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Large format maps are an indispensable tool in the GIS mapping industry. They offer comprehensive visual renditions of complex geographic areas. But to fully utilise these maps—namely, to organise and analyse the various locations and boundaries of Earth—they must be appropriately sized and fit to scale before being printed.

To resize and print oversized maps, careful scaling techniques must be undertaken. This will ensure that, once printed, the detail in the maps remains of optimal quality and is decipherable by users. In this article, we will uncover the process of scaling oversized maps for print jobs using such techniques. Whether you're a map designer, an architect, or a topographer, understanding the nuances of resizing large format maps is crucial for generating high-quality printouts that effectively communicate geographic information.

Understanding Large Format Maps

Common Applications and Importance of Large Format Maps Across Industries Large format maps are an essential part of many planning, logistics, ecological, and navigation practices. Large format maps help experts to:

• Plan buildings
• Manage city zones
• Chart geological features
• Track ecological trends
• Navigate buried utilities
• And much more

Large format maps are posted at construction sites and used for both wilderness and urban navigation. Experts also use them to study trends like disease outbreaks that occur over geographical areas. Large maps may display the features of a focused area closely or a large area in great detail.

Issues That Can Arise If Oversized Maps Are Not Properly Scaled for Printing Scaling is essential for large format maps because they are used for many precise projects. When an oversized map is not correctly scaled, the dimensions of the map will not be scientifically or logistically useful. There must be a consistent scale that translates exactly when the map is enlarged and is unwarped when the map is printed.

What Are the Suitable File Formats for Map Printing? GIS maps come in many highly accurate file types. But printers have more narrow requirements. Therefore, you need to save your map in a file type that scales accurately. We suggest vector graphic file types like SVG, PNG, and PSG, which provide lossless scaling and printer-ready images.

The Recommended Resolution Settings Based on Map Size Resolutions for map printing are measured in DPI or Dots Per Inch. We recommend 150 dpi to 300 dpi for most high-resolution maps.

How to Determine the Desired Size of a Map Printout

GIS map printing is a demanding operation for any printer, even high-end large format printers designed for the purpose. To improve your GIS map printing results, reach out to HP for helpful guidance on GIS map printing solutions.