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This is a guide on how to use the MapLab3D app to create a multicolored, 3D printable map of Heidelberg. The aim is to familiarize yourself with the basic functions of the MapLab3D app by following this example.
The example was created using MapLab3D version 1.1.0.0. The result may differ if you use a different version or different default settings.
You can also follow the example with an area other than Heidelberg, but the area should be approximately the same size and you should choose the same scale, otherwise the map may consist of map objects with different object numbers.
Creating a map with the manual adjustments explained here requires experience and is time-consuming to achieve optimal results. Please allow sufficient time for this. If you want quick results, here is a simple example: Small map of Heidelberg.
Preparation
As preparation, the programs MapLab3D and Osmosis must be installed. To do this, follow the instructions given in MapLab3D and Osmosis.
Prepare project parameter data set
Create a project directory (for example: ...\MapLab3D\Heidelberg\), copy the project parameter file (here: MapLab3D_ProjectParameters_1_1_0_0.xlsx) into this directory and open it. This ensures that all changes to the project parameters are saved together with the project's save states.
Next, the data set to be used is selected in the project parameter file. DATASET_1 serves as a template and should not be changed, so the prepared DATASET_2 column is used and the content is replaced. With these changes in the “PROJECT” and ‘DATASET_2’ columns, the “DATASET_2” column is selected when loading the project parameters:
| A | B | C | D | E | F | … | … | Q | … | … | T | … | X |
| 10 | project | N | 1 | 1 | projectname | S | Heidelberg | Name of the project (in detail) |
| 11 | project | N | 1 | 1 | filename | S | HD | Part of the file name that shows the project name (in short) |
| 15 | general | N | 1 | 1 | projectname | S | Heidelberg | Name of the project (in detail) |
For a better overview, columns that are not required are hidden here.
The file name should also appear in the DATASET_2 column for documentation purposes:
| A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | … | T | … | X |
| 19 | general | N | 1 | 1 | comments | N | 1 | 1 | filename | S | HD | Comments: part of the file name that shows the project name (in short) |
Now check the following default settings because they influence the number of tiles required, which will be defined in the next steps:
| A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | … | T | W | X |
| 47 | Maximum object size: Example: Many 3D printers have an installation space of at least 210x190mm. If the space required for a skirt of at least 3mm is subtracted, a maximum object size of 204x184mm remains. |
| 48 | 204 | mm | Maximum object size in x direction |
| 49 | 184 | mm | Maximum object size in y direction |
| 50 | Tile size:
A large map can be made up of many rectangular tiles. The tile size should be selected smaller than the maximum object size so that the objects can overlap the tile edges (e.g. if a road runs along a tile edge). The tile size at the edge of the map is additionally reduced automatically by the width of the frame so that the frame also fits into the printer's installation space. |
| 51 | general | N | 1 | 1 | tile_width_ preset | N | 190 | mm | Tile size in x direction |
| 52 | general | N | 1 | 1 | tile_depth_ preset | N | 170 | mm | Tile size in y direction |
| 53 | Frame size:
The frame parts are glued to the map from the side and from below, so the frame height also includes the thickness of a base plate. The frame height should be corrected again at the end depending on the height of the terrain at the edge of the map. If no base plate is required because there is only one tile, the thickness of the base plate can be set to zero. |
| 54 | frame | N | 1 | 1 | b2 | N | 20 | mm | Outer frame width |
| 55 | 13 | mm | Total frame height without mounting plate |
| 56 | 12 | mm | Thickness of the mounting plate to which the tiles are glued |
Save the changes in the project parameter file.
Prepare the OSM-Data
Select the Area
Open the web site OpenStreetMap. Zoom into the desired area and select Export. With “Manually select a different area”, the boundaries of the area are displayed on the map. Move the boundaries with the mouse to select the desired area.
For small areas, the data can be downloaded directly with “Export” and the preparation of the OSM data would be complete. This is not possible in this example.
Note: If the map is large or is intended to represent a large area such as an entire country, the execution time of certain functions can be very long. In this case, the settings should first be tested on one or more small sections of the area.
Set the scale and size of the map
Start the MapLab3D program. Load the project parameters (“Menu: File - Load project parameters”). The project directory must also be selected now.
Switch to the lon.lat x-y tab.
- Enter the maximum and minimum longitude (lon) and latitude (lat) in the “Osm data” area.
- Copy the longitude and latitude of the bounding box center to the top in the “General data” area. This is necessary in order to be able to clearly calculate the lat,lon values when changing x,y values.
- The “Osm data” area contains the total size of the map in mm (printout size) and the number of tiles required. The desired map size is now set using the scale. In this example, the scale number 35000 is selected so that the map consists of two adjacent tiles.
- The size of the map can now be set even more precisely: The maximum tile depth here is 170mm, the frame width 20mm. This results in a maximum depth of the map (printout size) of 170mm-2*20mm=130mm. In the “Map printout limits” area, the rounded values ymin=-65mm and ymax=65mm are now entered accordingly, thus making maximum use of the available tile depth. Rounded values are also entered for xmin and xmax.
The result of the previous steps looks like this (marked in red, the numbers correspond to the steps in the previous section):
The section of OSM data to be loaded should be larger than the size of the map (printout size):
- to recognize incomplete objects at the edge of the map and
- for later corrections of the map section: The printout limits can also be changed later, but only within the area of the loaded OSM data.
With “Distance between OSM-data and map printout limits / mm”, the range of the OSM data can be extended. The following applies: If the values under “General data” are changed, the black-framed values are retained.
Next picture:
Here, the range of the OSM data is extended by 40mm (marked in red in the next image). You can see: The longitude and latitude values under “Map printout limits” have changed, the x,y values have remained the same:
Now enter the values highlighted in blue into the project parameter file. The current line numbers are displayed in the app. However, if changes are made to the project parameter file or if a different program version is used, the line numbers may differ from those in this example.
