Tutorial

P
R
I
N
T
I
N
G
Printing

with

TNTmips®
TNTedit™
TNTview®
Printing

Before Getting Started

All the tools you need to create simple or complex maps and posters are found in
the Hardcopy Layout, or Map & Poster Layout, process. Printing has its own
issues once a layout is created. There are dithering and print drivers to consider.
Printing a layout on different printers requires special consideration. There is also
the question of how best to print maps in a series (TNTmips® offers both template
and script approaches). In short, there is much more to be considered for printing
than clicking on the Print icon.
Prerequisite Skills This booklet assumes you have completed the exercises in the
Displaying Geospatial Data and Navigating tutorial booklets. The exercises in
those booklets introduce essential skills and basic techniques, which are not
covered again here. The Making Map Layouts booklet is a companion booklet
to this one. You should understand how layouts are created before you begin
printing them. Without this knowledge, you will not understand why layouts may
appear to change when selecting different printers.
Sample Data The exercises presented in this booklet use sample data distributed
with the TNT products. If you do not have access to a TNT products CD, you can
download the data from MicroImages’ web site. The exercises in this booklet use
the files and objects in the PRINTING directory of DATA. Make a read-write copy of
these files on your local drive.
More Documentation This booklet is intended only as an introduction to the
printing functions in TNTmips. Consult the TNTmips reference manual for more
information.
TNTmips and TNTlite® TNTmips comes in two versions: the professional
version and the free TNTlite version. This booklet refers to both versions as
“TNTmips.” If you did not purchase the professional version (which requires a
software license key), TNTmips operates in TNTlite mode, which limits the size
of your project materials. Most exercises in this booklet can be completed in
TNTlite using the sample geodata provided. However, you cannot make print-
files or print over multiple pages in TNTlite. If an exercise cannot be completed
in TNTlite, it is noted on the page.
Merri P. Skrdla, Ph.D., 19 May 2005
© MicroImages, Inc. 2001–2005
It may be difficult to identify the important points in some illustrations without a
color copy of this booklet. You can print or read this booklet in color from
MicroImages’ web site. The web site is also your source of the newest tutorial
booklets on other topics. You can download an installation guide, sample data,
and the latest version of TNTlite.
http://www.microimages.com

page 2
 Printing

Welcome to Printing
Many people think of printing as something that
happens effortlessly at the end of the more compli-
cated process of creating a document or layout. If
this viewpoint matches your experience, you have
indeed been lucky. I recently was unable to print a
70-page document that had no illustrations in
Microsoft Word without getting artifacts, such as
repeated words that were not repeated in the text.
Think how much more complicated getting imagery
with vector overlays, map grids, and scale bars to Vocabulary: Most printers
print may be. TNTmips tries to make printing cannot print up to the edge
effortless, but printing is no longer under complete of the paper. The area that
cannot be printed is called
control of TNTmips for many printers.
the unprintable margin.
TNTmips offers two kinds of printing: snapshot The size of the unprintable
margin varies from one
printing and printing to a specified map scale. Snap- printer model to the next
shot printing is available in all five Spatial Data and is a physical limitation
Display modes (2D Group, 3D Group, 3D Simula- of the printer. The printable
tion, Display Layout, and Hardcopy Layout), as well area is the area inside the
unprintable margins.
as in any other process with a View window. Snap-
shot printing takes the current contents of the View Note: MicroImages no
window (including background) and sizes it to fit a longer needs to write its
own drivers since printer
single page on your printer. Map scale specified drivers are now commonly
printing is only available from the Hardcopy Layout included with the hardware.
mode of Spatial Data Display or from one of the Print The result is many levels of
From options on the Support menu after having first printer support that previ-
ously required an additional
used Hardcopy Layout to create the appropriate charge are now free.
object or file type. When printing to a specified map
scale, the entire layout is printed whether or not it is Page 4 describes printer
setup, pages 5–6 discuss
currently shown in the View window. If the desig- using saved layouts on dif-
nated map scale means the map requires more than ferent printers. Pages 7–11
one page on your printer, the layout can be printed discuss print-rasters and
over multiple pages and pieced together. (Printing files and methods of dither-
ing. Color management,
over multiple pages is not available in TNTlite.) external files, printing trans-
parency, snapshot printing,
The professional version of TNTmips supports print-
large layouts with rotated
ing on a variety of large scale printers (sizes as large rasters, printing large maps
as current technology allows). Support for dithered on small paper, using tem-
color printing up to 11" x 17" (tabloid size page) is plates and scripts to print
maps in a series, and hints
included in the base price of TNTmips and is the
and common printing prob-
maximum layout or printed size allowed in TNTlite. lems are also discussed.

