Define Layered Map


Define Layered Map

The Define Layered Map command is the first step in creation of a layered map. Upon execution, the function will prompt you to name the new map. After a valid name has been entered, an empty map window will appear. As layers are added to this map they will appear in this window. Follow the steps listed below (MapInfo MIF/MID files are used for the following examples):

1. Check the destination path (C:\Rtmx\Map\ or C:\Program Files\RASTRAC\Map\) for valid map files. Note: You do not want to load any empty layers into RASTRAC. Each MapInfo layer has two files. The .mid file contains the street name database and the .mif file contains the map data. If any of the files has a length of zero (especially the .mid file) delete both the .mif and .mid files. ESRI ArcView maps contain three files (.shp, .shx, .dbf). The .dbf file must be converted to a .txt (ASCII text) file. RASTRAC will not import the original .dbf database file.
   
   
2. Set the Map store path (go to 'Tools... Options... System... Paths') to where you want the BML map conversion files to be stored (e.g. C:\Rtmx\Map\ or C:\Program Files\RASTRAC\Map\). Now set the Legend store path to where you want the legend file to be stored (e.g. C:\Rtmx\Legend\ or C:\Program Files\RASTRAC\Legend\).
   
   
3. Now you can create a layered map. Go to ‘Map... Layered Map... Define...’. Enter a name for the map. Add layers by right clicking the mouse on the map screen and selecting ‘Add Layer...’. Sort so all layers are shown. Most USA MIF/MID files have the following filename format: AAXXYYY.MIF and AAXXYYY.MID. Where AA is the first two characters of the layer type: CO – County, PL – Place (cities), WA – Water, H2 – Rivers, AR – Airports & Railroads, MA – Major Roads (freeways), RD – Roads. XX is the state code (Texas is 48). YYY is the county code (Travis county is 453). Therefore, RD48453 would be the road layer for Travis County, Texas. Order the layers as follows: CO, PL, WA, H2, AR, MA, and RD (if you are creating a county map with these available layers). You will then need to select the proper coordinate system. You need to know how the map was created before you load the map layer (e.g. Geodetic Latitude/Longitude, Latitude/Longitude, NAD27). It is important that you know the exact coordinate system, or the layer may not load properly. Finally, save your map by right clicking the mouse on the map and selecting ‘Save’. Each layer that is saved, will display a save dialog box. You can leave all default parameters and press OK for each one. Check the ‘Save database labels to the new layer file’ if you want names saved with the map layer file (streets, rivers, cities, etc...). If there is a database file associated with the map layer, the record name will be saved to the map layer. The ‘Save block address with the street labels’ option will save block addresses along with the street name (Thunderbird Rd. 5300-5400). Note: RASTRAC can only save database names for MapInfo MIF/MID and ESRI ArcView map formats. An ArcView .dbf file must be converted into ASCII text file (.txt). Also, you may need to modify the Map.ini file for your particular map files. The Map.ini file contains information on extracting the database names. You can set up which column of the database file the names come from and if there are block addresses (and what columns the addresses are in). You can also define what type of delimiter is used (like comma ‘,’ or semicolon ‘;’). The map.ini file can be placed in the RASTRAC directory (C:\Rtmx\ or C:\Program Files\RASTRAC\) to be used as the default map definition file for all maps, or it can be placed in each individual map subdirectory (folder) where the map files are located. That way, you can have a different definition file for each map layer.
   
   

Note: If you load a MapInfo MIF/MID layer that contains lines (AR, MA, H2, or RD) and nothing shows up, then you may need to run the Mifcnvrt.exe program (assuming the layer file contains data -- file size not zero). The Mifcnvrt program fixes MIF files that contain bad data. This program only fixes line files (like roads or rivers) not region files (like county or lake boundaries). Run Mifcnvrt.exe (located on the delivered RASTRAC CDROM in the 'Mif Converter' directory) and select 'File... Convert...'. Now, select the layers that need to be converted (probably AR, MA, H2, and RD). After the conversion is complete you can add the new layers to your map. After you save the map, you should delete the backup files that were created by Mifcnvrt. All backup files (*.bak) will be stored in the same directory as the original layer files.

Note: If you are creating a combined map from previously defined map layers, add layers that are BML type (Blue Marble Layer). Order all CO files for each county, then all PL files, WA, H2, AR, MA, and finally all RD files. Leave the Map Coordinate System as: Geodetic Latitude/Longitude, Latitude/Longitude, WGS84.

Quick Tip: When adding layers to a new map, you can select layer files from anywhere in your available disk drive environment, including network drives. If the file is not in your defined map store path it will be copied to it.