It is necessary to specify the scale:
| A | B | C | D | E | F | … | … | Q | … | … | T | … | X |
| 12 | project | N | 1 | 1 | scale | N | 35000 | Scale |
Enter the scale also here for documentation purposes:
| A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | … | T | … | X |
| 20 | project | N | 1 | 1 | comments | N | 1 | 1 | scale | S | 35000 | Comments: scale |
Transfer the data under “General Data” lines 40 and 41 to the Excel table. This data corresponds to the longitude and latitude at x=0 and y=0 in the x,y plane.
| A | B | C | D | E | F | … | … | … | … | … | T | W | X |
| 40 | general | N | 1 | 1 | origin_user_lon | N | 8.70362 | degree | Origin longitude |
| 41 | general | N | 1 | 1 | origin_user_lat | N | 49.41222 | degree | Origin latitude |
The specification of “Distance between OSM-data and map printout limits / mm” in the Excel table is optional. This means that the corresponding value is only re-entered in the edit box in the “lon,lat - x,y” tab when the project parameters are reloaded:
| A | B | C | D | E | F | … | … | … | … | … | T | W | X |
| 280 | general | N | 1 | 1 | dist_osm_ printout | N | 40 | mm | Distance between OSM-data and map printout limits |
The lon-lat values, which are extended by 40 mm compared to the map printout limits, are entered in the Excel table in the “OSM data bounding box” section:
| A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | … | T | W | X |
| 35 | general | N | 1 | 1 | bounding_box | N | 1 | 1 | lonmin_degree | N | 8.62857 | degree | Longitude of the left edge of the bounding box |
| 36 | general | N | 1 | 1 | bounding_box | N | 1 | 1 | lonmax_degree | N | 8.77867 | degree | Longitude of the right edge of the bounding box |
| 37 | general | N | 1 | 1 | bounding_box | N | 1 | 1 | latmin_degree | N | 49.37914 | degree | Latitude of the bottom edge of the bounding box |
| 38 | general | N | 1 | 1 | bounding_box | N | 1 | 1 | latmax_degree | N | 49.44528 | degree | Latitude of the top edge of the bounding box |
By specifying the "map printout limits" in mm, the map section within the loaded OSM data is defined:
| A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | … | T | W | X |
| 43 | general | N | 1 | 1 | map_printout | N | 1 | 1 | xmin_mm | N | -115 | mm | Map printout limits: xmin |
| 44 | general | N | 1 | 1 | map_printout | N | 1 | 1 | xmax_mm | N | 115 | mm | Map printout limits: xmax |
| 45 | general | N | 1 | 1 | map_printout | N | 1 | 1 | ymin_mm | N | -65 | mm | Map printout limits: ymin |
| 46 | general | N | 1 | 1 | map_printout | N | 1 | 1 | ymax_mm | N | 65 | mm | Map printout limits: ymax |
Save the project parameter file!
Create OSM dataset
Reload the project parameters (“Menu: File - Reload project parameters”) and save the project.
As the data cannot be downloaded directly from OpenStreetMap, a small detour must be taken: the data is extracted from a larger data set. The page Geofabrik is used for this. Here, the smallest area must be selected that completely contains the desired map section. In this example, this is Regierungsbezirk Karlsruhe.
Download the data set with the extension .pbf (in this example karlsruhe-regbez-latest.osm.pbf). It is best to save it in a central directory for OSM data, for example under ...\MapLab3D\OSM.
The selected area of Heidelberg is relatively small, so the OSM XML file (extension .osm) can be created without reducing the data. Activate the following settings under "Extra - Create Osmosis call settings" by clicking on them:
Note: The OpenStreetMap files are in XML format (but the extension is .osm). This format is uncompressed and can lead to large files. In the event of error messages when exporting from the OpenStreetMap site, a complete data set of the desired area should therefore first be created in PBF format. In the second step, this file is then converted into the OSM XML format, whereby "Do not reduce the map size" and "Extract all include tags" should be activated.
Now execute the function “Extra - Create Osmosis call”.
- Source file: Select the downloaded OSM dataset (here: karlsruhe-regbez-latest.osm.pbf).
- Destination file: Create a subfolder in the project directory (...\MapLab3D\Heidelberg\OSM) as the storage location and choose a file name (here: Heidelberg.osm).
- Bounding box: The values were taken from the project parameter file and do not need to be changed.
- You may be asked to select the location of the Osmosis installation (“Enter .../osmosis/bin path”). This step will be omitted next time.
- Open the command prompt with “Yes” when asked. Enter the command to call Osmosis with “Ctrl+V” and confirm with “Enter”. Depending on the size of the source file, execution may take a while.
Once Osmosis has been completed, the time required is displayed (here only about 1 minute):
Note: For documentation purposes, a text file with the same name as the target file (here “Heidelberg.osm.txt”) is created, which contains the settings of the Osmosis command and the command itself.
The prompt can now be closed. Now enter the file name of the OSM dataset you have just created in the project parameter file for documentation purposes:
| A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | … | T | … | X |
| 21 | general | N | 1 | 1 | comments | N | 1 | 1 | osm_ filename | S | Heidelberg.osm | Comments: OSM filename |
Note: This procedure creates an OSM dataset of an area that is only slightly larger than the required map section. It is also possible to load a sufficiently large OSM dataset into MapLab3D without these individual steps and, if necessary, to define the printout limits afterwards. However, the OSM dataset should not cover an unnecessarily large area, otherwise the execution times in all subsequent steps will be longer.
Save the project parameter file!
Prepare elevation data
The elevation data for the required area is now downloaded.
The elevation data is provided courtesy of the U.S. Geological Survey: open the page EarthExplorer. It is necessary to create an account and log in.
Select the desired area in the “Search Criteria” tab. There are various ways to do this, for example:
- Zoom in on the area in the map and press “Use Map”. The corners of the polygon can be moved with the mouse.
- Select “Decimal” and “Add Coordinate”. Then enter 4 points with the coordinates of the OSM data bounding box from before in the correct order (clockwise or counterclockwise). The result must be a rectangle:
Switch to the next tab “Data Sets”. In the tree, select “Digital Elevation”, then SRTM, then activate the “SRTM 1 _Arc-Second Global” checkbox.
The data records for the selected area are displayed in the “Results” tab and can be downloaded individually. A data set covers an entire longitude and latitude, so in this example this is only a single file: Click on the icon with the small green arrow pointing downwards (3rd icon from the right) to access the download options. Select GeoTiff 1 Arc-second here. The size of the file is also specified.
Save all data sets required for this map in a separate directory, for example ...\MapLab3D\Elevation\Heidelberg_GeoTIFF. This directory may only contain the elevation data.
Note: If the OSM data bounding box is close to the boundary between two elevation datasets, the neighboring dataset should also be downloaded because a larger area is required when smoothing elevation data.
Optionally, the elevation data can now be converted to mat format. Any missing elevation points are repaired, the file is smaller and loading the elevation data in MapLab3D is faster:
- Run the “Extra - Convert georaster data” function in MapLab3D.
- Select the source directory, here: ...\MapLab3D\Elevation\Heidelberg_GeoTIFF.
- Select the target directory. Create a separate folder for this, here: ...\MapLab3D\Elevation\Heidelberg_mat.
