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ClpMap
A World Map Plotting Program
Version 1.0
ClpMap Users Manual
March 1993
Copyright (c) 1993 by W. W. Mayfield
All Rights Reserved
Table of Contents
Introduction ........................................1
Hardware requirements ...............................2
Details of the world database .......................3
Getting started .....................................3
File Definitions ....................................5
Main menu selections ................................7
Choose Options dialog ...............................8
Select Map Parameters dialog ........................10
Disclaimer ..........................................12
Definition of Shareware .............................12
Registration ........................................13
ii
Introduction
Microsoft Windows along with a wide assortment of
increasingly capable word processors, spread sheets, drawing
and presentation programs currently give the computer user
the ability to easily create a professional quality document
or presentation from a desktop. Plotting capability is
provided so that the users data can be effectively presented
and a wide variety of clip art is usually included with
these applications so that professional appearing art can be
easily incorporated without the requirement that the user be
a talented artist.
This predrawn clip art is generally adequate to provide
borders or icons or other non-specific illustrations. If
the subject of the users document requires that a particular
country or region of the earth be illustrated, and the
desired view is not available as clip art, there is no easy
way to generate it. This is the need filled by ClpMap.
ClpMap allows the user to easily generate an accurate map of
the whole earth or any specific part of the earth from any
particular vantage point and with a wide variety of
selectable parameters. If a particular country or region is
needed as the base art on which to add annotations or other
figures for a complete illustration, ClpMap provides the
user an easy way to generate it.
ClpMap effectively marries the capabilities of the
currently available Windows applications with an excellent
public domain world database to provide the user the ability
to select and customize a particular earth view, then to
transport it as clip art to a Windows application. Within
ClpMap colors, line widths, view perspective, drawing size,
and many other parameters can be manipulated until the
desired results are obtained. The results can be viewed and
printed until they are determined to be satisfactory. The
clip art thus produced can then be saved to a file in case
future adjustments are needed, then cut or copied to the
Windows clipboard where it can be easily pasted into another
Windows application.
ClpMap can be used to create a whole earth view using
any of three basic projections. An Equirectangular
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projection is a cylindrical projection capable of displaying
the whole earth including the north and south poles.
A Mercator Conformal projection is a cylindrical
projection which preserves directions and is commonly used
by map makers. This projection can display the whole earth
except for the north and south poles.
A Satellite View can be used to provide a three-
dimensional prospective of the earth such as might be seen
from a position in space. This projection has the same
appearance as a users view of a world globe. Any position
and altitude relative to the earth can be selected as a view
point, and the direction of the north pole can be rotated
allowing the user to locate any desired region at the top.
A powerful zoom feature is simply implemented by using
the mouse to select a region of interest, then selecting a
menu item to zoom in on the region. This zoom feature with
its controls is provided to allow the user to interactively
customize the view using any of the three basic map
projections. Used with any of the three projections, any
country or region can be isolated and used as clip art.
With the zoom features applied to a satellite view, a
region of interest can be illustrated in a unique three-
dimensional prospective.
ClpMap is menu driven and is designed to be intuitive
to operate. On-line help supported by the standard Windows
help system is included. System requirements are explained,
instructions for installation and getting started are
provided, and each of the menu choices are explained in
detail in the following sections of this users manual.
Hardware requirements
ClpMap requires a PC or compatible computer running
Microsoft Windows 3.0 or later. It will run on almost any
PC with a hard disk and compatible with Windows. In
general, however, a fast higher end machine (80386 or better
with a math coprocessor and at least 2 Meg RAM) is
recommended is order to speed up map generation. With a
slower machine, and especially without a math coprocessor,
generation of the map data can be very slow, especially for
a satellite view at full resolution (note that the Escape
key is always active in order to terminate an activity which
is taking excessive time). A computer with less than 2 Meg
RAM may also be slow because Windows may make excessive use
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of its hard disk swap file in generating the map. On the
other hand, ClpMap runs reasonably fast on my 33 MHz 80386
with a math coprocessor.
Details of the world database
ClpMap uses an extremely detailed world database called
the Micro World Data Bank II (MWDBII). This database was
placed in the public domain by Fred Pospeschil and Antonio
Riveria and was derived by them from a much larger database
created by the CIA and distributed by the US Department of
Commerce for a cost of $660.
