MAPFIX.txt  Ver 6.8        NOTES  ABOUT  USING  MAPFIX


In order to minimize the size of MAPFIX I have removed all of the HELP
screens and placed them here.  I am also going to add a version number
to all future releases of the program.  Before using a new version, be
sure to check this file for new notes....

Ver 6.8  Separated out the help text and put it here...
Ver 6.7  No new features.  Tried to reduce program size to avoid memory probs."
         Fixed the re-draw of lines during ADDs.

Ver 6.6  Fixed a bug which prevented the FIRST road in the file from being
         shown.  IT was there, and everything worked, but it was displayed
         in black...   This version was posted later and added to APRS6.6

Ver 6.5d This version ADDED MOUSE SUPPORT!  And was initially distro'd with
         the first few days of 6.6.  See above




HERE IS THE BASIC HELP SCREEN FOR MAPFIX:

------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 The ORIGIN, CENTER and BORDER are shown (but only the CENTER and RANGE in
 MAPLIST.apr are actually used by APRS.  Labels are right justified to the
 point just after the last letter.  CALLS & OBJECT names will be left
 justified.

 OPERATIONS          MAP FUNCTIONS         @N - NEW FEATURE   LABEL COMMANDS
 H - HELP SCREENS    @C- Change CENTER     @A - ADD point      S - SHOW labels
 D - map DIRECTORY   ^C- Change COLOR      @D - DELETE point  @L - add a LABEL
^S - SAVE MAP!!!      M- MAPLIST.apr file  @K - Kill feature   L - LABELS off
 R - RESET pointers   O- OTHER map bordrs  @M - MOVE point"
 Q - QUIT            @R- set map RANGE     @T - TRIM borders  F8 - Add marker
@I- Import fm other map                

 DISPLAY COMMANDS     POINTER MOVEMENTS   USGS CD ROM CMDS  DIGITIZER & GPS
 SPACE to draw map    N- Next Feature     B- BOX PPD area   @O- OPEN COMMS
 ARROWS  (shft)       P- Prev Feature     U- USGS overlay   @B- BEGIN new line
 PgUP/DN (ctrl)       G- Go to Pointer    T- Test smoother  F1- MOVE cursor
 HOME to Cursor       F- Find point      @S- SMOOTH file        vice ADD pt
 END to map center   ^F- Find another    @U- USGS BUILD!
                     +/- move Pointer    @J- JOIN lines     @G- GPS OVERLAY
 F2 CONVERT ORIGIN                       ^R- REDRAW on/off  F9- Init Mouse
------------------------------------------------------------------------------


MOUSE MODES:

 CURSOR: Use F9 to open appropriate MOUSE port (must be MICROSOFT SERIAL
         MOUSE).  Left button is ALT-ADD and right button is FIND command.

 POOR-MANS-MOUSE DIGITIZER:  Use alt-O to OPEN COMM port and READ MOUSE.txt



MAPFIX.bas HELP SCREEN PAGE 1:

MAPFIX can build and edit APRS maps in a variety of ways:"

   FREE-HAND: Good for filling in missing roads, but hard to make roads exact"
   CDROM:     Gets points from 2,000,000:1 and 100,000:1 USGS CD ROM. "
              Both generate Mbytes worth of points that take a lot of time to"
              filter down to a useable APRS size!"
   TABLET:    Connect a serial data digitizer tablet and draw!     BEST METHOD!"
   GPS DATA:  Replay any APRS GPS track history file and DRAW map lines over it"
   CONVERSION:Change origin or scale on-line (old function of MAPCNVRT.bas)"
   IMPORTING: Import features from other maps with auto-point conversion!"
  
   Although MAPFIX is very versitile, manipulating points with a TEXT EDITOR is"
   still useful for whole scale rearranging of points and features in a map file. "
  
   MAPFIX uses the normal yellow APRS cursor, and a White MapPoint which marks the"
   next point to be processed.  ALT Keys allow you to MOVE the MapPoint to the"
   cursor, ADD a new point at the cursor, or DELETE the MapPoint.  The G key will"
   GO to the MapPoint and conversly, F will FIND the point nearest the cursor."
  