Set superelevation
The superelevation is the enlargement of the height scale compared to the length scale. Depending on the scale, a possible value for the superelevation is already suggested, which is based on commercially available relief maps. For a relatively flat area, the superelevation could be increased to emphasize differences in terrain height. For a relief model of a high mountain landscape, the superelevation may need to be reduced. The optimum value of the superelevation therefore also depends on the area depicted and should be checked and adjusted if necessary.
In this example, for the superelevation the default value is 1:
| A | B | C | D | E | F | … | Q | … | … | … | T | … | X |
| 33 | general | N | 1 | 1 | superelevation | N | 1 | Vertical superelevation: Enlargement of the height compared to the length |
Save the project parameters file and reload it into MapLab3D (“Menu: File - Reload project parameters”).
Select the following settings under File - Load OSM- and elevation-data settings:
Then execute "Menu: File - Load OSM- and elevation-data" (this is much faster without loading all OSM data).
A preview of the terrain is created with “Menu: View - Create 3D map preview”. This procedure is now repeated with different superelevation values. The results are shown below. The subsequent printout (printout limits) is the area outlined in blue:
In this example, it is decided to leave the elevation at the proposed value of 1.0.
| A | B | C | D | E | F | … | Q | … | … | … | T | … | X |
| 33 | general | N | 1 | 1 | superelevation | N | 1.5 | Vertical superelevation: Enlargement of the height compared to the length |
Save the project parameter file!
Set "Menu: File - Load OSM- and elevation-data settings" back to the default setting (next picture).
Create 2D map
In this step, a 2D view of the map is created, which serves as an editing area for the map objects.
First, the remaining important project parameters are checked. These are the country-specific settings.
| A | B | C | D | E | F | G | … | … | … | … | T | … | X |
| 58 | general | N | 1 | 1 | decimal separator | S | . | Decimal separator symbol for export/import of numbers (usually "." or ","). |
| 59 | a4 | Paper type for pdf or jpg export (a4, a3, a2, usletter, uslegal, ...) |
| 60 | "name" keys to filter by:
1) To display texts such as the name of a country, all tags (key=value) of this OSM object are searched for the keys entered here and the corresponding value is displayed as text. The list indicates the search sequence. For example, if “name:de” appears before “name”, the German name will be displayed as text (if the tag “name:de=...” exists). For other possible keys that can be searched for, see: https://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/Key:name. 2) This list is also used to connect only OSM objects with the same name to a map object using the “Filter by key” function. In this way, for example, rivers are not displayed as a single connected water network, but rivers can be selected individually by name. |
| 61 | name:de |
| 62 | name |
| 63 | alt_name |
| 64 | short_name |
| 65 |
Also consider whether and where a legend should be displayed (here: top left corner). Adjust the title of the legend (here: “HEIDELBERG”).
| A | B | C | D | E | F | G | … | … | … | … | T | … | X |
| 67 | northwest | Legend location:
- none: no legend - north: Inside top of axes" - south: Inside bottom of axes - east: Inside right of axes - west: Inside left of axes - northeast: Inside top-right of axes (default for 2-D axes) - northwest: Inside top-left of axes - southeast: Inside bottom-right of axes - southwest: Inside bottom-left of axes The language of the legend is English. The legend texts may need to be translated or adapted (parameter legend.element(r,c).text). |
| 68 | HEIDELBERG | Legend title (for example, the name of the city or country). |
Note
- You may also want to customize the language of the legend: This requires editing the values under legend.element.text in the “Expert settings” below.
- The parameters of the legend can also be changed later. In this case, only the legend needs to be recreated, not the entire 2D map. Because the size of the legend can change, this must be done before the step "Menu: File - Map editing - Simplify map".
You may also need to check the other optional settings. In this example, the narrow-gauge railroads are switched on to display the mountain railroad to the Königstuhl: (you find the description of the parameter in column X):
| A | B | C | D | E | F | G | … | … | … | … | T | … | X |
| 98 | 1 | Show tramways and narrow-gauge railways. |
| A | B | C | D | E | F | G | … | … | … | … | T | … | X |
| 106 | 1 | Show tram and narrow-gauge station symbols. |
Save the changes and reload the project parameters ("Menu: File - Reload project parameters").
Note: After each loading of the project parameters, a text file with a summary is saved in the project directory (here: ...\MapLab3D\Heidelberg\HD - projpar summary.txt). The content of the text file can be copied into the "projpar summary" worksheet of the project parameter file to make it easier to read.
Execute "Menu: File - Load OSM- and elevation-data". When prompted, select the previously created OSM dataset (here ...\MapLab3D\Heidelberg\OSM\Heidelberg.osm) and the directory with the elevation data (here ...\MapLab3D\Elevation\Heidelberg_mat) (duration in this example: 1:35 min s).
Execute "Menu: File - Create map". This creates the 3D map in the “Map” window (duration in this example: 16:32 min).
A warning appears when this function is completed:
The data of the specified object number 25 should be printed as areas, but some of them consist of open lines whose start and end points are not identical. There are the following possible causes for this:
- The logical combination of include tags in the project parameters (obj(ObjNo,1).tag_incl) selects OSM data for display as areas that are actually lines. The include tags should be revised here. Alternatively, the open lines can simply be deleted.
- The tags of the OSM data are incorrect or do not correspond to the usual conventions (for example, if a tag “area=no” is missing). Here too, the open lines can simply be deleted.
- The open lines are located at the edge of the map and are therefore incomplete. This happens because the map section extracted with Osmosis only contains complete “ways”, but not complete ‘relations’ (next to “nodes” the types of OSM data). This can be remedied with the procedure described in one of the following sections.
Note: After executing “Menu: File - Create map,” the project is automatically saved.
General basics for editing the 2D map
This section contains a brief description of basic functions in the “Edit map” tab of the app that are required for the next steps. Try it out on the 2D map you just created.
If the 2D map is changed while you are trying it out, that's no problem: After executing “Menu: File - Create map,” the project is automatically saved in the project directory. Then simply reload the project: “Menu: File - Load project,” in this example, select the file “...\MapLab3D\Heidelberg\HD - after create map - v1.1 - MAP.fig.”
With “Menu: View - Show Tooltips,” you can show and hide tooltips for all components of the app. The help text appears when the mouse pointer is over the component.
Selecting map objects
Selecting a map object:
- Left-click on the map object
- Left-click on a cell in the table of map objects
Selecting multiple map objects
- Click on the map objects one after the other with the middle mouse button. This method can also be used to deselect the objects.
- In the table of map objects:
- Left-click and drag with the mouse
- Selecting an area: Left-click on a cell, Shift+left-click on another cell
- Selecting individual cells: Ctrl+left-click on several cells one after the other
- With the “Tab: Edit map - Basic - Select” button, objects can be selected using criteria, for example, all objects with object number 0 (the legend). This allows you to hide or delete the legend, for example.
