Creating True Scale Map Books with AutoCAD Map 3D 2009

TheMapBookfunctionhasbeenaPartofMap3DsincetheearlydaysofADE.Inthelastseveral
releasesthefunctionalityhasbecomeveryrobustandawholeloteasiertouseduetotheSheetSet
ManagerandaWizard.Thatbeingsaid,thereisonepieceoftheMapBooksthatcancauseyoutogo
nutsandmanyfolksitseemsjustgiveupsettinga%Overlapvalueandstillgettingascaledmap
books.ThekeyisintheMapBooktemplate(.dwt).Thefollowingisatutorialonhowtoproperlysetup
amapbooktemplatetoproduceaproperlyscaledMapBookset(andstoprammingyourheadagainst
yourdesk).

First lets discuss the % Overlap setting

%OverlapactuallyscalesyourviewportbythevalueanddoesNOTcompensatefortheScaleyousetthe
viewporttobe.THISISTHEKEY#1
Thatbeingsaid,yourscaleaffectstheViewportinyourMapBook.dwtfile.TheViewporthastobe
createdtomatchthedesiredscaleoftheMapBookcomparedtothesizeofyourMapBookGrid.Tobe
successfulinscaleyoumustcreatetheGrid(inmodelspace)andusetheCustomTilingoption.Donot
usetheByAreaandByNumberTilingOptions.THISISKEY#2
InordertocreateanappropriatelysizedViewportyouhavetodoalittlemath:
%

Yes,IalsothinkAutoCADissupposedtobedoingtheMathforus,butalas,humaninterventionisstill
aliveandnecessary!Letsbreakdowntheequation
Inthisexampleassumewehavecreateda1mileby1milegridandwewantthescaletobe300witha
5%overlap(24inx24inplot):
1. ViewportHeight
. 05

5280
300

5280
300

18.48

. 05

5280
300

5280
300

18.48

2. ViewportWidth

TheViewportsizewillneedtobeexactly18.48x18.48inchestoplottoscale.

Inthenextexampleassumewehavecreateda6000ftby4000ftgridandwewantthescaletobe500
witha7%overlap(11inx17inplot):

1. ViewportHeight
. 07

6000
500

6000
500

12.84

. 07

4000
500

4000
500

8.56

2. ViewportWidth

TheViewportsizewillneedtobeexactly12.84x8.56inchestoplottoscale.

The Process (step by step tutorial)

NowwewillwalkthroughtheprocessofsettingupaMapBookthatwillplottruetoscaleinMap3D
2009.Wewillusethesecondexamplefromabovethatusesa6000x4000ftgrid,ascaleof500,anda3%
Overlap.
The Template
Theprocessforbuildingatemplateiswelldocumentedinthehelpfile.Inthisexamplewewilluseone
ofthepredefinedMapBookTemplatesthatshipwithAutoCADMap3D2009.
1. OpenMapBookTemplate11x17Classic.dwtfromthetemplatedirectory(typicallyfoundin
C:\DocumentsandSettings\%user%\LocalSettings\ApplicationData\Autodesk\AutoCADMap
3D2009\R17.2\enu\Template):


2. NowgointoPageSetupManagerandspecifyyourPLOTsettings,thesesettingsareusedinthe
MapBookPublishfunctionslateronandaffecttheprintableareaofyoursheetwhichinturn

affectsthesizeofyourTitleBlockandViewport.

3. SelecttheexistingViewportandEraseit:

4. CreateanewViewport(MV)usingtheViewportEquation:
a. Length:
6000
6000
. 03
500
500
b. Height:
4000
4000
. 03
500
500

12.36

8.24

c.

d. Use0,0forthelowerleftcorneroftheviewportandthenusedRelativeCoordinate
Entry@12.36,8.24toestablishtheupperright.

e. Nowjustmovetheviewportintoplaceandadjustthetitleblockelementsasnecessary.

TheMapBooktemplaterequiresPlaceholdersthatdefinewhatelementstouseforwhatpurposein
thecreationoftheMapBook.

5. IntheMapBooktaboftheTaskPaneClicktheToolsbuttonandchooseIdentifyTemplate
Placeholders

6. IntheIdentifydialogbox:
a. HighlighttheMainViewport

b. ClicktheSelectPlaceholder(s)>>buttonandselectthenewViewport.

c. PressEntertofinishtheselection(theinfoboxshouldnowread1selected):

d. ClosetheIdentifydialogbox.
7. Savethetemplateas(SAVEAS)TrueScaleMapBookPractice.dwt:

8. ClickOKontheTemplateOptionsdialogbox:

9. Closethedrawing.

The Map Book

TheprocessforbuildingaMapBookisalsowelldocumentedinthehelpfile.Inthisexampleyoucan
useanyexistingdrawingaslongasithasa6000x4000ftgrid.ThisisKEY#3thegridhastobecomposed
ofClosedPolylines,nothingelsewillwork.
1. Openamap(themapcancontaindwgobjectsorFDOconnectionorboth):

2. Createthegrid.Makeasinglerectangle6000x4000forthisexampleanduseCopy/Pasteor
RectangularArraytobuildoutthegrid.Youcanalsoimportanexistinggridbyqueryingthe
drawing,usingtheInsertcommand,orimportingafile.InthisexampleIhaveimporteda.shp

fileobtainedfromtheGISdepartment.