page 3
Printing

Page Setup and Printer Selection

STEPS The Page Setup window that opens when you choose
; choose Support / Setup /
Support / Setup / Printers is the same window that
Printers from the main
TNTmips menu opens when you choose Page Setup from the Layout
; turn on the Printer toggle menu in the Layout Controls window. The only
if not on, click on [Model], advantage in accessing it from the Support menu is
select your printer from that your printer, and thus your page dimensions and
the list, and click [OK] margins, will already be set when you start a new
; if your printer is not on hardcopy layout. The selected printer and margins
the list, click Cancel, and
toggle on Use Windows are saved with a layout so, if you open a saved layout,
Printer or Use Macintosh the selected printer may be different than specified
Printer instead of the first with Support / Setup / Printers.
Printer toggle
; if using Windows for Before you can choose a printer in TNTmips, it must
printer selection (step 3), be set up for use on your computer. Printer setup and
click on [Model] and, if printing is different for nearly every platform and for
the correct printer name every version of UNIX; contact your system admin-
does not
appear, se- istrator if you need
lect your help.
printer (on
the Mac, go You get a list of print-
to the Print ers with drivers
Center and written by Micro-
change the se-
lected printer if
Images’ software
the desired engineers when
printer is not you click on
shown) [Model] with the Printer toggle on. If your printer is
; be sure the Device not on that list, you need to turn on the Use Windows
toggle is on, then if
Printer or Use Macintosh Printer toggle. If running
Printer is toggled on,
choose the appropriate under Windows, the Model button then opens your
port (if directly con- Windows Page Setup so you can change printers and
nected) or networked specify additional parameters. If running on the
printer on the Device
Macintosh, the only available printer with the Use
option menu
Macintosh Printer toggle on is the printer selected in
; click [OK] in the Printer
Settings window your System Preferences.
Once you have chosen a printer, you can choose
Note: In X Desktop between a device (port or networked printer) or a file
mode, the Print Setup for the print destination. We will use the Device
window may show up
behind the desktop. Look option for now and the File option in a later exercise.
for it by minimizing
TNTmips.

page 4
 Printing

Saved Layouts with Different Printers

In this booklet, you begin with a saved layout, such STEPS
as you created in the exercises in the Making Map ; choose Display / Spatial
Data from the main menu
Layouts tutorial. Printing works best when the
; click on the Open
printer to which you have access was selected before icon, choose Open
a layout is created because your choice of printers Layout and select
determines the size of the unprintable margins. When Millington from the LAYOUT
this margin size is different, the position of any Project File
groups attached to the margin will be shifted corre- ; set your View window
background color to a
spondingly on the page. color other than white
Since this layout was not created on your system, it (Options / Colors in the
View window) so you can
is simple coincidence if the correct printer or a see the edge of the page
printer with the same unprintable margins is se- ; choose Page Setup from
lected. The layout was created with an HP 1200C as the Layout menu in the
the selected printer. The unprintable margins on this Layout Controls window
printer are: top, 0.63"; bottom, 0.39"; left, 0.30"; and ; select your printer and
right, 0.20". You can see from the illustrations set the Device option just
as you did in the previous
below in which the paper size is the same that exercise
switching from one printer to another affects the
; click [OK] in the Printer
position of some of the groups. The differences Settings window
shown place one group over another (legend over ; check to see how your
scale bar, middle, and heading over map, right). The layout was affected
middle case is easily resolved by moving the map
up. One of the scale bars would probably need to be
deleted to get the heading, map, and legend to fit in
the printable area of the printer on the right at the
current map scale.
HP 1200C
Printable Height 9.98" top margin smaller top and bottom
Printable Width 8.00" bottom margin larger margins larger
edge of paper unprintable margin

page 5
Printing

Adjusting Layouts
STEPS The amount of effort required to adjust a layout for
; with the same layout a printer with different unprintable margins is de-
open and your own
printer selected, make
pendent on how the attachments in the layout are set
MAP DATA the active group, up. In the case of this layout, the title is attached to
the top margin; the two text blocks and legend are
then click on the attached to the bottom margin; the scale bars, North
Placement tool
arrow, and logo are attached to the orthophoto
; either drag the Map Data
group; and the orthophoto group is attached to the
Placement tool rectangle
or type a new value for page. Switching to a printer with a smaller top
vertical spacing in the margin and larger bottom margin, as illustrated
Group Settings window below, requires only a change in the vertical spacing
as necessary to make
of the orthophoto group.
the layout pleasing for
your printer If this layout had been made with all attachments
; make any other adjust- relative to the page or margins, you would have to
ments necessary for your
printer
move six groups to achieve the same effect as
moving the orthophoto group with the attachments
; edit the parenthetical text
at the end in the This as they are. Taking the time to create logical attach-
image m... group to be ments when you make a layout is generally worth it.
the name of your printer
You need to be sure that all groups are completely
; click on the Save
Layout icon inside the printable area. Any group that extends
; click on the Print icon over a margin will be clipped at the margin.

page 6
 Printing

Print-Rasters
A print-raster is a raster prepared by the hardcopy STEPS
layout process in which each cell represents the ; with the same layout open
as for the previous exer-
actual value to be sent to the selected printer for an cise, choose Layout / Print
individual printed dot, or printel. The dimensions of in the Layout Controls
a print-raster correspond to the margin to margin window
dimensions of your selected paper size times the ; click on the Dithering tab,
resolution at which you are printing. So, if your and make sure that Let
TNT do the dithering is
unprintable margins are 0.5" on all sides of an 8.5" toggled on
x 11" page and your printer resolution is 600 dpi, ; click on the Print-Raster
your print-raster will be 4500 x 6000. Print-rasters button and name a new
are either 4-bit (dithered) or 24-bit (undithered). raster object
Thus, a print-raster of the dimensions listed would ; turn off both the Tempo-
be either 13.5 Mb or 81 Mb. Dithering is not applied rary and Print Now toggles
(this exercise cannot be
by TNT when you are using Windows to do the
done in TNTlite*)
dithering; when you are printing to a TIFF, PDF, or
; click on [OK]
other file type; and for certain printer types that do
; open a new 2D group,
not use dithering, such as dye sublimation printers. click on the Add Raster
icon, choose Quick-Add
Generally, a print-raster is a temporary object created
Single, and select the
for printing and deleted automatically when the print-raster just created
print is done. You can, however, choose to save it. ; look at the raster at both
The time required to make the print-raster depends full view and 1X*
on the speed of your machine and the complexity of ; choose Support / Print
the layout. If your layout takes a significant amount From / Print-Raster, select
of time to render and you know you will be printing your print-raster, and click
on Run
it on a number of occasions, choose to save the print-
; compare this print to the
raster. Subsequent printing times will be reduced to one made in the previous
the amount of time it takes to send the raster to the exercise
printer. When you print a print-raster, you
do not print it through display; use Support dithered
print-raster
/ Print From / Print-Raster. Printing to TIFF
creates an undithered print-raster in a dif-
ferent file format, which allows you to add
special effects in a compatible graphics
package that is used to print the finished
product. Printing to other external formats
is discussed later. You cannot print to these
external file formats using TNTlite.
* A TNTlite sized piece of a print-raster can
be found for viewing in the DITHERED Project
File if you are running TNTlite.