- The event display shows the number and PlotNo (row number in the table of map objects) of the selected objects.
Deselect all:
- Click on an empty space on the map.
- Button “Tab: Edit map - Basic - Deselect all”.
Map objects must be selected in order to apply functions such as Move or Rotate:
- Some functions also work with multiple selected map objects (for example, “Move”).
- For other functions, only one map object may be selected (for example, “Move vertex”).
- For some functions, exactly two map objects must be specified (e.g., “1 Subtract 2”). This is done by entering the plot numbers PlotNo 1 and PlotNo 2 in the corresponding edit boxes. It is also possible to enter the numbers by left-clicking (1) and clicking with the middle mouse button (2) in the edit boxes.
A context menu with additional information can be displayed for each map object:
- Left-clicking on a map object generates a context menu.
- Right-clicking on the same spot displays the context menu. The content of the context menu depends on the object type:
- x, y, z: Coordinates at the clicked location. The corresponding longitude and latitude in degrees and the original elevation in meters are also displayed. If “z=?”, the clicked point is outside the range of the height data.
- PlotNo: Plot number: Index in the table of map objects.
- ObjNo: Object number: Index in the project parameter file (“Expert settings”): Elements obj(ObjNo,1). ... .
- Text/Tag: This is used to identify the map object:
- For texts: the displayed text
- For symbols: the values of the keys entered in the project parameter file under obj(ObjNo,1).symbolpar.key_for_display (“Expert settings”).
- For lines or areas: a tag if map objects are plotted filtered by specific tags. This is set in the project parameter file for rivers or highways, for example, so that these objects can be selected individually.
- DispAs: The type of map object.
- Character style No.: Only for text: Font number: Index in the project parameter file (“Expert settings”): Elements charstyle(ChStNo,1). ... .
- Symbol No.: Only for symbols: Symbol number. A preview of the symbols is provided with the MapLab3D installer and should have been copied to the directory ...\MapLab3D\Symbols\Preview.
- ColNo: Color number: Index in the project parameter file (“Expert settings”): Elements color(ColNo,1). ... .
- Prio: Object priority: The map object with the highest priority is fully visible, while map objects below it are hidden or cut off. Texts and symbols should have the highest priority and should not overlap.
- dz: Raising or lowering the surface of the map object relative to the terrain height.
- SurfType: Surface type. Possible values are:
- 0: The surface height follows the terrain, increased by dz.
- 1: Flat surface: The regions of a map object's surface can have different heights.
- 2: Flat surface: All regions of the surface of the same map object have the same height.
- Rotation: Angle of rotation, only if a rotation has been performed.
- Tags: All nodes, ways, and relations contained in the map object, with their OpenStreetMap IDs and all tags key=value. The number of nodes, ways, and relations displayed is limited to 10 each.
- Relation ID: Only if the entire map object is part of a relation.
- Bounding box limits: Minimum and maximum x, y and z values.
- Region number and dimensions: The region with the maximum height difference dz is temporarily highlighted in color. This can be a criterion for cutting the map object into parts.
- Only for lines with variable line width:
- Line length: Length of the line.
- Minimum line width: Line width at the beginning of the line. The beginning of the line is temporarily highlighted in color.
- Maximum line width: Line width at the end of the line. The end of the line is temporarily highlighted in color.
- Change line width: Change the line width.
- Show/Gray out/Hide: This can be used to change the visibility as an alternative to the buttons under “Visibility.”
- Change text: Only for text: Change the text.
- Change character style: Only for text: Change the font.
- Color number: Change the color, as an alternative to the buttons under “Color”:
Explanation of important buttons
Here is a general overview of frequently used functions.
Tab: Edit map
Map View: Changing the map section: right side of the tab.
- In: After activation (button turns green), you can zoom in on an area of the map by left-clicking and dragging with the mouse.
- Out: Zooms out: enlarges the displayed boundaries by a factor of 3
- Fit: Zoom in on the printout limits (the area to be printed).
- Sel: Zoom in on the selected objects.
- All: All tile boundaries and OSM data boundaries are displayed in full.
- You can also move the map section and undo changes to the view.
Visibility: Change the visibility of map objects.
- Show: The map object is visible and will be printed.
- Gray out: The map object is visible but grayed out and will not be printed.
- Hide: The map object is invisible and will not be printed.
- Delete: Permanently deletes the map object.
Tab: Edit map - Basic
This tab contains basic functions for editing the 2D map. Examples:
Color
- Color reset: The map object is assigned the color number defined in the project parameters.
- Transparent: The map object is printed in the color of the underlying object and is only visible when the surface is raised or lowered. This is the preferred setting for buildings, for example.
Temporary visibility
- Hide temporarily: Map objects can be temporarily hidden to reduce complexity or to make an underlying object visible or clickable.
- Restore all: All temporarily hidden map objects are displayed again. Map objects hidden with the “Hide” function remain invisible.
Reorder / PlotNo
- This allows you to change the order of the map objects. This affects the position in the table of map objects (PlotNo) and is equivalent to the order of mutual overlap of the plot objects in the 2D map. For example, if a map object cannot be clicked, the object above it can be moved to the top of the table using “Back / First”. The PlotNo has no influence on the subsequent printout; this is determined by the priority of the map objects.
Tab: Edit map - Advanced
- Preview (L/P): Create and modify preview lines using the mouse, by entering data, or by loading a file containing data. A description can be entered before creating preview lines.
- Lines (L): Modifying lines. Lines are only available as non-printable preview objects and are a preliminary stage for polygons. Lines must not touch themselves.
- Polygons (P): Modifying polygons. A polygon is a geometric figure with closed lines as its border. Polygons can also have holes (inner edges or boundaries) and can also consist of several adjacent polygons (regions). Printable map objects are always polygons.
- Printout limits: Conversion of the map section to be printed into a preview polygon and vice versa. This allows you to change the map section and create maps that are not rectangular in shape, but rather, for example, have the shape of a country.
- Preview to map object: Conversion of preview polygons into printable map objects and vice versa.
- Cutting lines: This allows map objects to be cut into several parts.
Incomplete areas after creating the 2D map
Before you can start editing the 2D map, you need to close or delete any incomplete areas in the form of open lines. These lines are shown here as bright red lines with DispAs="area - not closed" and are also called "preview lines".
Fixing incomplete areas
In this example, there is an open line that is incomplete due to missing data because it is located at the edge of the map. This is an incomplete water area with object number 25 (Expanse of Water). Although this area is located behind the legend, it is used here to demonstrate how such incomplete areas can be repaired:
In this section, components in the “Edit map - Advanced” tab are used.
