MapInfo Pro

Hi all

I have recently updated from an older version of MapInfo to the latest version (v21). We have template layout documents where we used to be able to just create a legend with Legend Designer, modify it to how we want it to look, and then insert the legend designer contents into a frame by double-clicking on the frame where it would be an option to add to the frame.

This simple way of creating and updating legends doesn't seem to work on the latest version - in fact the legend designer tool seems entirely separate from the ability to add a legend into a template or frame or to make amendments to the legends, and I can't quite see the point of the legend designer tool at all if it is not possible to publish the contents of the legend designer into the layouts.

Aside from the legend designer tool which I would prefer to use, I can add a legend into a frame by clicking on frame and then the layout tab then legend, and select the layouts to add but the contents don't just fit the frame and seem to create a separate frame which needs resizing etc, it's all very messy and cumbersome, and if I add a new layer on the map I can't then update the contents of the legend with that layer without recreating the legend.

Is there a simple way of publishing the legend designer contents into a frame (I can add new frames in the legend designer easily)?

I can't find any documentation on how to use the legend designer contents, can anyone point me to this?

Regards

Arun

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Arun Cappi
Knowledge Community Shared Account
------------------------------

Hi Arun

Yeah, we made some radical changes to the way we work with maps and legend when we moved from the old classic layout windows to the new layout designer windows. With the switch from the classic 32-bit version of MapInfo Pro to the new 64-bit versions, the old classic layouts were completely removed.

This means you need to work slightly differently with the layouts. It comes with some shortcomings but also many benefits.

A few ideas for a start.

Once a map window has been inserted into a layout, it becomes its own window. It is no longer linked to the original map that you inserted. You basically create a copy of that map. You can activate the map window embedded in your layout, for example by double-clicking on the frame. Now you can change the map, zoom, pan, and change the scale of the map. You can add layers and modify the style for the layers via the Layer List in the Explorer window. In fact, you can close the stand-alone map window and just work with the map window embedded in your layout if you prefer.

If you have an existing map window with an existing legend (designer) window, you should be able to add this window to your layout and it should bring over all your legends too. The legends are inserted to the top right of the map window. The legends are individual elements, similar to the way they are in the legend designer window.

If you have a map window in your layout already, you can use the Legend option in the Insert group on the Layout tab to insert legends for your layers into the layout. Select the map window before clicking on the Legend option. In that way, MapInfo Pro knows what map window you want to use. You will only be presented with layers that do not already have a legend in the layout. Again, the legend elements will be inserted at the top right side of the map window and will needs be moved into position.

The Layout window these days has an auto-align feature that shows you when an element you are moving is aligned to existing elements on the layout. This is shown as thin orange lines between the dragged element and the existing elements. This makes it very easy to align the placement of elements to existing elements.

I hope this makes sense. Do ask away if you have more questions related to this

@John Ievers, from our partner CDR Group, has created this introduction video to the new layout:
​

------------------------------
Peter Horsbøll Møller
Principal Presales Consultant | Distinguished Engineer
Precisely | Trust in Data
------------------------------

Hi Peter

"If you have an existing map window with an existing legend (designer) window, you should be able to add this window to your layout, and it should bring over all your legends too. The legends are inserted to the top right of the map window. The legends are individual elements, similar to the way they are in the legend designer window."

If I create a frame, and add a map to the frame, it only inserts the map, and not the legend from the legend designer.

If I do this without a frame then it adds the legend as you said - How can I get this working with frames?

If the legend created with the map (without frames) are unique objects, or if I insert a legend into a frame, how can the legend be updated when the legend designer contents are updated or a new layer added to the map without recreating the whole legend from scratch? Is the legend designer superfluous once the initial legend has been created?

When inserting a legend into a frame, the frame seems to be replaced by a legend frame with the first layer not moveable within the frame and all other layers becoming independent objects to the frame, and seems very very cumbersome to get it looking ok.

Also, when I try and save an output image, if I have anything in frames that doesn't appear.

This is all starting to look like I will not be able to create template layouts and will have to create these from scratch for each project, which is very inefficient.






Regards

Arun Cappi

------------------------------
Arun Cappi
Knowledge Community Shared Account
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 08-30-2022 05:22
From: Peter Møller
Subject: Legend designer in frames

Hi Arun

Yeah, we made some radical changes to the way we work with maps and legend when we moved from the old classic layout windows to the new layout designer windows. With the switch from the classic 32-bit version of MapInfo Pro to the new 64-bit versions, the old classic layouts were completely removed.

This means you need to work slightly differently with the layouts. It comes with some shortcomings but also many benefits.

A few ideas for a start.

Once a map window has been inserted into a layout, it becomes its own window. It is no longer linked to the original map that you inserted. You basically create a copy of that map. You can activate the map window embedded in your layout, for example by double-clicking on the frame. Now you can change the map, zoom, pan, and change the scale of the map. You can add layers and modify the style for the layers via the Layer List in the Explorer window. In fact, you can close the stand-alone map window and just work with the map window embedded in your layout if you prefer.

If you have an existing map window with an existing legend (designer) window, you should be able to add this window to your layout and it should bring over all your legends too. The legends are inserted to the top right of the map window. The legends are individual elements, similar to the way they are in the legend designer window.

