Create a map

First, you'll add data to a map that shows the location of your company's existing stores. Then, you'll search for layers to create a map that shows market and income data for block groups in Manhattan. You'll filter the data to see where the demand for electronics stores significantly exceeds the supply and which areas have higher income.

Download data

The locations of your company's stores are available as a shapefile that you'll download online. Your company has style standards for symbolizing the locations of its stores, so you'll also download an Adobe Illustrator file that contains these standards.

  1. Download the manhattan_data zip file and unzip it to a location on your computer, for example, your C:\ drive.
  2. Open the unzipped Manhattan_Data folder.

    Manhattan_Data folder contents

    The folder contains two subfolders: Buildings, which contains a shapefile of existing stores, and Building_Style, which contains an Adobe Illustrator file with style standards. The Buildings folder is also zipped, but you don't need to unzip it. ArcGIS Maps for Adobe Creative Cloud uses the .zip format to add shapefiles to maps.

Sign in to the extension

Next, you'll sign in to the ArcGIS Maps for Adobe Creative Cloud extension in Adobe Illustrator.

  1. Open Adobe Illustrator.
  2. On the menu bar, click Window. Point to Extensions and click ArcGIS Maps for Adobe Creative Cloud.

    ArcGIS Maps for Adobe Creative Cloud extension

  3. In the Sign In window, choose ArcGIS Online and provide your credentials to sign in.
    Note:

    This tutorial's workflow is also applicable to ArcGIS Enterprise users; however, the extension only provides access to content that's available in your organization, and the scenario requires public layers from ArcGIS Online. To complete the tutorial, you can use the Maps for Adobe Creative Cloud trial.

    The Mapboards and Compilation windows appear. One of the windows may be hidden behind the other.

  4. Drag the Mapboards window and dock it alongside the Compilation window so they appear as a single window with two tabs.

    ArcGIS Mapboards and Compilation windows grouped together

    Now that you've signed in, you can access ArcGIS data.

Create a mapboard

Next, you'll define the study area by creating a mapboard. Your map's study area is the island of Manhattan in New York City.

  1. In the Mapboards window, click the Search button and type Manhattan. In the list of results, click Manhattan, NY, USA.

    Search for Manhattan

    The map zooms to southern Manhattan, New York.

    Manhattan, New York

    You could draw the mapboard now, but instead, you'll create one by adding the buildings data that you downloaded. This data shows existing store locations and will help upper management make a more informed decision about where to add a new store. Creating a mapboard from your data ensures that the extent covers the same area.

  2. In the search box, click the Clear search button to remove the place marker from the map.
  3. In the Mapboards window, click Import and choose from File.

    Import menu

  4. In the Open File window, browse to the Manhattan_Data folder and double-click the zipped Buildings folder.

    The Mapboards window zooms to the extent of the buildings data.

    Mapboard created from shapefile extent

  5. On the toolbar next to your mapboard, click the Modify mapboard properties button.

    Modify mapboard properties button

  6. In the Mapboard Options window, for Name, type Manhattan Electronics Stores.

    You'll export your final map as a PDF, so you'll choose a suitable artboard size to print.

  7. Open the Preset menu. Expand the Print section and choose Legal (612 x 1008 pt).

    Mapboard Options window with updated name and size

  8. Click OK.

    The new mapboard doesn't include all of Manhattan. You'll resize it.

  9. Drag the handles to increase the map's extent so that it's focused on Manhattan.

    New map extent

  10. In the Mapboards window, click the Preview and add content button.

    Preview and add content button

    Note:

    If the Introducing mapping profiles message appears, click OK to close it.

    The Compilation window appears. The Contents pane lists two layers: Buildings and the Topographic basemap.

  11. On the Compilation window's toolbar, open the Zoom Percentage menu and choose Fit On Screen.

    Zoom Percentage menu

    You can now see the entire map.

    Tip:

    You can also drag the edges of the Compilation window to make it larger. If you change the extent in the Mapboards window, the Compilation window's extent will update to match.

    The Buildings layer contains a few points scattered around Manhattan.

    Compilation window with Buildings layer

    Note:

    The default color for the buildings symbols is random and may differ from the example images. You'll apply a custom symbol later.

    The basemap depicts roads, bridges, and parks, and other geographic context. It provides a lot of extra information that distracts from the focal point of your map. You'll switch to a simpler basemap that will better emphasize your data.

  12. In the Contents pane, next to the Topographic layer, point to the more options button and click Select Basemap.

    Topographic layer in the Contents pane with the Select Basemap command on the more options menu highlighted

  13. Choose the Dark Gray Canvas basemap.

    Dark Gray Canvas basemap

    Next, you'll add a market opportunity layer from ArcGIS Online.

