A spatial map series generates a set of output pages by taking a single layout and iterating over a set of map extents. The extents are defined by the features in a layer known as the index layer. A spatial map series is created by choosing an index layer and setting additional options in the Layout Properties window. The options for a map series are divided into three sections: Index Layer, Optional Fields, and Map Extent.
Note:
Spatial map series are only supported for 2D maps; to create a map series based on a 3D scene, use a bookmark map series.
Steps to create a spatial map series
Creating a map series requires an existing layout containing the map frame that you want to update on each page in the series. This layout can also contain additional layout elements such as text or a scale bar. To create a spatial map series, complete the following steps:
- Open a layout that contains the relevant content.
- If a layout has multiple map frames, select the map frame that you want to update for the map series.
- On the Insert tab, click the bottom half of the Map Series button
. - Select Spatial
. - Set the Map frame, Layer, Name Field, and Sort Field options by selecting a value from each drop-down list.
- Optionally, set the Group By, Page Number, Rotation, and Spatial Reference options by selecting a value from each drop-down list. You can also set the First Page text box.
- Choose a Map Extent option: Best Fit, Center and Maintain Scale, or Use Scale from Field.
- Click OK to create the map series.
You can then navigate through the map series pages to see how each looks.
Index layer
A spatial map series is defined by the index layer. Each feature in the index layer is a page in the map series. Without an index layer, a spatial map series cannot exist. The four options that define the index layer—Map frame, Layer, Name field, and Sort field—are required when creating a spatial map series.
Map frame
The map extent of the set map frame changes for each page in the map series based on a feature in the index layer. The Map frame drop-down menu lists all the map frames in the layout. Select the one you want to update on each page. This map frame must contain the map with the index layer. Only one map frame at a time can be set for the map series.
Layer
The index layer defines the geographic extent of the map frame for each page in the map series. Each feature in the index layer defines each page in the map series. Attributes of the index layer provide values for other map series options, including those in the Optional Fields group. The Layer drop-down menu lists all the layers in the map frame; select the one you want. Any point, line, or polygon layer can be the index layer; however, nonfeature layers, such as raster layers, cannot be used.
In some cases, you may want to create a map series, but no obvious index feature exists in the map. For those instances, there are two geoprocessing tools available in the Map Series toolset in the Cartography toolbox that will generate an index layer: Grid Index Features and Strip Map Index Features.
Name field
Each page in the map series has a name that's based on an attribute value from the index layer. Map series pages are listed by name in the Contents pane, which is useful when navigating the series. The name can also be added to the layout as dynamic text, updating for each page in the series. Null and duplicate values are accepted for page names, but to avoid confusion, it is recommended that you use a name field in which all values are unique.
The Name drop-down menu lists all applicable fields from the index layer, including fields from tables joined to the index layer. These include short integer, long integer, and text fields.
Sort fields
The first page of a map series is set by the sorting logic provided by the Sort Field option, which is based on a field from the index layer. If you choose an integer field, the pages are sorted numerically. If you choose a text field, the pages are sorted alphabetically. To sort the pages in ascending order, check Sort Ascending; otherwise, the pages will be sorted in descending order (Z to A). Null and duplicate values are accepted, but to avoid confusion when working with map series pages, it is recommended that you use a sort field in which all values are unique.
The Sort Field drop-down menu lists applicable fields from the index layer. This list includes fields from a table joined to the index layer. These include short integer, long integer, float, double, date, and text fields. Since sort order is required, a default field is identified each time a new index layer is selected.
Optional fields
Additional options can be set based on fields in the index layer to further customize map series pages. These fields are not required to create a spatial map series, so the default value for each is <None>. The options are described below.
Group by a field
You can group the pages of a map series by a field in the index layer. Map series pages are shown by group in the Contents pane, which is useful when navigating the series. For example, if you are making a map series of counties in the United States, you may want to keep the counties from each state together. In that case, you can group by a field in the index layer containing state names. When you create the series, all the counties from each state will be next to each other. The logic from the Sort Field option is applied to each group.
Page number
Every page in the map series has a page number. Map series pages are shown by group in the Contents pane, which is useful when navigating the series. You can also include the page number on the map series layout using dynamic text.
By default, the pages are numbered sequentially beginning with 1 based on the page order from the Sort Field. You can change this default and define a page number for a spatial map series based on an index layer field. These values can be alphanumeric. For example, you can use Roman numerals or numbers with dashes to number the pages. If you're inserting pages between maps, you may skip page numbers as you populate this field.
