advanced typography cartographic design for gis (geog. 340) prof. hugh howard american river college

ADVANCED TYPOGRAPHY

Cartographic Design for GIS (Geog. 340)Prof. Hugh HowardAmerican River College

SPECIFIC TYPOGRAPHIC GUIDELINES:All Features

SPECIFIC GUIDELINES• Orient type horizontally

– Except when labeling a map that has curved parallels, in which case the type should be oriented with the parallels

Graticule with curved parallels

SPECIFIC GUIDELINES• Orient type horizontally (cont.)

– Except when labeling diagonal or curved features, in which case the type should reflect the orientation of the features

SPECIFIC GUIDELINES• Avoid overprinting and, when

necessary, minimize its effects– Overprinting occurs when type is placed

on top of a map feature, obscuring the type and making it difficult to read

SPECIFIC GUIDELINES• The effects of overprinting can be

minimized through the use of– Mask– Halo– Callout

SPECIFIC GUIDELINES• A mask is a polygon placed below

type, but above the mapped area– Masks can sometimes obscure too much

of the mapped area– Masks can be specified with the same

color as the underlying area

SPECIFIC GUIDELINES• A halo is an extended outline of letters

– Haloes cover less of the underlying mapped area than masks, while still allowing the type to be read

– Don’t make haloes so thick that they attract undue attention

SPECIFIC GUIDELINES• Callouts are a combination of mask

and leader line– Callouts are effective, but should be used

with caution– They are visually dominant and can

overshadow other map elements

SPECIFIC GUIDELINES• Ensure that all type labels are placed

so that they are clearly associated with the features they represent

• Place larger type labels first, followed by intermediate, and then smaller labels

SPECIFIC TYPOGRAPHIC GUIDELINES:Point Features

POINT FEATURE GUIDELINES• Avoid overprinting when placing labels

– Choose locations based on the “sequence of preferred locations”

Sequence of Preferred Locations

POINT FEATURE GUIDELINES• Do not allow map features to come

between a point symbol and its label– Place the label close to the symbol, even

if it means choosing a less preferred location

POINT FEATURE GUIDELINES• If the sequence of preferred locations

does not provide a suitable option– Consider using a mask, halo, or callout– Or use a simple leader line

Leader lines for point symbols should be very thin, not include an arrowhead, and point to the center of the point

symbol without actually touching it.

POINT FEATURE GUIDELINES• Multiple-line (stacked) labels should be

placed according to the sequence of preferred locations

– Individual lines of type should be horizontally aligned or centered

Emphasizes the association between the label and point symbol

POINT FEATURE GUIDELINES• Point symbols on land that are close to

coastlines– Should be labeled entirely on land

• Point symbols that touch coastlines – Should be labeled either entirely on land

or entirely on water (avoid overprinting)

POINT FEATURE GUIDELINES• The previous guidelines should be

followed as closely as possible– In practice, it is often impossible to adhere

to all guidelines simultaneously

Well-Placed Labels

Poorly-Placed Labels

POINT FEATURE GUIDELINES• Do not exaggerate letter or word

spacing when labeling point features– Exaggerated spacing weakens the

association between symbol and label

Inappropriate Spacing

Appropriate Spacing

SPECIFIC TYPOGRAPHIC GUIDELINES:

Linear Features

LINEAR FEATURE GUIDELINES• Place labels above linear features

close to, but not touching them– Descenders (lower extensions of g, y,

etc.) should just clear the line symbol – Type is placed above linear features

An exception to placing type above line

LINEAR FEATURE GUIDELINES• When labeling linear features that have

complex curves, follow the general trend of the feature

– Type that curves too much is difficult to read

LINEAR FEATURE GUIDELINES• Very long linear features can be

labeled more than once – Multiple labels are preferred to

exaggerated letter and word spacing

LINEAR FEATURE GUIDELINES• Labels should be placed upright

– Labels should read from left to right– Type that is absolutely vertical should be

readable from the right side of the page

SPECIFIC TYPOGRAPHIC GUIDELINES:Areal Features

AREAL FEATURE GUIDELINES• If areal features are large enough to

contain a label, visually center the label within the feature

– Follow the general trend of areal features that have complex curves

– Use all-uppercase type when labeling areal features

AREAL FEATURE GUIDELINES• Exaggerated letter and word spacing

can be used to emphasize areal extent– Works best with all-uppercase type– Lowercase type tends to look disjointed

when exaggerated spacing is applied

Inappropriate SpacingAppropriate Spacing

AREAL FEATURE GUIDELINES• Leading can also be exaggerated to

emphasize areal extent– Leading should not be so great that the

relationship between lines of type is lost

AREAL FEATURE GUIDELINES• Linear features represented as areas

should be labeled as areal features

AREAL FEATURE GUIDELINES• Areal features that are too small to

contain a label should be labeled as point symbols

– Refer to guidelines for point symbols– Other options are available…

AREAL FEATURE GUIDELINES• Leader lines can be used with areal

features

Leader lines for areal symbols should be very thin, not include an arrowhead, and enter the symbol to a certain extent.

LABELING SMALL AREAS

Treat as a point symbol

Overprint, but use a halo

Reduce character spacing

Use “narrow” style typeface

Abbreviate

Reduce type size

Treat as point symbol,w/ areal leader line

Be consistent with your approach!