Compile the map

The previous data you added to your map was from a shapefile of store locations. Next, you'll add data about the supply and demand of electronics stores in the area.

  1. On the Compilation window's toolbar, click the Add Content button and choose Add Layers.
  2. Under ArcGIS Libraries, click ArcGIS Online. In the search bar, type electronics owner:Learn_ArcGIS. Press Enter.

    Search for Electronics Stores layer

    Tip:

    To see more information about an item, click the thumbnail for a preview (or switch from tile view to list view). You can see the item type, who owns it, when it was last modified, a view count, and a portion of the item summary. Use the Full Description link to open the item page and view full item details, including any terms of use described by the data provider and applicable credits for data attribution.

  3. In the search results, on the 2017 USA Electronics Stores Market Opportunity card, click the Add button.
  4. If necessary, move the Add Layers window aside to confirm that green and brown polygon data was added to the map in the Compilation window.
  5. Close the Add Layers window.

    Electronics Stores layer in the map

    The layer includes block group features styled to show supply and demand, symbolized as either brown or green.

  6. In the Contents pane, click the arrow next to 2017 USA Electronics Stores Market Opportunity to expand the layer's legend.

    Legend in the Contents pane

    Areas with a high market opportunity are shaded with a dark green, and those that have a low market opportunity are a brown color.

    Green areas are places where the demand for electronics stores exceeds supply. Brown areas are places where supply exceeds demand. Your employer is interested in green areas, where demand exceeds supply.

  7. On the toolbar, click the Select features to show attributes button.

    Select features to show attributes button

  8. Click any green feature on the map.

    A pop-up appears, showing the feature's attribute values.

    Note:

    If a pop-up titled Feature List appears, click one of the NY Block Group features listed inside of it.

  9. Expand the pop-up so you can see the field names are not truncated. Scroll to the end of the pop-up and find the Electronics/Appliances Stores (4431):L/S field.

    Block group pop-up with Leakage/Surplus Factor

    The Electronics/Appliances Stores (4431):L/S field shows the Market Opportunity number, also known as a Leakage/Surplus Factor, described on a scale from 100 to -100. This number is based on the number of electronics and appliance stores in the area, as well as total sales (supply) and sales potential (demand), values which are also available in the pop-up.

    Positive Leakage/Surplus Factors indicate that demand exceeds supply, while negative values indicate the opposite. For instance, a Leakage/Surplus Factor of 100 means there are no electronics stores in the area, so demand exceeds supply by 100 percent. For values closer to -100, supply exceeds demand. Values close to 0 indicate a balanced market.

  10. Close the pop-up.
  11. In the Contents pane, double-click 2017 USA Electronics Stores Market Opportunity. Delete the existing text and type Market Opportunity to change the layer's name.

    Next, you'll add another layer that contains median household income information to provide more context.

  12. Click the Add Content button and choose Add Layers.
  13. Select ArcGIS Online and search for disposable income owner:Learn_ArcGIS. Click the Add button for 2018 USA Median Disposable Income.
  14. Close the Add Layers window.
  15. Change the name of the new layer to Median Disposable Income.

Filter the layers

The goal of your map is to show areas where demand for electronics stores exceeds supply and where there is a high median disposable income. Next, you'll apply filters to both layers so only these areas are shown on the map.

  1. In the Contents pane, expand the legend for the Median Disposable Income layer.
  2. Next to the Market Opportunity layer, click the Toggles visibility button to turn it off.

    Toggles visibility button

    The market and income layers are styled the same, so turning off one layer will make it easier to see changes on the map when you apply a filter to the other layer.

  3. For the Median Disposable Income layer, point to the more options button and click Filter.

    Filter

  4. In the Filter window, for the first box, choose 2018 Median Disposable Income.
    Tip:

    You can type the field name to make it easier to find in the list.

  5. For the second box, choose is greater than. For the third box, type 100000.

    Expression to filter income

  6. Click Apply Filter.

    Map with income layer filtered

    The filter is applied to the map layer and the window closes.

  7. Turn off the Median Disposable Income layer.
  8. Turn on the Market Opportunity layer. Point to the more options button and click Change Style.
  9. On the Counts and Amounts (Color) card, click Options.

    On the Classes tab, notice that a balanced market range (styled with a white fill) is between -20 and 20. Showing these areas wouldn't be particularly helpful for your company's upper management, which wants to capitalize on areas where demand significantly exceeds supply. The two green shades for demand exceeds supply have a factor of 20 and above. You'll filter this layer to include only those with a Leakage/Surplus Factor of 20 and higher.

