Print a Map
-The print composer provides growing layout and printing capabilities. It allows you to add elements such as the QGIS map canvas, legend, scale bar, images, basic shapes, arrows and text labels. You can size, group, align and position each element and adjust the properties to create your layout. The layout can be printed or exported to image formats.
-To activate Print composer, select Project > New Print Composer. You will then be asked to provide a Composer title, should you wish (you can leave this blank); afterwards, click OK to launch the Print Composer.
-Opening the print composer provides you with a blank canvas to which you can add the current QGIS map canvas, legend, scale bar, images, basic shapes, arrows and text.
-Adding a current QGIS map canvas to the Print Composer:
-To add the QGIS map canvas, click on the Add new map button in the print composer toolbar and drag a rectangle on the composer canvas with the left mouse button to add the map.
-The current map is now displayed in Printer Composer:
-You can resize the map element by clicking on the element and dragging one of the white boxes in the element’s sides and corners. Should you update your map and need to update what’s seen in the Print Composer, click on the Refresh View button in the Item Properties window.
(Note: To see more information on Print Composer look, please refer to the QGIS User Guide)
-Adding cartographic elements to the map in Print Composer:
-To add a legend, click the Add new legend button
-To add a scale bar click the Add new scale bar button
-To add a north arrow, click the Add Image button and chose a north arrow from Item Properties > Picture > Search directories option.
-Once the map looks how you want it to look, right click the File menu to either export the map as a PDF, image, or SVG or send it to a printer to be printed.
-When you’re finished with your map, should you wish, go back to the main QGIS window and under the File menu, select File > Save Project and save it to a location of your choice.