3. IntheTaskPane(MAPWSPACE>On)clickontheMapBookstab.
4. ClicktheNewbuttonandchooseMapBook:

5. IntheMapBookWizard:

a. Source>>ModelSpaceGivetheMapBookthename11x17500Scale,youcanhave
multiplemapbooksinadrawing(differentsizesand/orscales):

b. SheetTemplate>>SettingsThisiswherehalfoftheactionoccurs!
IntheChooseaSheetTemplate:boxBrowsetothetemplatewecreated
o C:\DocumentsandSettings\mcknelj\LocalSettings\Application
Data\Autodesk\AutoCADMap3D2009\R17.2\enu\Template\TrueScale
MapBookPractice11x17.dwt
FromtheChooseaLayout:dropdownselectAnsiB(thisisthenameofthe
Layouttabinthe.dwt).
UnderLayoutOptions
o IncludeaTitleblock(nameorfile)selectTitleBlock(nameofthe
blockinthe.dwt).

IncludeAdjacentsheetlinks(nameorfile)selectAdjacent_Arrow_4
(nameoftheblockinthe.dwt,ifyoudonotwanttouseAdjacentSheet
Linksuncheckthebox)
IntheScaleFactorsetthescalefactoras500(thisiswhatwedesignedour
Viewportforinthe.dwt,thescalefactorofthe.dwthasnoeffectonthis
number).
o

c. TilingScheme>>CustomThisistheotherhalfoftheactionoccurs!
SelectTiles>>selecttheClosedPolygons(rememberKey#3)ofyourGrid
%overlayofeachtileSetthisto3(thisiswhatwedesignedtheViewportfor
inthe.dwt,itwillnotallowdecimals)
Skipanyemptytilessetthisifyoulike,itdoeswhatitsays!


d. NamingScheme>>DataDrivenSelecttheDataDrivenRadiobutton(sinceIuseda
Gridthatwasimportedfroma.shpfilefromtheGISdepartmentIwillusetheGrid
ObjectDatathatisattachedtotheClosedPolylines,seeObjectDatainthehelpfile).If
youdonothaveattacheddatausetheSequentialRadioButtonastheothertwo
optionsdonotworkforcustomgrids.
ClicktheExpressionChooserbutton.
ExpandObjectData
ExpandtheappropriateObjectDataTable
SelecttheappropriateObjectDataField


e. Key>>LayersIfyourmapcontains.dwgelementschoosethelayersyouwanttoseein
theoverviewmap,ifusingFDOselectlayer0toseetheFDOdata.ClicktheAddLayers
forMapKeybuttontoaddthelayers.Theotheroptionsaredocumentedinthehelp
file.


f.

LegendandSheetSetacceptthedefaultsfortheseoptions.Reviewthehelpfileto
discoverwhattheydoandhowtosetthemup.

g. ClickthePreviewTiles>>buttontomakesurethetileswereselectcorrectly.

h. ClicktheGeneratebuttontocreatetheMapBook:
ThenumberoftilescreatedwilldeterminethetimeittakestogeneratetheMapBook.Thegeneration
processdoesseveralthings:
1. AddstheNamingSchemeandViewstoeachGridTile.
2. CreatesaLayoutforeachGridTile.
a. Setstheview,scaleand%OverlapfortheViewport.
b. AddstheintelligencetotheAdjacentSheetLinks.

c. SetstheviewfortheKeyViewandhighlightstheappropriateGridTile(KeyViewuses
anotherviewport).
d. SetstheviewfortheLegend(alsoaviewport).
3. CreatesandAutoCADSheetSet.

The Result
NowthatyouhavesuccessfullycreatedaTrueScaleMapBookyouneedtotestyourresults,butfirst
letstakealookatwhatwascreated.
Note:ifyoudonotseetheGridNumbersintheMapBooktabfotheTaskPanepickthedownarrowatthetop
ofthetabtoselectfromyoursavedMapBooks

Intelligent Grid TilesDoubleclickonaGridNumberintheMapBooktabtozoomtothatGrid.All

viewscalesareretainedinFDOdata,soyouonlyseewhatyouexpecttosee.

Automatically Generated LayoutsRightclickonaGridNumberintheMapBooktabtozoomto

thatLayout.AllviewscalesareretainedinFDOdata,soyouonlyseewhatyouexpecttoseeatthe
LayoutScale.


ClicktheQuickViewLayoutsbutton(inredbelow)atthebottomofyourAutoCADMap3D2009
screentorevealthegeneratedlayouts:


Publish the Map Book to DWF or a PlotterRightclickontheMapBooknameatthetopofthe

GridNumberstoopenanoptionsmenu.SelectPublishtoDWForPublishtoPlottertopublishthe
entireMapBookbasedonthesettingsinthe.dwtfile(setaboveinthe.dwtcreation).


Plot a Single LayoutWhenyouhavezoomedtoalayoutusethePLOTcommandtoprintthat

Layout.Onceprintedputyourscaleonitandprovethatyouareagenius!


NowthatyouhavesuccessfullyplottedaMapBooktoscale,gotoDisneylandYoudeserveit!