  10. Click Cancel.
  11. Open the Filter window for Market Opportunity and create the expression Electronics/Appliances Stores (4431):L/S is at least 20.

    Filter expression for market layer

  12. Click Apply Filter.

    Filtered market layer

    Your layer now displays only block groups where demand significantly exceeds supply. Only the green areas remain.

  13. Turn on the Median Disposable Income layer.

Design the map

Next, you'll style the layers in your map and refine the design to give it a professional appearance that you can present to your company's upper management.

Style the layers

With its current appearance, the Median Disposable Income layer covers the Market Opportunity layer. To show both layers at once, you'll style the income layer with a white outline to highlight specific block groups.

  1. Point to the more options button for the Median Disposable Income layer and choose Change Style.
    Note:

    You can also modify the fill and outline colors in Illustrator after syncing the map, but changing them in the Compilation window will save you time.

    You'll give all features a uniform symbol, as opposed to symbolizing them based on an attribute.

  2. On the Location (Single symbol) card, click Select.

    The layer changes to a default orange color on the map.

  3. On the Location (Single symbol) card, click Options.

    Location (Single symbol)

    The pane changes to show more style options.

  4. Click Change Symbol Style.
  5. For Fill, change the color to No color.

    No color for fill color

  6. Click Outline. Change the color to white (#FFFFFF) and the Line Width to 2 px.

    Outline color and width

  7. Click OK.
  8. In the Median Disposable Income pane, set Transparency to 0 percent.

    Transparency set to 0 percent

  9. Click OK.

    Areas of higher disposable income now appear as white outlines on the map. They highlight block groups of the Market Opportunity layer without obscuring them.

    Symbology for the income layer

    Next, you'll adjust the appearance of the Market Opportunity layer, which shows where demand exceeds supply. The two green categories that remain in the layer are demand exceeds supply and demand greatly exceeds supply. You'll maintain the distinction between the two categories but change the colors slightly. Because you are now working with a dark basemap, you will use a brighter color for the areas of highest significance.

  10. In the Contents pane, point to the more options button for the Market Opportunity layer and click Change Style.

    The Choose an attribute to show setting is using the same field that you used when you applied the filter. This layer is using the Counts and Amounts (Color) style.

  11. On the Counts and Amounts (Color) card, click Options.
  12. Click the Legend tab so you can change individual colors.
  13. Click the green square next to Demand Greatly Exceeds Supply to open the color palette.

    Legend tab in change style panel

  14. For Fill, type #82AB2C. For Outline, type #2D423B. Click OK.

    The symbols on the map update to a bright green color with dark green outlines.

    Map with new color

    You'll change the color for the other market opportunity category to a darker, less saturated green.

  15. Change the Demand Exceeds Supply fill color to #446459. Change its outline color to #2D423B. Click OK.
  16. In the Market Opportunity pane, click OK.
  17. At the bottom of the Contents pane, click the Sort layers by geometry type button.

    Sort layers by geometry type button

    The buildings layer moves to the top.

    Buildings layer at the top of the Contents pane

    Now the points aren't obscured by the block groups in the map.

    Map with styled and reordered layers

    When you added the buildings data, the points drew with a random symbol color. You'll replace the points with a custom symbol when you sync the map.

    Now that you've created a map with the data you need, you'll save the map.

Sync the map to download artwork

When you save the map, you'll make one final change to your map's design by using a custom symbol for the company's existing electronics stores. When you downloaded the data at the beginning of this tutorial, you downloaded an Adobe Illustrator file that contained specific symbology to represent the company's stores. You'll use the Processes window to apply this file to the layer to symbolize it.

  1. In the Compilation window, click the Open Processes window button.

    Open Processes window button

    Tip:

    The Processes window may be hidden behind the Mapboards and Compilation windows.

  2. In the Processes window, click Symbols and click Set Path.
  3. Browse to the Manhattan_Data folder you downloaded. Inside the Building_Style subfolder, choose Buildings.ai. Click Open.

    Although you've added the library, you'll need to run a process to apply the custom symbols. Processes modify the Illustrator file that's created when you sync the map, so you won't replace symbols yet. But you can set the processes for custom libraries to run when you sync the map.

  4. Check the Run on Sync box.

    Processes window with symbol path set and Run on Sync checked

    When you sync the map, the custom symbol will automatically be applied to the artwork.

    Note:

    To apply custom symbology, the layer name must be exactly the same as the name of the symbol in the Adobe Illustrator file. In this case, the layer must have the name Buildings for the custom symbol to be applied.

