Public GIS Map Viewer

GIS Viewer Help Home

Map Navigation
Using Quick Maps
Layers and Legends
Working With Parcels
Printing Maps
Measuring Distances
Getting Coordinates
Identifying Features
Copying Map Images
Setting Map Scale
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Public GIS Map Viewer: Navigation

Navigating the map in the viewer can be done in several ways:

  • Zooming In
  • Zooming Out
  • Zooming To The Full Extent
  • Panning
  • Returning To The Previous Extent


  • Zooming In

    This is the default active tool when the map viewer is started or restarted. You can also click this tool at any time to enter Zoom-In mode. There are two methods to zoom in:

  • Click a point: Single-click any point on the map while in Zoom In mode to zoom in to a level that is half of the scale shown in the lower right of the map window. The map will also center on the point you clicked on. For example, if the scale bar is shown as 8000 feet, then a single click will zoom in to a scale of 4000 feet. (NOTE: The scale bar shown is the distance on the ground that is covered by the length of the scale bar, not the viewpoint height looking down from above.)

  • Click and drag to draw a box: You can define an area to zoom to by clicking anywhere on the map with the left mouse button and dragging to draw a box. The map will zoom to the red box you draw. The resulting map extent will be the "best fit" to accomodate the maximum of your zoom box's height or width.


    Zooming Out

    Click this tool at any time to enter Zoom-Out mode. There are two methods of zooming out:


  • Click a point: Single-click any point on the map while in Zoom Out mode to zoom out to a level that is twice the scale shown in the lower right of the map window. The map will also center on the point you clicked on. For example, if the scale bar is shown as 1000 feet, then a single click will zoom out to a scale of 2000 feet. (NOTE: The scale bar shown is the distance on the ground that is covered by the length of the scale bar, not the viewpoint height looking down from above.) You cannot zoom higher than the maximum scale, which is shown when the map viewer is first started (or restarted).

  • Click and drag to draw a box: Like the zoom-in tool, you can click anywhere on the map with the left mouse button and drag to draw a box. But in zoom-out mode this box represents where you want the current map extent to "shrink into". Drawing a small box will zoom out very far, while drawing a large box will only zoom out a little. The resulting map extent will be the "best fit" to accomodate the maximum of your zoom box's height or width.


    Zooming to the Full Extent

    Click this tool to zoom out to the maximum map view extent. This is the default view when the map viewer is started or restarted.


    Panning

    Click this tool to enter Pan mode. In Pan mode, the map extent is repositioned without changing the current zoom level. Using the Pan tool allows you to move the map in any direction to see more of the map in that direction beyond what is currently visible. There are two methods of panning:

  • Using the Pan tool: Click this tool to enter pan mode. Then, left-click the
    map area and drag in any direction, then release the mouse button. The map will be redrawn to show the area you panned to.

  • Clicking on the Overview Map: With the Overview Map visible, click any point on it to pan to that location. This is a quick way to pan long distances, as long as you have an idea where in the City you want to reposition the view.


    Returning To The Previous Extent

    Click this tool to return to the previous map position. This will undo the most recent zoom in, zoom out, zoom full, or pan operation. There is only one level of "undo".