Help with Mapping Window Close Window

Overview:
This window allows you to measure distances or change the type, scale and size of the map you are viewing. You may add coverage layers, remove location rings, change the base layer map type, change the map center location, identify features and change the map scale all using this window. Below is an explanation of how to use the features. Please note that every time you make a choice, therefore changing some aspect of the map view, the map will automatically refresh.

Left of Map:

• Point of Interest - this refers to the point that you want to perform a search around.
  • Submit button - returns coordinates when map page initiated from a form.
  • Change to clicked map point - as you point and click around the map, you are changing the area of interest. Notice that the lat/long values above change as you move around the map.
  • Fixed at - this fixes your point of interest to the most recent clicked point. Notice that after you have chosen this, the lat/long values remain constant as you move (by clicking) around the map.
  • Display - clicking on this button results in the point of interest being displayed in the center tile of the map on this page.
  • Show position rings - allows you to turn on/off the position rings (bull's eye) around your point which is a default display.
  • Show Search Area - allows you to turn on/off shading for your search area when map page initiated from a form.
• Base Map - allows you to decide what type of base map you want to view on this map. Some choices such as "Topography" may allow you to more easily and clearly determine your point of interest. The default display is "County". You can click on the "Choices" link to get a description of each map type or simply use the drop down menu to make your choice. The map will automatically refresh once you have made a choice.
  • Topography - a topographical map. This has roads, water bodies, forests, forested lands, disturbed areas, and the rise and fall of the land marked on it.
  • Satellite - these are satellite photographs (Digital Ortho-photo Quarter Quads - DOQQs) of Virginia in black and white.
  • County - (default) - this is a white map with only the county lines, names and FIPS codes marked on it.
  • Hydrography - this is a white map with only the watersheds in Virginia outlined, named and coded on it.
  • TopoIndex - also a topographical map, this one is distributed by the USGS.
  • White - a white map with only the position rings viewable.
• Map Overlay - allows you to decide which overlays or "layers" you would like to see on the map. In this case, you have to click on the "choices" link in order to view your options. Once you check off the layer(s) you desire, click on the "apply" to refresh the map.
  • Trout - overlays trout designated trout streams from the Cold Water Stream Survey.
  • Anadromous - overlays designated anadromous fish use areas.
  • TE Waters - overlays designated threatened and/or endangered species waters.
  • Bald Eagle nests, concentration areas, and roosts.
  • Tier I & II - show Virginia Department of Games and Inland Fisheries Wildlife Action Plan Tier I & II species observations as 2 mile buffers.
  • Habitat - show predicted habitat for many Virginia Department of Games and Inland Fisheries Wildlife Action Plan Tier I & II species.
  • Position rings - show rings drawn around the point of interest.
  • Database Records found in search (only available if these records exist within your search area)
    • Search area - displays your search area on the map.
    • SppObs - overlay all species observation records found in your search area.
    • BBA - overlay all Breeding Bird Atlas records found in your search area.
    • CWB - overlay all Colonial Water bird Colonies found in your search area.
    • Observation - overlay selected record identified in a report.
• Map Overlay Legend - located beneath the map overlay option, it describes features on the map such as search area, collection locations, trout streams. Identifies each color on the map overlay.

Above the Map:

• Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources shield - link to Va. DWR home page.
• small image of Virginia boundary - shows location and coverage of current map
• Back - link to view previous map
• coordinates - shows location of mouse pointer when over the map.
• Refresh Browser Page - request a new map page that can be bookmarked.
• "Click Map" - Three adjacent buttons direct action of a Mouse click on the map to a "Pan" action or an "ID" popup window or a "Map Measure Tool". The current "Click Map" action is indicated by the brightest of these three buttons. Click on a dim button to disable the current "Click Map action" and enable your choice.
  • Pan - Change Location Viewed - when activated allows you to point and click on the map to have a new area shown in the map center. the center to the point clicked.
  • ID - Identify Features - when activated allows you to identify certain features on the map. For example, if you have chosen to look at a map with multiple collection points on it and then decide you want to identify one from the other, simply click on the "ID" button and then click on the feature of interest on the map. A window will pop up that contains the known attributes for all features at that neighborhood.
  • M - Map Measure Tool - this feature, when activated by clicking on it, allows you to measure distance and area. A pop-up window will appear with controls for directing the measure tool. Choosing "Drag Your Mouse" allows you to hold the left mouse button while delineating an area. When in "Drag Your Mouse" mode the "Backup" control will remove the last line. Choosing "Point Your Mouse" allows you to point and click precise points to form a line or polygon. When in "Point Your Mouse" mode the "Backup" control will remove the last point from the line. Click on the "Finish" control for a report. Click twice on the "Finish" control to clear your points and lines. "Show Coordinates" displays a text area containing coordinate data for your points and lines. When done with the map measure tool you may close the tool control window, or click one of the "Pan", "ID", or "M" buttons to resume a "Click Map Action."
• Map Scale Zoom - this option found above the map allows you to zoom in and out on the map. Clicking on the bars to left zoom you in and clicking on the bars to the right zoom you out.
• Screen Size - this option, also found above the map, allows you to increase or decrease the size of the map on the screen. Clicking on the bars to the right left decreases the map size and clicking on the bars to the right increases the map size.
• Help - link to this "Help" page.

Below the Map:

• Scale Bar - located beneath the map, this changes as the scale of the map changes. You can use this bar to measure distance on the map.
• North arrow - located underneath the map, this displays the direction of North on the map.
• Coordinate System - located underneath the map, this allows you to choose the system for displaying coordinates.
• Map Information - located underneath the map, this information may help you determine map scale and type, your point of interest coordinates and the map location (the center tile point).

Printing the map:

VaFWIS Maps Measure Tool uses "background color" to show the drawn line. Under normal circumstances, to save ink, background-colors are not printed. Your browser needs to be enabled to print "background colors" in order to print the Map Measure line. Recommendation: disable printing of background-color when finished printing VaFWIS Maps.
Set Print for Background-Color as of May 2011:

• Google Chrome 11
  • don't know how
• Firefox
  1. Click browser menu "File" - "Page Setup".
  2. View the "Format & Options" tab.
  3. Underneath "Options", check "Print Background (colors & images)".
• IE
  1. click browser menu "Tools" - "Internet Options"
  2. View the "Advanced" tab.
  3. Scroll down to the Printing options.
  4. Check "Print Background (colors & images)".
• Opera 11
  1. Click "File" - "Page Options".
  2. Check "Print Page Background".
• Safari 5
  • don't know how

Browser Issues with Zoom as of May 2011:

• Apple Safari 5 - no known issues
• Google Chrome 11 - no known issues
• Microsoft IE 6 - change text size - map not resized; position is calculated correctly
• Microsoft IE 7 - zoom - map position not available or not correctly calculated when browser set for zoom in or zoom out ( set browser zoom at 100% )
• Microsoft IE 8 - no known issues ( meta tag sets Emulate IE7 mode )
• Mozilla Firefox 3 - no known issues
• Mozilla Firefox 4 - no known issues
• Opera 11 - no known issues