page 7
Printing

Print-Files
Note: This exercise cannot Like a print-raster, a print-file contains all the infor-
be completed in TNTlite. mation necessary to send your layout to a printer.
STEPS
However, it is no longer a viewable raster object, and
; click on the Open it is not in RVC format. A print-file made using one
icon, choose Open of TNTmips’ print drivers is actually a pair of files,
Layout, and select the both with the name you assigned but one with a .prf
layout you saved on p. 6
extension (small file), and one with a .p1 extension
; choose Layout / Print (large file). If a layout covers multiple pages and was
; click on [File] on the printed with TNTmips’ drivers, there will be a .p1,
Printer panel, navigate to
the directory where you .p2, and so on, where the number corresponds to the
want to save your print- page number. There is still only one .prf file. A
file, click on the New File print-file made using the Windows’ print drivers is
icon and name the file a single file with a .prn extension regardless of the
(check that the File radio
button is also on) number of pages. In TNTlite you cannot print over
; click on the Dithering tab
multiple pages, nor can you print to a print-file.
and set the Print-Raster There are a variety of reasons to create a print-file
to Temporary if not al- rather than printing directly, such as your printer is
ready (click on the Tem- down for maintenance or you are supposed to restrict
porary toggle beneath the
Print-Raster button)
your printing to certain times.
; click on [Print] If the printer you want to print to is not available over
; choose Support / Print the network and is attached to a machine that does
From / Print-File not have TNTmips installed, you can print by trans-
; before selecting your file, ferring your print-files to that machine and copying
set the appropriate toggle
them directly to the printer port if they were created
for the printer driver
(Printer or Use Windows with one of TNTmips’ drivers. To print a print-file
Printer) because that de- from a Windows machine that does not have TNT-
termines whether the file mips installed, enter
to select is a .prn or .prf
file copy / b filename.p1 port:
; click on [File], and select
at a command prompt and insert the correct file
your print-file name, page number (.p1, .p2, and so on), and port
; make sure the Model and name (lpt1, lpt2, com1, and so on). In a command
Device are set as they shell on a Unix machine, enter
were when you created
lp -dprintername filename.p1 (for System 5)
the print-file
lpr -Pprintername filename.p1 (for BSD)
; click on [OK]
and insert the correct printer name (for example,
; retrieve your print and
verify that it looks just the -dhpraw), file name, and page number. The
same as when you Macintosh also uses the lpr -P command listed for
printed it on page 6 BSD.

page 8
 Printing

Dither Patterns
Dithering is used to create the visual illusion of a Vocabulary: A printel is
the smallest element of a
continuous tone image on the printed page by the
picture that can be individu-
calculated placement of tiny picture elements, or ally processed and printed.
printels, which usually are not resolved by the hu- Printel size is inversely re-
man eye. This calculated placement creates the lated to printer resolution.
Printing at 300 dots per inch
appearance of more colors and shades of color than
(dpi) uses printels that are
would be present otherwise. Dithering is necessary twice the size in each di-
to produce the impression of continuous tone when mension (4 times the area)
hardcopy is produced on a printer that uses fixed as when printing at 600 dpi.
STEPS
intensity, fixed size printels. Film recorders and
; with the MILLINGTON layout
sublimation printers use variable intensity printels, open in Spatial Data Dis-
which makes color management in the print process play, choose Layout /
similar to generating colors for on-screen display. A Page Setup
type of ink jet technology uses variable size printels. ; click on the Dithering tab,
Dithering degrades, rather than enhances, prints for then on [Raster Dither
Pattern]
these printer types.
; click on each of the
Viewing a print raster lets you get a better understand- dither patterns in the list
ing of dithering because you can zoom in until you can and note how the
sample changes; also
discern the separate cyan, magenta, yellow, and some- note the comments for
times black dots. You should also notice that while the selected pattern
the image area of the sample map is dithered, vector, below the list of dither
CAD, text, and map grid layers appear solid. These patterns (such as for
the Dot Diffusion pat-
layer types are plotted into the raster after the image terns, which work well
is dithered and are not dithered or are dithered differ- on electrostatic printers)
ently (see p. 11). Be sure to view ; choose a dither pattern
the TNTlite-sized piece ex- different than that you
tracted from a print-raster men- used the first time you
printed the layout, and
tioned on page 7 if you cannot print the layout again
save and view your own. (set the print raster back
50% Red, 60%
to temporary before
When viewed at printing)
Green, 70% Blue
their normal size (Undithered) Ordered Dither Floyd-Steinberg
(below), there is little
difference between
these dither patterns
for this solid color.

