GIS tutorial: map window

The picture map in the Map Window is built from tiles, i.e. pre-cut pixel files, which are loaded until a given display area is filled. Only a small number can be stored temporarily, so the loading and re-loading of tiles can influence in a high degree the execution of many of the following commands. For information on how to avoid long on-line downloads of tiles, i.e. how to work in an enviroment where the tiles are provided off-line from a CD, see the Work Enviroments' topic in the help.

Symbol selection

To select a symbol click on it.

To unselect a symbol click somewhere else on the map.

Symbol's link(s) listing

The links of a selected symbol are listed in the bottom frame.

The execution of a link in the bottom frame always opens a new browser window first. To exit, close window.

Zoom buttons in the menu frame

allow to zoom out, to reset the zoom to normal, and to zoom in.

The Zoom-in cursor in the main map frame

is activated by pressing the [CTRL] key,

doubles the zoom factor (like the zoom-out menu button),

centres the map display on the choosen spot,

and will focus on an area when used to describe a rectangle while keeping the mouse button pressed.

The Zoom-out cursor in the main map frame

is activated by pressing the [CTRL]+[SHIFT] key,

halves the zoom factor (like the zoom-in menu button),

and centres the map display on the choosen spot.

Move buttons in the menu frame

allow to shift the map display to the east and west, south and north.

The Pan cursor in the main map frame

is activated by pressing the [ALT] key,

and allows the map display inside the map frame to be dragged to a new position.

The main map display will shortly be updated after you have stopped moving the cursor.
The smoothness of the operation depends on the visible map area and on your computer's performance.

The Re-Centre button in the menu frame

allows to go back to the start position.

Resize frame cursors

allow you to drag and drop a frame border to a new position.

The main map display will shortly be updated after you stopped moving the cursor.
The smoothness of the operation depends on the extent of visible map area and on your computer's performance.

Previous View option in the main map's contextual menu (right mouse-click)

restores the previous map position and zoom.

Copy map to clipboard option in the main map's and position map's contextual menu (right mouse-click)

allows the direct insertion of the current map display into a different application,

for example into Microsoft® Paint via menu item EDIT - PASTE, or into Microsoft® Word via EDIT - PASTE SPECIAL and option 'bitmap'.
Background: The command copies image and text data into the clipboard. If an application like Microsoft® Word can process both it is necessary to choose a specific paste operation.

The Symbol Control frame

allows you to show or hide symbols by marking or unmarking a checkbox.

A black label indicates that a symbol group is ready for display, a brown one that the symbols haven't been downloaded and created yet.

The Position Map's

main purpose is to show position and app. extension of the current map display in the context of the whole county.

It can also be used to move the map display quickly to a different position - just click on the new spot.

The Print Copy link in the menu frame

can be used to reproduce the current main map display (without the symbols) in a new browser window.

Note: Such an operation includes a new loading of all required map tiles.
If this a problem, consider as an alternative above described "Copy map to clipboard" option.
The main purpose of this command is to provide a work-around for a print problem in Microsoft® Internet Explorer®: embedded in a frame (as in the Map Window) a map display will be stretched until it fills the designated print area.