The database distributed with ClpMap is separated into
six separate files including data for coast lines, islands,
lakes, rivers, country boundaries and state boundaries (USA
only). It is identical with that placed in the public
domain except that an extraneous curve found in the states
data file has been eliminated (the curve appeared to define
an air route into Berlin), and several curves in the lakes
database were actually islands in the extreme northern
regions of Canada and were moved to the islands database
file. Also, the two files distributed with MWDBII
containing coast line data have been modified into a single
file. If you have the original MWDBII data files, they can
be modified for use in ClpMap by running the included
program instdata.exe.
Getting started
ClpMap is distributed as shareware either with or
without the data files. The ClpMap data files are not
necessary if the original Micro World Data Bank II (MWDBII)
files are available. The steps for installing ClpMap on
your system are as follows:
1. Make the floppy drive containing the ClpMap program
distribution disk the current drive and type INSTALL, then
follow directions.
2. You will be asked for a target directory for ClpMap and
all of the ClpMap program files will be copied into it and
decompressed. If you have the ClpMap database files, they
will also be copied into this directory. If you are using
the original MWDBII data files, copy coast1.pnt, coast2.pnt,
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country.pnt, state.pnt, island.pnt, lake.pnt and river.pnt
into the same directory with the ClpMap program files.
3. Make the ClpMap directory the active directory and
execute the program instdata.exe. If the data files
distributed with ClpMap are present, they will be
decompressed for use. If the original MWDBII files are
present instead, they will be modified for use with ClpMap.
4. To install ClpMap into a Windows program group, open
windows then open the desired group and select File then New
from the Program Manager's main menu. Select Program Item
then enter the path name to the file clpmap.exe under
Command Line.
Once selection is complete and the dialog is closed by
selecting OK, an icon resembling a world globe will appear.
ClpMap can now be started by double clicking on this icon.
ClpMap is designed to be intuitive to operate and includes a
help system which should make it straight forward to learn
simply through experimentation.
The basic steps for including a map view in a
presentation or drawing program are as follows:
1. Open ClpMap and open the Choose Options dialog by
selecting Options... from the main menu. Use this dialog to
select the Map projection desired. Also if a specific
drawing size will be set in Step 2 below, select Show
Dimensions and choose the desired units (either pixels,
inches, or millimeters).
2. Size the drawing window to the desired map size by
dragging the edges of the main window using a mouse. If
Show Dimensions was selected in step 1, use the window
dimensions appearing in the lower right corner as guide.
3. Open the Select Map Parameters dialog by selecting Set
Draw... from the main menu and choose desired map
components, colors and other options.
4. If a geographic region less that the whole earth is of
interest and latitude and longitude boundaries for the
desired region are known, set the Map Coordinates values
within the Select Map Parameters dialog to define the region
of interest. Otherwise, initially display the whole earth
and rely on the zoom feature to select the desired region.
Note that the Map Coordinates values have no effect if a
Satellite View projection has been selected.
4
5. Draw the map using the Draw Map command which appears
both in the Select Map Parameters dialog and under Draw in
the main menu.
6. Use the Options... and Set Draw... main menu commands to
open the respective dialogs and readjust the map parameters
until satisfied. If a smaller region is desired, drag the
mouse to select the region of interest, select Draw from the
main menu and select Zoom In to draw the zoomed map. Then
use the Zoom In, Zoom Back, Zoom Out, or Redraw commands as
needed until the desired results are obtained. Note that
Redraw should be used instead of Draw Map in order to retain
the zoomed view but to activate other changes such as line
colors, window size, etc. The Draw Map command will
activate parameter changes and cancel the zoomed view
reestablishing the map at full size.
7. If desired, save the drawing by selecting File from the
main menu then selecting Save As.... By saving the drawing,
it can be easily recalled for future modifications in case
the final printed results need to be modified.
8. Transfer the drawing to the clipboard by selecting Edit
from the main menu and then selecting either Cut or Copy.
9. Close ClpMap. The map is now available on the clipboard
to be pasted into a drawing or presentation program.
The Print command under File in the main menu can be
used to preview the printed form of the final map prior to
transferring it to another program. This Print command is
provided as a convenient way to preview the printed results
since different printers and printer drivers will interpret
colors differently so that printed results may differ
significantly from those seen on the screen. Note, however,
that some commercial applications will translate the colors
as well, and the final result still may not be as expected.
It is therefore recommended that the final map be saved so
that if the final results as printed by the target
application are not as expected, the map can be reopened and
colors or other options easily changed.
The Escape key is active during drawing and can be used
whenever needed to terminate a drawing that is not wanted
and is taking too long to create.