Select the open line and press the button “Close” (under Lines (L)). This attaches the starting point to the end of the line and the line appears closed:
Note: If the connection between the start and end points intersects the remaining line when you click “Close,” an error message will be displayed. In this case, you must use “Move vertex” or “Delete vertices” to change the start or end point so that a direct connection with “Close” is possible.
Select the closed line and press “To poly” to turn the preview line into a preview polygon. The area inside the line is now highlighted in color:
Select the preview polygon and any other preview polygons with the same object number (here: 25). The object number is automatically entered in the “Preview to map object” area under “Map object number.” Activate the "Merge" checkbox below, then press “Preview to map object”, confirm the execution, and wait for the result (here: 6:45 min).
With the “Merge” checkbox activated, the preview polygon is added to the plot data and all map objects with object number 25 are recreated. This is why the open line is still there afterwards:
The now superfluous preview line can be hidden (“Hide”) or deleted (“Delete”):
The “Merge” checkbox is usually only needed to close open lines at the beginning and should now be deactivated again.
Now save the project with “Menu: File - Save project”.
Notes:
- Older save files are numbered consecutively in the project directory, with the smaller number always being the newer version. You should get into the habit of saving often, because there is no undo function! In an emergency, the last saved version can be loaded with “Menu: File - Reload project”.
- When creating the 2D map, open lines can also occur due to incorrect OSM data or because the include tags in the project parameters are not defined optimally, resulting in data being selected for display as areas that should actually represent lines. Such open lines can simply be hidden ("Hide") or deleted ("Delete").
Editing the 2D map
This is the result of the previous steps:
For this screenshot, the legend of the 2D map was temporarily activated using "Menu: View - Show map figure legend (off: faster)".
The following is a description of the actual editing of the map layout. The order of the editing steps is irrelevant until “Menu: File - Map editing - Simplify map” is executed.
Subsequent modification of project parameters
Some project parameters that affect the appearance of the map can still be changed after the 2D map has been created. These are:
- Superelevation.
- For map objects:
- Object priority.
- Color number.
- Raising or lowering the surface of the map object relative to the terrain height.
- Surface type:
- 0: The surface height follows the terrain, increased by dz.
- 1: Flat surface: The regions of the surface can have different heights.
- 2: Flat surface: All regions of the surface have the same height.
- Font number for texts.
This will be demonstrated as follows: Color number 1 (previously “Fillamentum PLA Extrafill, Electric Grey”) will be replaced by a green filament (copied from the file MapLab3D_ProjectParameters_1_1_0_0_Colors_Database.xlsx):
| A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | … | … | … | T | … | X |
| 817 | color | N | 1 | 1 | rgb | N | 1 | 1 | 131 | Print color: intensity of the red component |
| 818 | color | N | 1 | 1 | rgb | N | 1 | 2 | 201 | Print color: intensity of the green component |
| 819 | color | N | 1 | 1 | rgb | N | 1 | 3 | 53 | Print color: intensity of the blue component |
| 820 | color | N | 1 | 1 | color_ short_text | S | Green | Brief description of the color |
| 821 | color | N | 1 | 1 | color_property | S | Special characteristics of the color |
| 822 | color | N | 1 | 1 | color_ identification | S | 55324 | Explicit identification of the color |
| 823 | color | N | 1 | 1 | material | S | PLA | Material |
| 824 | color | N | 1 | 1 | brand | S | Verbatim | Brand |
| 825 | color | N | 1 | 1 | manufacturer | S | Verbatim | Manufacturer |
| 826 | color | N | 1 | 1 | weblink | S | shop | Website URL |
After saving and reloading the project parameters, the 2D map looks like this:
Note: The RGB values in the project parameters are used later to generate a realistic preview of the printout if the map is printed with the specified filaments. The color of the printout naturally depends on which filament is ultimately used.
Changing the map section
There are two ways to change the map section after the 2D map has already been created. However, this is only possible within the limits of the loaded OSM data.
1st method: Graphical modification of printout limits:
- Press the button “Tab: Edit map - Advanced - Printout limits: To preview”. The resulting preview polygon can now be edited, for example scaled.
- The “Tab: Edit map - Advanced - Printout limits: From preview” button resets the map section based on the selected preview polygon.
- This method also allows you to define the area of a country, for example, as a map section. The shape of the frame is then adjusted to the map section.
- With “Tab: Edit map - Advanced - Printout limits: Reset,” the map section is reset based on the project parameters.
2nd method: Changing the project parameters: This method is now demonstrated: To increase the width of the map, the printout limits xmin and xmax are increased from 115 mm to 125 mm:
| A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | … | T | W | X |
| 43 | general | N | 1 | 1 | map_printout | N | 1 | 1 | xmin_mm | N | -125 | mm | Map printout limits: xmin |
| 44 | general | N | 1 | 1 | map_printout | N | 1 | 1 | xmax_mm | N | 125 | mm | Map printout limits: xmax |
| 45 | general | N | 1 | 1 | map_printout | N | 1 | 1 | ymin_mm | N | -65 | mm | Map printout limits: ymin |
| 46 | general | N | 1 | 1 | map_printout | N | 1 | 1 | ymax_mm | N | 65 | mm | Map printout limits: ymax |
After saving and loading the project parameters, use the “Tab: Edit map - Advanced - Printout limits: Reset” button to reset the map section based on the changed project parameters.
After changing the map section, the legend must be repositioned. To do this, activate the “Recreate the legend” checkbox in “Menu: File - Create map settings” and then execute “Menu: File - Create map”. The result looks like this:
Note: If the map section is not rectangular but has a free form, the following restrictions are currently known:
- A tile must not consist of two separate parts.
- If the map contains a hole, an inner frame is also created. However, the inner frame must not lie on a tile boundary, otherwise the STL file of the inner frame will be incorrect.
Add map objects
This is the right moment to check whether the map contains all the desired map objects. If something is missing, there are basically the following options:
The easiest option is:
- Switch on predefined objects in the project file under “Optional: Turn the display of objects on and off:”. Then save the project parameters, load them, activate the checkbox “Recreate certain objects, keep the rest” in the “Menu: File - Create map settings” and then execute “Menu: File - Create map”. At the beginning, the object numbers of the new map objects must be entered.
The following options require editing the “Expert settings”:
- Define new object number: There are currently 120 different objects, and the object numbers are sorted according to object priority (not mandatory, but clearer). New objects can be added, preferably by copying the lines of an existing matching object and editing the parameters. By updating the references in the third column, the object numbers of the objects below must be increased by one. Because this changes the object numbers of existing map objects, the 2D map must be completely recreated.
