topic Re: Legend customization with print service, using custom map template in ArcGIS JavaScript Maps SDK Questions

Legend customization with print service, using custom map template

ZoeZaloudek — Fri, 09 Oct 2015 18:09:13 GMT

This is similar to a question in another recent post of mine – but since this is dealing with generating maps using a print service, I figure it warranted a separate post.

I have a map that’s showing a feature layer. The feature layer has been symbolized in the code using a class breaks renderer. I’ve also set up custom map templates and a custom print service, to have control over the details of how an exported map will look. There are two things that I’m having trouble figuring out:

1 - In the exported map, the name of the feature class (also the layer name in the service) shows up in the legend… I don’t want that there. Interestingly, it does not show up in the Legend Dijit. Just in an exported image.

2 - I’d like to know if there is a way to force the legend to display multiple columns, since I have a portrait layout and only 3 or 4 classes will fit in one column before the legend goes off the page. Is there a setting somewhere in the renderer that I can use? Do I set that up in the custom mxd? It is saved with no layers in it, so I'm not sure how any settings I make there would carry through to when it's used with the print service.

Re: Legend customization with print service, using custom map template

ZoeZaloudek — Fri, 16 Oct 2015 16:26:49 GMT

Well, I have solved question number two, and it didn't even involve JavaScript. I'm not sure how I missed this before. In my custom MXD, in the (blank) Legend's properties, on the Layout tab, there is a section in the lower right called Fitting Strategy. I just checked the Fixed Frame box and then set the legend's available area (width/height) on the Size and Position tab. Now the legend will make as many columns as it needs.

Side note - I found that if the legend items still won't fit in the area, it will only show the title. I spent a while trying to figure out why my legend was empty, until I figured out I just needed to make my legend area larger.

Re: Legend customization with print service, using custom map template

MichaelVolz — Fri, 16 Oct 2015 17:00:11 GMT

Do you know if the same behavior would exist in the legend if your layer was a dynamic mapservice and not a feature layer? This would just be a test as I'm sure you need it to be a feature layer.

Re: Legend customization with print service, using custom map template

TracySchloss — Fri, 16 Oct 2015 17:13:10 GMT

I created a box for my legend in the lower corner of my template, but I wasn't sure what size to give the legend. How can you tell when it's still blank? When I resize it, the word Legend just got bigger and bigger and it didn't seem right to stretch it until it filled the box I'd created for it. I assume doing that would proportionally effect all the other text, yet to be populated once I apply the template for printing.

Is this resolved by turning on fitting strategy? Then it wouldn't matter how big the word Legend was, because the fonts would all resize to fit?

Re: Legend customization with print service, using custom map template

ZoeZaloudek — Fri, 16 Oct 2015 18:36:50 GMT

It seems like the answer is yes - this will work for both.

Here's how the legend came out when one layer of my dynamic map service layer is showing:

Re: Legend customization with print service, using custom map template

MichaelVolz — Fri, 16 Oct 2015 18:41:30 GMT

Do you want the legend below the map the way you are showing it in the screenshot or would you rather have the legend on either the right or left side of the map?

Re: Legend customization with print service, using custom map template

ZoeZaloudek — Fri, 16 Oct 2015 18:45:57 GMT

In this case, I do want it on the bottom. The image being created is only 6 inches wide by 8 inches tall (portrait). I have another option set up as 8" wide x 6" tall (landscape) - for that one I just have the legend as one column on the right.

Re: Legend customization with print service, using custom map template

ZoeZaloudek — Fri, 16 Oct 2015 18:50:47 GMT

I think so. At least in my case, I'd originally noted the same as you... With no layers in the mxd, the legend only showed as the title word 'Legend', and setting it to be wider and taller only seemed to make the word bigger. Once I checked that 'Fixed Frame' checkbox, I was able to set a width and height for my legend without the title getting larger.

Re: Legend customization with print service, using custom map template

TracySchloss — Fri, 16 Oct 2015 18:59:00 GMT

I have someone else who's coding against the printTemplate I authored, so I can't check this myself. I was told that after I turned on the fitting strategy, the legend disappeared entirely off the page. I wonder if it has to do with where the anchor point is.

Re: Legend customization with print service, using custom map template

MichaelVolz — Fri, 16 Oct 2015 19:04:33 GMT

Tracy:

Do you have a large number of layers in the legend? I would suggest having only 1 or 2 layers in the legend as a test and see if it still disappears.

From my experience, I had individual layers with many symbol classes that would disappear from the legend because the symbology for the entire layer would not fit in the legend box.

