Global Mapper v25.0

Title blocks and Map borders in Global Mapper

Can anyone explain how I can can print customisable Titleblocks and borders on Printed Maps out of Global Mapper? I have searched on the forum and the video link provided no longer works.

Answers

  • bmg_bob
    bmg_bob Global Mapper Programmer
    Hello,

    What version of Global Mapper are you using?  If it is version 16 or above, you should try using the Map Layout Editor.

    Cheers,
    Bob
  • Hi Bob,
    Thanks for the response, I use V19.1.
     The Map Layout Editor assists with Map Legends, North Points, Scale Bars etc . But I don’t see an option for creating a custom Title Block, where Project details, Map Number revision Number, company details etc.. can be placed. This is a fundamental component of most printed maps or Plan drawings. It is usually incorporated with the lower border of the page or sometimes the right hand border.  If the option is there for this I must be missing it

  • BillB
    BillB Global Mapper User Trusted User
    Tony, if you follow Bob's link above, under the first screenshot, there is a link to Map Elements. I think that may be what you are looking for:
    "In the Map Layout Preview add the desired Map Layout Elements (scale bar, elevation legend, title, etc.) Once added, Map Layout Elements may be edited by selecting with the mouse and right-clicking, or by using the Map Layout Element Control Center."
  • bmg_bob
    bmg_bob Global Mapper Programmer
     The Map Layout Editor assists with Map Legends, North Points, Scale Bars etc . But I don’t see an option for creating a custom Title Block, where Project details, Map Number revision Number, company details etc.. can be placed. This is a fundamental component of most printed maps or Plan drawings. It is usually incorporated with the lower border of the page or sometimes the right hand border.  If the option is there for this I must be missing it

    Hi Tony,

    The Map Layout Editor does not have an option to create a Title Block, per se, but you could use a text element, and fill in the required information.  We currently have an open feature request (#20584) for adding the ability to automatically place items like company name, project number, etc. into a text block.  I have added your information to this request.  We will post a message on this thread when the status of the request changes.

    Cheers,
    Bob
  • There used to be a Title Block on V14.  How did this get missed with the upgrades?  It's actually stopping me from upgrading.
  • bmg_bob
    bmg_bob Global Mapper Programmer
    There used to be a Title Block on V14.  How did this get missed with the upgrades?  It's actually stopping me from upgrading.
    Hello,

    The function for adding a non-georeferenced text block to a map was moved to the Map Layout Editor in version 16 (if I recall correctly.) We have also recently added the ability to use custom macros to create a Title Block in a text element. You can create the title block, and save a template, to enable the text block all map layouts that use that template.

    Do you need to have this on the main view?  Is this something that you use on printed maps? If that is the case, the Map Layout Editor is a more powerful way of producing printed maps from within Global Mapper.

    Cheers,
    Bob
  • The map layout editor needs other tools to support this, like the ability to create polylines / symbols.  Text callouts with annotations/arrow leaders and the option to have more than one map view element in a single page are also huge limiting factors of making exhibits with global mapper. 

    *All* of us (at my company) enjoy using global mapper much more than the alternatives, but most of us begrudgingly opt for the alternative on stuff that we have to generate exhibits for. 

    This is the general layout that we use on some projects, but all of the project managers are always pushing for uniformity in exhibits & titleblocks and GM is the only software we use that this is difficult on.  I've used pre-rendered blank pages with the title block on it as an image and inserted it in the background, but it's difficult to work with and frustrating to update as our company title block updates. 
  • Looking forward to upgrade on Map Layout. This is vital in every project presentation.
  • Currently using build 21.1 but cannot seem to find these things as per the Help Menu.  Also the map book it's referring to.


  • Hi All,

    I have been using GM for concept layouts for some multiple pipeline and a cable routes. The map layout editor is not really professional enough to present to clients as it does not allow client logos drawing numbers, revision block etc. I looked at the new Mango Map but gave up waiting for the screen re-draws of the Gebco (General Bathymetric Chart of the Ocean) raster data. It’s very pretty for a small area but for serious data sets eg 34M multi-beam data soundings forget it. Use GM on a heavy duty gaming PC with as much RAM as it will take. Then to make your Title Block use this workflow.

