Drawing Ocean Currents in CC3+

geeteebee

Hi,

new user of CC3+ here. I'm working on an RPG world based on an import from FT. So far I've traced the landmasses over the existing FT lands and I can see the oceanic topography on another sheet. I've sketched onto a printout how the currents should look based on https://www.cartographersguild.com/showthread.php?t=27118. I can see how to draw curvy/freehand lines in CC3+ but I'm stuck on how to draw curvy lines with arrows on them with a different colour.

Could someone point me to the relevant tool?

Also, off-topic, but having started with the default template and drawn my landmasses is it possible to change to a different template with nicer graphics?

Many thanks for your time.

Monsen

The color of your lines should be the same color you have set in your status bar (As long as fill style is set to solid, if it is set to one of the bitmap fill styles, it will use that instead). CC3+ doesn't have a built in tool for drawing arrows unless you have the 2011 annual, which provides a new arrow command (Intended for use with military maps to show troop movement), so you need to draw the arrowheads yourself using the base tools, such as the line or path tool.

As for changing to a different style, I recommend making a new map in the desired style, copy your landmasses over using clipboard copy, then use the Change Like Draw Tool on the landmasses in the new map to change their style into that of a drawing tool from the new style.

geeteebee

Great, thank you!

geeteebee

Just to complete this for the next person who asks the same question. I've installed the 2011 Annual and, following the instructions on the PDF, I can use the All Drawing Tools to select a Border Movement tool. I also typed in the WARROWD command and both make the War Arrow Settings window appear. I've created a sheet called currents and it's the active sheet. However it's not clear how I actually get an arrow to appear on it.

I can draw a normal line by left clicking to create a couple of nodes and then right-click. With this arrow tool that doesn't seem to work. If I left click a couple of times to create a line, that line then vanishes when I right click. Is there some other commands I should be using here?

Thanks for the guidance.

Monsen

The arrow should appear on the current sheet, but a few things to be aware of in the WARROWD dialog:
- Check the color of the arrow, if it is set to 'use current color', check what color is actually set on the status bar
- Make sure the fill style for the arrow is set to 'Solid'
- Layer should probably be set to * current setting *, if not, make sure a layer that isn't hidden and/or frozen is selected.
- Make sure the width of the arrow base is reasonable. I don't know the scale of your map, or the size you want your arrows in, but general, it is better to start big and make sure everything works and then reduce the size. For example, try with a width equal to 1% of your map width (so 10 for a 1000 wide map)

geeteebee

Hi,

thanks for that suggestion. Unfortunately it still doesn't work. I really can't see how we are meant to complete an arrow so we can move onto the next one. Using these arrows looks like a bit of an exception to the way I've found other things working in CC3+ so far. Drawing a line - easy... drawing an arrow, opaque.

I'll raise a support question and post back what I get from the team at ProFantasy

Thanks for your time though.

JimP

I use splinea to draw an arrow. For arrow head size, I type in astyle and change the numbers in that popup.

Monsen

Weird how easy it is to forget things. I had completely forgotten about that command, even if it is actually accessible simply by right clicking the line or path buttons. Thanks for reminding me Jim.

JimP

No problem. I found it years ago. Great for ocean currents. I just use a different color according to depth/temperature.

geeteebee

Okay I got it to work but it was peculiar. Patching helped as well but Ralf at ProFantasy was able to recreate this bug... I needed to use the command WARROWD, not the Drawing Tool button to get to the movement arrow dialog from the 2011 annual if I wasn't using the Military map style from that Annual.

Via the command it worked fine. Even if I used the command successfully if I then used the Drawing Tool button to access the arrow dialog it stopped working thereafter. Off the top of my head I can't remember if I needed to close CC3 or just the map to effectively reset it.

Anyway, I've got the movement arrows to work so thank you Monsen. I won't tempt my luck and try Jim's drawing suggestion. One lesson at a time