It is important to note the difference between page number, page index, and page with count, all of which are available to add as dynamic text. The page number is based on the option in the Page Number drop-down menu, page index is the sequential order of the page and ignores any Group Layer setting, and page with count is the page index and the total number of pages. Examples are shown in the following table:
| Page number | Page index | Page with count |
|---|---|---|
Page 4 | 1 | 1 of 10 |
Page 6 | 2 | 2 of 10 |
Page 8 | 3 | 3 of 10 |
Page 10 | 4 | 4 of 10 |
Page 12 | 5 | 5 of 10 |
Page 14 | 6 | 6 of 10 |
Page 16 | 7 | 7 of 10 |
Page 18 | 8 | 8 of 10 |
Page 20 | 9 | 9 of 10 |
Page 22 | 10 | 10 of 10 |
First page
In some cases, you may want to number the map series pages beginning with a number other than 1. For example, you may be creating a map book and want the first three pages to be the title, the table of contents, and an overview map. The maps from the map series begin on page 4. In that case, you can set Page Number to 4, and the map series will be numbered sequentially beginning with the number 4.
Note:
This option is not available if Page Number is set to a field, because the numbering will be set by the field.
Rotation
You can apply different map rotations, measured in degrees, to each page in a map series based on a field in the index feature. For example, a strip map often follows a linear feature such as a river or highway, with each page of map series focusing on a different segment of the feature. To make the pages more readable, you can rotate the map to align the edges of the index feature with the edges of the layout page. The Strip Map Index Features tool, which creates a strip map index feature, also generates a field with the appropriate rotation values for your input. The Calculate Grid Convergence Angle tool also creates values that can be used to rotate the map to true north for each map page in the series.
Spatial reference
You can use different spatial references for different pages in the map series based on a field in the index layer. The following are the procedures you can use to record spatial references in a field:
| Procedure | Example |
|---|---|
Use the entire spatial reference string. | GEOGCS ["GCS_WGS_1984",DATUM["D_WGS_1984",SPHEROID["WGS_1984",6378137,298.257223563]],PRIMEM["Greenwich",0],UNIT["Degree",0.0174532925199433]] |
Point to a projection file on your local machine or on a network (requires proper file permissions). | C:\MyProjectionFiles\WGS 1984.prj. |
Use the well-known identifier (WKID) for the coordinate system in a numeric field. Custom coordinate systems have a WKID of 0. | The WKID for geographic coordinate system WGS 1984 is 4326. |
When you specify the Spatial Reference field, values from this field define the spatial reference of the map frame for each page in the map series. If the value in this field is null, incomplete, or otherwise unusable, the value is ignored, and the last spatial reference applied to the page is used. There are two geoprocessing tools used to calculate a spatial reference field: Calculate Central Meridian And Parallels and Calculate UTM Zone.
Map extent
For each page in the map series, the map frame's extent is updated based on the index feature. You can customize how that extent is calculated for each feature using the three map extent options: Best Fit Extent, Center and Maintain Scale, and Use Scale From Field. Additionally, you can clip the data in the map to the index feature boundary using the Clip to index feature option.
Best fit extent
The Best Fit Extent option allows you to set a margin between the map frame edge and the index feature point closest to the edge. If the closest point is nearest to the left or right edge, the margin is set along the vertical axis. If it is nearest the top or bottom edge, the margin is set along the horizontal axis. Other points in the index feature may have a margin larger than specified, especially if the index feature is a different shape than the map frame. After the margin is applied, the scale of the map frame is rounded according to the value set in the Round scale to the nearest option. This may adjust the margin value slightly.
The Margin Size option has three possible values: Percent, Map Units, and Page Units. When setting the margin as a percentage, a value of 0 Percent results in no margin, so the top and bottom edges of the feature, or the right and left edges of the feature, are flush with the map frame depending on the margin axis. A value of 100 Percent creates a margin half the length of the longest feature edge. When the margins on both sides of the feature are added together, the resultant value equals the entire feature distance. When setting a margin using the Map Units or Page Units option, the size value is applied to each side of the horizontal axis or the vertical axis, depending on the location of the closest point.
Note:
This option is not available if a point feature class is the index layer.
Center and maintain scale
When you choose the Center and Maintain Scale option, the map frame for each page in the map series is centered on the index feature and maintains a constant map scale. You can choose a map scale from the drop-down list or create a custom scale.
Use scale from field
The Use Scale From Field option sets the scale of the map frame for each page in the map series based on a field in the index value. When you specify a Scale From Field value, that value defines the map scale of the detail data frame for each page in the map series. If a value is null, the map series uses the scale value of the previous page.
Clip to index feature
Choosing the Clip to index feature option visually clips the layers in the map to the boundary of the index feature. This affects drawing only; it does not affect the data. This option overrides existing clip extents but preserves excluded layers. Once clipping is enabled, you can exclude layers from clipping using the Map Properties dialog box.
Edit a spatial map series
Once a spatial map series has been created, you can edit any of the set options as well as the index layer.
To change any of the map series options, right-click the layout name in the Contents pane and choose Properties. This opens the Layout Properties window. Select Map Series to see all the properties for the spatial map series and make adjustments.
You can also edit the index layer. Changes to fields referenced in the map series or to the geometry of features are reflected in the map series, although you may need to refresh the map series to see the changes.