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Choice
of language |
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During
installation of SoftMap, you are offered the choice
of English or French for Quebec and Ontario products.
We strongly recommend installing the French version
only if your computer operating system is in French
and vice-versa. |
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Before
installing SoftMap |
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1. Ensure your
computer system meets the system requirements as shown
on your box.
2. DISABLE any anti-virus programs before proceeding.
3. Read all the information in the package before proceeding.
4. Ensure that your display unit has the proper setting.
Go to My Computer, Control panel, Display, Settings,
and then set to High Colors - 16 bit. Failure to do
this will cause colors distortions when scrolling.
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Installing
an additional SoftMap product |
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When you wish
to install an additional product, proceed exactly as
you did with the installation of the original volume.
The second installation will be much lighter because
the install procedure will detect some necessary components
that will not be installed during the second install. |
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Opening
your SoftMap |
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If,
during installation, you created an icon on the Windows
desktop, you can use it to start SoftMap. Otherwise,
click Start at the bottom of the screen and then
point to Programs. In the "SoftMap title"
group (ex. SoftMap Plus, SoftMap Pro, The Guide to Fishing
and Hunting, etc ), click the "SoftMap title"
icon. |
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Information
and training on SoftMap |
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Lots
of help is close to hand and there are three
sources of information available after the installation.
1. MULTIMEDIA TUTORIAL
Select Tutorial in the Help menu and
a multimedia tutorial will open.
2. HELP FILE
Opening the Help 
icon on the toolbar gives access to more detailed
information and answers specific questions.
3. USER'S GUIDE
There is a detailed User's Guide available within
the software. To access this 159 pages manual, click
Start, then Programs, then "SoftMap
title", then User's Guide (you will
need Adobe
Acrobat Reader to view it).
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Navigating
in the maps Window |
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There are many
ways to move maps around on the screen. There are a
few here.
Move Map tool 
Select Move Map icon
from toolbar to active the tool. Click on the point
you wish to move the map from. While holding the
button down, move the mouse in the direction away
from where you wish to place the map.
Navigate using Geographical
Directions tool 
Click on the button
on the steering wheel corresponding to the direction
you want to navigate in. You can also click on the
plus (+) or minus (-) signs at the wheel's center
to zoom in or zoom out on the map.
Center Map tool 
Click on the map at the location you wish to make
the central point of the new map.
Navigational arrows
With either of the above selections, when the cursor
is moved to the edges or corners of the map, directional
arrows appear (see image below) and a click on an
arrow will cause map to move in that direction.Selection
of the Move Map Arrows will provide the same facility
with the navigation arrows.
Keyboard directional arrows
You can navigate by using the four directional
arrows on your keyboard. To travel diagonally, press
both arrows simultaneously (e.g : 
, to navigate northeastward).
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Displaying
coordinates in latitude and longitude |
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Double-click
on the right side of the status bar. Go to the dialog
box that appears on-screen
Under the tab Display coordinates, uncheck the
box Based on the map on-screen and
click Apply. |
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Changing
the map scale |
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When viewing
a map, right click your mouse button 
and Choose Scale up from the scrollable menu
to display a larger scale. Choose
Scale down to display a
smaller scale. For fast travel across the area, select
the theme you want (Topography
or Vegetation,
for instance) using the pointer of the mouse. In the
scrollable menu, click on the scale you wish to display.
The Overview
Window at the top left
side of the screen keeps track of your position.
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The
Maps are Seamlessly Joined |
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By now you will
have discovered the unique feature of this product and
found that the maps are seamlessly joined enabling the
user to scan continuously across the area. You can now
center any section for printing and there you are! your
house, cottage, store, etc. is right in the middle. |
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Compute
distances on an ongoing basis |
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Click the button 
. While holding the left mouse button down, move the
cursor over thebase map. A path will be drawn on the
map. The distance covered and the estimated time tocover
the distance will be continually updated in a dialog
box. |
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Customizing
a Map |
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1. ADD A SYMBOL
In the Session window, (center left screen) can be found
the initial list of symbols.
Open the Symbols
box clicking on positive sign (+) on his left and
this will reveal approximately 75 symbols included
in the personal database. To
add symbols in the personal database, highlight the
word Symbols, right click, and then select Add Symbols
to bring up a further 500 symbols.
To add a symbol o the map,
select Add Point
icon 
from toolbar Graphic
edition
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A symbol window will appear
in the middle of the screen. Select a symbol, move
the cursor to the location required and left click.
Note that in the software terminology,
when a symbol is added to a map it is referred to
as a point.
2. ADD TEXT
Select the Add Text icon 
from the toolbar Graphic
edition  .
A small text properties window will appear in the
middle of your screen.
Choose the font and character
size, then click on the map at the place you wish
to place the text. Note that the text box can be expanded
by corner arrows. Try to select an area free from
heavy detail or your text will not be prominent.
3. ADD A LINE
Click the Add line
button 
from the toolbar Graphic
edition  .
On the base map, click on the point you wish to be
the start of the line you draw. Thenclick at different
points on the map to draw the line. Press the right
button of your mouse and select, in the contextual
menu that appears, the Accept
option, if you want to confirm the line, the Cancel
option, if you want to start again.
4. RELOCATE GRAPHIC ITEMS
Select arrow icon 
from toolbar Selection
and position it over the item to relocate. Click left
button and the element will turn negative. Hold the
mouse button down, slide the point to its new position
and release the button.
5. DELETE GRAPHIC ITEMS
Select arrow
icon from toolbar, position
this over element to be deleted and select it with
a left click. Right click and from the drop down menu
select delete.
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Printing
Maps |
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Note that you
may print in monochrome or color. Be sure to select
desired map scale by right clicking on the map window.
There are two ways to print
out maps with SoftMap.
You can print an on-screen map simply by clicking
Print.
Or, you can first define a printing zone with a cartridge
and then print out the map using the same button.
To print the map shown
on the screen:
Go to File menu
and select Print,
then Map or use Printer icon 
on toolbar.
Printing zone with a cartridge:
1. Select a scale covering
the entire zone you wish to print. Then click Create
printing zone with cartridge
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2. On the map, click the location
you want to be the central point of the printing zone.
A dialog box will automatically appear. In it, you
can specify the display properties of the one to be
printed (style, color, etc.) and determine the output
parameters.
Notes
A cartridge will frame the
printing zone on the printout or the print preview.
It containsinformation about the base map and any
additional data that may appear on this map.
Printing zones are referenced
and conserved in the session window under the Printing
zones tab. Here, you
can alter their properties by right-clicking on the
zone you want andthen selecting the desired option
from the context menu.
Map Grids
You can print a UTM grid on
your printout. To add a UTM grid, go in your session
window on the Map
Grids tab and select
the wanted grid in the list. The grid selected will
appear in the Map window but only at the scale identified
in his name. From then on, your printouts will contain
the selected grid if you print at the same scale. |
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Sending
a Map to Microsoft Word |
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Maps may be
sent to Microsoft Word for various uses, including sending
as an attachment to an e-mail. There are two basic methods.
1. To transfer the whole screen
including the toolbar, borders etc, click the "Print
Screen" button on
your computer keyboard, go to "Word" and
click on "Paste"
icon.
2. To transfer the map element
of the screen only, click on the "Copy
to clipboard" icon
on toolbar, go to word and click on "Paste"
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Technical
Support |
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Owners of a SoftMap
licence have access to our free on-line support.
Before contacting Technical Support, please ensure
that you have a detailed and accurate description
of the fault condition. Then, send us an e-mail at:
assist@softmaptech.com. |
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