MapViewer
5 FAQ Version
History
This page covers frequently asked questions about
MapViewer Version 5.
Q1. How can I get the latest
version of MapViewer? Q2. Does MapViewer work with
Windows 2000 and Windows XP? Q3. My pin map labels are
overlapping, how can I move some of the labels? Q4. How do I change the map's
data file? Q5. My symbols are running
together in my Symbol Maps. What can I do about this? Q6. When I open MapViewer, I am
prompted to enter a serial number. Where do I find my serial number? Q7. When I print my map, the
patterns appear as grayscale. How do I fix this? Q8. I do not like how my [pie
chart, bar map, symbol, line graph, posted data] is positioned relative to its boundary.
How do I move it? Q9.
How do I utilize the georeferencing information associated with a
georeferenced bitmap? Q10. I would like to use
international characters in my text strings in MapViewer. Q11. I have a lot of information
in my data files for my maps. Is there any way to speed up the processing of the
information when making the map? Q12. When I import a map onto an
existing map, the imported map is not in its proper position. What am I doing wrong? Q13.
When I select an area and try to crop a bitmap with it, the Image | Crop
Bitmap command is inactive. What am I doing wrong? Q14. How can I create custom
symbols for MapViewer? Q15. I want to use two different
map types (i.e. a density map with a hatch map) and display them on the same map, but
MapViewer only lets me select one map type at a time. How can I display more than one type
of map? Q16. How do I change the name of
a Primary ID on my map? Q17. I have a map of the United
States counties, how do I show the state boundaries around them? Q18. How do I create custom
boundaries?
Q19. How do I limit a map using an
ellipse, circle, rectangle, or rounded rectangle?
Q20. I have a large bitmap imported
into MapViewer. When I try to convert the projection of the bitmap, the
bitmap with the new projection has a low resolution. What can I do?
Q21. I have a bitmap in the map window
that is not part of the map itself (such as a company logo). When I change
the projection of the map, the bitmap behaves as if it is part of the map
and turns to nonsense. How can I change a map's projection without
altering the bitmap?
Q22. When I try to create a map,
MapViewer says "There is no valid numeric data (within limits) in column __, or PID
is invalid." Q23. I have invested in Adobe
typefaces. How do I use these typefaces with Golden Software products? Q24. How do I create an
Encapsulated PostScript file with MapViewer? Q25. How do I create a [.PDF]
file with MapViewer? Q26. I have sent a [.GSB] file to
a colleague. When they try to use the [.GSB] file, they get an error message stating that
the file "does not appear to be in the correct format." Q27. I have pasted my MapViewer
map into another program and part of the map is missing. Q28. I have added graticules to
my map and checked the Place Graticules under Map option, but my graticules still appear
on top of the map. How can I place the graticules behind the map? Q29. I want to show my map to
someone without MapViewer, do you have a viewer this person can download? Q30. Where can I find boundary
files? Q31. I have pasted a map into
Word and the bottom and right side of the graphic is slightly cut off. Q32. How do I create a MapViewer
version 2 or 3 prism map (no color) in MapViewer 4? Q33. Help | Check for Update is
grayed out, why? Q34. I cannot uninstall MapViewer
4. Q35:
Does MapViewer 5 run on Windows NT? Q36. I am having a problem
printing ("Out of global memory" error, only a portion of the map prints, etc.). Q37.
Is technical support free?
Q1. How can I get the latest version of
MapViewer?
A.
Minor updates (e.g. version 5.00
to 5.01) may be downloaded for free if your serial number is registered.
Connect your computer to the Internet, then click the Help | Check for
Update command in MapViewer. This will download the latest patch and install
it on your machine. Information about the latest version is listed on
the Version History page.
If you experience any problems with this
command or would like to download the full version of the updated software,
please email your registered MapViewer 4 serial number to mapviewer@goldensoftware.com.
Once your serial number is verified, we will send you download instructions.
Major upgrades (e.g. version 4 to version 5)
cost US$79 plus shipping. Refer to the order
form for more information.
Q2. Does MapViewer
work with Windows 2000 and Windows XP?
