Inverts the order of the selected control from layout control.
• Move up: Moves the selected control to the top.
• Move down: Moves the selected control to the bottom .
• Delete: Removes the selected control from layout.
• Convert to bitmap: Converts the selected layout control to bitmap.

Select menu

Layout controls

View menu items:

View menu

• Zoom in: Increases the size of the paper view region from layout control.
• Zoom out: Decreases the size of the paper view region from layout control.
• Fit to screen: Fits the screen paper view area based on layout control size.
• Show margins: Shows the margins of the paper control.
• Toolbars: Enables or disables the standard tools bars.
• Refresh: Redraws the layout control.

When the user closes the layout it gets stored in the temporary folder of the current process. However, when the project gets stored the layout file contents moved to saved projected file under "Layout" node.

When opening a saved project and if the project doesn't have a layout, it brings up an empty layout. But, if the project already have a layout, it shows the saved layout.

North Arrow

The north arrow binds with the specific map control. When a map gets rotated the north arrow changes its rotation angle based on the map's bearing angle. The following are the properties of the north arrow:

Properties of the north arrow

Scale bar

The scale bar also connected with map controls. Users are able to choose the scale of the scale bar and also change the map controls. The following are the properties of the scale bar:

Properties of the scale bar

The scale bar doesn't support geographic degrees and also if the dip is not equal to 0° or 90°, the scale bar doesn't show any scales.

Related Topics

• GMS File Menu
• SMS File Menu