Install order doesn't really matter anymore. The only thing to be aware of is that some add-ons require the latest update, so it is usually smart to do CC3+ -> latest update -> everything else -> latest update again (because it will update some of the files you just installed from the add-ons) [and yea, ignoring the message that you already have a later version.]

Assuming your friends don't have CC3+, the standard way would be to just export it as an image from the save as dialog. (See page 47 of thr User manual for details about the procedure). Optionally, you can print it to a pdf file instead, all modern versions of Windows comes with a virtual pdf printer installed you can print to to generate a pdf file.

If you wish to upload maps in higher resolution than supported in a forum post, you can upload them to your gallery.

Saved effects settings are found in @System\Effects. They are regular .fcw files

Drawing tools are found in @System\Drawtools. Each style has it's own folder here, and each draw tool is a .dto file, and if it is a macro tool it will also have a .dtm file and optionally a .fcw (for preview) file.

Effects are stored in the map, so existing maps will have all their effects on a new install.

If the poly is filled or not is determined by the line width. If the line width is 0, you get a filled shape, but if the line width is greater than zero, you get an outline of that specified width.

As for being on top of everything else, there are two things to keep in mind

• Layers, doesn't control ordering, sheets do. So it doesn't matter what layer you put it on, you need to put it on the appropriate sheet
• When drawing something, it will always appear on top of everything immediately upon drawing it. It finds it's correct place in the drawing order the next time the map is redrawn (redraw command, zooming, scrolling will all cause that)