A. MapViewer does work with Windows
2000 and Windows XP. There are no outstanding compatibility issues
that we are aware of. Q3. My pin map labels
are overlapping, how can I move some of the labels?
A. You can click on the label and drag it to a new location in MapViewer
5. Q4. How do I change
the map's data file?
A. Use the change file button and select a new data file. If you have any user
defined settings (i.e. hatch map with user defined ranges), you may need to reset them if
the data ranges are different. Q5. My symbols are
running together in my symbol maps. What can I do about this?
A. Make sure the symbol line color is different from the symbol fill
color. Open the symbol map properties, click the button in the symbol group, and then
check the line and fill colors in the symbol properties dialog box. Q6. When I open
MapViewer, I am prompted to enter a serial number. Where do I find my serial number?
A. Your serial number is located on the inside front cover of your user's
guide. Enter the serial number exactly as it appears on the card.
For versions 4 and 5 of MapViewer, you can also find your serial number by going to
the Help menu and selecting "About MapViewer." The box will
show the serial number, as shown below.
Q7. When I print my
map, the patterns appear as grayscale. How do I fix this?
A. In the pattern dialog box, the pattern name is listed at the top of
the box followed by the pattern type. Use Stock patterns with Simulate stock hatch
patterns checked in File | Preferences | General, or use Vector patterns and adjust the
Scale Factor until the pattern prints properly. Do not use Bitmap patterns when printing
to high-resolution printers or plotters as they will appear as grayscale rather than as
patterns. Q8. I do not like how
my [pie chart, bar map, symbol, line graph, posted data] is positioned relative to its
boundary. How do I move it?
A. To move the [pie chart, bar map, symbol, line graph, posted data]: Select the area or curve for the [pie chart,
bar map, symbol, line graph, posted data]. Select Boundary | Move Centroids. The cursor changes into a four arrow cursor
and a cross appears on the area or curve. Click the cross and drag it to the desired
location. The [pie chart, bar map, symbol, line graph, posted data] will be placed on the
new location.
Q9. How do I utilize the
georeferencing information associated with a georeferenced bitmap?
A. To import a georeferenced bitmap, use the Map
| Base Map command to open the Import Boundary File Dialog. In this
dialog, check the Specify import options check box and then choose
your bitmap file. In the following dialog (titled Bitmap Import Options)
choose the bitmap georeferencing source from the Spatial Reference
list. Click OK and the bitmap is loaded with georeferenced coordinates.
REMEMBER! The Specify import options check box
must be enabled to utilize georeferencing information.
Q10. I would like to
use international characters in my text strings in MapViewer.
A. MapViewer was designed to use English characters. Double-byte and
16-bit Unicode international characters are not supported in Golden Software products. Q11. I have a lot of
information in my data files for my maps. Is there any way to speed up the processing of
the information when making the map?
A. There are two ways you can improve the processing speed when making a
map with a lot of data. To optimize the speed of the worksheet data
searching and calculation, one should sort the worksheet according to the PID column in
ascending order before creating a map. The sorted worksheet helps MapViewer find a cell
much faster. If the data are used repeatedly, it is a good idea to save the data after it
is sorted. All worksheet files distributed with MapViewer are already sorted according to
the first column. Another factor of the speed affecting the
worksheet data searching and calculation is unlinked data. You can remove the data rows
not linked with the map (except the column heading row) from the worksheet via Edit |
Delete Unlinked Data in worksheet window. If possible, also remove the boundaries not
linked to worksheet data.
Q12. When I import a
map onto an existing map, the imported map is not in its proper position. What am I doing
wrong?
A. When you import a map into an existing map window, make sure that the
Append image check box is checked in the import dialog box. This will align the
coordinates of the maps.
Q13. When I select an area and try to
crop a bitmap with it, the Image | Crop Bitmap command is inactive. What am
I doing wrong?
A.
To crop a bitmap with an area object, you need to select the area object and
the bitmap you wish to crop. To select two or more objects, hold down the
CTRL key while clicking on each object in the map window or in the Object
Property Manager. Once both objects are selected, the Image | Crop Bitmap
command should be active.
Q14. How can I create
custom symbols for MapViewer?
