Listers, What a response! I want to thank everyone who took the time to send their comments and concerns. I want to thank William Nichols who sent the attached link (http://arconline.esri.com/arcobjectsonline/Samples/ArcMap/Map%20Production/L ). It describes a VB script that appears to add additional layouts to the MXD file. ESRI, let us know if this is he case. But, for now, ArcInfo and ArcView 8.1 don't seem tp support multiple layouts. My post and responses are listed below. Thanks Again, Gerry Garza Listers, I hope all is well for everyone in the Geocommunity. My concern about ArcGIS 8.1 is that it only supports one layout at a time. I don't know about the rest of the community, but I usually create anywhere from 6 to 60 maps within one ArcView "APR". Am I really the only one that likes multiple layout capabilities or am I just missing something? If I had to create 60 different maps using a combination of the same 20 to 30 themes (layers in ArcGIS 8.1), I would spend more time opening and closing files than producing maps. Did we as a GIS community not express to the higher-ups at ESRI that multiple layouts is a very important part of the programs. I've been using ArcInfo 8.0.2 since it came out, but for production mapping I go to ArcView 3.2 for the multiple layout functionality. Perhaps someone has already written a VBA script that gives ArcInfo 8.1 and ArcView 8.1 this functionality? Will sum questions and comments, Gerry Garza Gerardo, I would definitely agree with you. I very often make multiple layouts for different purposes within a single project. I also have multiple views. I find ArcGIS lacking in basic user function friendliness. It is also a pain to have to use the selection menu to select or unselect which themes are active. I think over all, ArcView 3.2 is much better for my needs. Margaret Gooding Gerardo, I agree with you! We have not tried out 8.1, yet! But this is rather disappointing. We find it essential to produce multiple layouts per project. I hope ESRI re-thinks this issue and adds that capability. my comments, Thomas Gonzalez San Antonio Water System 1001 E. Market St. San Antonio, TX 78205 Phone 210-704-7343 Fax 210-704-7208 I think it will support more than one layout--you may have misunderstood when in an earlier message someone said that a 3.2 project imported to 8.1 will only import one layout. You are free to create others once you have your project in 8.1. At least that's how I understood it. Marty Benner When creating multiple maps using the same data I generally create the first map (layout) and then save the file. I then duplicate this file and make the changes needed to the second map (layout). Not too efficient but it works. Owen Earley ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Senior Land Information Officer ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Hi Gerry, I can imagine that you miss the multiple document interface ArcView 3.x had, I kind of experience it myself. However, while working with it I don't miss it that much after all. In my opinion it is not such a problem to create a stand-alone MXD for each layout. I just don't group them in one APR, but in one directory. Your concern about having to open all these themes (layers from now on...) in each and every layout is correct, it can be a real pain. But then again, from now on you can create grouped layers and store them as a lyr-file. If you have them it won't be so hard to restore a duplicate layout. In fact, I think it can be much more flexible like this. If your APR is corrupt, you loose all your work. If one MXD would turn out to be corrupt for some reason, you miss one layout. Well, in the end I think it will be just as easy as things used to be. But it certainly is different. And since you and I are not used to it, it may conflict with our way of thinking about ordering a project. But still it doesn't have to be bad, it's just different. What do you think of this, does it make sense? Regards, Dirk Voets Gerry, This is my major concern also. Thanks for airing it on the list. Although I have yet to try the software, I have read the spec sheets and have been alarmed by this omission. There must be some workaround to this? Cheers Gene Hammond GIS Consultant Gerry, I have yet to try this but it sounds like the fix we are looking for. http://arconline.esri.com/arcobjectsonline/Samples/ArcMap/Map%20Production/L ayout%20Manager/LayoutManager.htm Hope this helps some... William Nichols Tennessee Valley Authority Geographical Information Systems 17 Ridgeway Rd. Norris, TN 37828 Phone: (865) 632-1554 Fax: (865) 632-1534 Email: wfnichols@tva.gov Web: http://www.tva.gov Perusing the ArcInfo8 literature i could have sworn that i read that multiple layers could be opened and closed in the view. I am not sure about this, but I was trying to figure it out the other day.. Of course, I can't seem to locate the article or white paper that discussed the opening/closing of layers. I'll let you know if I figure it out, and please do the same if you get something.... Thanks, Dan ****************************************************** Daniel A. Reyes 0128 Woods Hall, 301.405.1428 GIS Co-ordinator, GIS and Mapping Services Department of Anthropology University of Maryland College Park, MD 20742-7415 ******************************************************