Jarvis-Judice-Ninke Stucki Halftone 1 Dot Pattern 1 Dot Diffusion 1 Diagonal Dot pattern

page 9
Printing

Who Does Your Dithering?

STEPS Printing is an empirical process, which means if you
; choose another dither have any interest in generating the best looking
pattern and print again
being sure that between
prints, you will try a few different options and decide
the last exercise and this which is most pleasing. As described in the previous
exercise you have cho- exercise, TNTmips offers a variety of dither pat-
sen dither patterns ap- terns. You can also choose to let the Windows or
propriate for your printer
type (for example, dot
Macintosh driver do the dithering and color match-
diffusion patterns for elec- ing, in which case you do not get a choice of dither
trostatic printers, error patterns; you get the one provided by the print
diffusion patterns for driver. You really cannot be sure which dither
other printer types) as
well as others if you want
pattern will provide the best results without trying
to experiment further them. If you prefer the overall quality of the TNT-
; choose Layout / Print, mips dithering, but think the Windows / Macintosh
and with Use Windows driver provides truer color, you can try color balanc-
Printer or Use Macintosh ing in TNTmips. Color balancing is described
Printer chosen on the
briefly in a later exercise and extensively in another
Printer panel, click on the
Dithering panel and booklet (Getting Good Color).
choose Let the Windows
(Macintosh) printer driver
Beside having a choice of dither patterns, TNTmips
do the dithering and color dithering lets you choose a separate dither pattern for
matching non-raster layers to provide crisp vector lines, map
; click on [Print], and com- grids, and text. Choose Vector Pattern as the non-
pare the results to your raster dither pattern to get the benefit of this feature.
other prints
When Windows or the Macintosh do the dithering,
the entire layout is treated as one large raster object.

Portions of pages
printed using TNT-
mips’ Jarvis-Judice-
Ninke dither pattern
and the pattern used
by the Windows driver
were scanned for
comparison. After
being printed and
scanned and printed
again, the original
print is not well repre-
sented, but the differ-
ences between the
two remain apparent.

page 10
 Printing

Vector Dithering
The non-raster dither pattern you choose does not STEPS
affect the output as long as all of the non-raster ; click on Open,
choose Open
layers in the layout use only cyan, magenta, yellow, Group, and select the
red, green, blue, black and white; colors in the _6STARBURSTS group from
printer palette are solid regardless of the selected the STARBURS Project File
dither pattern. Dithering is necessary to produce ; the group should open
colors beyond the eight colors of the printer palette. with a 1X view of the six
dithered starbursts
All of the vector dither patterns can produce the 64- shown in the center of
colors of the standard color palette. When you the illustration at the bot-
tom of this page
choose element colors that are not part of the stan-
; zoom in and examine the
dard palette, the Vector Pattern dither ends up pro-
details of each of the
ducing its closest match in the standard 64. How- dither patterns
ever, the Vector Pattern dither is the smallest dither ; click on Open, choose
pattern, which means it is the best suited for thin Open Layout, and select
lines. Dither patterns that require a larger area to STARBURST from the
STARBURS Project File (this
represent colors may create broken lines or lines
layout is at a much larger
without a uniform color appearance when the lines scale than the dithered
are thin, but they can provide more colors than screen captures, which
provided by the Vector Pattern. Broken lines do not were printed at 1:2400)
occur for these other dither patterns when using ; if not running TNTlite, try
thicker line widths. printing to a print-raster
with some of the other
Vector Pattern Ordered Dither Halftone 1 vector dither patterns

The illustration at the left

shows a starburst made of
thin lines and a rectangle
undithered filled with the same
color (color 54 of the
standard 64). As you
look at the enlarged
dither patterns, visu-
alize how lines at the
angles of the
starburst would ac-
quire colors with the
corresponding dither
pattern. For example,
it is easy to see how
the vertical line in the
starburst could be solid red
rather than brown using Dot
Pattern 1.
Halftone 2 Dot Pattern 1 Dot Diffusion 1

page 11
Printing

Color Management
STEPS You may have been surprised at the difference be-
; open the layout you tween how a layout appears on your screen and the
saved on page 6
printed version. If your monitor uses the standard
; choose View Op-
tions from the
RGB color space (sRGB) and your printer ex-
Setup icon on the pects data sent in sRGB, you should not have this
Spatial Data Dis- problem provided the sRGB color profile is
play toolbar selected for your monitor and the “Let dis-
; click on the Color tab, play driver do color management” option is on for
set the Rendering Intent
the X server. This X server option is not available on
to Absolute Colorimetric
the Mac, but color management is under control of
; click on either the Profile
or the Custom radio but- the display driver if sRGB is selected for the monitor.
ton and select a monitor
profile or enter the char-
The problem is that there are many more colors
acteristics of your moni- available for display than most printers can produce.
tor, then click [OK] The printer profile (ICM or ICC) tells a printer how
; choose Layout / Page to produce sRGB colors from the input it is given.
Setup, click on the Profile The rendering intent lets you determine how to
tab, and turn on the Use
handle colors used in the source image (source
ICM Profile toggle
gamut) that are not available for printing (destina-
; select the profile for your
printer on the Profile op- tion gamut). Such colors are said to be out of gamut.
tion menu (all installed There are four rendering intents: absolute colorimet-
profiles show on this ric, relative colorimetric, perceptual, and saturation.
menu), turn on the Proof For the definitions of these intents and additional
to screen toggle, and
click [OK] information on and illustrations of color matching
; note the change in ap- in the TNT products, see the three color plates on the
pearance, then set a topic posted on MicroImages’ web site.
different rendering intent
The ability to proof to the screen, or see how the
; repeat the previous step
but turn on the Use out- printed product would look without printing, is
of-gamut alarm toggle provided by the color management tools. In order to
proof to the screen, the rendering intent
for the View must be absolute colori-
metric. You can also highlight all the
colors in the display that are out of
gamut for your printer.