- For existing object numbers, edit the include tags (obj.(ObjNo,1).tag_incl) or exclude tags (obj.(ObjNo,1).tag_excl), then only recreate the map objects with the corresponding object number (as described above with “Recreate certain objects, keep the rest”).
The editing of the include and exclude tags is now demonstrated using an example:
The funicular railway to Königstuhl is not shown in full here; the “Kornmarkt” station is missing. See the OSM map for comparison:
The reason for this is that tunnels are not displayed as lines at the current scale. This is achieved by entering the key “tunnel” with the value “yes” in the exclude tags of object 59 (narrow-gauge railway) (the lines in between are hidden here):
| A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | … | T | … | X
|
| 6362 | obj | N | 59 | 1 | tag_excl | N | 1 | 2 | k | S | tunnel | - Exclude key |
| 6363 | obj | N | 59 | 1 | tag_excl | N | 1 | 2 | v | S | yes | Exclude value |
| 6447 | obj | N | 59 | 1 | textpar | N | 1 | 1 | tag_excl | N | 1 | 2 | k | S | tunnel | Text: - Exclude key |
| 6448 | obj | N | 59 | 1 | textpar | N | 1 | 1 | tag_excl | N | 1 | 2 | v | S | yes | Text: Exclude value |
| 6522 | obj | N | 59 | 1 | symbolpar | N | 1 | 1 | tag_excl | N | 1 | 2 | k | S | tunnel | Symbols: - Exclude key |
| 6523 | obj | N | 59 | 1 | symbolpar | N | 1 | 1 | tag_excl | N | 1 | 2 | v | S | yes | Symbols: Exclude value |
Because the line is missing, the symbol for the “Kornmarkt” valley station is also not displayed. Stations are only displayed if the node (station) has a maximum real distance of 15 m from the line (track), see parameter obj(ObjNo,1).reduce_nodes.dmax2lines_m:
| A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | … | … | … | … | … | … | T | W | X
|
| 6372 | obj | N | 59 | 1 | reduce_nodes | N | 1 | 1 | dmax2lines_m | N | 15 | m | Nodes: Maximum real distance to lines with the same object number (deactiv: -1) |
Now delete the formulas entered in the lines obj(59,1).tag_excl(1,2).k and obj(59,1).tag_excl(1,2).v. The corresponding values under textpar and symbolpar are automatically deleted. This shows both the tracks running through tunnels and the underground stations:
| A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | … | T | … | X
|
| 6362 | obj | N | 59 | 1 | tag_excl | N | 1 | 2 | k | S | - Exclude key |
| 6363 | obj | N | 59 | 1 | tag_excl | N | 1 | 2 | v | S | Exclude value |
| 6447 | obj | N | 59 | 1 | textpar | N | 1 | 1 | tag_excl | N | 1 | 2 | k | S | Text: - Exclude key |
| 6448 | obj | N | 59 | 1 | textpar | N | 1 | 1 | tag_excl | N | 1 | 2 | v | S | Text: Exclude value |
| 6522 | obj | N | 59 | 1 | symbolpar | N | 1 | 1 | tag_excl | N | 1 | 2 | k | S | Symbols: - Exclude key |
| 6523 | obj | N | 59 | 1 | symbolpar | N | 1 | 1 | tag_excl | N | 1 | 2 | v | S | Symbols: Exclude value |
In addition, only the funicular railway should be displayed, not the other narrow-gauge railways. This is achieved by editing the include tags. First, a tag must be found that clearly describes the funicular railway:
On the map at OpenStreetMap, activate the “Query features” button on the right-hand side of the window. Click on the mountain railway and select one of the “Relation Bergbahn Heidelberg” data sets:
The tag "name=Bergbahn Heidelberg" clearly describes the funicular railway. Now enter this tag in an empty field of the include tags of object 59 (Narrow-Gauge Railway) in line 2 (column heading "R2", marked in red):
| A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | … | T | … | X |
| 6338 | obj | N | 59 | 1 | tag_incl | N | 2 | 2 | k | S | name | - Include key |
| 6339 | obj | N | 59 | 1 | tag_incl | N | 2 | 2 | v | S | Bergbahn Heidelberg | Include value |
In object 83 (Narrow-Gauge Railway: Bridges), this tag is automatically adopted.
Note: The include and exclude tags are structured as a matrix. In general:
- The criteria of all columns in a row (headings C1 to C4) are linked with a logical OR.
- The criteria of all rows (headings R1 to R4) are linked with a logical AND.
This means that all narrow-gauge railways (all tags in row 1 of the include tags) that also have the tag "name=Bergbahn Heidelberg" (row 2 of the include tags) are now displayed.
Save and load the project parameters. Because the include tags have changed, a warning will appear, but this can be ignored because no new objects have been added. In the “Menu: File - Create map settings” window, activate the “Recreate certain objects, keep the rest” checkbox and then execute “Menu: File - Create map”. When prompted, enter object number 59 (Narrow-Gauge Railway) and 83 (Narrow-Gauge Railway: Bridges) and wait for the execution to finish (here: 6:47 min).
The funicular railway is now shown in full, while all other narrow-gauge railways have been removed:
Save the project.
Seal holes
Closing holes is generally possible at any stage of processing, but in certain cases should be done either at this point or only at the end of processing. The procedure is described in the chapter of the same name at the end of processing.
Show or hide map objects
If there are duplicate map objects, too many map objects overlap, or the map appears cluttered overall, objects must be hidden.
In some cases, objects are also generated in grey and can be made visible. The names of cities, for example, are generated in two ways:
- Name of a city boundary (administrative boundary): This method is preferred because when the name is clicked, the underlying city boundary is displayed as a magenta line, which makes it easier to place the name correctly when moving it. In this example, the city boundary of Heidelberg is not within the map section, so the name Heidelberg does not appear as black text.
- Name of a node: The name displayed for the node ‘Heidelberg’ is greyed out here and could be made visible manually (using the ‘Show’ button). This should not be done here because the name appears already in the legend:
In this example, the following changes are made:
Hide railway stations
Railway stations are currently selected using the tags railway=station or railway=halt (for small stations):
| A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | … | T | … | X
|
| 6415 | obj | N | 59 | 1 | textpar | N | 1 | 1 | tag_incl | N | 1 | 14 | k | S | railway | Texts: - Include key |
| 6416 | obj | N | 59 | 1 | textpar | N | 1 | 1 | tag_incl | N | 1 | 14 | v | S | tram_stop | Texts: Include value |
| 6417 | obj | N | 59 | 1 | textpar | N | 1 | 1 | tag_incl | N | 1 | 15 | k | S | railway | Texts: - Include key |
| 6418 | obj | N | 59 | 1 | textpar | N | 1 | 1 | tag_incl | N | 1 | 15 | v | S | halt | Texts: Include value |
There are many nodes with the tag railway=halt at Heidelberg Central Station:
All icons except one should be hidden or deleted. Then move the last icon to the centre:
Save the project.
