Some newbie questions

Q'Xel

Hello everybody,

I'm a brand new user of CC3. I find it very impressive! But I have some troubles for using it effectively. Maybe I'm wrong in my manipulations or I missed something.

First, I precise that I am French, and my English is not very good. So, please, excuse me if I'm not always understandable (

I'm trying to make my first map, and I some things are very confusing for my (I haven't the habit to use this kind of soft, ans some specialized terms are unkown for me).
I have a first serie of questions, and it will not be the last, I think ) Let's start, in no particular order:

- SYMBOL PLACEMENT: if I understand correctly, symbol can choose they own sheet when placing it (it's an option), but not their layer, so I must choose myself the layer befaore placing the symbol (logical : layer are my own classification of things). Am I right? [this was a source of a lot confusion ...]
- SELECTION TOOL: I understood that I choose a command first, then select an object then do it. But, I find very difficult to select objects. I read the tips from the manual (list, select by color, ID#, and so) but it is not all clear in my mind. I precise that I work on entities in std CC3 / SS1e filled catalog (those are bitmaps IIRC). So everytime I want to pick up precisely a thing, I select the action (ex. ERASE), then try to pick somthing (a tree or a mountain, these are hard to catch!) with a left click ... usually, I miss eveything (no pick) or I pick a lot of things, and usually not the one I want ... (lots of squares, far bigger than the bitmap image itself). Is it something I do wrong? There is some others tips? [in fact, if someone around is a French speaker, I will be VERY glad if he can explain me all the whole action & selection process in French ... I admit that it is very confuse because I don't fully understand the subtilities of English explainations]
- LAYERS and SHEETS:
> how I can move selected objects from a layer or a sheet to another, without copying it by the menu "copy to layer" or "copy to sheet"? I want to relocate some things, and the only solution I found is to make a copy to the intented layer/sheet then erase the previous selection in the original layer/sheet ... not optimal ...
> I have a problem on the map I made (see attachement). I have all my buildings in the STRUCTURES layer. Originally, I'va placed them in the SYMBOL DEFINITION layer by mistake, so I use the copy to layer then erase method (see above). Now the problem is: if I hide the SYMBOL DEFINITION layer, its hide the STRUCTURES layer as well ... (the same for VEGETATION) ... Any clue?

This is for now, but I have a lot of interrogations, especially on organization of tools (configuratioon of the catalogs, scales, etc.) and efficient method of drawing.
Let's see that another time.

I thanks you by advanced for the answers.

Kind regards.

Q'Xel

P.S.: if there is any CC3 ressources in French, I'll take it ;o)
P.P.S.: I also post this on the Cartogrpher's Guild forum. I find your soft ware here.

Ralf

Hello there and welcome to the forum!

Symbol Placement: You've understood correctly.

Selection Tool: You seem to be doing that correctly. It can be a bit hard sometimes to select a bitmap symbols. Try zoom in close and click on the edge of the image. The larger boxes you see around the symbols when you select them indicate the whole area of the bitmap, a good aprt of which can be transparent. If you are trying to sort your symbol correctly, simply use "Sort symbols in map" from the Symbols menu and select "All", then Do it. This is much easier than trying this by hand.

Layer and Sheets: Don't use Copy to Sheets/Layer if you want to change an object's layer or sheet, as this will create a duplication use "Move to Sheet" or "Change Layer" instead.
The layer SYMBOL DEFINTION has a special role, as it contains the definitions of all symbols in the drawing. Hiding it will hide ALL symbols - that's what you're experiencing. Simply hide everything /but/ the SYMBOL DEFINITON layer and erase all entities you see. Don't worry, this will not affect your symbols on other layers.

Hope that helps a bit.

Q'Xel

Hello Ralf,

thanks for your time.

I don't try yet to sort my symbols for now, but I'll take a look.
Thanksfully, help is well done.

I finally figure out that LAYER was a property of an object, and do what I intended. In fact, properties are very helpfull! There's a lot of thinks I wasn't aware that they were properties (I don't have that kind of habit with a symple paint program) ...
Thanks for the comment on the special layer too. I was thinking of that kind of trick, but didn't find confirmatiion anywhere.

Thanks for the move to commands. I don't explore everything for now.

I suppose than the MERGE layer is another special layer, isn't it?

It helps a lot ;o)

Q'Xel

Ralf

Yes, the MERGE layer is another layer with special technical uses. For example it holds the sheet effects of a map, so these don't work if it is hidden. Don't use MERGE for your own objects.

