Using Print Layout — QGIS Documentation documentation (2024)

4.1.1. ★☆☆ Follow Along: The Layout Manager

QGIS allows you to create multiple maps using the same map file.For this reason, it has a tool called the Layout Manager.

1. Click on the Project ► Layout Manager… menuentry to open this tool.You’ll see a blank Layout manager dialog appear.

   

2. Under New from Template, selectEmpty layout and press the Create… button.

3. Give the new layout the name of Swellendam andclick OK.

4. You will now see the Print Layout window:

   

You could also create this new layout via theProject ► New Print Layout… menu.

Whichever route you take, the new print layout is now accessible fromthe Project ► Layouts ► menu, as in the image below.

4.1.2. ★☆☆ Follow Along: Basic Map Composition

In this example, the composition was already the way we wanted it.Ensure that yours is as well.

1. Right-click on the sheet in the central part of the layout windowand choose Page properties… in the context menu.

2. Check that the values in the Item Properties tab areset to the following:

   • Size: A4

   • Orientation: Landscape

   Now you’ve got the page layout the way you wanted it, but thispage is still blank.It clearly lacks a map. Let’s fix that!

3. Click on the ^{Add Map} button.

   With this tool activated, you will be able to place a map on thepage.

4. Click and drag a box on the blank page:

   

   The map will appear on the page.

5. Move the map by clicking and dragging it around:

   

6. Resize it by clicking and dragging the boxes on the edges:

   

   Note

   See Also

   QMapIterator Class | Qt Core 6.7.2Erstellung einer Karte (QGIS3) — QGIS Tutorials and Tips22.3. Creating an Output — QGIS Documentation documentationMaking a Map (QGIS3) — QGIS Tutorials and Tips

   Your map may look a lot different, of course!This depends on how your own project is set up.But not to worry! These instructions are general, so they willwork the same regardless of what the map itself looks like.

7. Be sure to leave margins along the edges, and a space along thetop for the title.

8. Zoom in and out on the page (but not the map!) by using thesebuttons:

9. Zoom and pan the map in the main QGIS window.You can also pan the map using the ^{Move item content} tool.

   The map view updates as you zoom in or zoom out.

10. If, for any reason, the map view does not refresh correctly,you can force the map to refresh by clicking the ^{Refresh view} button.

    Remember that the size and position you’ve given the map doesn’tneed to be final.You can always come back and change it later if you’re notsatisfied.For now, you need to ensure that you’ve saved your work on thismap.Because a Print Layout in QGIS is part of the main map file,you must save your project.

11. Go to the Layout ► Save Project.This is a convenient shortcut to the one in the main dialog.

4.1.3. ★☆☆ Follow Along: Adding a Title

Now your map is looking good on the page, but your readers/users arenot being told what’s going on yet.They need some context, which is what you’ll provide for them byadding map elements.First, let us add a title.

1. Click on the ^{Add Label} button

2. Click on the page, above the map, accept the suggested values inthe New Item Properties dialog, and a label willappear at the top of the map.

3. Resize it and place it in the top center of the page.It can be resized and moved in the same way that you resized andmoved the map.

   As you move the title, you’ll notice that guidelines appear tohelp you position the title in the center of the page.

   However, there is also a tool in the Actions Toolbar to helpposition the title relative to the map (not the page):

4. Click the map to select it

5. Hold in Shift on your keyboard and click on the label sothat both the map and the label are selected.

6. Look for the ^{Align selected items left} buttonand click on the dropdown arrow next to it to reveal thepositioning options and click Align center:

   

   Now the label frame is centered on the map, but not the contents.To center the contents of the label:

   1. Select the label by clicking on it.

   2. Click on the Item Properties tab in the side panelof the layout window.

   3. Change the text of the label to “Swellendam”:

      

   4. Use this interface to set the font and alignment optionsunder the Appearance section:

      See Also

      QGIS Print Layout and Exporting

      1. Choose a large but sensible font (the example will use thedefault font with a size of 36)

      2. Set the Horizontal Alignment to Center.

      You can also change the font color, but it’s probably best tokeep it black as per the default.

   5. The default setting is not to add a frame to the title’s text box.However, if you wish to add a frame, you can do so:

      1. In the Item Properties tab, scroll down until yousee the Frame option.

      2. Click the Frame checkbox to enable the frame.You can also change the frame’s color and width.

   In this example, we won’t enable the frame, so here is our page sofar:

   

   To make sure that you don’t accidentally move these elementsaround now that you’ve aligned them, you can lock items into place:

   1. Select both the label and the map items

   2. Click the ^{Lock Selected Items} button inthe Actions Toolbar.

      Note

      Click the ^{Unlock All Items} buttonin the Actions Toolbar to be able to edit the items again.

4.1.4. ★☆☆ Follow Along: Adding a Legend

The map reader also needs to be able to see what various things onthe map actually mean.In some cases, like the place names, this is quite obvious.In other cases, it’s more difficult to guess, like the colors of theforests.Let’s add a new legend.

1. Click on the ^{Add Legend} button

2. Click on the page to place the legend, accept the suggested valuesin the New Item Properties dialog,

3. A legend is added to the layout page, showing layers symbologyas set in the main dialog.

4. As usual, you can click and move the item to where you want it:

4.1.5. ★★☆ Follow Along: Customizing Legend Items

Not everything on the legend is necessary, so let’s remove someunwanted items.

1. In the Item Properties tab, you’ll find theLegend items group.

2. Uncheck the Auto update box, allowing youto directly modify the legend items

3. Select the entry with buildings

4. Delete it from the legend by clicking the button

You can also rename items.

1. Select a layer from the same list.

2. Click the ^{Edit selected item properties} button.

3. Rename the layers to Places, Roads and Streets,Surface Water, and Rivers.

You can also reorder the items:

As the legend will likely be widened by the new layer names, you maywish to move and resize the legend and or map.This is the result:

4.1.6. ★☆☆ Follow Along: Exporting Your Map

Finally the map is ready for export! You’ll see the export buttonsnear the top left corner of the layout window:

• ^{Print Layout}: interfaces with a printer.Since the printer options will differ depending on the model ofprinter that you’re working with, it’s probably better to consult theprinter manual or a general guide to printing for more information onthis topic.

  The other buttons allow you to export the map page to a file.

• ^{Export as Image}: gives you a selectionof various common image formats to choose from.This is probably the simplest option, but the image it creates is“dead” and difficult to edit.

• ^{Export as SVG}: If you’re sending the map to acartographer (who may want to edit the map for publication),it’s best to export as an SVG. SVG stands for “Scalable Vector Graphic”,and can be imported to programs like Inkscapeor other vector image editing software.

• ^{Export as PDF}: If you need to send the map to a client,it’s most common to use a PDF, because it’s easier to set up printingoptions for a PDF.Some cartographers may prefer PDF as well, if they have a programthat allows them to import and edit this format.

For our purposes, we’re going to use PDF.

1. Click the ^{Export as PDF} button

2. Choose a save location and a file name as usual.The following dialog will show up.

   

3. You can safely use the default values now and clickSave.

   QGIS will proceed to the map export and push a messageon top of the print layout dialog as soon as it finishes.

4. Click the hyperlink in the message to open the folder in whichthe PDF has been saved in your system’s file manager

5. Open it and see how your layout looks.

   Everything is OK?Congratulations on your first completed QGIS map project!

6. Anything unsatisfying? Go back to the QGIS window, do theappropriate modifications and export again.

7. Remember to save your project file.

4.1.7. In Conclusion

Now you know how to create a basic static map layout. We can go a stepfurther and create a map layout that adapts dynamically, with morelayout items.