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| Easy data loading | To load a map, simply position the mouse pointer over your area
of interest on (or outside of) the current map, then press the right mouse
button to bring up a menu from which to chose your desired map series (large
scale, intermediate scale, or small scale). There is no need to remember
file names or type them in. Generally you will configure XViewSDTS
to start up with a small scale map giving an overview of a large
area, usually an entire state. You may then use the mouse to load
a more detailed map of any available region within or surrounding the overview
map. You may also select a point outside the border to load an overview
map of an adjacent area.
Alternatively, you may use the View menu to open the Geographic Names Information System (GNIS) database to select a location by name and automatically load the appropriate map. |
| Choice of projections | Maps may be displayed with their native coordinate system (resulting in a UTM projection for large scale and intermediate scale maps, and an Equidistant Cylindrical projection for small scale maps), or you may use the File menu to lock-in the current coordinate system for displaying all maps. |
| Customizable loading | To decrease loading time, you may wish to disable the loading of any themes which are not of interest to you. You may customize these choices for each map series. For instance, you may not care to have roads loaded for your small scale overview map, but you may want them when looking at large scale maps. |
| Customizable viewing | While viewing a map, you may use the view menu to display or hide entire themes or specific groups of features within each theme. |
| Easy navigation | Left button zooms. Center button drags. Right button brings up a menu for loading maps or performing other tasks. |
| Location status | Continuous display of coordinates: latitude & longitude and/or northing & easting. Continuous display of state, county, and township, when boundary theme files contain that data. |
| What's This? | The "What's This?" feature gives a description of lines and polygons, including: theme, entity code & description, and internal IDs from the theme files. Additionally, when appropriate and available, length and highway route number are given for lines; area and the agency managing federal land are given for polygons. |
| Measure path | Determine the distance along a series of connecting lines (e.g., trails or streams) that you select with the mouse. Since you are using vector based data, the path may be followed precisely without the need for careful tracing (as is necessary with raster based data). |
| Find shortest path | Determine the shortest route through the network of lines within one theme, from one node to any other. Limited to one map surface at a time. |
| Search GNIS | Search by name for any location in a state's Geographic Names Information System (GNIS) data, and optionally limit your search by type, county, USGS quadrangle, or proximity to current location. |
| May run remotely | Being an X Window application, you may install XViewSDTS and its data on a central computer and run it from X servers on remote computers. |
Some features are not available when using the Equidistant Cylindrical
projection. Additionally, many features are limited by the data available
in the SDTS files. For details, see XViewSDTS
Feature Limitations.
Copyright © 2001 by Dapper
Mapper
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