Interactive Map User's Guide

The Toolbar (Left-Hand Panel)

 Legend/Layer List Toggle
This tool allows you to toggle between the legend or the layer list in the right-hand panel of the viewer.

 Overview Map Toggle
This tool allows you to turn on or off the overview map that is displayed in the upper left corner of the map panel.

 Zoom In
The magnifying glass with the plus sign is used to zoom in on a specific point on the map. To use the tool, select the zoom in icon from the tool bar, then click, or drag a box on the map. To draw the zoom-in box, click the left mouse button, and, while holding it down, drag the cursor to the other corner of the area you want to magnify, releasing the button. The specified area will be enlarged. If you click the map, the point on which you click becomes the center of magnification, and, subsequently, the center of the new map.
 
 Zoom Out
The magnifying glass with the minus sign is used to zoom out from the map to view a larger area. To use the tool, select the zoom out icon from the map tool panel, then click, or drag a box on the map. To draw the zoom-out box, click the left mouse button, and, while holding it down, drag the cursor to the other corner of the area you want to reduce, releasing the button. The specified area will be reduced and a larger area of the map is displayed. As a rule, the smaller the box, the larger the area displayed. If you click the map, the point on which you click becomes the center of magnification, and, subsequently, the center of the new map.
 
 Full Extent
The full extent tool allows you to quickly zoom out to the map's maximum extent (full view). To use the full extent function, simply click on the full extent icon. The full map area will be displayed in the map panel. 

 Zoom to Active Extent
The 'Zoom to Active Extent' tool allows you to quickly zoom out to the maximum extent of the currently active layer. To use the tool, insure that the layer you wish to zoom to is the active layer in the layer list, then simply click on the 'Zoom to Active Extent' icon.

 Zoom to Last Extent
The 'Zoom to Last Extent' tool allows you to quickly zoom back to the last extent you were viewing.

 Pan
The hand is the pan tool. Panning is a useful function that allows you to move around the map without changing the scale. Think of it as shifting a paper map across a desktop in order to view a different portion of it. To use the pan tool, select the pan icon from the tool bar, then click and hold down the left mouse button. Drag the map in the direction you want to pan, releasing the mouse button when you are done.

 Pan (Direction)
Pans the view in the north, south, east and west directions.

 Identify
The stylized "i" icon is the Identify tool. This tool allows you to retrieve attribute information about features on the map. To use this tool, make the layer you would like to identify features on the active layer. Only feature layers are identifiable - images do not possess attribute information that you can retrieve. Once you have specified an active layer, position your cursor on top of the feature you are interested in, and click with the left mouse button. The identify results will appear in a table below the map.
 
 Query
Clicking the Query tool produces a form in the panel underneath the map that you can use to build a query. The "Query Builder" queries features based on their attribute values. Both numeric and text strings are acceptable search strings. You must, however, use single quotes around values that are text strings.

To build and execute a query follow these steps:

1. Click a layer in the layer list to make it active.
2. Click the Query tool button.
3. Select a field to query from the drop-down menu.
4. Select an operator to be used in the expression.
5. Click the "Get Samples" button to get sample attribute values from the shapefile or type a value for the expression.
6. Click the "Add to Query String" button.
7. Click "Execute" to execute the query.
8. If your query returns some results they will be displayed in the lower panel.
9. Click on the highlighted number to zoom to a feature on the map.

 Find
The Find tool can be used to search for features in a map layer. The Find tool performs a keyword search in the attribute table of the currently active layer. When you select the Find tool, a search form appears in the panel beneath the map. Use the text box provided to enter a string to search for. Note: the search is Case-Sensitive. When you are finished entering the string, click the "Find String" button to execute your search. If a match was found for your keyword, the results will appear in a table below the map.
 
 Measure
The measure tool allows to measure distances on the map. To use the tool, select it from the toolbar, then click on the map. A red dot will appear to indicate your starting point. Clicking on the map a second time will draw a second point and connect the two with a red and white line. In the upper left hand corner of the map panel a display will appear showing you the length (in feet) of the segment you have just drawn. You can continue to draw additional line segments - the length of each segment will be added to your total distance measured. To clear the line(s) click the "Clear Selected" button .

 Set Units
Click the button and select a new distance unit.  This will affect the scalebar, measuring, and buffering.  The default value is feet.

 Buffer
Create a buffer around a feature.  Select a feature and then click the buffer button.  Enter a distance for the buffer and a layer that you want to highlight features from and then click "Buffer".  A new map will be returned that shows the buffer and features that fell within it.  Buffering may take some time depending on the layer you choose to highlight and your buffer distance.  Check the "Display Attributes" checkbox prior to buffering to get a list of features that fall within the buffer.
 
 Select by Rectangle
You can use the "Select by Rectangle" tool to select features and view their attribute values. To use the tool:

1. Click a layer in the layer list to make it active.
2. Click the "Select by Rectangle" button.
3. Click and drag a rectangle on the map to select a feature(s).
4. The attribute values for the selected feature(s) will appear in the panel beneath the map.

To clear the selected features click the "Clear Selected" button .
 
 Select by Line/Polygon
The "Select by Line/Polygon" tool works in much the same way as the "Select by Rectangle" tool (see section above). This tool, however, gives you the ability to draw a "customized" polygon shape around the features you wish to select or draw a transect line that passes throught multiple features. To use the tool:

1. Click a layer in the layer list to make it active.
2. Click the "Select by Line/Polygon" button.
3. Click once to draw your starting point; a red dot will appear.

To draw a line:
4a. Click a second point on the map; a red line will be drawn between the two points. In the panel beneath the map click the "Complete Line & Select" button. Any feature that comes in contact with the line will be selected.

To draw a polygon:
4b. Continue adding points until you have defined the shape you wish to draw. In the panel beneath the map click the "Complete Polygon & Select" button. Any feature that falls within the boundaries of your polygon will be selected. The attribute values for the selected feature(s) will appear in the panel below the map.

To clear the selected features click the "Clear Selected" button .
 
 Print
The print tool generates a print preview page that you can send to your local printer. When you click the print tool you will be prompted for a title to place on the print page.

Layer List/Legend (Right-Hand Panel)

A Layer / Legend selector frame is present to the right of the map. This area displays either a list of available layers (and toggles to make them visible and/or active), or a legend explaining the symbols and colors used to display features.

To switch between viewing the layers list and the legend, use the layer/legend toggle tool in the toolbar .

It is important to note that:
•   only the layer marked "active" in the list will be accessible to/selectable by the tools in the toolbar
•   only layers marked "visible" in the list will be shown in the map area
•   you must refresh the map to see layers newly made "visible" using the layer list

How to make a layer visible:
•   If necessary, click on the legend/layer tool icon to make the list of layers visible.
•   Click the "visible" option next to the layer that you wish to view.
•   Click on the "refresh map" button below the layer list to redraw the map.
•   The selected layer will now be visible on the map.

How to make a layer active:
•   If necessary, click on the legend/layer tool icon to make the list of layers visible.
•   Click the "active" option next to the layer that you wish to query.
•   Click the "visible" option if not already selected (remember to refresh the map).
•   The selected layer will now be active on the map.

Making a layer active is required to implement some of the functions like FIND, QUERY, BUFFER, and SELECT. Raster data, such as aerial photos, cannot be made active, and are not displayed in the legend.