Module 10: Map PDF Export

Export the current map view as a PDF with a title, notes, legend, scale bar, north arrow, and project metadata.

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1. Opening the Export Dialog

1. Navigate to the Map View.
2. Tap the Print/PDF button in the map toolbar (or access it from the navigation menu).
3. The Export Map PDF modal dialog opens.

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2. Configuration Options

Page Layout

Choose between two orientations:

• Landscape — Wide format, ideal for linear features (roads, pipelines)
• Portrait — Tall format, ideal for detailed site plans

Each option shows a visual preview of the page proportions.

Map Title

Enter a descriptive title for your map document:

e.g., "Site Survey — Zone A"

Maximum: 80 characters. If left empty, defaults to "Map Export".

Subtitle (Optional)

Add a secondary title for additional context:

e.g., "Water Network Audit"

Maximum: 100 characters.

Custom Notes (Optional)

Add free-text notes that appear on the PDF:

e.g., "Inspected 2026-04-15. Approved by J. Smith."

Maximum: 500 characters. Multi-line supported.

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3. Map Elements

Toggle which cartographic elements appear on the PDF:

Element	Default	Description
Legend	✅ On	Layer names with symbology swatches, including classified rules
Scale Bar	✅ On	Distance reference bar calibrated to the current map zoom
North Arrow	✅ On	Compass arrow indicating geographic north

Each toggle has a label so you can choose the elements needed for the report.

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4. Legend Generation

When the Legend toggle is enabled, the PDF includes a detailed legend built from your project's visible layers:

Simple Layers

Each visible layer appears as a single legend entry with:

• Layer name
• Geometry icon (point/line/polygon)
• Color swatch from the layer's style
• Feature count

Classified Layers

For layers with categorical or graduated symbology, the legend expands to show individual classification rules:

Example (Categorical):

Water Pipes (347 features)
  ├── PVC        — Blue    (120)
  ├── Steel      — Gray    (95)
  ├── HDPE       — Green   (82)
  └── Cast Iron  — Brown   (50)

Example (Graduated):

Flow Rate (GPM) (200 features)
  ├── 0 – 20     — Light Blue   (45)
  ├── 20 – 50    — Medium Blue  (89)
  ├── 50 – 100   — Dark Blue    (52)
  └── 100+       — Navy         (14)

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5. PDF Generation

When you tap Generate PDF, Mapplex prepares the document in four steps:

1. Map Capture — The current map view is rendered at high resolution. A loading overlay displays: "Generating high-resolution map..."
2. Legend Build — Legend items are computed from visible layers, including symbology rule expansion and per-rule feature counts
3. Project Metadata — The project name is resolved for the PDF header
4. PDF Generation — Mapplex assembles the map, title block, legend, notes, and footer into a PDF document

The pipeline is cancellable — tap the cancel button on the loading overlay to abort at any point.

What the PDF Contains

Section	Content
Header	Project name and Mapplex branding
Title Block	Your map title and subtitle
Map Image	High-resolution capture of the current map view
Legend	Color-coded layer list with feature counts
Scale Bar	Distance reference calibrated to the map
North Arrow	Compass indicator
Notes	Your custom notes text
Footer	Generation date and Mapplex attribution

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6. Tips for Best Results

• Zoom to the area of interest before opening the export dialog. The PDF captures exactly what you see on the map.
• Turn off unnecessary layers using the Layer Visibility panel to keep the PDF clean.
• Use a descriptive title — it appears prominently on the PDF and serves as the document identifier.
• Landscape orientation works best for maps showing linear features or wide areas.
• Portrait orientation is ideal when you need a taller view or want the legend to sit beside a narrow map.

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Next: Proceed to Module 11: Troubleshooting & FAQ for common issues, or Module 12: CAD Manager for DXF import/export.