page 12
 Printing

Printing to External Formats

TNTmips lets you use the print process to create files This exercise cannot be
in a number of external formats, which include completed in TNTlite.
STEPS
Adobe Illustrator (*.ai), Adobe Portable Document
Format (*.pdf), Encapsulated PostScript (*.eps), Tag ; choose Display / Spatial
Data, select Open Lay-
Image File Format (*.tif), and Scalable Vector Graph- out from the Open icon,
ics (*.svg). This print process is different than export then choose the layout in
because you are converting an entire layout, not just the LAYOUT Project File
an individual object, to the format with different ; choose Layout / Print,
layer types treated differently depending on how the click on the Printer toggle
if it is not on, then click
external format handles each object type. on [Model], choose
Adobe Acrobat File (pdf),
TIFF may be the format of choice when you are
and click [OK]
making a file to take to a printing service, but all
; click on [Additional Op-
layers are rendered into a raster, just as when creating tions], note the available
a print-raster. Text and vectors can no longer be options, and click [OK]
manipulated. When you convert to PDF, the text ; click [Print] in the Printer
remains as text and may undergo font substitution Settings window
when viewed if the layout contains proprietary ; if you have Adobe
fonts. When you convert to Adobe Illustrator or eps, Illustratror so you can
view the result, repeat
vector and CAD elements retain their individual steps 2 and 3 but select
nature and can be manipulated in Illustrator or other Adobe Illustrator File
programs that read these formats.
SVG files are well suited for web
use and are able to utilize a great
deal of functionality provided
by an SVG viewer. If you want to
distribute your layout for view-
ing by others, PDF and SVG are
good choices because there are
viewers for both that can be
downloaded for free from
Adobe’s web site. If you want to
insert it in another document,
such as Word or PageMaker, you
should print to TIFF or EPS. If
you want to manipulate the lay-
out further, print to an Adobe
Illustrator file.

page 13
Printing

Options When Printing to SVG

This exercise cannot be Scalable Vector Graphics (SVG) is a graphics file
completed in TNTlite. format and web development language based on
STEPS XML. SVG is the official WorldWide Web Consor-
; using the same layout as tium open format for the storage, modification, and
in the previous exercise, transmission of “smart” docu-
choose Layout / Print, ments ranging from animated
click on [Model], choose
Scalable Vector Graph-
graphics to complex map lay-
ics File (SVG), and click outs. Discrete map elements are
[OK] represented by SVG so that point
; click on [Additional Op- symbols, labels, line patterns,
tions], set the options as bitmap fills, hatch patterns, poly-
shown, click [OK], then
gon transparency, base raster im-
[Print]
ages, complex legends, and por-
; double click on the SVGZ
file produced and pursue table fonts are incorporated.
your options (the file
The SVG conversion parameters
should open in your
browser; if not, go to let you choose whether to em-
http://www.adobe.com/ bed or link to images, what for-
svg/viewer/install to mat to store them in, whether and
download the viewer)
how to compress the im-
ages, whether to link to or
embed style sheets, and
whether to include layer
controls. If you elect to
include layer controls, a
JavaScript is added to the
SVG file that provides
layer controls along with
the other SVG right-mouse
menu functions (shown at
left). If you choose to use
compression and imbed
images, your output file
has a .svgz rather than .svg
extension. If you embed
images, the total file size is
slightly larger, but you
don’t have to keep track of
multiple files when trans-
mitting your SVG to oth-
ers.

page 14
 Printing

Printing Transparency
Transparency effects allow you to see through an STEPS
upper layer to a layer below. There is a distinction ; click on the Open
to be made between polygon bit map and hatch fill icon, choose Open
Layout, and select the
patterns that include transparent areas and solid TRANSPARENCY layout in
color fills that have an assigned transparency value. the CB_LYOUT Project File
The former requires no special processing to see ; click on Print, and
through to layers below, while the latter requires that print the layout
display values be recalculated in true color (24-bit ; click on the Raster
color) to determine the resulting value for overlaid icon in the COMPOSITE
layer icon row, click on
transparent color and any colors beneath. Printing a the Options tab, type in
layout that includes transparency effects requires a 60 in the Transparency
24-bit temporary print raster, which will be reduced field, and click [OK]
to a 4-bit raster if TNTmips is doing the dithering.
In addition to assigning transparency for vector,
CAD, and TIN polygon fills when drawing styles
are assigned, you can assign transparency for raster ; use the zoom box to
zoom up around the vec-
layers. Transparency effects for raster layers can be tor layer at the upper left
assigned either uniformly for all raster values on the ; click on the Vector
Options panel of the Raster Layer Display Controls icon for the CBSOILS_LITE
or for individual cell values by assigning transpar- layer, click on the Poly-
ency values for color map entries. You can also gons tab, click on
[Specify] for Style By
introduce transparency using an 8-bit mask. Attribute, click on [Edit
Styles]
Once transparency is assigned for viewing, it is
automatically incorporated in any printed output— ; scroll through the styles
list (top panel) until you
there are no additional settings to make. Because see BnB, select it, and
transparency effects require additional calculations, enter 70 in the Transpar-
a layout that uses them will take longer to print. ency field (Fill Style
Remember also that your temporary disk space panel); do the same for
KeB, Sa, and SrD styles
requirements increase (unless you are having Win-
; click [OK] in reverse
dows or the Macintosh do the dithering, see page 7). order of the windows
opened until the
Vector Layer
Controls window
closes
; click on
60% raster trans-
no raster Print
parency (elevation
transparency ; compare your
raster beneath)
initial and
final prints
70% transparency for
solid vector polygons