I have a bug open with ESRI where the shrink contents to fit frame in ArcGIS Server does not behave the same way as it does in ArcMap. I can post the NIM if you are interested.

Re: Legend customization with print service, using custom map template

TracySchloss — Fri, 16 Oct 2015 19:09:58 GMT

There will only ever be one layer in the legend. It's a shaded polygon map like Zoe's example. It fits pretty well, but it's a little tall. It would fit if we can figure out how to remove the name of the layer, which is the first part of Zoe's question and still not resolved.

We have a call into ESRI on this. If we get a resolution, I'll post it here.

Re: Legend customization with print service, using custom map template

BrianO_keefe — Thu, 11 Feb 2016 22:54:59 GMT

So if you want to create a Map Template to use on WAB Web Maps is there a step-by-step for how to set that up? I'm so lost... but I need to do this ASAP...

Re: Legend customization with print service, using custom map template

ZoeZaloudek — Thu, 11 Feb 2016 23:53:30 GMT

I haven't used custom map templates for printing with Web AppBuilder before (I used the JavaScript API for this web map). I do know that you can add a print widget and use the "out-of-the-box" map templates.

Here is the Print Widget documentation for Web AppBuilder:

Print widget—Web AppBuilder for ArcGIS | ArcGIS

Taking a closer look at the Print Widget documentation, I think you can tell it to use your own custom print service... assuming you are able to create one. I have ArcGIS for Server at my workplace, so I was able to create custom mxd templates and publish a print service using that. I don't know of any other way to create custom mxds and print services without ArcGIS Server.

If you do have ArcGIS for Server, here is a tutorial page on how to publish a print service:

ArcGIS Help (10.2, 10.2.1, and 10.2.2)

If I'm correct, once you have your mxds created and located in the layout templates folder, and after the print service has been published, then all you'd need to do in Web App Builder is change the service URL in the Print Widget to that of the new one you've created.

Re: Legend customization with print service, using custom map template

BrianO_keefe — Wed, 17 Feb 2016 18:40:08 GMT

I did setup the Print Service on our Print Server.

Even changed the settings in the WAB.

I'm still getting a blank legend.

Not sure where to go next.

Re: Legend customization with print service, using custom map template

ZoeZaloudek — Thu, 18 Feb 2016 15:35:14 GMT

Is there already a legend in the mxd? Here's how my template mxd looks when I just open it in ArcMap (I've clicked on the legend so you can see its extent in teal):

If it's possible, it could be helpful to share the URL of your web app, so others could see exactly what it's doing.

Re: Legend customization with print service, using custom map template

YiQi2 — Mon, 13 Jun 2016 13:59:51 GMT

Hi Michael, I wonder if there is an update on this issue. I have the exactly the same question: if I have too many layers, the Legend can not fit all the layers into the printout on AGS.

Re: Legend customization with print service, using custom map template

MichaelVolz — Wed, 15 Jun 2016 00:51:55 GMT

Do your layers have many symbology categories that take up a large amount of room for 1 layer? Or do you just have a mapservice(s) that have too many layers to fit in the legend? Or do both scenarios apply for you?

Did you test changing the Layout tab settings such as fitting strategy and gap pt sizes to get make text and symbols smaller so they can fit into the legend area?

Re: Legend customization with print service, using custom map template

DoriTan — Fri, 14 Apr 2017 00:32:57 GMT

Hi Zoe, have you figured out a way to solve your question 1? I am in the same situation where I need to hide layer names in the legend and have limited control over what goes into the legend.

Re: Legend customization with print service, using custom map template

AndresCastillo — Wed, 17 Oct 2018 18:51:30 GMT

Also see this ESRI technical Support Article:

How To: Configure legend properties for custom print templates from Portal for ArcGIS

https://support.esri.com/en/technical-article/000015666

Re: Legend customization with print service, using custom map template

AndresCastillo — Thu, 18 Oct 2018 15:21:05 GMT

If you still have issues fitting the dynamic legend in the printout, this is a good workaround:

In a separate mxd from the source mxd to be published (and in a different directory as well), make a legend that reflects all your desired layers.

In the legend properties, enable the fixed frame and text wrapping options, as discussed above.

Resize your legend to the desired size by the click-and-drag method on the layout UI.

Convert legend to graphic and save as jpg.

Insert picture into the layout from the source mxd to be published (which contains no layers), and save the image as part of the mxd by right-clicking>properties on the image.

In summary,

The problem w having Dynamic legend is that if have too many layers displayed, they may not all reflect in the legend.
In the case of many layers, I believe it is better to go with pic of legend.
If instead you have a few layers to display, dynamic legend is most likely ok.