PDF Features and ArcMap

Portable Document Format:

This tutorial will explain how to export an ArcGIS map to a PDF format that will contain layers users can control the visibility of in Adobe Acrobat and Reader 6.0 and higher. In addition to layers, the PDF can contain feature information from the ArcMap Attribute Table that users can identify using the Object Data tool in Adobe Acrobat Reader and Adobe Acrobat.

Saving as a PDF File from ArcMap:

1) Click FILE, then EXPORT MAP 2) Save as PDF by selecting PDF under the SAVE AS TYPE dropdown menu

Layers in ADOBE READER:

1) Open Adobe Reader

2) Click LAYERS tab on the left:

3) Select or deselect EYE symbol to turn layers on and off.

See instructions below to activate these layers.

Advanced PDF Features in ArcMap

Map Layers in PDF:

PDF exports can contain layers that a user can control the visibility of in Adobe Acrobat 6.0 and higher.

In ArcMap:

1) Click FILE > EXPORT MAP

2) Under OPTIONS click ADVANCED tab

3) Select EXPORT PDF LAYERS ONLY from the LAYERS AND ATTRIBUTES dropdown list

If you have a page layout in ArcMap: the text, map, north arrow, etc become a layer in the PDF called OTHER.

PDF Attributes:

The feature attributes from the ArcMap attribute table can be expressed in the PDF format in Adobe.

In ArcMap:

1) Click FILE > EXPORT MAP

2) Under OPTIONS click ADVANCED tab

3) Select EXPORT PDF LAYERS AND FEATURE ATTRIBUTES from the LAYERS AND ATTRIBUTES dropdown list

Below is an example from the ESRI website of a PDF with FEATURE ATTRIBUTES included and in use:

The fields from a layer’s attribute table that export to PDF is determined by what fields are made visible in ArcMap:

In ArcMap:

1) Double click the layer from the list on the left to open LAYER PROPERTIES

2) Select the FIELD tab

3) Check and uncheck the boxes that correspond with the fields you want exported to PDF

The fields can also be chosen directly from the ATTRIBUTE TABLE.

In ArcMap:

1) Right-click the layer and select ATTRIBUTE TABLE. The table will open in another window that looks like a spreadsheet.

2) Right-click on the column heading for the field you want. Choose TURN FIELD OFF from the dropdown menu.

A Few Things to Note:

Exporting attributes to PDF can lead to performance problems when viewing the file in supported PDF readers.

Limit exported fields to one layer per map.

Georeferencing and PDF:

Adobe Acrobat supports a new version of PDF that allows for the encoding of map coordinate systems and georeferencing information in the PDF file.

This option will record each data frame’s georeferenced information inside the PDF file.

When the georeferenced PDF is opened in Adobe, the user can access geospatial functions such as coordinate readout and find XY.

In ArcMap:

1) Click FILE > EXPORT MAP

2) Click the ADVANCED tab in the OPTIONS box

3) Check the box next to EXPORT MAP GEOREFERENCE INFORMATION

PDF files containing georeference information are still compatable with earlier versions Adobe Acrobat and Reader.