File Definitions
ClpMap is distributed with the following files:
5
Program Files:
readme Contains direction for getting started
and last minute changes to the
documentation.
register.doc Contains registration form. Print out
this file and follow directions to
become a registered user of ClpMap (not
included in the registered version).
clpprog.$$$ The compressed program files and
documentation.
install.exe The installation program for ClpMap.
Database Files:
clpdata1.$$$ Compressed ClpMap database file 1.
clpdata2.$$$ Compressed ClpMap database file 2.
Once the ClpMap files have been installed and
decompressed, the following files should exist in the ClpMap
directory on your hard disk.
Program Files:
clpmap.exe Windows executable program file.
clpmap.hlp Program help file.
register.hlp Help file for shareware registration
(not included in the registered
version).
clpmap.doc On disk version of the program
documentation.
readme Contains directions for getting started
and last minute changes to the
documentation.
register.doc Contains registration form. Print out
this file and follow directions to
become a registered user of ClpMap (not
included in the registered version).
6
instdata.exe DOS utility to install database. This
utility will convert the original MWDBII
database files for use with ClpMap.
Database Files:
coast.pnt Contains data representing coast lines.
country.pnt Contains country boundaries.
state.pnt Contains state boundaries.
island.pnt Islands data.
lake.pnt Lakes data.
river.pnt Rivers data.
Main menu selections
The purpose of each main menu selection is as follows:
File:
Use this menu item to read data from an existing file,
to save data to a new file, to configure the printer or to
print a sample of the current map. Save As... saves both
the picture as a meta file and the map parameters including
the window size in a ClpMap specific file format. Open...
can then be used to recreate the previous picture, map
parameters and window allowing parameters to be easily
modified. New can be used to clear the display in order to
begin a new map. Print Setup... can be used to change
printer parameters and Print can be used to see how the map
looks on the target printer prior to transferring it to
another application. Note that colors will translate
differently depending on the target printer. It is
therefore recommended that the print function be used to
find which colors give the best printed results on the users
system.
Edit:
Provides the standard Windows editing commands. Cut,
Copy and Paste will transfer data to or from the Windows
clipboard. Clear All clears the display. Undo is provided
in order to recover from an unintended execution of a
command which erases a wanted map.
Options...:
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Opens the Choose Options dialog box which allows the
user to select a map projection and to choose to display a
map scale at the bottom right corner of the main window.
The dialog parameters are explained in detail in the next
section.
Set Draw...:
Opens the Select Map Parameters dialog box allowing the
user to select map components, colors, line widths, etc.
These parameters are explained in detail later in this
manual.
Draw:
Includes commands to draw the map defined in the Choose
Options and Select Map Parameters dialogs. The map can be
drawn as defined in these dialogs (select Draw Map) or
zoomed to include a smaller or larger geographic region. To
zoom in and focus on a smaller region, drag the mouse to
enclose the region of interest in a selection rectangle,
then select Zoom In. To return to the previous view, select
Zoom Back. To expand the field of view to approximately
twice the current size, select Zoom Out. To redraw the same
selected region after changing other parameters or resizing
the window, select Redraw.
Help:
A significant portion of this documentation is
available on-line through the help system. A standard
Windows help system is provided. If the user is unfamiliar
with using the Windows help system, Using Help is included
which accesses the Windows supplied instructions for using
help.
Choose Options dialog
The Choose Options dialog is opened by selecting
Options... from the main menu. This dialog allows the user
to select a map projection and to choose to display a map
scale at the bottom right corner of the main window.
A map projection is the means by which a three-
dimensional globe is represented on a two-dimensional sheet
of paper. This representation cannot be made without
distortions of some kind. A cylindrical projection is one
where the surface of the earth is projected onto an
imaginary cylinder of paper resulting in a rectangular
latitude and longitude grid. A cylindrical projection can
be used to represent most or all of the earth, however, the
size of areas near the polar regions are always greatly
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distorted in size appearing much larger that equivalently
sized regions nearer the equator.
Equirectangular:
The Equirectangular option produces a cylindrical map
projection with latitude and longitude scaled linearly.
This is a convenient scale to allow the plot to include the
entire earth including the north and south poles. As with
all cylindrical projections of the earth onto a flat plane,
sizes are distorted being presented as unusually large near
the poles. With linear latitude and longitude scales,
shapes and angles are also distorted.