A. Our software can use TrueType fonts for symbols, a TrueType font
editor will let you create your own symbols including: Softy (shareware)
TypeTool from Pyrus (commercial)
You can also use the Altersym editor
from the DOS versions of Surfer and Grapher to create symbols. Q15. I want to use two
different map types (i.e. a density map with a hatch map) and display them on the same
map, but MapViewer only lets me select one map type at a time. How can I display more than
one type of map?
A. MapViewer lets you combine as many map types as you want. However, you
can only have one map type per layer. Create one map type on the existing layer. Choose
the Create New Layer command from the Map menu or click the New Layer tool. You can create
the second map type on the new layer. To edit a layer, select it in the Layer manager and
then go to the appropriate menu selection (i.e. Map | Thematic Maps | Density Map or Map |
Thematic Maps | Hatch Map). Q16. How do I change
the name of a Primary ID on my map?
A. Changing a Primary ID is simple to do in MapViewer. Import the base map that you would like to
change. Click on the area to be renamed. Enter the new Primary ID in the Object
Property Manager PID field or double click on the object
to open the Properties dialog for the object. Click on the Object
Descriptions page to edit IDs.
You will have to manually edit the
primary ID
in all worksheets associated with the map as well. Q17. I have a map of
the United States counties, how do I show the state boundaries around them?
A. Showing state borders around the counties involves using map layers.
StCounty.GSM is a MapViewer file containing the states and counties for the contiguous
United States. To create this map: Create or import your county map.
Counties.gsb contains all counties in the U.S., Ak.gsb through Wy.gsb contain counties for
the individual states. Next, create a new map layer (Map | Create
New Layer). Import a map of the U.S. into this new
layer. US50ll.gsb, US50alb.gsb, US50.gsb, and US48.gsb are all maps of the U.S. Change the line color and thickness, and
make sure the color fill pattern is set to "None."
Q18. How do I create
custom boundaries?
A. If your base map needs are not met by any digital map you have found
in MapViewer or elsewhere, then you will need to create your own base map. There are
several ways of going about this in MapViewer. Let's say you have areas defined by several
counties, and you want to combine them into one area. Select multiple counties by holding down the
SHIFT key while you click on each county. Once you have selected the all the
applicable counties, go to Boundary | Union of Areas. This command creates a new boundary
that shows only the outer edges of the county boundaries you selected. Please refer to
your MapViewer User's Guide for more information on Union of Areas options. Once you have created the new area, assign it a Primary ID with the PID edit control or through the Object
Property Manager.
New areas can also be developed using the Draw
| Area command. If you have some sort of base map to go on, you can simply draw areas on
your screen free hand. If your areas follow specific areas on [.GSB] files, you can trace
the line exactly by holding down the CTRL key and dragging the pointer along that line. If you have a paper map with the boundaries or
if you have a lot of digitizing to do, we recommend using Didger to accomplish this task.
Q19. How do I limit a map using an
ellipse, circle, rectangle, or rounded rectangle?
A. To use a
symmetric object (rectangle, circle, ellipse, etc) for defining map limits,
you must first convert the object to an area. To do this, select the
symmetric object and use the Boundary | Symmetric Shape to Area
command to convert it to an area object. Now you can select the area object
and use the Map | Limits command to limit the map to the extents of
the object.
Q20. I have a large bitmap imported
into MapViewer. When I try to convert the projection of the bitmap, the
bitmap with the new projection has a low resolution. What can I do?
A. If your bitmap is larger than 5000
pixels in the longest direction, changing the projection can result in a
bitmap that is coarse with poor resolution. So, we recommend changing the
projection of bitmaps only if the bitmap size is 5000 pixels or less in any
direction.
Q21. I have a bitmap in the map window
that is not part of the map itself (such as a company logo). When I change
the projection of the map, the bitmap behaves as if it is part of the map
and turns to nonsense. How can I change a map's projection without altering
the bitmap?
A. Use the File | Preferences command
to open the Preferences dialog. Check the Do not project bitmaps option
to exclude bitmaps from projection conversions.
Q22. When I try to
create a map, MapViewer says "There is no valid numeric data (within limits) in
column __, or PID is invalid."
