Book Image

Programming ArcGIS with Python Cookbook, Second Edition

By : Eric Pimpler
Book Image

Programming ArcGIS with Python Cookbook, Second Edition

By: Eric Pimpler

Overview of this book

The book kicks off with the fundamentals of starting to use Python with ArcGIS, followed by recipes on managing map documents and layers, including how to find and fix broken data links in these files. In the second part of the book, you will learn to create custom geoprocessing tools and how to use the Attribute and Location tools to select specific features. The third part of the book covers topics for advanced users including the REST API, and also teaches you how to use Python with ArcGIS Pro. The book finishes with appendices covering how to automate Python scripts, and the five things that should be at the back of every GIS programmer's mind.
Table of Contents (17 chapters)
16
Index

Exporting a map to a PDF file


Rather than sending your map or layout view to a printer, you may want to simply create PDF files that can be shared. ArcPy mapping provides an ExportToPDF() function, which you can use to do this.

Getting ready

PDF is a very popular interchange format designed to be viewable and printable from many different platforms. The ArcPy mapping ExportToPDF() function can be used to export data frames or the page layout to a PDF format. By default, the ExportToPDF() function exports the page layout, but you can pass an optional parameter that references a particular data frame, which can be printed instead of the page layout. In this recipe, you will learn how to export the page layout as well as a specific data frame to a PDF file.

How to do it…

Follow these steps to learn how to export a map to a PDF file:

  1. Open C:\ArcpyBook\Ch4\Crime_Ch4.mxd in ArcMap.

  2. Open the Python window.

  3. Import the arcpy.mapping module:

    import arcpy.mapping as mapping
  4. Reference the currently active document...