Using mountains as a polygon definition

Old Guy

I'm creating an overland map. The coast line is done, the mountains are looking good, various effects are set how I want them. Everything is looking good so far. Now I'm ready to start adding forests. A number of forests I want to add are right up against a mountain range. Instead of creating the forest next to the mountains (painstakingly clicking in and out of all the nooks and cranies at high zoom), is there a way to incorporate the edge of the mountains into the polygon used for the forest fill? I want to do the same with coastlines where a forest extends right up to the coast. I'm pretty new so step by step, if possible, would be very helpful.

Ralf

Do you mean the mountain symbols, or a background polygon for the mountain area? You can't use the edge of symbols, but you could trace a background polygon.
Trace definitely works on the coastline.

To use the trace function of the forest drawing tool, start your forest tool, then hit "T" to trace an existing polygon. The command line shows the option and what to do next.

See my mini-tutorial on tracing in this thread.

Old Guy

Thanks Ralf! Trace sounds perfect for matching the forest to the coastline. I was kinda hoping for a way to use the edge of the mountain symbols but suspected that wasn't going to be possible. Tracing the background is definitely a good alternative though. I'll give that a shot.

Ralf

I'd like to add that you get more beautiful results, if you sprinkle single mountains by hand between the low mountain and foothill symbols of the range.

I've attached an example.

Old Guy

Is there a way to specify which way the trace command traces between the start and finish points? I set the start point and then move north and select a nearby endpoint. Instead of tracing from the start point north, it traces from the start point south, traces the entire continent until it reaches the endpoint (capturing everything except the potion I want). I started over using the northern point this time, selected the southern point as the end point, and it traced it just fine. I continued tracing my polygon which spans a narrow landmass where I reached the other coast. I started a new trace and clicked a start point, moved to the end point and again trace selects the long way around the continent. Is there a way to tell it to select the shorter path?

Shessar

Sorry for the thread hijack Old Guy...

Ralf, that example was helpful. I still struggle with making mountains look good, and seeing that really helped. Thanks!

Ralf

Posted By: Old GuyIs there a way to specify which way the trace command traces between the start and finish points? [...] Is there a way to tell it to select the shorter path?

Not after you've started the trace. See the mini tutorial I've linked and pay special attention to the position and order of points you click when starting a trace (note that for example the "2" and "3" points in the example are "reversed" in direction). In short, you need to select the entity you want to trace away from the (yet unchosen) starting point, towards the direction you want to trace.

Hope that helps.

Old Guy

I missed the reference to the tutorial the first time. I just checked it out and played with it a bit. It seems backwards to me but it works and that's what matters. Now that I understand it, it works just fine. Thanks!

I had given up and resorted to copying polys to a work layer, cutting them up, piecing them together, and copying them back. That method works but tracing is definitely a more direct approach.

JimP

There is also my method: Color chart for surface maps page. On that page is a link to bitmap fills I am hosting, and the template I created to use them. My template uses increments of 2,500 feet above sea level for each bitmap fill.

Link fixed Nov 7, 2016.

sdavies2720

Posted By: Old GuyI missed the reference to the tutorial the first time. I just checked it out and played with it a bit. It seems backwards to me but it works and that's what matters. Now that I understand it, it works just fine. Thanks!
...

It also looked backwards to me at first. Now I remember by thinking, "click on the entity you want to trace IN THE SECTION YOU WANT TO TRACE" That seems to help me.
Steve