A. This error is usually an indication that the data file and boundary
file are mismatched, or that the data are text instead of numbers. Check the Primary IDs
for the base map in the Object Property Manager, then go to File | Worksheet and check the
Primary IDs in the data file. If the Primary IDs do not match, then the map cannot be
created. If the Primary IDs do match, check the data
column used to create the map. If the data column is formatted as text, it will be left
justified. Text cannot be used to create a map. To easily reformat the data file and
reformat the text as numbers, save the data file in an ASCII format, such as [.CSV], and
use this file to create the map instead. Q23. I have invested
in Adobe typefaces. How do I use these typefaces with Golden Software products?
A. Since Golden Software's applications are 32-bit, we only support
TrueType scalable typeface technology. If you have a significant investment in Adobe Type
1 faces (i.e., you are using ATM under Windows), we recommend converting them to TrueType
format so they may be used with Golden Software products. Not only will you be able to use
them with our software, you will be able to use them with any Windows program. We
recommend TypeTool by Pyrus for this purpose. Q24. How do I create
an Encapsulated PostScript file with MapViewer?
A. An [.EPS] file is generated by printing the map to a file. You need to
print with a PostScript driver in order to create an [.EPS] file. Click the Windows Start button. Select Settings then Printers. If you do not have a PostScript driver
installed, click the Add Printer icon. Follow the directions and add any PostScript
printer (usually PS appears in the printer driver's title). Select FILE for the printer port. Open the printer properties by right
clicking on the printer and choosing Properties from the menu. Under PostScript output
format on the PostScript tab choose Encapsulated PostScript [.EPS]. To create an [.EPS] file from MapViewer
choose File | Print and select the PostScript printer. Next, the Print to File dialog box will be
displayed. Enter the path and file name to use for the [.EPS] file. Make sure to use the
[.EPS] extension on the file. Click OK to write
the map to an [.EPS] file.
An [.EPS] file produced in this manner does
not contain a bitmap preview. Some software applications, including MapViewer, need this
bitmap to display the image. If this is the case, use another export format in MapViewer,
such as the Windows Enhanced Metafile [.EMF], to generate the graphic to use in other software
applications. Q25. How do I create a
[.PDF] file with MapViewer?
A. You must have Adobe Acrobat installed to create [.PDF] files. [.PDF]
files are created through File | Print. In the Print dialog box, click the Name list down
arrow and then choose Acrobat Distiller or Acrobat PDFWriter from the list of printer
drivers. Click OK in the print dialog box to create the file. Q26. I have sent a
[.GSB] file to a colleague. When they try to use the [.GSB] file, they get an error
message stating that the file "does not appear to be in the correct format."
A. The [.GSB] file was created in a newer format than the software
supports. If you need to share [.GSB] files with someone using MapViewer 4 (or Surfer v.
7, or Didger v. 3), export the [.GSB] with the [.GSB] Version 4 option. Q27. I have pasted my
MapViewer map into another program and part of the map is missing.
A. If you have a multi-layered map, be sure to use the Edit | Copy Entire
Map command to copy all the layers. If you have used Copy Entire Map and part of the map
is still missing, you may need to edit the map or change a setting in the map.ini file. If
you are using Windows 98 or Me, this problem usually occurs when an area or curve has
over 5000 vertices (points). Use Boundary | Thin Boundary to thin out the number of
vertices to a number less than 5000. Alternatively, open the map.ini file in the MapViewer
folder and remove the semicolon from this line: DecomposeMetafilePolygonThreshold=4000 Save the map.ini file and restart MapViewer.
Try copy and pasting again. If parts of the pasted map are still missing, set
DecomposeMetafilePolygonThreshold=1, save the map.ini file, restart MapViewer and copy and
paste again. If that does not help, contact technical support. Q28. I have added
graticules to my map and checked the Place Graticules under Map option, but my graticules
still appear on top of the map. How can I place the graticules behind the map?
A. If the map contains only polylines or unfilled polygons, you will be
able to "see through" the map to the graticules. In this case, to make the
graticules appear behind the map: Select the map, Choose Draw | Properties, Click the Fill tab, Select a fill pattern other than
"none," Then select a color for your fill.