  5. Drag the Processes window and dock it alongside the Compilation and Mapboard windows so they appear as a single window with three tabs.
  6. Click the ArcGIS Maps: Compilation tab. On the toolbar, click Sync.

    Sync map into artwork layers button

  7. In the Sync Map window, for Document Name, type Manhattan Electronics Stores. Click Sync.

    The Compilation window may close. You'll notice several messages that indicate the progress of the map syncing.

  8. If a window appears warning you that some text has been outlined, click OK.

    After a few moments, the process completes and the map is converted into artwork layers, with the full range of Adobe Illustrator tools available to edit them.

    The artwork layers maintain the geographic extent, dimensions, scale, and name of your map.

    Note:

    Syncing data is a one-way process. If you need to add more data to your map, you can add new data to the Compilation window and sync again.

  9. In the top corner of the Compilation window, click the Collapse to Icons button.

    Collapse to Icons button

    The Mapboards, Compilation, and Processes windows collapse to a floating toolbar.

    Floating toolbar

    Note:

    If you accidentally close the Mapboards and Compilation windows, you can reopen them from the Window menu: point to Extensions and choose ArcGIS Maps for Adobe Creative Cloud.

    On the map, the default building symbols are replaced with the custom symbols shaped like buildings.

    Some of the text on the basemap is highlighted, because it has been converted to graphics. It is not needed on your map, so you'll remove it.

  10. In the Layers panel, click the Dark Gray Reference layer to select it.

    Floating toolbar

  11. At the bottom of the Layers panel, click the Delete Selection button. In the warning window that appears, click Yes.

    The Dark Gray Reference layer and its sublayers disappear. The highlighted text is removed from the map.

  12. In the Layers panel, click the arrow next to the Dark Gray Base layer to collapse it.

    The Layers panel contains the map layers as well as some information layers, including the Esri logo and copyright information.

    Artwork layers

Remove unnecessary features

Although your data has been symbolized, the Disposable Income and Market Opportunity layers have features that extend beyond your area of interest on the island of Manhattan. The additional features distract from the focal data, so you'll edit the artwork layers to remove the extra features. Before you delete any data, you'll lock all the other layers so you don't accidentally delete them.

  1. In the Layers panel, click the empty space to the left of the following layers to lock them and their sublayers:
    • Manhattan Electronics Stores_Elements
    • <Clipping Path>
    • Buildings
    • Dark Gray Base
    • background

    Locked layers

    When a layer is locked, a lock icon is added to the empty space. When you lock a layer, all its sublayers are also locked. The only editable layers should be the market and income layers. You'll remove all features of these layers that aren't on Manhattan Island.

  2. On the menu bar, click Window and point to Toolbars. Ensure that Advanced is checked.

    Advanced toolbars checked

  3. On the toolbar, click the Lasso tool.

    Lasso tool

    You'll draw around the island and invert the selection so you can delete all the features that aren't on the island.

  4. With the Lasso tool, carefully draw around Manhattan Island.

    All features within the sketch are selected. It is OK if some features outside of Manhattan Island are also selected.

  5. On the menu bar, click Select and click Inverse.

    Inverse option in the Select menu

    All the features surrounding the island are now selected.

  6. On the keyboard, press the Delete key to delete the selected features.
  7. Use the Lasso tool to select and delete any extra features until only Manhattan features remain.

    Map with features deleted

    Some disposable income features on Manhattan Island don't correspond to a market opportunity feature. These areas have high disposable income, but demand does not exceed supply. These features aren't relevant to your map, so you'll delete them too.

  8. In the Layers panel, lock the Market Opportunity layer. Keep the Median Disposable Income layer unlocked.
  9. Click the Toggles Visibility button next to the Buildings layer so you can see all the block groups.

    Layers panel

  10. On the toolbar, click the Selection tool. Select and delete any white features that don't coincide with a green feature.
    Tip:

    You may need to pan and zoom on the map to ensure you click the correct features. Use the Zoom and Hand tools on the toolbar to navigate the map.

  11. Turn the Buildings layer back on.

    Extra features deleted

    Now, only relevant features are displayed on your map.

  12. In the Layers panel, unlock all layers.
    Tip:

    Use Ctrl+click to unlock all layers at once.

  13. On the menu bar, click File and click Save.
  14. Click Save on your computer and accept the file name Manhattan Electronics Stores.ai and default location.
  15. Click Save. In the Illustrator Options window, click OK.

    The artwork is saved as an Adobe Illustrator file in your computer's Adobe folder.