Mercator Conformal:
A Mercator Conformal projection is a cylindrical
projection commonly used by map makers. This projection is
especially useful to navigators because angles are preserved
so that a line of constant direction appears on the Mercator
projection as a straight line. Shapes are also preserved in
that small regions appear in approximately the correct
shape. Sizes, however, are greatly distorted near the
poles, and the projection cannot be extended to latitudes
near + or - 90 degrees. Within ClpMap, latitude is limited
to + or - 85 degrees for this option in order to avoid
computational problems.
Satellite View:
A Satellite View actually computes and plots the earth
as seen by a satellite at any user selected Latitude,
Longitude, Altitude and Rotation angle of the satellite
relative to north. When we view a globe what we see is
equivalent to a satellite view. This projection can
therefore be used to produce a plot that looks like a three-
dimensional globe. When ClpMap is initially run, its
default altitude is 19323 nautical miles which is the
altitude above the earth of a synchronous satellite. The
plot obtained at that altitude is the view a synchronous
satellite (such as the satellites commonly used to carry
telephone and television signals around the world) has of
the earth. The same view, however, would be experienced by
an observer of an 18 inch world globe from a distance of
about 50 inches, just over 4 feet.
The zoom feature is fully active for all projections
including the Satellite View. By adjusting the satellite
position and then using the zoom feature, an interesting
three-dimensional landscape of a region of interest can
result. In order to bring the desired portion of the map to
the top position, the rotation parameter can be used.
Experimenting with these parameters may be necessary in
order to obtain the best result.
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Show Dimensions:
Turn on Show Dimensions and then select the desired
units (pixels, inches or millimeters) is order to show the
size of the drawing window in its lower right corner. This
dimension will be handy if a known size of map is to be
created for transfer to a drawing or presentation program.
The dimensions can also be used to assure that the window is
square in order to create a properly proportioned satellite
view. Using the dimensions, the size of the map is
controlled by sizing the window to the desired size by
dragging its boundaries with the mouse. The resulting map
will exactly fill the window.
Select Map Parameters dialog
Use Set Draw... in the main menu to open the Select Map
Parameters dialog box. This dialog may be used to select
map components, colors, line widths, latitude and longitude
grid spacing, map resolution and map boundaries to be
plotted. Each of the dialog selections are defined as
follows:
Select Maps:
The database is divided into six files (coast.pnt,
island.pnt, lake.pnt, river.pnt, country.pnt and state.pnt).
Each of these database files includes the data points for
coast lines, islands, etc. Each of these databases can be
included or excluded by selecting or deselecting the
checkbox.
Select Colors:
Each of these database files can be plotted in a color
selected by the user. The Select Colors controls open a
Select Color dialog box from which any of the standard
Windows colors may be selected. The most basic Windows
functions support a set of 20 colors. These are easily
selected within the color dialog box. Note that although
these 20 colors are standard within Windows, some monitors
may not support all colors, so that on some systems, some of
the colors may appear redundant.
Some experimentation with colors may also be necessary
depending on the drawing or presentation application
intended to use the map, and on the printer installed on the
system in order to get the desired result. Some colors will
look good on the screen, but will not produce the desired
printed result. It is recommended that after a set of
colors are selected that produce the desired results on the
10
users system, the parameters be saved as default by
selecting the Set Default button described below.
Select Widths:
Line widths in pixels can be selected for each map
component in order to produce a desired effect. Note that
selection of a width other that one significantly slows down
the plotting speed on many systems.
Grid:
A latitude and longitude grid can also be selected if
desired. This causes a dashed line to be drawn at latitude
and longitude intervals selected by the Grid, deg control.
Colors and line widths can also be selected for the grid
lines. Note that if a line width other than one is
selected, the grid lines revert to solid as opposed to
dashed.
Border:
A border can be included surrounding the map. This
option also includes lines at zero degrees latitude and
longitude. If a satellite view has been selected, the
border surrounds the earth's circumference, and also
highlights the equator and prime meridian (zero degree
latitude and longitude lines). Colors and line widths can
also be selected for the border.
Grid, deg:
If a latitude and longitude grid has been selected, the
Grid, deg option allows selection of the spacing. Note that
the original default spacing is 15 degrees. This is
commonly used on a whole earth map because 15 degrees
longitude corresponds nominally to the one hour time zones
over the earth.
Coordinates:
This option is used for the two cylindrical projections
and is ignored if a satellite view is selected. If a
selected region of the earth with known latitude and
longitude boundaries is to be plotted, set the coordinates
to these boundaries. If the boundaries are not known, it is
probably easier to find the known region by using the zoom
feature as described separately in this document.