Q29. I want to show my
map to someone without MapViewer, do you have a viewer this person can download?
A. The demo version of MapViewer can be used to view the map. The demo is
available at http://www.goldensoftware.com/demo.shtml. All output capabilities
have been disabled in the demo so the maps cannot be altered. Alternatively, you can send
them your map as a picture [.WMF] or bitmap (TIFF, JPEG, etc.) since many programs read
those file types. Q30. Where can I find
boundary files?
A. MapViewer boundary files and data files are located in the MapViewer
Samples folder, on the MapViewer CD-ROM, and are available for download from our web site.
If you do not find what you need on the CD-ROM, we suggest searching the web for boundary
files. Try starting with our Useful
Links page. The best formats for thematic mapping are Atlas Boundary [.BNA], ESRI
Shapefiles [.SHP]+[.DBF], or ESRI ArcInfo Export Format [.E00]. These formats carry
Primary IDs, so you can create a thematic map with them directly. Other formats such as
AutoCAD [.DXF], metafiles, and bitmaps can be used as reference maps, though they would
have to be edited if you need to make thematic maps from them. Q31. I have pasted a
map into Word and the bottom and right side of the graphic is slightly cut off.
A. Usually, these graphics print fine although they do not appear
complete in Word. To show the complete graphic in Word, add a white symbol at the lower
right corner of your map before copying it. Q32. How do I create a
MapViewer version 2 or 3 prism map (no color) in MapViewer 5?
A.
If you wish to create prisms similar to the black and white prisms created
in MapViewer 3 or MapViewer 2, you can do so with the options on the Light
and Materials page.
To create black and white prisms
1. Make sure the base map does not contain any
color fill.
2. Select the Use Area Fill Colors option for the
Color method. If the base map color fill is set to NONE (check the
Object Property Manager), the prism color fill is set to white.
3. The Enable lighting box should not be checked.
4. Check the Add edges to prisms box and choose
the line color.
5. Click OK or Apply.
Q33. Help | Check for
Update is grayed out, why?
A. Check for Update is grayed out if you have a network version or if you
have a demo version. Q34. I cannot
uninstall MapViewer 5.
A. When MapViewer is installed, several original source files are copied
to a directory on your hard drive. These files are necessary to uninstall the software. If
these files are deleted, the software cannot be uninstalled. To uninstall MapViewer,
reinstall the previous version, then go through the uninstall process using the Control
Panel.
Q35: Does MapViewer 5 run on Windows
NT?
A.
MapViewer 5 is not supported under Windows NT, but it does run with NT4 SP6
and Internet Explorer 4 or higher. There are no known problems running
MapViewer 5 under NT. If you experience problems and we can duplicate them
under a supported version of Windows, we'll do all we can to resolve them.
If we can not duplicate the problem, we will not pursue it.
Q36. I am having a problem printing
("Out of global memory" error, only a portion of the map prints, etc.).
A. You may be able to work around the problem by changing some of the
printer settings. Different printer drivers have different settings, but here is a list of
the most common remedies: - Turn off print spooling.
- Change the print mode to "raster" or
"bitmap" to reduce the printer memory requirements.
- Change the printer driver to use the computer's memory
instead of the printer's memory.
- PostScript drivers often require more memory than
non-PostScript drivers for the same printer. Change drivers if possible and test the print
results.
- Check for other compatible printer drivers in your printer
documentation. For example, the HP LaserJet 4 driver could be used with the LaserJet 5
printer.
- Enable the Page Protect mode if available.
- Verify the version of your printer driver and possibly
update it. For example, the HP DesignJet 750C driver version 4.33 requires 80% less memory
than version 4.11
- Turn off View | Auto Redraw to free up additional memory.
- Resample the bitmaps in a graphics program (Corel Draw,
Paint Shop Pro, PhotoShop) to reduce the number of pixels and color depth in the bitmaps.
If the remedies above do not help, please contact technical
support with the exact nature of the problem, your operating system (i.e. Windows 98), the
printer model, and the print driver version number.
Q37. Is Technical Support free?
A. Yes, Technical Support is free to all users for as long as you
own the product. You must register your
product in order to receive technical support. You can reach technical
support by phone, fax,
or email.
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