Hide rivers
The objects with the number 30 (waterway=stream) are largely covered or cut up by roads, for example:
To reduce complexity, all objects with the number 30 are hidden or deleted here: Select with ‘Tab: Edit map - Basic - Select’, then ‘Tab: Edit map - Basic - Delete’.
Save the project.
Hide short roads
In object 38 (Paved Track), there are short sections of road that connect to unpaved paths, which are not shown at this scale. Therefore, these short sections of road do not appear to be connected to the rest of the road network:
Such short road sections should be deleted:
- Select object 38 (Paved Track).
- Press the button ‘Tab: Edit map - Advanced - Regions’. In the table of map objects, there are now 105 map objects with object number 38 instead of just one.
- Now you can select individual lines and hide or delete them.
Note: Alternatively, you could consider hiding the entire object 38 (Paved Track).
Save the project.
Cutting map objects using map objects
Possible applications are:
- Settlement areas and forests can be composed of many sub-areas. If these areas are too large or if puzzle pieces with a unique name are to be created, the areas can be divided along administrative boundaries. This can be done using the grayed-out line objects “Boundary names and cutting lines: ...” (here object numbers 109 to 116) and the function “Tab: Edit map - Advanced - 1 Subtract 2.” This creates a gap with a width of 0.3 mm in the areas.
- Rivers, highways, and administrative boundaries are sorted by name and plotted as individual map objects on the 2D map, overlapping each other. This creates a connected network. If you want to generate puzzle pieces with a unique name, you must remove the overlap between two objects with different names and insert a gap between them. This can be done using the “Tab: Edit map - Advanced - 1 Subtract (2+tolerance)” function.
Note: Another way to cut map objects is described below.
Here, the settlement areas and the forest are now divided along the administrative boundaries in object 111 (boundary names and cutting lines: borough). Selecting all texts from object 111 (Tab: Edit map - Basic - Select) clearly displays the lines (source data of the texts):
Left-click on the red settlement areas (object 10: Built-up Area) in the 2D map. Then click with the middle mouse button on the grayed-out administrative boundaries (object 111: Boundary names and cutting lines: borough). In the “Edit map - Advanced” tab, the plot numbers of the two objects have been automatically entered in the “PlotNo 1” and “PlotNo 2” edit boxes. Check the map objects table to make sure that the correct objects have been clicked on!
Press the “1 Subtract 2” button.
Note: The objects do not need to be selected; it is sufficient to enter the plot numbers in the edit boxes.
Now repeat this with the forest (object 12: Wood, Forest). The two objects were cut along the line:
The subtraction may result in narrow strips or small individual areas. These will be automatically simplified later when you execute “Menu: File - Map editing - Simplify map” (not yet!):
Save the project.
Connect or delete small map objects
Map objects are easier to print and insert if they are not too small. Tall parts with a small base area are particularly difficult to print. For this reason, small symbols are usually generated transparently by default, or symbols are automatically connected to corresponding text in the same color. The letters of a text (foreground) can be connected to each other by a background of the same color underneath. Texts without a background are possible for large individual letters, transparent texts, or dual extruder/multi-material printing.
Examples:
-
Transparent symbol -
Connection line between text and symbol -
Text with background -
Text without background
Reasons for connecting map objects may include:
- Connecting small objects that are next to each other so that they are easier to print. It is best to place the connecting lines underneath overlapping objects so that they are not visible in the end.
- In a puzzle where each piece should have exactly one label: for example, connecting small districts that cannot accommodate any text, or a district that consists of several small sub-areas. If the text background is the same color as the parts to be connected, the connection can also be made through the text: Here is an example from another project:
- For two-line texts: Connect the second line to the first line. This should only be done after moving texts (as described below).
- Connecting different map objects that are next to each other but should form a common area. Example: A lake that is connected to a river:
In this example, small settlement areas are now connected if they are close to each other and belong to the same district. Use the “Edit map - Advanced” tab:
- Activate “Draw line” mode. Create a preview line by left-clicking and dragging with the mouse. The preview line can also have several nodes if you continue at exactly the same point. If the preview object runs along roads, the connection will no longer be visible later. With the “Move vertex” mode, you can correct the nodes of the line by clicking and dragging with the mouse.
- Enter the thickness of the connecting line in the “Line width / mm” edit box (here: 1 mm).
- Enter the object number of the settlement areas in the “Map object number” edit box: either by manual entry (here: 10) or by left-clicking on the settlement areas.
- Select the preview line. Press the “Preview line to line map object” button: the preview line is replaced by a map object. Because the connecting line has the same color number as the settlement areas and the road does not cut through the settlement areas but runs above them, the three parts are connected when the STL files are generated.
-
Initial state -
Preview line -
Connected Built-up Area
Save the project.
Another way to connect small settlement areas below roads is to convert part of the road itself into a settlement area:
- Create a preview line that covers the desired area of the road (“Draw line”).
- Convert the preview line into a polygon (“To poly”).
- Create the intersection between the preview polygon and the roads:
- Left-click on the preview polygon and middle-click on the roads (ObjNo 38: Paved Track). The order is important, otherwise the roads will be clipped instead of the preview polygon! The edit boxes “PlotNo 1” and “PlotNo 2” in the “Polygons (P)” area have been filled in.
- Now press the “1 Intersect 2” button.
- Left-click on the red settlement area: The object number (10) is entered in the edit box in the “Preview to map object” area. Then select the preview polygon and press the “Preview to map object” button (without activating the “Merge” checkbox).
-
Initial state -
Preview line -
Preview polygon -
Preview polygon intersection with streets -
Connected Built-up Area
Save the project.
If a settlement area is small and far away from other settlement areas or almost completely covered by other objects, it can also be deleted entirely. This is the case, for example, with the area at the bottom left of the map:
- Divide the settlement area into regions so that the small settlement area can be selected individually: Select the settlement area with a left click and press the “Regions” button.
- The settlement areas to be deleted are partially covered and cannot be selected: Click on the roads above the settlement areas to be deleted and press the “Tab: Edit map - Basic - Temporary visibility - Hide selection” button.
- Select the individual small settlement areas and press the “Delete” button.