You've created a map with ArcGIS Maps for Adobe Creative Cloud, added data layers, and made several cartographic design choices before syncing the map with Adobe Illustrator and editing the layer data to emphasize the most important areas of the map. Next, you'll add the finishing touches to your map with a legend and title. Then, you'll export your map to present to your company.


Create a legend and title

Previously, you opened your map in Adobe Illustrator and styled it to your specifications. Next, you'll configure a map legend or map key and add a title. Then, you'll export your artwork as a PDF file.

Add a legend

You'll run a process to create a legend that matches the map and explains the symbols for the buildings, disposable income, and market opportunity layers.

  1. In the Layers panel, turn off the Dark Gray Base and background layers so they're not included in the legend.
  2. Open the Processes window that you docked earlier. Click Map Legend.

    Map Legend tab in the Processes window

    This process will add a map key to your Illustrator file based on its visible layers.

  3. Click Create Legend and collapse the Processes window.

    The legend is added below the map. At the top of the Layers panel, a new layer appears. It includes three sublayers: Labels, Icons, and Border Grid.

  4. Turn on the basemap and background layers.
  5. Scroll down in the artboard to see the legend beneath your map.

    The legend beneath the map

    You'll change some text and move the legend to align it with the map.

  6. With the Selection tool, select and delete the heading text for Legend, Median Disposable Income, and Market Opportunity.
  7. In the Layers panel, expand the Border Grid layer. Hold the Shift key and click all four of the <Path> objects to select them.

    Border Grid objects selected in the Layers panel

  8. At the bottom of the pane, click the Delete button.
  9. With the Selection tool, drag a box around all of the text in the legend to select it. On the menu bar, click Type. Point to Size and choose 14 pt.

    Font size menus

  10. On the toolbar, click the Type tool.
  11. Double-click the Buildings text and type Current Stores.
  12. Change Median Disposable Income to 2018 Median Disposable Income Exceeding $100,000 and add a line break so it appears on two lines.
  13. With the Selection tool, move the legend symbols and text closer together to distribute them evenly.

    Legend with updated text

    Next, you'll create a background for the legend so the text is easier to read. You'll make the background's color a medium gray and place it on the empty Border Grid layer.

  14. On the toolbar, double-click the fill color box to open the Color Picker window. For #, type 858585.

    Color Picker window

  15. Click OK.
  16. In the Layers panel, select the Border Grid layer.
  17. On the toolbar, click the Rectangle tool. Draw a rectangle around the legend content.
  18. In the Layers panel, next to the Manhattan Electronics Stores_Legend_1 layer, click the Target button.

    Target button

    All of the legend's objects are now selected.

  19. Use the Selection tool to move the legend onto the map. Position it in the map's lower right corner.
  20. Select the credit text at the bottom of the map. Drag its right edge so it no longer overlaps the Esri logo. Move the text up so it all fits on the map.
  21. With the credit text still selected, on the toolbar, double-click the fill color box and change the text's color to gray (#858585).

    Modified credits and legend at the bottom of the map

Add a title

Next, you'll add an informative title to the upper left corner of your map.

  1. At the bottom of the Layers panel, click the Create New Layer button. Double-click the new layer and rename it Title.
  2. Move the Title layer to the top of the Layers panel.

    Title layer in the Layers panel

  3. With the Title layer selected, use the Rectangle tool to draw a rectangle in the upper left corner of the map.

    The rectangle should have the same gray color as the legend background: #858585.

  4. On the toolbar, click the Type tool. On the new rectangle, drag to draw a box of type.
  5. Type the following title: Block groups in Manhattan where demand exceeds supply for electronics stores.
  6. Change the size of the type to 21 pt. Use the Selection tool to reposition the title and resize its background.

    Title added to map

    Your map is now complete.

  7. On the menu bar, click File and click Save.

    Now that your map is finished, you'll export it as a PDF that you can share with members of your company. (See the result link at the top of this page for an example.)

  8. From the File menu, click Save As. Click Save on your computer.
  9. In the Save As window, for Save as type, choose Adobe PDF (*.PDF). Choose a location and name to save the file and click Save.
  10. In the Save Adobe PDF window, click Save PDF.

In this tutorial, you used ArcGIS Maps for Adobe Creative Cloud to create a map that shows areas of Manhattan where the demand for electronics stores exceeds the supply and where median disposable income exceeds $100,000. You then saved and opened your map in Adobe Illustrator to finalize the map with graphic design tools. Your result is an informative, appealing map that you can present to your employers.

You can find more tutorials in the tutorial gallery.