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- National Geographic Topo!
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- To be fucnctional with Topo on a SAR you should learn to:
- Open & save Topo (Olympic Region & any .tpo/.tpg files
associated with a mission
- Move around the map (pan, zoom, magnify)
- Manage Wayoints (create, locate, edit, delete, label)
- Print & export maps (of the area of interest)
- Measure directions & distances (to features & between
waypoints)
- Create routes (to measure distance, build profiles)
- Access map info (pub dates, datum, legend info)
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- Interface
- Waypoints & grids
- Printing
- Measuring direction & distance
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- Topo file types and saving files
- Searching and moving in Topo
- Routes & Profiles
- Map info & legends
- Summary ( what you need to know)
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- Many of TOPO!’s most important features, like elevation profiling, can
only be accessed from pop-up option menus. All objects that you add to
maps (routes, waypoints, direction lines, symbols and text labels)
contain pop-up menus that provide options. These menus can be accessed
by placing your cursor over an object.
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- Tip: Waypoints and GPS routes can only be edited or activated when you
are using the Waypoint Tool. To pop-up an option menu on a waypoint, be
sure you are using the Waypoint Tool.
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- The status bar running along the bottom of the TOPO! window provides
real-time help and information.
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- Reading coordinates in TOPO!:
- Look in the lower right corner of the status bar to find coordinate
information. By default, coordinates are displayed in degrees, minutes,
seconds using the latitude / longitude coordinate system. The default
datum is the North American Datum of 1983 (NAD83). This datum is
essentially equivalent to WGS84, used by most GPS receivers
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- Placing a New Waypoint:
- 1. Choose Waypoint from the Tool menu.
- 2. Move the cursor to the point on the map you wish to mark. (Note: As
you move the cursor, its coordinates are displayed in the bottom right
corner of your screen.)
- 3. Left click to place a Waypoint.
- Once you have placed the point,
the TOPO! Waypoint Editor will appear onscreen. The Editor can be used
to name the current waypoint (TOPO! will number them sequentially by
default)
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- Moving and Editing Waypoints
- Waypoints can be moved them on the map. If you want to edit a
waypoint's coordinates, name, or elevation, open its Waypoint Editor:
- 1. Choose Waypoint from the Tool menu.
- 2. Position your cursor over the waypoint and right-click to access the
pop-up option menu.
- 3. Select Properties… from the pop-up option menu.
- 4. This will open the Waypoint Editor, where you can edit the
waypoint's properties.
- 5. Click OK to apply any changes you've made to the waypoint.
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- Using Grids
- Grid lines on a printed map allow you to easily identify your position
when you obtain your coordinates from a GPS receiver. TOPO! can provide
either latitude/longitude or UTM coordinate reference data, scaled to
your specifications. Once activated, your grid lines will automatically
appear on printed maps.
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- To add grid lines to any map:
- 1. Select Grid… from the View menu. The TOPO! Grid Wizard will appear.
- 2. Use the Grid Wizard to Choose a grid type (Lat/Long or UTM) and
interval (in seconds or meters, accordingly).
- 3. Next, Specify the map level that should display this grid.
- 4. Finally, Pick a color for the grid lines. You may also specify solid
or dashed lines.
- 5. Click Finish to apply the grid lines to your map.
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- Saving GPS Data to the Hard Drive – .tpg Documents Like .tpo files,
.tpg files allow you to save and organize different sets of custom
data. But whereas .tpo files contain route, symbol, text, and bookmark
information, .tpg files are concerned exclusively with preserving GPS
waypoint and route data
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- Saving GPS waypoints and/or GPS routes
- From the File menu, select Save (.tpg) File or Save (.tpg) File As...
This will save all your current waypoints and routes in a .tpg file for
later reference.
- Open (.tpg) File… from the File menu.
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- Most of the maps in TOPO! are much larger than a printed page. The Print
Tool allows you to easily define a page-sized area of map for printing
or copying to the clipboard. To print a map from TOPO!, do the
following:
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- 1. Choose Print from the Tool menu. A red rectangle with an “X” through
its center will appear on the map. This rectangle shows the current Selection
Area; its size defaults to the amount of map that will exactly fit on
the printed page.