- Press the button “Tab: Edit map - Basic - Temporary visibility - Restore all” to show the roads again.
-
Small settlement areas -
Streets temporarily hidden -
Small settlement areas deleted
Save the project.
Now repeat this with other small settlement areas. There will be another opportunity later to systematically search for map objects that are too small. It makes sense to edit settlement areas at this point because settlement areas cut through forest areas when you execute “Menu: File - Map editing - Simplify map.”
Cutting map objects
This step is optional. Objects can be cut automatically:
- When executing the function “Menu: File - Map editing - Simplify map”:
- Lines are separated outside the edges of underlying areas to prevent the bottom of the area from being unnecessarily lowered by a lower-lying line outside the area.
- Lines are separated if they have a large difference in height, causing the gap in the underlying parts to become unnecessarily deep.
- In the function “Menu: File - Create map STL files” executed afterwards: Here, all map objects larger than the specified maximum dimensions are cut. These dimensions can have different values depending on the color number:
- The maximum dimensions must not exceed the build volume of the printer used.
- The maximum dimensions can be set smaller to make a puzzle more difficult.
Notes:
- In the “Simplify map” function, the project parameters with the names “colorspec.simplify_map. ...” are applied. The application can be easily deactivated with “Divide lines automatically (0/1)”.
- In the “Create map STL files” function, the project parameters with the names “colorspec.cut_into_pieces. ...” are applied. The shape of the cutting lines can also be set there. The two most important parameters are the maximum dimensions of map objects (“maxdimx” and “maxdimy”).
The following reasons speak in favor of manually cutting objects:
- The automatic cutting functions do not always produce the best results and can also be unreliable for more complex map objects.
- The cutting of lines in “Simplify map” is based in part on the shape of the underlying surfaces, which are only cut in the second step, “Create map STL files,” during automatic cutting. The result is therefore not optimal.
These considerations lead to the following possible approaches:
- Simplest solution: Skip the two steps “Cutting map objects” (now and later) and try to see if automatic cutting produces a satisfactory result.
- Slightly more effort: Leave the automatic cutting of lines in “Simplify map” switched on (“Divide lines automatically (0/1)” = 1). Before executing “Simplify map,” manually cut all areas to the maximum or desired size (“Maximum object size,” depending on the printer's build space) as described below.
- Most effort, best result: Disable automatic line cutting in “Simplify map” (“Divide lines automatically (0/1)” = 0). After executing “Simplify map”, manually cut all map objects (areas and lines).
Here, the third option is selected, which provides the best result. Therefore, now turn off the automatic cutting of lines:
| A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | … | T | W | X |
| 130 | 0 | Divide lines automatically (0/1) When the “File - Map editing - Simplify map” function is executed, lines such as roads can be automatically divided into parts. This is necessary so that the printed lines don't get too high and the slots don't get too deep. Dividing lines can also be done manually using the contour lines and cutting lines. If you want to cut lines manually: Set this parameter to zero and use the “Cutting lines” after executing “Simplify map”. With a little practice, the results are usually better and more reliable. Procedure: - If a line runs over an area like a road over a city, the road should be cut just outside the city at the lowest point so that the city part does not become too high (or so that the bottom of the city part has to be lowered less). - The remaining lines should be cut along the same contour line if possible. The resulting individual parts should not be too small and too high so that they do not tip over during printing. |
Save and load the project parameters.
Adjusting the position of the natural peak symbols
The position of the peaks natural=peak in the OSM data does not always correspond to the highest point of a hill in the 3D map. This becomes apparent when the contour lines are activated with “Menu: View - Show contour lines”:
Now set a higher resolution for the contour lines (click “Menu: View - Show contour lines” twice), for example:
If you zoom in on the map, you can see that some of the peak symbols are not located at the highest point:
Select the symbol, text, and connecting line, and correct the position of these objects using “Tab: Edit map - Basic - Move”:
Repeat this with all other peak symbols and texts, taking care not to select the wrong object. Use the arrows under “Tab: Edit map - Map View” to systematically move the map section for this task.
Save the project.
Note: If an object has been moved accidentally, it can be reset to its original shape using the “Tab: Edit map - Basic - Reset” button.
Editing texts and symbols
The editing of texts and symbols should be carried out in accordance with the following guidelines:
General guidelines:
- Texts and symbols have the highest object priority of all map objects. They should be fully visible and not overlap each other. This can be checked using the function “Menu: File - Map editing - Detect overlapping texts and symbols.”
- Texts and symbols with their own color should overlap as few other objects as possible, because these objects are then either cut off by the texts or because the bottom of these objects is lowered as a result. The minimum distance to other objects should be 0.5 mm. This corresponds to the gap dimension in the cutout that texts and symbols create in underlying parts (project parameter colorspec(3,1).d_side, currently 0.45 mm).
- Texts should run along contour lines as far as possible so that the individual letters have a constant height. Alternatively, the texts should be placed so that the differences in height are as small as possible.
- If there is not enough space, texts can be shortened or split into several lines using “Change text” in the context menu, which in turn can be moved or rotated individually.
- If too many texts or symbols overlap or if an element described by the text is too small, texts and symbols can be grayed out or deleted.
When using as a reusable puzzle:
- If puzzle pieces are printed with labels: Labels should be placed as completely as possible over the respective puzzle piece and should not extend beyond it.
- If handles are created for removable pieces: Each piece must have at least one handle in a suitable position depending on its size (if there is only one handle, it should be in the middle if possible).
- Using the function “Menu: File - Map editing - Detect misplaced texts and symbols,” you can check
- that all puzzle pieces have a label,
- that all puzzle pieces have a certain number of handles, and
- whether texts or symbols are free-standing and not assigned to any puzzle piece.
For transparent text and symbols (the text or symbol is printed in the color of the object below it and is only visible by raising or lowering the surface):
- Transparent text and symbols should not be placed above a tile border if possible, so that there is no gap.
- Transparent text and symbols are more easily recognizable if the background is a uniform color. This ensures that the text and symbols are also monochrome and not interrupted by a gap. The following options are available for this:
- Move them so that they are placed over a uniform color or over as few colors as possible.
- Cut the objects below them.
- Add a colored area below them.
- Assign the text or symbol its own color (edit the project parameters).
When editing, it is helpful to use the arrows under “Tab: Edit map - Map View” to systematically move the map section.
Connection lines between texts and symbols: The “connection lines” connect the usually small symbols with an accompanying text in the shortest possible way. This makes it easier to print the symbols, assign them to the correct location on the map, and insert them. After moving texts, the connection lines usually have to be redrawn.
Move and rotate text
CURRENT STATUS OF THE REVISION