You'll probably configure Place-n-Time to display a small scale index map when it starts up.  This map (usually of a single state) can be used to load a specific area of interest.  Using the index map as a starting point, the following steps demonstrate some of the ways of getting around in Place-n-Time.

First, point to the area that you are interested in.
 
 

Hold the right pointer button, choose Load Intermediate Scale or Load Large Scale from the menu, then release the button.
 
 

The new surface replaces the old.
 
 

To load an adjacent surface, point to the white area where you wish to load it.
 
 

Then use the right pointer button to choose Load Intermediate Scale or Load Large Scale (whichever scale matches the surface already displayed) from the menu.
 
 

The adjacent surface joins the first surface.
 
 

If you want to see something that is beyond the edge of the window, grab onto the surface by holding the middle pointer button.  A spider cursor will appear.
 
 

Now move your pointer, and the surface will slide across the window with it.  When you have it positioned where you want it, release the button.
 
 

To zoom in, point to an upper corner of the area that interests you.
 
 

Hold the left pointer button, move the pointer down slightly, and keep holding the button.  The zoom cursor will appear.  It has four arrows pointing from a small rectangle to a big rectangle.
 
 

Still holding the button, move the cursor down some more.  Guidelines will appear: A small rectangle that you have described with the pointer, and a large rectangle that extends to two edges of the window.  Dotted lines connect the small rectangle with the big one.
 
 

Continue to move the pointer until the small rectangle encloses your area of interest.  When you release the button, the area in the small rectangle will expand to fill the big rectangle.

(Hint: You may cancel a zoom by returning the pointer to the place where you first pressed the button.)
 
 

Release the button.  The surface zooms-in.
 
 

To zoom out, point to a lower corner of the place where you want the area in the window to shrink to.
 
 

Hold left pointer button, move the pointer up slightly, and keep holding the button.  The zoom cursor will again appear, but this time the four arrows point from the big rectangle to the small rectangle, indicating that you are zooming-out.
 
 

Still holding the button, move the cursor up some more.  Guidelines will again appear.
 
 

Continue to move the pointer until the small rectangle describes the window area that you want the land area in the big rectangle to shrink to.

(Hint: If you describe the same rectangle when you zoom-out that you described when you zoomed-in, you will return to where you were.)
 
 

Release the button.  The surface zooms-out.
 
 

If you know the name of the place you want to go, and what state it is in, you can use the Geographic Names Information System (GNIS) to move directly to that place.  From the View menu, select GNIS.
 
 

The GNIS Select window appears.  Select the state from the list and click the Load button.
 
 

Once the file has loaded, a new window appears.  You may simply click the Search button.  Optionally, you may first limit your search to a specific type of place, county, or quadrangle map.  (You do not need to limit your search, but doing so will give you a smaller list to wade through.)  In the example, the search has been limited to lakes in Merrimack County.
 
 

When you click Search, the GNIS window will appear with a list of places.  Choose the place you want to go and click the Go button.

(Hint: If the list is a long one, you may want to search for the name by typing the first few letters of its name into the Find box.)

The new surface is loaded (assuming that it is available).  A bullseye will appear on the place you selected.  The bullseye will go away once you start working with the map.
 
 

For more detail on getting around, see the pages for Load, and GNIS.

Copyright © 2008 by Dapper Mapper