Making your layout look more like a topo

To make your layout REALLY look like a map, a grid overlay helps a lot. So we're all on the same page, here's  an example topo (thanks USGS!):

Note all the handy tic marks and the grid overlay.

Out of the box, Map can do a grid for you too:

That's available under Layout Tools when the layout is active.  However, you can only pick one reference system - that of the map, LL, Military Grid, or US National Grid.  In this data set, I'd like to have the drawing Coordinate System (Massachusetts NAD83 State Plane Mainland) and LL shown.  That'll require a little more work.

1. Get your map set up, being sure to have the drawing coordinate system defined and the drawing saved.
2. Use DXFOUT to export a DXF of the drawing, then open that DXF in a text editor (I used Notepad++)
3. Search the file for gridstyle
4. Copy out most of that line - from <PrintLayoutElementStyle version="1.0.0" to </PrintLayoutElementStyle> into a new text file.
5. Save that new file in C:\ProgramData\Autodesk\AutoCAD Map 3D 2012\R18.2 (on a Windows 7 system) as something like newgridtemplate.xml
6. Save your drawing, and close and reopen Map.
7. Open your drawing, go back to the layout and change the Grid and Graticule reference system to another of the desired options (like LL).
8. At the command line, enter MAPLOADGRIDSTYLE
9. Pick the new XML template you saved in step 5, select the viewport, pick append, then define the tic and gridline decision at the prompt.  Note that the UNITS setting at the time of insert will drive how many decimals you see. 

 

Selecting Create from the Ribbon again will clear your setting and let you start fresh in case you need to adjust your tic and gridline spacing.

 

You might notice that the XML code includes some color options - changing those from the current value (which should show as red) causes the append to fail.  Is that something that you would use?  Let us know in the comments!

 

UPDATE August 3:  You can change the color for a single grid layer.

1. Make a copy of a default grid defintion XML file. Edit the color references in there, being sure it has a different name.
2. In Map 3D, load the default grid definition via the Create button.
3. Now, load and append the editing grid definition via MAPLOADGRIDSTYLE - it will still appear black
4. Create a new grid via Create (or MAPLAYOUTREFERENCESYSTEM) for the same coordinate system you used above

 You should now see a new grid in the colors you defined in the edited grid definition.  To reset to black, go to Create and select Current Coordinate System.

Comments

[Jesse Mcgraw]

Colors are important in making map layouts. It's a basic for map designers. Aside from creating a creative layout, the colors are also used in order to distinguish one place from another. Your post would really be helpful for aspiring map designers out there!