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- 2. Left click on the map at the center of the area you wish to print.
(You can also drag the Selection Area rectangle around on the map to
adjust the print boundaries).
- 3. Click the Print Map button at the lower right portion of the screen.
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- Selecting an Area of Map to Print
- When you select the Print Tool, a red rectangle with an “X” through its
center will appear on the map. This rectangle shows the current
Selection Area: its size defaults to the amo unt of map that will
exactly fit on the printed page. This is indicated by a checked box
called Select 1 Full Page that appears in the print options at the
right side of the screen. To print a full page map, make sure this box
is checked. The selection area can be moved by clicking on a new center
point on the map or grabbing and dragging a side
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- Printing less than one full page
- 1. Un-check the “Select 1 Full Page” box found on the right side of
your screen among the Print Options.
- 2. Redraw the Selection Area to your specifications by placing the
cursor at one corner of the desired area and holding down the left
mouse button while dragging the mouse to draw a new rectangle.
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- Using the Print Preview Pane
- The Print Preview pane lets you review the boundaries of the Selection
Area before you print. Once you have defined your Selection Area, refer
to the Print Preview pane in the upper right corner of your screen. The
red rectangle and “X” represent the portion of map that will be
printed. The white rectangle background represents the sheet of paper
in the current printer
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- To Review the Boundaries of the
Selection Area
- 1. The dark blue rectangle in the Print Preview pane indicates the
portion of the Selection Area currently in view on-screen.
- 2. Move the cursor within the Print Preview pane. A light blue
rectangle and targeting circle will appear.
- 3. Left-click to center the main-screen map display on the point
indicated by the light-blue targeting circle. Target the boundaries of
your Selection Area to confirm that the selected area is what you want
to print.
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- Adjusting the Magnification of
the Printed Map
- To increase the magnification of the map, click the Custom...
magnification button, then enter a scaling factor of 75%, 100 %, or
even larger. To reduce the magnification of the map, click the
Custom... magnification button, then enter a scaling factor of 40% or
even smaller. To get an exact
area defined on the map to expand or shrink to fit a page, click the
Custom... magnification button, then choose Magnify or reduce selected
map to exactly fit 1 page.
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- Including Headers, Elevation
Profiles and other Reference Data
- The Include section in the lower right corner of the Print Options pane
allows you to choose the marginalia that will be printed around the
borders of your map.
- Scale Bar box to include a distance scale reference bar in your print.
- North Arrow will place an indicator on your print identifying both true
and magnetic north.
- Grid Labels option will print the latitude and longitude or UTM
coordinates of the grid lines
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- Copying and Exporting Maps
- Individual map selections can be copied and pasted into other
applications, or exported to disk for use in other programs. Copying a
map to the clipboard
- 1. Define your Selection Area using the Print Tool
- 2. Choose Copy Map from the File menu to copy the current Selection
Area to your computer’s clipboard. The map can then be pasted into
documents, graphics files, etc
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- 1. Define your Selection Area using the Print Tool
- 2. Choose Export Map to Disk… from the File menu to save the current
Selection Area.
- You will have the option to specify the graphics file format in which
you would like the map saved (i.e.: .bmp, .jpeg, .gif, .tiff, etc.)
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- Use the Compass Tool to measure direction and distance between any two
points.
- TOPO! can display directions relative to True North or relative to the
magnetic north pole
- You can toggle between these two modes via the Preferences menu
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- The Compass Tool can be used in two different modes. Radial Mode is
useful when you want to measure the direction from one location on the
map to several other locations. The anchor point will remain fixed at
point A when a direction line is created from point A to point B. Waypoint
Mode is useful when you want to measure a series of directions along a
zig zagging route
- You can toggle between these two modes via the Preferences menu
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- To measure direction from an anchor point to your cursor
- 1. Choose Compass from the Tool menu.
- 2. Position the cursor where you would like to place an anchor point
- 3. Left click to place an anchor point
- Once you have placed an anchor point on the map, TOPO! displays the
direction and distance from the anchor point to your cursor in the
status bar. TOPO! updates the display as you move your cursor.