P.S.: I've un-whispered your answer, as I think it shoudl be visible to others trying to follow this thread.

Q'Xel

Hello Ralf,

you have done well for the whisper. It was not my intend ... New forum, new habits ... Sorry.

I have experiment with the "Sort symbols" command, and it was what I was looking for.
Which leads to my new questions:

1) Is it a extended pdf document which can be used as reference?

User's manual is very light on some things (it doesn't list all commands, options or even menus - as I see with the "Sort symbol" command, and not speaking of macros ...) and even if the help is very well done I prefer a printed doc (as I like reading tech doc in my bed before spleep ). The Tome of ultimate mapping as many flaws for me: it's expensive for a pdf (I'll prefer pay more for a printed book, but I understand that the production costs are too high - it's not a reproach!); it's not up to date (CC2 and not CC3 - I prefer wait for the updated version, if it is released some day); it coverts all the add-ons in which I have (for now) absolutly no interest.

Especially, what I really need is two things:
- An exhaustive listing of all commands, what they do, how they do it, and how to access to them (menu, button, text input - syntax and parameters - results).
- the same for macros (I've found some user's tutorials on your forums, but there is no references, except in the help, so it's very difficult to see - and plan - what to do with them).

1-bis) I enjoyed the pdf for all SS1 symbols. Is it a version alike for the base symbols? It will be helpfull for planning a graphic style of mapping projects. (yes, I like to plan ;o)

2) Is it a graphic way to see groups when they are done?

I can see that it's a group when I select it, obviously, but if I could see in the drawing, it will be helpful sometimes. But not necessary.

3) Is it a graphic way to see nodes on an entity?

It would be easier to edit some, like multipoly entities. That is necessary ;o)

4) Speaking of poly, does "Trim" can work on it? If yes, how? I've tried but not managed to success...
[In fact, I suspect that the right question would be: is "Trim" working on closed entities (by opposition of open entities like lines)?]

5) How to make sure the "Trace" command will select the entity to trace in the way you want ?

I explain more: I select the entity to trace, then the start point, and the command show me with the white line which part I'm going to trace. But sometime, it's the wrong one (it goes left instead of right...). I have tried it a lot, and I didn't find a sure way to do it. I'm sure I've miss something (

6) "Trace" again: can I trace along a symbol? If yes, which ones (I wonder especially for the bitmap ones, because of the transparent part around them)?

My present preoccupation is editing an fractal landmass to fit to a cliff symbol...

7) How to scale a handdrawn map without scale bar or scale reference?

The User's manual explain it very well, but I'm sometime a little... er... dumb. Sorry.


I'm done (for this evening ;o).

Thanks to all for the time of reading (and possibly answering).

Q'Xel

Ralf

The most complete list of commands is in the help files. Look for "commands" and you'll find alphabetical lists of normal and macro commands.

If you are looking for a more in-depth look at macros, I suggest the Tome of Ulimate Mapping. It has a very thorough chapter on writing macros

1) There is currently no such list. You can create your own overview files of symbols by opening the catalogs in CC3 and using Symbols > Create Catalog thumbnail file.
2) Unfortunately no, there is no graphical representation of groups in CC3.
3) No. You cannot edit multipolies on a node-by-node basis anyway.
4) Trim does not work on closed entities. I usually use BREAK to roughly put a gap into the polygon beyond the trim border (effectively making it path), TRIM and then use the Path To Poly command to make it back into a polygon.
5) There is a post on that topic here on the forum including a mini-tutorial: http://forum.profantasy.com/comments.php?DiscussionID=188&page=1#Item_8
6) No you cannot trace a symbol doirectly (not bitmap entities). For vector symbols you can EXPLODE the symbol to make it into standard entities which you can then trace.
7) Use the DISTANCE tool to measure a known distance (x) on your map. Say your result is y. Then right-click the Scale button, choose Non-Visual Scale, select everything, then scale by x/y. You cna type that in, CC3 will do the calculation for you.

Hope that helps.

Q'Xel

Hello Ralf,

Thank you very much for your answers.
And yes, it helps!

I haven't yep to much time to explore CC3, for now. I have some holidays soon, so ... I'll try BREAK, EXPLODE and others ;o)

The Creat Catalog Symbol thumbnail file feature is very cool.

I'll look at the threads you've mentionned, and also buy all the Annuals & subcribe to the last. I like plans, and I'm also a kind of collector.

Now, I have work to learn, try, make mistakes and produce some maps. I'll post them here if they are not too ugly ;o)

Q'Xel