Mapinfo 11.5 - Enhanced Rendering vs. Vector in print/export map layouts

[Miroslav Umlauf]

Last two days I have spent many hours to figure out which way should I go with finalizing map layouts to print/export to PDF in Mapinfo 11.5. All this is about deciding between "as much as possible vector/text" PDF layouts and raster/bitmap image PDF (in this way PDF is "just" container for bitmap)

If I want keep vector/text PDF at maximum I MUST:
- in Options/Preferences/Styles... turn off "Enable Enhanced Rendering"
- in Options/Preferences/Legend Window... turn on "Create Version 11.0 Legends"
- not use any translucency/transparency and smoothing images
- in Map/Options... Layout/Options make sure "Enable Enhanced Rendering" is disabled
- make sure when Print / Print to PDF that in Advanced/Output Method "Print Directly to Device" is checked

Plus: usually very small size of PDF in which texts can be selected and copied, it is editable in graphic editors for post-processing, keeps thin lines as it was set
Cons: no possibility to "sometimes needed features" like translucency/transparency, Anti-aliasing and have to use old Legend window which is pain to work with

Raster/Bitmap PDF (PDF is "just" container for bitmap)
- all I have to care is check when Print / Print to PDF that in Advanced/Output Method "Print using Offscreen Bitmap (OSBM)"

Plus: use of all better features including Translucency, Anti-aliasing, Legend Designer
Cons: usually bigger size comparing to vector PDF, only bitmap post-processing (no text/lines copy/edit etc.), "engine" of conversion method from vector to raster is not good - all lines are thicker - very significant with thin lines (1 pixel, 0.2 - 1 points), aliasing between black text / white bg goes to blue/orange/etc.

I wouldn't mind that much if the result would look the same when printed but unfortunately there is significant difference especially with thin lines. From my point of view there is a lot of work for Mapinfo team to work on in this way both on "vector" and "bitmap" PDF. Would be good to use transparency and Legend designer without forcing to use "bitmap" print to PDF and also have same looking result when printing in both ways.

Comments welcome :-)

[Miroslav Umlauf]

I forget to mention layered PDF option (Print.../ PDF / checked Layered PDF) which is somewhere between. Even when Print using Offscreen Bitmap (OSBM) is forced by using Legend Designer or translucent layer etc. it creates vector layers. Also it converts some texts (usually labels etc.) to curves, some stays as text. Not sure about rules when and why.

Though there is significant progress in Mapinfo versions when talking about user friendly environment and options for map layouts, I would wait for version probably around 15 :-) if you want a tool which will allow you to do "professional look" map layouts without map basic programming and/or buying extensions.

[Alex Leith]

Hi Miro

I'd just like to note that ArcMap has the same issues with respect to transparency.

You need to turn off all transparency with ArcMap in order to make pure vector maps. I think that you need to have no rasters at all, too (from memory).

Cheers,

Alex

[Miroslav Umlauf]

Thanks Alex, that is possible, to be honest I never went through this in ArcMap. My experience is creating PDF with translucent/transparent layers/objects in Adobe, Corel and other Graphic/Vector software so I thought applying transparency these days to vector objects is standard. But seems it is not that easy to implement it or it is not priority.

Also after next few hours here are some more information which help me to decide what and when to use:

- use "Points" for Width of lines (definitely not Pixels with default value 1) and don't use anything smaller than 0.7 Points - in vector these are too thin comparing to any bitmap result
- in Layout/Options there is part Enhanced Rendering where for raster/bitmap PDF it is important to use Anti-alias for text to get rid of blue/orange aliasing when using OSBM printing
- the same is possible for Map in Options, it makes lines and texts nicely smooth in raster/bitmap PDF but also it can significantly enlarge the file size, in my case even 10x