topic Re: Imported Excel spreadsheet displayed in PDF map with graphic issues in ArcGIS Mapping and Charting Questions

Imported Excel spreadsheet displayed in PDF map with graphic issues

MariaJosefson — Wed, 20 Aug 2014 14:49:00 GMT

I am inserting excel spreadsheets into my large-format map using Insert -> Object -> Microsoft Excel Worksheet option, then cut-pasting the data and formatting it inside Excel. When I export the finished map, the font and lines of the uniformly-formatted spreadsheets vary in boldness (see example below). I am exporting into PDF at 400dpi (any more, and I am afraid the file size will become too massive). The map is intended for printing and sending to other parties. Any advice on how to rectify this situation?

Re: Imported Excel spreadsheet displayed in PDF map with graphic issues

DanPatterson_Retired — Wed, 20 Aug 2014 15:02:34 GMT

To my eye, it appears that the background color is making the font appear more bold than it actually is and I doubt that it can be rectified unless you wanted to have a uniform background color which would obliterate what lies underneath

Re: Imported Excel spreadsheet displayed in PDF map with graphic issues

MariaJosefson — Wed, 20 Aug 2014 15:37:39 GMT

Here's some more text that is over a fairly uniform background (the background is set to fade out towards the edges, but it's clear that the first column has a different pattern of text "boldening" and fading than the next two, as they come from two different spreadsheets).

Re: Imported Excel spreadsheet displayed in PDF map with graphic issues

DanPatterson_Retired — Wed, 20 Aug 2014 16:00:31 GMT

Print it...what does it look like...my eyes are still seeing background associated with certain letters...

Re: Imported Excel spreadsheet displayed in PDF map with graphic issues

JenniferMinnick — Wed, 20 Aug 2014 16:25:29 GMT

I see the variations but I second the "print it" suggestion.

There often seems to be a lack of "clearness" when viewing graphics items or even vector items in the layout view in ESRI and in the pdfs.

Re: Imported Excel spreadsheet displayed in PDF map with graphic issues

SimonShin — Fri, 29 Aug 2014 16:43:57 GMT

Dan is right, my guess is that what you are seeing is a DPI issue on display only. Once LCD monitors start implementing "retina" like resolution (we can thank Apple for leading the way on upping higher resolutions on mobile devices), we'll see that the varying thickness/lineweights on screen is just an issue of a lines deciding which pixels to display and the resolution is the concern on the monitor. Even at 1080 vertical pixels on your screen (if it is even that high), it is not nearly enough to see at "print quality".

Re: Imported Excel spreadsheet displayed in PDF map with graphic issues

MariaJosefson — Tue, 02 Sep 2014 12:31:53 GMT

It turned out to indeed be an issue of my LCD screen! When I printed the pdf in all its 36x48" glory, the lines looked identical to each other. The background, on the other hand, was doing weird in-bands stuff, so I will be switching it to a uniform background after all. It looked so nice on my screen! Thanks everyone for your feedback.