How to Export a Military Map to PDF or Georeferenced Image

This guide explains how to export your current map as a PDF from map.army .

Open Print & Export

  1. Click the Print & Export button Print & Export button in the toolbar.

Choose Export

  1. Select the Export to PDF option.
  2. Choose the paper size (e.g., A4, A3), orientation, and DPI.

Export

  1. Click Export to generate the PDF.
  2. Save the file locally and share it as needed.

Tip: Higher DPI yields better print quality but larger files.

Export as Georeferenced Image

In addition to PDF, map.army can export the current map view as a georeferenced raster image — a JPG accompanied by a .jgw sidecar, or a PNG accompanied by a .pgw sidecar. Both .jgw and .pgw are plain-text World Files that tell GIS software where the image sits on the globe and how to scale it.

A world file contains six numbers, one per line:

A    pixel size in the X direction
D    rotation about the Y axis
B    rotation about the X axis
E    pixel size in the Y direction (usually negative)
C    X coordinate of the centre of the upper-left pixel
F    Y coordinate of the centre of the upper-left pixel

Important: the values are expressed in the coordinate system of the exported image. map.army exports world files in WGS84, so the pixel-size values (A and E) are degrees per pixel, not metres. To convert to a metric pixel size at a given latitude, multiply by the WGS84 degree-to-metre factor (≈ 111 320 m / degree at the equator; the longitude factor decreases toward the poles).

The world-file format is a public standard — see the World file Wikipedia article for the full specification.

Attribution label in exports

Every PDF, JPG, and PNG export from map.army automatically includes a small copyright / attribution label in the bottom-right corner of the rendered map. The label identifies map.army and (where applicable) the base-map data source. This label is the legally required attribution for redistributing the export — for example in blog posts, training material, academic publications, or printed maps.

Do not crop, paint over, or otherwise obscure the label when publishing the export. iframe embeds of map.army carry the same attribution by design.

The license terms covering symbol use, modification, and full redistribution are summarised in the FAQ — see Can I use, modify, or redistribute the military symbols and map exports?.

Choosing a base map for print / publication

The base-map provider matters when the export is intended for public redistribution (book, magazine, newspaper, blog, public report):

  • OpenStreetMap (OSM) and OpenTopoMap are licensed for redistribution (OSM-style attribution required). They are the safe defaults for printed and online publication.
  • Google Maps / Satellite / Hybrid / Roads / Roadmap base maps may not be redistributed in print or static publication under their current terms of service. Use them for live in-app work, then switch to OSM or OpenTopoMap before generating the export intended for publication.
  • swisstopo base maps follow swisstopo’s open-data terms (mostly permissive for non-commercial use; check the latest licence for commercial work).

To switch: Options → Map Settings → Style. See Options → Map Settings for details on each provider.