    1. Capture Screen contents to Image. I use a (Geo) tiff but you could use a JPG or JPG2000.
    2. Make up a master Title Block in Word or Excel. Word is probably easier.
    3. Set up a new document, A1 to A3 size with narrow margins.
    4. Import your Tiff into Word using insert picture and extend to margins.
    5. Check the size and position to lock the Aspect Ratio.
    6. Grab a corner to resize the image to margins.
    7. Set image word wrap to behind text.
    8. Back to your Title block. Copy and paste special to the image document (paste as a Microsoft document object.
    9. In the drawing document copy and paste special again. This time as an enhanced metafile (keeps the correct format)
    10. Format the block image. Fill is white. Maybe crop the limits. Wrapping is in front of text
    11. Move the block over the image to position as required.
    12. The example was done as I was writing this.
    Regards
    Richard
      



  • Has there been any progress on title blocks?

    GM is a great tool but to publish or present still causes extra work to transfer the resultant image into another application that will do this...and which then gets all the glory.

    Would be good to see the professional face ratcheted up a notch or two, GM has long deserved it.

  • Jon_B
    Jon_B Moderator, Trusted User
    edited January 2023

    Yes. The latest* GM has a new option in the map layout editor, under the file menu, "load element block" which will pull in a saved file that could be a title block or any other reusable content that you find useful. You can save the element blocks from the right click menu or the file menu.

    Please give these a try and let me know what you think. The map layout editor is getting a number of requested updates and additions. There is a new arrow/line drawing element as well, and the next release will have a few more goodies for the MLE users.

    *I forget exactly when this went live, it may be a couple of versions back.

  • Hi Jon B,

    If the Map Layout editor is indeed getting a few updates, is it possible to please fix the problem with the fixed width of the element properties dialogue box which I highlighted in March 2022 (see link below). It is particularly annoying when using nested or grouped data and the limited width of the window prevents the user from selecting the correct layer.

    Cheers,

    /al

    https://www.globalmapperforum.com/discussion/16554/increase-viewable-width-of-map-element-control-centre-element-properties-dialogue-box#latest

  • Thanks Jon,

    Looking at "load element block" it appears that this function will re-load an element, or block of elements but not create one? E.g.in the case of a title block, one that had already been created somehow somewhere else in another app and saved and brought in as an image (or possibly text file, but without a table this would not be suitable as title block).

    I can't see anywhere in the available GM options anything to assist in the creation of something like a title block in a structured table that could include all the usual titles for typical fields such as map or drawing number, version, name, date, plus company logo etc.

    If this could be created within GM only those fields that needed to be updated could be quickly changed on the fly and hopefully it would also scale so this is highly desirable.

    Otherwise it would still be an onerous process to create something elsewhere, bring it in as an image, that wouldn't scale well if needed, and probably not need to be saved as it could not be changed (e.g. the date alone would preclude this) and so the "load element block" would have limited value in this case.

    Thanks

  • Jon_B
    Jon_B Moderator, Trusted User
    edited January 2023

    You want the save feature first...

    To create one, select what you want (you can control click to select more than one item) and use the right click menu to save it (you can also use the file menu, save element block). I HIGHLY recommend putting the wanted items in a group, even with invisible border, so you can drag it as a group when you load it in later.

    If the save element block is missing or deactivated, nothing was selected. You cannot save the map itself in an element block and it should not be selected in the group.

    They do not currently scale for different sized layouts, though.

    Finally, you cannot directly make an excel type spreadsheet entry. You can put multiple text boxes together in that sort of pattern, and, incidentally, the upcoming release (around march) will have basic snapping of elements on drag. (Shh, don't tell anyone, its a surprise). You can also do a simple snap with the keyboard (somewhat) with the TBLR (top, bottom, left, right) keys, which should be in the existing version. A combination of these and the make same size options should let you make a nice clean grid, and you can copy & repeat (eg make a box of 4, copy and you have 8). I am not aware of any plans to add a grid/spreadsheet type control to this interface.

  • I made a title block for each layout template (8.5x11 portrait, 11x17 landscape, etc) in Inkscape, exported as a PNG, and use this as the background in my layouts. I have the template saved with text boxes inserted where they're needed and I use the menu to change text and inserted images as needed. Clunky, but gets me what I need right out of Global Mapper.