The Interactive Map Template Tool

The interactive Map Template creation tool is designed to simplify map making by providing standard map templates in a template library and easy-to-use interactive tools for modifying or creating customized map templates for use within Oasis montaj:

Data linking, which can be used very effectively to organize the layout on an output map (especially "map" style maps where the base view has a fitting view defined) is also available.

You can begin by adding a blank map template to your current project or by selecting a map template from the library.

Once you have a map template created and/or opened in your current project, you can quickly and easily add a new Base group to your map template.

When adding new Data views to your map template, you can define the data extents and projection information or leave the area undefined. Data groups can be added as well.

Then, you can save and add the map template to the Library.

Add a New Data View to a Map Template

When you add a new Data View to your map template you can define the data extents and projection information or leave the view undefined until you add a Data Group to the map template.

1. On the Map Template Editor Toolbar, click on Add Data View.

2. To activate the option, you can also select the current map template and right-click to select Add New Data View.

2. Your cursor will change to a cross-hair enabling you to interactively specify the location of your new Data View.

3. Once you have outlined the location of your new view, it will be displayed on your map template with a light blue background. To specify the properties of this view, double-click inside the view, and the Map Template Properties dialog will be displayed.

4. On the View Properties tab, use the View drop-down list to select the Data option.

5. Then, depending on your project data, click the Define From X,Y or Define From Lat,Lon button, to define the data area.

6. The Define X,Y Data Range /Define Lat, Long Data Range) dialog will be displayed. You can use this dialog to specify the minimum X,Y, maximum X,Y and distance units of your Data View, or you can click the Scan Geosoft GDB or the Scan Grid button. These buttons scan the selected file for the appropriate data values and display them in the View Properties window.

7. Once you specified your data extents, you can determine the scale based on your paper size and the scanned data extents, by clicking the (Re)calculate Scale button. If the scale value is not appropriate, for example 1:475, you can modify the scale (i.e., 1:500).

Changing the scale will have an effect on the data extents, as the paper size, at this time, is fixed. You may need to modify the placement of your Data View in order to view the entire extents.

8. Click the OK button and grid lines and coordinates will be displayed on your Data View.

Add a New Base Group to a Map Template

Once you have a template open and selected in your current project, you can add new groups to it. Base groups can include: North arrows, rectangles, scale bars, text, and text boxes. Also available are fixed text types that enable you to specify the exact text height in mm, microns and pts.

1. On the Map Template Editor Toolbar, click on Add Base Group. The Create New Base Group dialog is displayed.

2. To display the Create New Base Group dialog, you can also select the current map template and right-click to select Add New Base Group .

2. From the list of Base groups provided, select a group to add to the map template. For example, select the Rectangle option, which can be used to create a map surround.

   A short description of the selected group will be displayed at the bottom of the dialog.

3. When you have selected your group, click the OK button. The cursor will change to a cross-hair enabling you to interactively specify the location of your new base group.

4. Once you have outlined the location of your new base group, the Map Template Properties dialog will be displayed.

5. Specify all of the appropriate properties for your current base group, click the OK button, and your new group will be plotted onto your map template.

Add a New Data Group to a Map Template

To add a new Data Group to the map template, you must have a Data View selected, which will activate the Add Data Group button on the Map Template toolbar. You can also access this option by selecting the Data View and right-clicking to select Add New Data Group. Data groups include Grids and Shaded Grids.

Unlike Base groups, Data groups do not render in the template layout view; they are only displayed at map creation time.
Data groups can be removed from the template by selecting the desired group from the dropdown list on the Group Properties tab of the Map Template Properties dialog and clicking the Delete button.

1. Select a Data View in your map template window, and then on the Map Template toolbar click the Add Data Group button.

2. The Create New Data Group dialog will be displayed. From the list of data groups provided, select a group to add to the map template. For example, select the "Grid" option.

   The name of the data group item and a short description are displayed at the bottom of the dialog.

3. After you select your group, click the OK button. The Map Template Properties dialog will be displayed.

4. In the Group Properties tab, specify the properties of your grid. For example, using the browse button located to the right of the Grid name field, select the grid file to be displayed.

5. Once you have specified all of the appropriate properties for your current data group, click the OK button and your new data group will be saved with your map template.

Link Data Groups

The Map Template Item Links dialog enables you to edit the currently selected item’s link properties. This option can be accessed by selecting a single item in the Map Template window and clicking the Edit Selection Links button on the Map Template Editor Toolbar or by right-clicking and selecting the Edit Group/View'sLinks. Note that, the "Edit Links" menu item will depend on what type of item is selected, Group or View.

1. Select a single item in the Map Template window (you can link both Groups and Views so you can select any ‘single’ item) and click the Edit Selection Links button.

2. The Map Template Item Links dialog will be displayed. On the X Position tab, use the Link to drop-down list to select an item to link the currently selected item to, and the tab parameters will become enabled.

3. Use the X Position tab controls to link the right edge, left edge or horizontal center of an item to that of the selected item in the Link to box. The Alignment Offset is calculated using the current positions on screen but can also be adjusted manually. When you have completed your X Position links, select the Y Position tab.

4. On the Y Position tab, use the Link to drop-down list to select an item to link the selected item to (note that you do not have to link X, Y or Size to the same item), and the tab parameters will become enabled.

5. Use the Y Position tab to link the bottom edge, top edge or vertical center of an item to that of the selected item in the Link to box. The Alignment Offset is calculated using the current positions on screen but can also be adjusted manually. When you have completed your X & Y Position links, select the Size tab.

6. The Size tab controls the linking of the sizes in the X and/or Y dimensions of an item to that of the selected items in the Link to boxes. The scale is calculated using the current positions on screen but can also be adjusted manually. It is also possible to do more advanced control using the offset property in either dimension.