Why does the print scale differ from the map scale in VertiGIS Studio Web – VertiGIS Support

Introduction

When working with the printing component in VertiGIS Studio Web, users may observe that the map scale displayed in the Studio Web Viewer and the print scale in the printing component do not always align. This article describes the technical background behind this behavior and explains why these scales can differ.

Map Scale vs. Print Scale

When the printing component is activated, the Studio Web Viewer highlights the print extent as an orange rectangle in the map. At this point, two scale values come into play (see screenshot below):

Map Scale (1)
Print Scale (2)

ArcGIS Pro Layout Printing vs. Map Only: Understanding Scale Behavior

There are two different printing options in VertiGIS Studio Web: printing with ArcGIS Pro Layouts and printing without a layout (Map Only). Depending on which method you use to generate print outputs, you will notice different behavior between the map scale in the Studio Web Viewer and the print scale in the printing component.

1. Printing With ArcGIS Pro Layouts

In ArcGIS Pro Layouts, the exported map size is defined by the Map Frame inside the layout. This Map Frame:

Has a fixed width and height
Is independent of the user’s device or browser window
Determines the print scale together with the selected extent

Because the Map Frame is fixed and generally does not match the viewer’s map area, the map scale displayed in the viewer and the print scale from the printing component are different.

Example:

A4 Landscape layout with a map frame size of 1600 x 2300 px and a print scale of 1:5000:

A4 Landscape layout with a Map Frame size of 800 x 800 px and a print scale of 1:5000:

2. Printing With Map Only

Map Only printing behaves differently:

There is no fixed layout and no pre-defined Map Frame
The export size is defined by pixel dimensions set in the printing component (default: 800 × 500 px)
VertiGIS Studio Web aligns the viewer scale with the print scale initially

Changing the width or height affects the exported output directly. The print scale will then influence the visible map area. This option can generally be compared to the behaviour that can be seen in the Esri Map Viewer.

This leads to a more flexible but also more dynamic interaction between print scale, extent, and export size.

Controlling Scale Control in VertiGIS Studio Web when Printing with ArcGIS Pro Layouts

There are certain settings in VertiGIS Studio Web that give users and organizations more control over the print scale behaviour:

1. Lock the Print Scale

In VertiGIS Studio Web 5.36 we have added an option to lock the print scale in the printing component. When activated, the map can be zoomed and panned freely, while the print extent remains fixed and moves with the map. This enables users to check layer visibility by setting the map scale to match the print scale.

The print scale lock is automatically enabled in specific scenarios and cannot be toggled. For example, during line prints, when the Snap to Zoom option is configured, or when a print projection is selected.

2. Fixed Print Scales

In VertiGIS Studio Web 5.38 we have added an option to define a list of predefined print scales that users can choose from and further improves the control over printed map outputs. This enhancement ensures:

Consistent scale usage across applications
Avoidance of accidental freehand scale changes

Conclusion

In VertiGIS Studio Web, the relationship between the map scale in the Studio Web Viewer and the print scale in the printing component is influenced by how the system manages the print extent from the two different methods (ArcGIS Pro Layouts and Map Only). To help users achieve consistent and predictable results when printing with ArcGIS Pro Layouts, VertiGIS Studio Web provides two key mechanisms for controlling the print scale: the ability to lock the print scale within the Printing component and the option to define fixed print scales in an application.