page 15
Printing

Snapshot Printing
Note: Printing a complete An additional printing method, snapshot printing, is
layout, whether it is one available from any View window in TNTmips
group or many, at a speci-
fied map scale is only avail- (choose View / Print Snapshot). Snapshot printing
able in the Hardcopy Layout saves the currently visible contents of the View
mode of Spatial Data Dis- window to a temporary raster, opens the Page Setup
play. window so you can choose your printer, then scales
STEPS the temporary raster to the printable area of the
; with the same layout selected printer after you click [Run]. The entire
open at Full View as for
canvas area of the View window is captured and
the previous exercise,
choose View / Print printed, which includes any visible background. If
Snapshot (View window) you are zoomed in so that not all of all layers show,
; make sure your printer is only what is currently visible will print.
selected, then click
[Print] in the Printer Set- Unless your View window canvas is at least as big as
tings window a printed page, the resolution of the snapshot will be
; zoom in around the up- lower (appear coarser) than on your display screen.
per left of the group (use You do not have control over the map scale at which
the zoom box or the +
a snapshot is printed; it is simply scaled to be as large
key), and choose Print
Snapshot again as possible while fitting on a single page.
; collect your prints and The ability to print a snapshot from any View win-
compare the quality, par-
ticularly of the vector
dow means you can capture your progress in the
lines, to your previous Spatial Data Editor or a mosaic layout. You can also
prints save a snapshot as a raster object (View / Snapshot.)
unprintable margin

canvas area

The canvas area of the View window is

scaled to be as large as possible on a
single page, then is centered on the paper
in the other dimension.

page 16
 Printing

Rotated Rasters
When making largeprints of large rasters that are There is no data provided
for this exercise since lite-
rotated to angles other than 90°, 180°, or 270°, you
sized objects will not exhibit
are better off to resample the raster to the projection the effect. The following
or desired angle before you print. The issue is not steps can be used with your
one of quality, but time. It takes nearly three times own data to resample a ras-
ter to a particular projection.
as long to print the layout below with the group
oriented to projection north (right) than with the ; choose Process / Raster
/ Resample and
raster upright (left). The raster dimensions in this Reproject / Automatic
example are 5962 lines by 4133 columns and the ; select the raster(s) to
layout is being printed over four A sized (8 1/2" x resample
11") pages. The difference in printing time between ; click on Settings tab and
rotated and unrotated rasters is minimal if a lite-sized make sure the selection
object is printed over four pages (a very low resolu- on the Model menu is
From Georeference
tion print) or the object illustrated below is printed
; the Orient menu selec-
on a single page. tion should be To Projec-
Your time savings increases with the size of the print. tion
The number of times you print the same layout is also ; click on [Reference Sys-
tem] and choose the
a factor. For the layout illustrated, it takes as long to projection you want the
resample the raster to projection as it does to print it raster resampled to
rotated. However, if you make several prints sepa- ; make any other desired
rately, your time savings begin to add up. selections, then click on
[Run]
Layout with raster upright took 1 min Layout with raster rotated to projec-
48 sec to print. tion North took 5 min to print.

page 17
Printing

Printing Large Maps on Small Paper

Note: This exercise cannot When your layout size is
be completed in TNTlite. larger than the printable
STEPS area on a single piece of
; using the layout you
division paper, TNTmips divides
saved on page 6,
choose Layout / Page between the layout over the nec-
Setup* pages essary number of pages
; on the Size tab, change such that nothing is lost
the Units to pages, then in the unprintable mar-
enter 2 in both the width gins. The last row or
and height fields
column printed on a page
; change the map scale to
20000, then click [OK] is within the printable
; make adjustments in the
area, and the next page
layout as necessary has its unprintable mar-
(Group 1 will likely need gin then the next row or column of the preceding
to be moved up) page. You just need to carefully trim at the edge of
; click on the Print icon the printed area and piece your map together. You
; carefully trim and as- may want to trim only one piece of paper at each of
semble your map
the seams so you have a little paper overlap at a seam
; choose Layout / Close; and you don’t have to get two cut edges to meet
choose No when asked to
save changes exactly.
* turn off
color man-
agement if
desired

STATE OF NEBRASKA
10 0 10 20 30 40 50 miles

CONSERVATION AND SURVEY DIVISION

UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA, LINCOLN
V.H. DREESZEN, Director

1973

Scissors or a paper
cutter and tape or
other mounting materi-
STATE OF NEBRASKA
10 0 10 20 30 40 50 miles
als are all that is re-
CONSERVATION AND SURVEY DIVISION
UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA, LINCOLN
quired to make a large
V.H. DREESZEN, Director

