I have a map that has several layers. One of those layers is a drawing with a rectangle drawn on it, that defines the area I want to Print. Also, I have created a location to use it to set the desired scale. I add the map in a layout and I use the location to set the print scale.

My question: Is there a way to set the Map frame size in the layout to be such that it would exactly contain the layer that has the rectangle in it? I mean resize the frame automatically to match exactly, not resizing the frame manually.

I could use calculations using the scale and the frame size in mm to set in the Info-Position the frame size that I want, but I would like to know if there is an automatic way to do this.

PS. I forgot to set a title for the post. Please change it to "How to resize frame in a layout to contain exactly a Map Layer?"

I think this is probably a good use case for the new save to image feature. In one of the most recent of videos is an example of setting the bounds of the save-image using the grid. The resulting image is clipped to the area of interest rect.

Yes, we could create an image that has exactly the region we want. If we change something we would have to recreate the image.

I was thinking that there could be a way to control directly the area to print. We can control the scale and the centre of the area using a location, but what about the limits of the area.

We don't quite have the layout control we have in v8 (through view bounds), yet. You could come close with the current Location but nudge adjusting the component frame would still need to be done when there are changes. It seems as though its need might be eclipsed by more elevated feature addition. Still worth sending in a suggestion directly.

Considering the issue further, you might be able to use a masking layer (similar to an invisible fill for a selected area in v8 for an uppermost layer) where the white masked area allows your area of interest to show through just not displaying the area around. This wouldn't change the layout frame size but would allow just your AOI bounded main layers to appear. Something to play around with.

Why do you need to control the size of the frame exactly? (Not saying there is no reason to want such control, but if you say what that reason is, maybe there're some other means to achieve what you are after.)

Did you place the rectangle to the exact coordinates? If not and the rectangle is there to indicate the area of interest just roughly, resizing the frame visually should be fine. If yes, then, since you are entering exact coordinates already, you might try computing and setting the size of the frame in millimeters: take the absolute scale from the view, count the number of millimeters by X and Y in the data from the coordinates of the rectangle, apply the scale (eg, if the scale is 1:50,000, divide by 50,000) -> the result is the size of the frame.

One might want to control the exact size of what to print, and so the frame also, because there might be a specific study area for the project, or because he wants to split the area of the project to specific print sheets, or, when M9 adds the option to place grid coordinates around the frame, he might want the grid coordinates at the corners of the plot to be specific. It might be just my opinion, but I suppose in most cases that there is a printed deliverable people would want to specify exactly the area to print. At least for people used to working with CAD the manifold way seems a bit strange (scale+center instead of scale+limits).

What I do now is what you describe, measure sides, divide by the scale and manually change the frame size. But I think there could be a button to resize the frame, so to contain an exact area at the specified (via Location) scale. The area could be defined by a layer in the Map to print and the centre of the area in the frame would be changed, to match the centre of the specific layer.

Agreed. Ideally first set the extent, perhaps by drawing a rectangle like in a screenshot program. Then determine the desired resolution with some knowledge of how big the file will be when trying to share with others.

Cad software too work by drawing a rectangle that defines the extent to print, but using a layer with something drawn in it maybe seems more close to the M9 logic I think.

Perhaps but if its a case of getting one option, it's more work to create a drawing for the purpose and often nice to show a little bit around any particular layer you are trying to show.