AUTOMATEDTYPE PLACEMENT

(Labeling)

AUTO. TYPE PLACEMENT• Labeling software has been developed

for automatically positioning type, often within the context of a GIS

– Places labels for map features as opposed to positioning map elements composed of type, such as the title

– Employs cartographic expert systems, which make decisions based on rules and guidelines obtained from cartographic experts

AUTO. TYPE PLACEMENT• The biggest advantage of labeling

software is its ability to save time– Manual type placement is one of the most

time-consuming aspects of cartography

• Problems with labeling software– Time is required to “train” the software– Optimal solutions are computer-intensive – The finished product normally requires

substantial interactive editing

AUTO. TYPE PLACEMENT• Examples of labeling software

– Standard labeling engine in ArcMap– Maplex (standalone) and Maplex for

ArcGIS (extension)– Label-EZ (standalone)

LABELINGwith the

STANDARD ArcGIS LABELING ENGINE

STANDARD LABELING• ArcMap places labels automatically

according to a series of rules

• Labels cannot be selected

• Labels cannot be individually edited– For content or style

• Labels and label placement can change dynamically when panning and zooming

STANDARD LABELING• Labels do not scale in unison with

changes in map scale…

STANDARD LABELING• Unless you set a reference scale

– “The scale at which 12 pt type is 12 pt”

STANDARD LABELING• Setting a reference scale makes labels

sensitive to scale changes

STANDARD LABELING• General procedure

– Turn on labels– Open the Labeling toolbar– Open the Label Manager

LABELINGwith the

MAPLEX for ArcGIS LABELING ENGINE

MAPLEX LABELING• Switch to the Maplex engine

MAPLEX LABELING• The basic procedure is the same

– But Maplex offers more sophisticated placement options

MAPLEX LABELING• Three feature classes to be labeled

– Fire stations, streets, and water bodies

MAPLEX LABELING• Format the label expression using the

Label Manager

MAPLEX LABELING• Format text with VBScript & ArcMap tags

"<BOL>" & [LANDMARK] & "</BOL>" & vbNewLine & "<FNT size='10'>" & [ADDRESS] & "</FNT>"

MAPLEX LABELING• Many formatting options, but not

necessarily the ones you need (TCase)

MAPLEX LABELING• Help with formatting

http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/d1wf56tt(VS.85).aspx

MAPLEX LABELING• More formatting

– Haloes

MAPLEX LABELING• Better, but placement is poor, and two

labels are stacked…

MAPLEX LABELING• Stacking is turned off, and advanced

placement properties are accessed

MAPLEX LABELING• Apply the “sequence of preferred

locations”– When labeling point

symbols

MAPLEX LABELING• Placement is improved, and stacking is

removed

MAPLEX LABELING• Label a second feature class (streets)

– And let the conflicts begin

MAPLEX LABELING• Concatenate fields

[Name] & “ “ & [TYPE]

MAPLEX LABELING• Conditions deteriorate further

– Apply a positioning rule

MAPLEX LABELING• Set label repetition interval

MAPLEX LABELING• Duplicates are reduced (and haloes

added)

MAPLEX LABELING• Label a third feature class (hydro feat’s)

– Time to convert to annotation

WORKING with ANNOTATION

ANNOTATION• An alternate form of type

• Unlike labels, annotation can be– Selected– Individually edited for content and style

• Unlike labels, annotation does not– Move dynamically when panning and

zooming

• Labels can be converted to annotation– For fine tuning after automated labeling

ANNOTATION• Converting labels to annotation

ANNOTATION• Can be stored in the map (ArcMap

document, or *.mxd)– Good for small amounts of text that only

need to be used in a single .mxd– “Map” annotation can be edited outside of

an edit session– Similar to graphics, or type added using

the New Text tool on the Drawing toolbar

ANNOTATION• Can be stored in a geodatabase (*.mdb,

*.gdb, etc.)– Good for large amounts of text that can be

used in multiple ArcMap documents– “Geodatabase” annotation requires that

you be in an editing session to alter– Annotation appears as a layer in the TOC

ANNOTATION• Select geodatabase annotation and

delete (focus Data Frame first…)

ANNOTATION• Use the Editor toolbar, together with the

Annotation Attributes dialog box (for geodatabase anno.)

ANNOTATION• Hydro features are manually positioned

– Maplex also offers automated options

ANNOTATION• Typographical problems still remain…

– How much time do you have?

TIPS FOR LABELING AREAS

• Default labeling style

LABELING AREAS

LABELING AREAS• Convert to upper case

UCase([STATE_NAME])

LABELING AREAS• Exaggerate letter/word spacing

LABELING AREAS• Screen back (it’s base information)

(Water labels should be

100% Cyan)

TIPS FOR FILTERING LABELS

• Use VBScript in label expression– To show only certain labels

FILTERING LABELS

Function FindLabel ([CNTRYNAME]) if ([CNTRYNAME] = "France" OR [CNTRYNAME] = "Italy") then FindLabel = Ucase([CNTRYNAME]) end ifEnd Function

• Use VBScript in label expression– To hide certain labels

FILTERING LABELS

Function FindLabel ([CNTRYNAME]) if ([CNTRYNAME] <> "France") then FindLabel = Ucase([CNTRYNAME]) end ifEnd Function

ADVANCED TYPOGRAPHY

Cartographic Design for GIS (Geog. 340)Prof. Hugh HowardAmerican River College