1973
format product on
letter size paper.

page 18
 Printing

Using Templates for Maps in a Series

The steps required to prepare this layout for use as a STEPS
template have already been done for you and are ; open the layout you
saved on page 6
saved as part of the layout. This preparation in-
volves indicating which groups ; choose Layout / Save
As Template (Layout
need layers replaced and which Controls window); name
should remain unchanged. This the template and click
preparation took under a minute [OK]
to complete for this layout. (For ; click on the Open
details on how to make these icon, choose Open
Layout, and select the
group specific settings consult template you just saved
Making Map Layouts.) ; when prompted to select
Notice when replacing layers for the image map the spatial layers for the
Map Data group, first
group, you are not restricted to one-to-one replace- add the raster in the
ment—you can select any number of layers. Also, stmar1nw Project File
the map grid in this group is automatically updated then the vector in the
to reflect the extents of the newly selected objects. stmar6nw Project File to
the Selections list, and
When you choose Open Layout from the Open icon click [OK]
on the Spatial Data Display toolbar, you can select ; turn off the Clip togggle
and click [OK] in the
either a layout or a template. Once you have opened
Group Clip Settings
a template, selected replacement layers, and edited
; when prompted to enter
the title text, you can save the new layout if desired. / edit replacement text
Choosing Layout / Save creates a new layout; it does for the Title group,
not overwrite change Millington SW to
the template. Saint Marys City NW
; zoom up on the upper
left corner of the map in
both layouts (original
Millington and template
with substitu-
tions) to verify
that the map
grid coordi-
nates have
changed
; click
on
the Save
Layout
Templates let you make a
icon and
nearly effortless transition from
name the
one layout to another in a se-
layout
ries of maps.
SaintMarys

page 19
Printing

Using Scripts to Make Maps in a Series

STEPS A second means of creating maps in a series uses
; choose Process / SML /
SML scripts. The script approach provided in this
Run from the main menu
exercise was developed before templates were avail-
; select MAPS.SML from your
printing data collection, able. The script approach still has the added advan-
and click [OK] tage that it directly creates a new layout and print-
; choose the layout you file with the indicated replacement objects. The
saved on p.6 when script will also copy the replacement objects to the
prompted to Select the working directory (where the layout and print-file
template layout
are saved) if desired. Making a local copy may save
; choose COMPOSITE in the
STMAR1NW Project File
considerable time in generating the print-file if the
when prompted to Select replacement objects are initially accessed over a
raster object for "DOQQ" network or from a CD-ROM. You do not need to
; choose STMARY_NW in the take advantage of this feature because you should
STMAR6NW Project File already have a local copy of these files.
when prompted to Select
vector object for The script provided is designed particularly for the
"WetlandsVector" layout you are working with. The script will likely
; click on the New need to be modified in order to be used with other
Folder icon when
prompted to Select output
data. One of the specific requirements of the script,
print file, name the folder, for example, is a group named Map Data that con-
then click on the New File tains the spatial data to be replaced from one layout
icon, and name the print- to the next. Other layout specific parameters speci-
file
fied directly in the script are layout map scale, dither
; in the Settings window,
patterns, and the vector
which opens next, trun-
cate the default title to overlay’s style object.
read ST MARYS CITY - NW,
then click [OK]
IN
; when asked if you want to S
copy the raster and vec- M
tor, answer No L
OUT
; when the Page Setup
window opens, select
your printer, make sure
the File (not the Device)
toggle is on, and click OK
; answer Yes when asked if
you want to print the lay-
out now You can use the same script
; choose Support / Print and initial layout to make as
From / Print-File, and print many maps in a series as
the print-file you just desired.
made

page 20
 Printing

Hints for Reliable Printing

Set Printer Defaults at the System
Level. Each time you print with Use
Windows or Mac Printer selected, the
default setup for that printer is used
unless you click on the Model button
and change these options. It is much
easier to change your system default
than to remember to check and change
these settings every time you print
because you have to open two addi-
tional windows to check them. In
Windows you need to make the
changes in the printer control panel.
On the Mac, the printer settings are
found with the System Preferences.
Setting Portrait and Landscape Print-
ing. Make sure that your portrait or land-
scape page orientation selection is also
set in the Windows or Mac Page Setup
window that opens when you click on the
Model button. Setting the page orienta-
tion in TNTmips Page Setup sets the ori-
entation of the layout. Setting it in the
Windows or Mac Page Setup window sets
the orientation of the printed output.
Do not dither twice. If TNT is doing the dithering, make
sure that any Color Correction or other such options for your
printer are turned off. Having these options turned on will
redither the dithered output from TNTmips, which will
produce a muddy and apparently lower resolution print.
Printing transparency efficiently. TNTmips dithers a
layout to a 4-bit raster. Transparency requires an interme-
diate 24-bit raster to composite the colors. Having transpar-
ency in lower groups in the layout minimizes the extent of
this 24-bit calculation because groups above and groups
that do not overlap the group with transparency can be
dithered directly to the 4-bit print-raster. This only applies
if you are using TNT to do the dithering because Windows
and Mac drivers always create a 24-bit print-raster.