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- Once you place an anchor point, you can move to nearby locations with
the traveling cursor at the edge of the map or to distant locations on
the overview maps. You can also switch map levels by right clicking on
the map and your anchor point will remain fixed at its location.
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- To draw a direction line between two points
- 1. Left click the Compass Tool button on your toolbar or choose Compass
from the Tools menu
- 2. Position the anchor cursor where you would like the direction line
to start
- 3. Left click to place the anchor point
- 4. Left click again at the position where you would like the direction
line to end
- 5. TOPO! will draw a direction line between the two points
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- To draw a direction line between two points
- 6. To reposition the anchor point, left click the anchor on the map or
the compass tool button on the toolbar After drawing a direction line,
TOPO! will display the line distance and azimuth in a pop-up text box
and on the status bar when you place the cursor over the direction
line.
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- Placing an Anchor Point on Top of Other Custom Objects
- You can place an anchor point on top of other routes, symbols, text
labels or direction lines without selecting the custom object below.
- 1. Choose Compass from the Tool menu.
- 2. Hold down the “Ctrl” key.
- 3. Move the cursor over the object and place the anchor for the
direction line.
- 4. Release the “Ctrl” key.
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- Opening and Saving .tpo Documents
- When you start TOPO! by double clicking the TOPO! icon, the program
asks you to open a region (.tpo) document. Ours is: OLYMPICS.TPO
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- It is also where TOPO! stores any custom information you may have added
to a map, such as routes, symbols, text labels, and bookmarks. (But
not GPS waypoint & route
info, see .tpg)
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- TOPO!’s maps can be navigated in many ways. You can zoom in or out to
see different levels of map detail, scroll across map boundaries, and
jump instantly to any location for which you know the name or
coordinate.
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- To zoom using the Zoom Tool:
- 1. Choose Zoom from the Tool menu.
- 2. Position the magnifying cursor where you want to zoom in.
- 3. Left click to zoom in one level.
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- To scroll the map with the Traveling Tool:
- 1. Choose Traveling from the Tool menu, or simply position the cursor
near the edge of the map
- when using another tool.
- 2. Position the arrow cursor in the direction you want to move.
- 3. Hold the left mouse button down to begin traveling.
- 4. Release the mouse button to stop traveling.
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- The Centering Tool will bring any location to the center of your screen.
- To use the Centering Tool:
- 1. Choose Centering from the Tool menu.
- 2. Position the cursor on the map.
- 3. Left click to center the cursor’s location.
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- To navigate using the Overview Maps:
- 1. Place your cursor over the Overview Maps on the right side of the
screen
- 2. A light blue rectangle will appear in place of your cursor. The dark
blue rectangle represents the area currently on display
- 3. Position the light blue rectangle over the area of map you wish to
jump to
- 4. Left click to jump to the light blue rectangle’s location.
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- Tip: If you are viewing USGS 7.5’ quad maps, TOPO! displays an overview
map that shows a thumbnail of the entire 7.5’ quad you are viewing as
well as the quad’s name. Use the bottom overview map to jump to a
different USGS quad map in the region.
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- To search for a named location:
- 1. Choose Find (Gazetteer) from the View menu.
- 2. Choose List All Features from the search dialog box. (To narrow your
search, choose List Only
- Features of Type and choose a specific feature such as “Summit” or
“Lake” to search by.)
- 3. Begin typing the first few letters of the location you are looking
for.
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- To search for a named location:
- 4. Click on an entry in the list to preview its location on a small
overview map.
- 5. To jump to the selected location, click the Go button.
- 6. The location you selected will appear at the center of your screen
at the intersection of the red cross hairs.
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- The Coordinate Locator will find a given latitude and longitude or UTM
location on the map.
- To search for a coordinate:
- 1. From the View menu, choose Coordinate Locator or left click the
coordinate display in the lower right corner of the status bar.
- 2. Use the keyboard to enter the latitude and longitude or UTM values
of the position you want to find.
- 3. Choose the map level that you
want to view the position on.
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- 4. Click the Go button to jump to that position on the map.
- 5. The position you entered will appear at the center of your screen at
the intersection of the red cross hairs.
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- The Coordinate Locator can also be used to measure direction and
distance between a location on the map and a coordinate value entered
into the coordinate locator.