   CAUTION, THIS PROGRAM IS NOT PERFECT... KEEP BACKUPS!  Do a little at a time!"
  
  
HELP PAGE 2:
  
   1. Ken Swaggart has refined his tools for converting 100,000 USGS data to"
      the same format used by MAPFIXER for 2,000,000 data.  See CDROM.txt."
  
   2. MAPFIXER now uses the smaller VGA fonts and alternate screen for the map"
      and HELP screens.  Therefore it will NO LONGER run on CGA screens"
  
   3. County Lines are now in a better color of ORANGE"
 
   With MAPFIX.bas, you can modify features by moving, adding or deleting
   Points or Killing whole features, ie: roads, rivers, borders, etc.
  
   If the MapPointer and FeatureName get out of sequence, the RESET command may"
   fix them, but you should save the file immediately and check it with an editor."
  
   Using the IMPORT command, you can IMPORT features from many smaller maps
   into one larger map, or you can take points out of adjacent maps and put
   them into yours.  Only the points that fit within the current WHITE
   center-&-range BORDER will be imported.
  
   The TRIM command is sort of the converse of IMPORT.  It will TRIM all
   points outside of the white RANGE box. 
  
   The MAPLIST command shows your MAPLIST.map file; and the OTHER MAPS
   command shows all MAP borders so you can see how your new map fits in. 
   You may use F3 and F4 keys to select smaller or larger map borders to
   draw.


HELP PAGE 3:        Using GPS Track History Files to draw maps!"
  
  
   To aid in creating accurate maps, W7KKE in Calif figured out how to overlay a"
   GPS Track History file into MAPFIX.  Use this to build and fix your own maps!"
  
   After you have loaded your map, type alt-G (GPS Track History') and enter the"
   history filename.  This will overlay the track history file.  You may then"
   use the normal MAPFIX.bas routines to move map segments and add so that the"
   map will agree with the GPS data contained in the track history file.  This"
   is especially useful with the history files saved by a laptop during mobile"
   GPS operations."
  
   CAUTION:  Since GPS data is only accurate to 100 yards due to the effects of"
   Selective Availability, I would avoid using GPS data explicitely below about"
   the 2 mile range.  For this reason, I make the size of the GPS positions "
   expand below the 2 mile range to roughly approximate the size of the 100 yard"
   error circle."
  
   Note that you can START a NEW map from scratch by just typing NEW instread "
   of a MAP filename when starting up the program."


PAGE 4 INSTRUCTIONS FOR USING A DIGITIZER:
  
   MAPFIX.bas can also accept the serial data from a digitizer tablet or table"
   thanks again to W7KKE.  THIS IS THE MOST ACCURRATE WAY TO BUILD MAPS! "
  
   To use a digitizer, first you must hit the ALT-O command to open the COMM"
   PORT for the digitizer.  This command also lets you test the digitizer while"
   testing the alignment of the map on the digitizer surface.  It then prompts"
   you to identify the upper left and lower right corners of the map, in order"
   to calibrate the digitizer to the latitude, longitude and scale of the map."
  
   From this point on, the 0 button on the digitizer mouse, or the PEN is the same"
   as the ALT-A ADD command.  Points will be added AFTER the current map point."
   To start a new map feature, you must first move the cursor to the new starting"
   point, before using the ALT-N NEW command.  There are 3 ways to move the cursr"
  
      1) arrow keys
      2) fourth button on a 4 button mouse
      3) press F1 and then use the mouse or Pen (once for each press of F1). 
         OR you may use the alt-B BEGIN command which does NOT require the
         cursor to be moved first.
  
   To speed up the screen during editing, MAPFIX does not erase and re-draw the"
   entire map after each new point, but only draws the new line segment.  While"
   editing points, the old line remains until you draw a new map.              "
  