page 21
Printing

Avoiding Common Printing Errors

Be sure your printer and the proper page size are
selected before you design your layout. If you
design a layout assuming the correct printer is se-
lected, you are likely to find you need to
make adjustments and print again. Chang-
ing the printer when you go to print does
not magically fix your layout—group at-
tachments are still as they were, which
means the spacing between groups may
The layout not be appropriate when the printable area
(above left) re- changes or you may get what you thought
quires significant was a single page layout printed over
adjustment to
print on a single page for the
multiple pages.
printer selected above right.
Is your print dark and murky or perhaps grainy?
Remember you have many dither patterns and a full
suite of color balancing tools at your disposal in
TNTmips. You may also have the option of using
either TNTmips or your Windows or Macintosh
drivers for dithering and color balancing. TNTmips
lets you print multiple test strips on a single page to
help you determine the ideal color balance for your
layout.
Hide/Show (View 1)
Are layers not printing that show on the screen or
vice versa? In hardcopy layout mode, there are at
Hide/Show on Hardcopy
least two hide / show icons—one for the View
window and one for the hardcopy. You can include
layers in a layout that you want to define group
extents or projection and elect not to show them in
the View window and/or on the print. You could, for
example, decide you want a print of the layout with
just the vector overlays and not the image map. If
you just turn off the layer for viewing, it will still
appear on the print. Or you may want the image
layer, which is shown in the View but missing on the
print because the Hide / Show on Hardcopy option
was accidentally set to hide.

page 22
 Printing

Avoiding Common Printing Errors

Be sure to select the long roll option for
your paper width when your layout is
longer than 42". The other roll options
will print approximately 42" to 44" long
then cut the paper whether your layout has
completed printing or not. Not selecting
the correct page size option for such lay-
outs is costly in both ink and paper.
Use the HP650C specific drivers when
using the TNT print drivers for an HP
DesignJet 650C (you can also use Win- These options are
for longer prints.
dows or Macintosh drivers for this printer).
TNTmips’ DesignJet series drivers do not work for
this older printer. Also be sure the printer is set in
Autodetect mode rather than HPGL/2 mode. Print-
ing from some software may reset your printer to
HPGL/2 mode. You need to set it back to Autodetect
in the printer control panel for it to work when
printing from TNTmips.
Do you really need hardcopy? Paper is not the only
means of distributing your layouts and other project
results. TNTmips lets you create atlases that can be
burned to CD-ROM and distributed with the free
TNTatlas software. The recipients of your data in
this form have much more than a simple printed
map. They can zoom in, view database informa-
tion, make measurements, and include GPS input
that puts them on the map. They can navigate
through a logical hierarchy of many layouts.
Blank CDs are generally significantly cheaper
than even small color prints.
Atlases can be linked to documents in external
formats, such as Adobe Acrobat’s PDF format. Cre-
ating an Adobe Acrobat file is a printing option in
TNTmips, so your layouts can be transformed into
.pdf files. The recipient of an atlas that contains such
a link can make their own prints of such documents
if desired.

page 23
 Advanced Software for Geospatial Analysis

MicroImages, Inc. publishes a complete line of professional software for advanced

P
geospatial data visualization, analysis, and publishing. Contact us or visit our web R
site for detailed product information. I
N
TNTmips TNTmips is a professional system for fully integrated GIS, image analysis, T
CAD, TIN, desktop cartography, and geospatial database management. I
N
TNTedit TNTedit provides interactive tools to create, georeference, and edit vector, G
image, CAD, TIN, and relational database project materials in a wide variety of formats.
TNTview TNTview has the same powerful display features as TNTmips and is perfect for
those who do not need the technical processing and preparation features of TNTmips.
TNTatlas TNTatlas lets you publish and distribute your spatial project materials on CD-
ROM at low cost. TNTatlas CDs can be used on any popular computing platform.
TNTserver TNTserver lets you publish TNTatlases on the Internet or on your intranet.
Navigate through geodata atlases with your web browser and the TNTclient Java applet.
TNTlite TNTlite is a free version of TNTmips for students and professionals with small
projects. You can download TNTlite from MicroImages’ web site, or you can order
TNTlite on CD-ROM.
Index
adjusting layouts ....................................... 6 printel ......................................................... 9
Adobe Acrobat, printing to ............ 13, 23 printer setup .............................................. 4
Adobe Illustrator, printing to ........... 7, 13 printer support ..................................... 3, 4
canvas area .............................................. 1 6 print-files ................................................... 8
changing printers ...................................... 5 printing with transparency .................... 1 5
color balance .................................... 10, 22 print-rasters ............................................... 7
color management .................................. 1 2 raster dither patterns ................................. 9
copying files to printer port .................... 8 saved layouts ............................................. 5
device options ........................................... 4 saving layouts as templates ................... 1 9
dither patterns scripts for maps in a series ..................... 2 0
raster ...................................................... 9 snapshot printing .................................... 1 6
TNTmips or OS .................... 10, 21, 22 SVG ................................................... 13, 14
vector (other non-raster) ................... 1 1 templates .................................................. 1 9
dithered print-raster ................................. 7 TIFF, printing to ....................................... 7
hidden layers ........................................... 2 2 TNTatlas .................................................. 2 3
large maps on small paper ..................... 1 8 TNTlite limitations ........................ 7, 8, 18
Macintosh dithering .......................... 9, 21 TNTmips dithering ..................... 9–11, 21
multiple page printing .................... 17, 18 transparency effects ........................ 15, 21
Placement tool .......................................... 6 unprintable margin .............................. 3, 5
print drivers ............................... 4, 22, 123 View window canvas ............................. 1 6
printable area ..................................... 3, 22 Windows dithering ............................ 9, 21

MicroImages, Inc.

email: [email protected]
Internet: www.microimages.com