If you have a map window in your layout already, you can use the Legend option in the Insert group on the Layout tab to insert legends for your layers into the layout. Select the map window before clicking on the Legend option. In that way, MapInfo Pro knows what map window you want to use. You will only be presented with layers that do not already have a legend in the layout. Again, the legend elements will be inserted at the top right side of the map window and will needs be moved into position.

The Layout window these days has an auto-align feature that shows you when an element you are moving is aligned to existing elements on the layout. This is shown as thin orange lines between the dragged element and the existing elements. This makes it very easy to align the placement of elements to existing elements.

I hope this makes sense. Do ask away if you have more questions related to this

@John Ievers, from our partner CDR Group, has created this introduction video to the new layout:

​

------------------------------
Peter Horsbøll Møller
Principal Presales Consultant | Distinguished Engineer
Precisely | Trust in Data
------------------------------

Hi Arun

Yeah, I think you are right. Adding a map to an existing rame does not insert the legends.

To get the legends added, you will then have to select the frame with the map and use Legend from the Insert group on the Layout tab. In the wizard that now is shown, you can select all your layers, and get them all added in one step.

Once you have inserted your legends into your layout, you should use the layout as your legend designer.

I would also recommend saving the legend settings to the metadata section of the table when you create these. This makes it easier to get the legend created for other windows where you add the same layer.

When you add a new layer to your map, use the same method as mentioned above to add the legend for this new layer to the layout.

And yes, legends are individual frames per layer in a layout, similar to the way they are in the legend designer window. This gives you the same flexibility in the layout as in the legend designer.

I'm not sure I would recommend adding the legends into an existing frame. Especially not if you are adding multiple legends. Only the first legend will be inserted into this frame.

Can you elaborate a bit on this? I'm not sure I understand what you mean
"Also, when I try and save an output image, if I have anything in frames that doesn't appear.".

You probably won't be able to do a fully automated layout template. You can have a template with a place holder for the map, a title box with various static and dynamic texts (Smart Texts), and a place for the legends. The legends do however need to be added and then moved to the location where you want them.

------------------------------
Peter Horsbøll Møller
Principal Presales Consultant | Distinguished Engineer
Precisely | Trust in Data
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 08-30-2022 05:46
From: Arun Cappi
Subject: Legend designer in frames

Hi Peter

"If you have an existing map window with an existing legend (designer) window, you should be able to add this window to your layout, and it should bring over all your legends too. The legends are inserted to the top right of the map window. The legends are individual elements, similar to the way they are in the legend designer window."

If I create a frame, and add a map to the frame, it only inserts the map, and not the legend from the legend designer.

If I do this without a frame then it adds the legend as you said - How can I get this working with frames?

If the legend created with the map (without frames) are unique objects, or if I insert a legend into a frame, how can the legend be updated when the legend designer contents are updated or a new layer added to the map without recreating the whole legend from scratch? Is the legend designer superfluous once the initial legend has been created?

When inserting a legend into a frame, the frame seems to be replaced by a legend frame with the first layer not moveable within the frame and all other layers becoming independent objects to the frame, and seems very very cumbersome to get it looking ok.

Also, when I try and save an output image, if I have anything in frames that doesn't appear.

This is all starting to look like I will not be able to create template layouts and will have to create these from scratch for each project, which is very inefficient.






Regards

Arun Cappi

------------------------------
Arun Cappi
Knowledge Community Shared Account
------------------------------


Original Message:
Sent: 08-30-2022 05:22
From: Peter Møller
Subject: Legend designer in frames

Hi Arun

Yeah, we made some radical changes to the way we work with maps and legend when we moved from the old classic layout windows to the new layout designer windows. With the switch from the classic 32-bit version of MapInfo Pro to the new 64-bit versions, the old classic layouts were completely removed.

This means you need to work slightly differently with the layouts. It comes with some shortcomings but also many benefits.

A few ideas for a start.

Once a map window has been inserted into a layout, it becomes its own window. It is no longer linked to the original map that you inserted. You basically create a copy of that map. You can activate the map window embedded in your layout, for example by double-clicking on the frame. Now you can change the map, zoom, pan, and change the scale of the map. You can add layers and modify the style for the layers via the Layer List in the Explorer window. In fact, you can close the stand-alone map window and just work with the map window embedded in your layout if you prefer.

If you have an existing map window with an existing legend (designer) window, you should be able to add this window to your layout and it should bring over all your legends too. The legends are inserted to the top right of the map window. The legends are individual elements, similar to the way they are in the legend designer window.

If you have a map window in your layout already, you can use the Legend option in the Insert group on the Layout tab to insert legends for your layers into the layout. Select the map window before clicking on the Legend option. In that way, MapInfo Pro knows what map window you want to use. You will only be presented with layers that do not already have a legend in the layout. Again, the legend elements will be inserted at the top right side of the map window and will needs be moved into position.

The Layout window these days has an auto-align feature that shows you when an element you are moving is aligned to existing elements on the layout. This is shown as thin orange lines between the dragged element and the existing elements. This makes it very easy to align the placement of elements to existing elements.

I hope this makes sense. Do ask away if you have more questions related to this

@John Ievers, from our partner CDR Group, has created this introduction video to the new layout:

​

------------------------------
Peter Horsbøll Møller
Principal Presales Consultant | Distinguished Engineer
Precisely | Trust in Data