Map Tools

The map tools allow you to interact with the map by changing the field of view, by finding more information about objects in the map, or by editing how the map is displayed. The map toolbar can be docked or free-floating, and all of the map tools are also available from the "Map" pulldown menu in the Map Window if you should choose to hide the map toolbar (unselect "Map" in the "Toolbar" pulldown menu). Each tool is described below. Note that the map pulldown menu also includes two options for exporting maps - you can copy an image of the map you see to the clipboard, or export an animation if your data change over time.

	selection	This is the default tool. In the map layer pane, it can be used for changing the order of map layers, and activating and deactivating map layers (see Maps overview for details). In the map pane, it can be used to select items on the map. Using this tool you can click directly on a single item to select it, or you can click and drag open a rectangle to select all items that intersect the rectangle. Selection is useful in linked data views. When you right click on the map, this tool can also be used to show object neighbors.
	zoom in	Use the zoom in tool to focus on a section of the map. Move the tool to where you want to zoom, and click to zoom in. You can also draw a box by left clicking your mouse and holding the button down as you drag the cursor from the starting point; when you release the button the map view will zoom to the area in the box. Alternatively, you can "zoom to selected" objects using the map's right click menu.
	zoom out	Use the zoom out tool to enlarge the field of view. Move the tool to where you want the enlargement to be centered and click to zoom out. The map focus will not zoom out beyond the spatial extent of the data. This button will not be active unless you are zoomed in somewhat from the full extent of the dataset.
	zoom to fit	The zoom to fit tool returns the visual display to the full spatial extent of the data set. This button will not be active unless you are zoomed in from the full extent of the dataset.
	pan	The pan tool can be used instead of the scrollbars to move the field of view across the map. This tool only works when the map is zoomed in from the full spatial extent of the data. Click on the button to activate the tool and then use it to pan the map across the viewing window. For example, to expose a section to the right of the viewing window, drag the map to the left.
	query	The query button is a method for querying the map; clicking a point with this tool brings up a table of information about the selected location. You can also query by right-clicking a single object (state, SEA, or county) in the layer.
	properties	The properties button can be used to view and edit map layer properties (color schemes, data in map, etc.).
	print	Use this button to send your map to a printer. The map printed will be for the time shown in your time window (upper right, next to the animation toolbar), and currently only the map (not the legend) will be printed.