New Map Resolution/Dimensions Problem

goldgrae

Hi folks! Fallen off the bandwagon for a bit, and I'm back with another silly question... I'm starting a new Annual Sarah Wroot style map, and I want to create a map that doesn't follow the usual aspect ratio. On the Decide Settings Myself series of windows, I come to the dimensions and try to enter 1152 x 635. Each time I enter one of the dimensions, however, the other locks in to the 10:8 AR default. Is there a way for me to disable this? I don't remember it being a problem before, but that may be faulty memory.

Any advice?

Monsen

Some templates are locked in their aspect ratio. This is often because of fancy borders or similar. In this case, the border wouldn't look good if it wasn't scaled proportionally.

If you really wish to force it to another ratio, just create the map with either X or Y the desired value, then use the SCALEXY (Right click the scale button and select 'Non-visual ScaleXY) to scale the remaining dimension to an appropriate value. Remember to unhide all sheets and layers, and unfreeze all sheets before doing this.

goldgrae

Thanks for the workaround. Unconcerned about the border -- I usually dump this in 'post'.

goldgrae

So this rescales the template just fine (besides the border, of course). However, my drawing tools are now messed up... They are configured the same way (going to advanced), but drawing comes out way different.

goldgrae

And here is how it looks after:

(Note that these aren't the same land mass, obviously -- just how the drawing tool puts out)

Monsen

How much did you scale that map by? The drawing tool uses a default width of 1 for the outline of the landmass, so if you scale the map by a huge amount (or made a huge map in the wizard, but 1152x635 is not a huge map) you get that effect.

goldgrae

D'oh. I was just totally misusing the scale function.

Monsen

I assume you got the hang of it now though?

goldgrae

Yup. Obvious in retrospect.

I am having trouble with the Wroot style cartographic lines, though. When I place them from the symbol catalog, they end prematurely and can only be increased by scaling the symbol up. The tutorial says to use the Trim to Entity command to shorten it, but, err, I have the opposite problem. Any advice?

Monsen

Hint:
Trim to entity can lengthen lines as well, not just shorten them. Give it a try.
(This is explained in detail in the CC3 manual)

sdavies2720

Posted By: MonsenHint:
Trim to entity can lengthen lines as well, not just shorten them. Give it a try.
(This is explained in detail in the CC3 manual)

But even experienced cc3 users don't always know this (Steve raises his hand).

Thanks for the tip! I'm always learning something.

Steve

goldgrae

I'm afraid that I don't tend to read manuals. Didn't even occur to me that Trim to Entity goes both ways... Thanks for your help Monsen.

Monsen

Posted By: goldgraeI'm afraid that I don't tend to read manuals.

You should reconsider that. The CC3 manual is full of useful tutorials that makes things easier in the long run.

goldgrae

Okay, so I've finally come back to my nav lines, working on other parts of the map in the mean time... and I seem to be able to only extend half the lines of a given symbol. Any ideas what I'm doing wrong? See the pic for what I mean.

Monsen

Are you extending them towards the correct border? Remember the lines can only be trimmed to a line they can actually intersect. You need to do this in four steps. Once for the lines that intersect the top border, then the left, and so on.

Also, make sure you trim to a line, not a box. That graphical border around Wroot maps make for a poor trimto target. If you click on the inside edge of this border when selecting the entity to trim to, you should find a thin line there instead, which makes a much better trim to target.

goldgrae

I'm sure that's the issue. However, I've already done away with her graphical border period, so I've been selecting the otherwise invisible map border which highlights the whole thing. It certainly explains why it will only extend one side of a line. However, trying to instead extend those opposite lines to, say, a coast still doesn't work.

Monsen

If you don't have an appropriate line, just draw a temporary working line that you can delete afterward.

yuanyelss@yahoo.com

I have a line fault with Wroot style of drawing, though. When I got them from the symbol directory, they advance to the end, can only be increased by scaling symbols...