The problem:
I used freehand tools to modify a feature, but
it doesn't stay where I put it when I zoom in and out or pan around the map.
Why it's happening:
Maptitude lets you edit maps in two ways:
- Using freehand items to embellish your maps by adding text,
symbols, lines, circles, rectangles, and other graphics
- Using map editing tools to add, delete, or change the
features in a geographic file
Freehand items are useful for making a map more
informative, effective, and attractive. Maptitude displays freehand items each time the
map is drawn, after all layers, themes, and labels have been displayed. The freehand items
embellish the map, adding an overlay without changing the geographic file, although they
are saved as part of the map file.
Map editing tools allow you to make changes to the map that
do change the geographic file and become part of the same layer and same database as other
features in the layer.
Maptitude uses a geographic file to store the locations and
shapes of features in a map layer. A geographic file is really a collection of several
files stored on your computer's hard disk or on a CD. These files contain all the
information needed to display features on a map, and tabular data that describe each map
feature. For example, tabular data on a city would include information on its longitude
and latitude, the state and county in which it is located, the population, and other
information.
The tabular data on a feature are joined to that feature by
means of ID numbers that are unique to each feature.
Whenever you create a new feature using the map editing
tools, either by adding one or splitting an existing one into parts, Maptitude assigns
each new feature a unique ID number. When you join features together, Maptitude keeps the
ID of the first feature you picked.
If you want to add features to a map created by Maptitude,
you must use the map editing tools. When you add a feature using freehand tools, you do
nothing to the database that includes information on the locations and shapes of features
in a map layer. Instead, you essentially create a bitmap "doodle" that is
managed separately from the database. Since the freehand object is not part of the same
layer and same database as the other features, it is not attached firmly to the rest of
the geography, and it can move around when you move around in the map.
When you add a feature using the map editing tools instead
of the freehand tools, the feature becomes part of the same layer and same database. It
therefore doesn't move in relationship to the other features in the map. You must,
however, update the tabular database when you make changes.
Most geographic files include tabular data that describe
each map feature. When you edit a geographic file, the tabular data are also affected.
When you delete a feature, any data for that feature are deleted. When you add a feature,
the tabular data will be missing until you add some.
When you split or join area features, Maptitude creates new
features without any tabular data. The data from the features that were joined or split
are deleted. You can use the optional Data Update feature to preserve data when features
are joined or split.
Geographic File Formats
Maptitude geographic files come in two
formats:
- A compact, read-only format that displays very quickly
- An editable format that takes more space and displays less
quickly
When you create new geographic files, they are in the
editable format, so you can modify them right away. Most Maptitude geographic files,
however, are delivered in the compact, read-only format, and before you can edit them you
must convert them into the editable format.
When you complete your edits, you may want to convert the
geographic file back to the compact, read-only format, since it takes up less space and
displays more quickly.
Compact, read-only geographic files have a file extension
of .CDF. Editable geographic files have a file extension of .DBD.
What to do about it:
To solve your problem, we will cover the
following areas:
- Creating a new geographic file and adding it to a map
- Editing features
To create a new geographic file and add it to a map
- Choose File-New to display the
Create New File dialog box.
- Choose whether to create a point, line, or area layer.
- Enter a name for the layer.
- Click OK to create the empty file. Maptitude displays the
File Save As dialog box.
- Enter a name for the file and click OK.
Maptitude creates an empty geographic file for the map
layer.
Maptitude adds the empty layer to the active map and sets
the new layer as the working layer. You are now ready to use the editing tools to add
features to the layer.
- Choose Tools-Map Editing to
display the Map Editing toolbox.
- Use the map editing tools to update the map.
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