- place an anchor point on a bridge and enter the coordinates of a
summit, and the Coordinate Locator will report the direction and
distance between the two locations.
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- To determine the direction and distance to a distant landmark’s
location:
- 1. Use the Compass Tool to place an anchor point on the map
- 2. Choose Coordinate Locator from the View menu.
- 3. Enter the latitude and longitude or UTM value for the desired
destination point.
- 4. TOPO! will display the distance and direction from the anchor point
to the new coordinate in the Coordinate
Locator window.
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- Tip: The coordinate locator will measure direction and distance from a
point on the map to coordinates that are outside of the area of
coverage. This can be useful for determining which direction to look to
view distant landmarks, such as summits
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- The Route Tool is essential for measuring distance, customizing maps,
building elevation profiles and creating GPS routes.
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- Drawing a Route
- 1. Choose Route from the Tool menu.
- 2. Position the cursor over the map where you want the route to begin.
- 3. Left-click and release the mouse to begin drawing a new route. (The
pencil cursor will change from horizontal to an upright position to
indicate that you are in drawing mode.)
- 4. When your route is complete, left-click to stop drawing.
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- For straight line segments
- 1. Hold down the shift key while drawing to start a straight segment.
The pencil cursor icon will be replaced by a targeting cursor.
- 2. Position the targeting cursor where you would like to end the
straight line segment. (If you position the cursor at the edge of the
screen, the map will scroll automatically)
- 3. Release the shift key to end the line segment
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- To correct a mistake while drawing
- Hold the right mouse button down and backtrack as far as necessary to
erase.
- Displaying a Route on Multiple
Map Levels
- Routes, like all custom objects added to the maps, can be displayed on
any or all map levels.
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- Measuring and Displaying Distance
- Once you left-click to finish drawing a route, TOPO! automatically
calculates the route’s distance. This information can be viewed
temporarily or placed in a text label.
- Tip: The distance calculated does not account for terrain and elevation
changes, but it will follow a trail or river bed
- If you wish to determine the
actual terrain distance, build an elevation profile
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- Displaying distance at a glance
- TOPO! will display the route distance in a pop-up text box and on the
status bar at the bottom of your screen when you place the cursor over
any part of your route.
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- TOPO! can generate an Elevation Profile for any route you trace on the
map.
- An elevation profile is a graphic representation of the vertical gain
and loss along a route. Elevation profiles can show the following
statistics for a route: total gain, total loss, net gain, average
grade, and true overland distance. Elevation profiles can be printed,
copied, and saved to disk for use in other applications.
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- Once you have drawn a route, you are ready to build an elevation profile
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- The Build Profile command, located in the pop-up option menu, will
generate the profile After drawing a profile, TOPO! displays the
route’s statistics in the profile window. Interactive features in the
profile window allow you to identify where a point on the profile is located
on the map, zoom in on a specific section of the profile, and change
the scale of the profile
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- To use the Build Profile command:
- 1. Draw a route using the Route Tool
- 2. Choose the route by placing your cursor over it.
- 3. Right-click the mouse to access the route’s pop-up option menu, then
choose Build Profile
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- 1. Click the Info button on the toolbar or choose About the Maps from
the Info menu.
- 2. Choose a topic from the pull down topics list.
- 3. Click Exit to return to the maps.
- Tip: For USGS map regions, the About the 7.5’ Maps Included on this
CD-ROM (our Topo) topic provides specific information about each map
quad, including publication dates.
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- 1. Choose Legend from the Info menu.
- 2. For USGS maps, use the pull down category list to choose a category
of symbols.
- 3. Place your cursor over a symbol in the legend to identify it.
- 4. Click Exit to close the map legend.
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- To be fucnctional with Topo on a SAR you should be able to:
- Open & save Topo (Olympic Region & any .tpo/.tpg files
associated with a mission
- Move around the map (pan, zoom, magnify)
- Manage Wayoints (create, locate, edit, delete, label)
- Print & export maps (of the area of interest)
- Measure directions & distances (to features & between
waypoints)
- Create routes (to measure distance, build profiles)
- Access map info (pub dates, datum, legend info)
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