Map Res:
The Micro World Data Bank II database used by ClpMap is
coded so that resolutions between 1 and 5 can be selected.
Resolution 1 is the highest, including all of the data
points in the file and producing an extremely detailed map.
Resolutions above 1 skip points to produce a less detailed
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map, but one with faster plotting times and smaller memory
requirements.
If a large area or whole earth map is to be plotted,
smaller memory requirements and faster graphics may result
without noticeable degradation for resolutions of 3 or
greater. If a highly zoomed area is to be plotted,
noticeable improvement in quality may result by using
resolution 1.
Set Default:
Pressing this button causes all of the currently set
parameters to be stored in a file named clpmap.ini in the
users Windows directory. These parameters then become the
default parameters whenever ClpMap is started. If it is
desired at any time to revert back to the factory installed
default parameters, simply delete the clpmap.ini file from
the Windows directory. It will be rewritten by ClpMap with
the factory default parameters.
Disclaimer
Users of ClpMap must accept this disclaimer of
warranty: "ClpMap is supplied as is. The author disclaims
all warranties, expressed or implied, including, without
limitation, the warranties of merchantability and of fitness
for any purpose. The author assumes no liability for
damages, direct or consequential, which may result from the
use of ClpMap."
Definition of Shareware
Shareware distribution gives users a chance to try
software before buying it. If you try a Shareware program
and continue using it, you are expected to register.
Individual programs differ on details -- some request
registration while others require it, some specify a maximum
trial period. With registration, you get anything from the
simple right to continue using the software to an updated
program with printed manual.
Copyright laws apply to both Shareware and commercial
software, and the copyright holder retains all rights, with
a few specific exceptions as stated below. Shareware authors
are accomplished programmers, just like commercial authors,
and the programs are of comparable quality. (In both cases,
there are good programs and bad ones!) The main difference
is in the method of distribution. The author specifically
grants the right to copy and distribute the software, either
12
to all and sundry or to a specific group. For example, some
authors require written permission before a commercial disk
vendor may copy their Shareware.
Shareware is a distribution method, not a type of
software. You should find software that suits your needs and
pocketbook, whether it's commercial or Shareware. The
Shareware system makes fitting your needs easier, because
you can try before you buy. And because the overhead is low,
prices are low also. Shareware has the ultimate money-back
guarantee -- if you don't use the product, you don't pay for
it.
Registration
ClpMap is distributed both as a shareware program and
as a registered version. These two forms differ only in
that the shareware messages have been deleted from the
registered version. They are identical in all other ways.
As a "shareware program," ClpMap is provided at no
charge to the user for evaluation. Feel free to share the
shareware version with your friends, but please do not give
it away altered or as part of another system. The essence
of "user-supported" software is to provide personal
computer users with quality software without high prices,
and yet to provide incentive for programmers to continue to
develop new products. If you find this program useful and
find that you are using ClpMap and continue to use ClpMap
after a reasonable trial period, you must make a
registration payment of $25.00 to W. W. Mayfield. The
$25.00 registration fee will license one copy for use on any
one computer at any one time. You must treat this software
just like a book. An example is that this software may be
used by any number of people and may be freely moved from
one computer location to another, so long as there is no
possibility of it being used at one location while it's
being used at another. Just as a book cannot be read by two
different persons at the same time.
Commercial users of ClpMap must register and pay for
their copies of ClpMap within 30 days of first use or their
license is withdrawn. Site-License arrangements may be made
by contacting W. W. Mayfield.
Anyone distributing ClpMap for any kind of remuneration
must first contact W. W. Mayfield at the address below for
authorization. This authorization will be automatically
granted to distributors recognized by the Association of
Shareware Professionals (ASP) as adhering to its guidelines
13
for shareware distributors, and such distributors may begin
offering ClpMap immediately (However W. W. Mayfield must
still be advised so that the distributor can be kept up-to-
date with the latest version of ClpMap).
You are encouraged to pass a copy of the shareware
version of ClpMap along to your friends for evaluation.
Please encourage them to register their copy if they find
that they can use it. To become a registered ClpMap owner
complete and mail the registration form along with a $25
registration fee to the address below. As a registered
owner, you will receive the latest version on disk, a
printed copy of the documentation, notification of upgrades,
and free technical support for one year. Technical support
can always be obtained by mail at the below address or by
Compuserve mail. Technical support can usually be obtained
by telephone at the below telephone number when I am
available. I am available most evenings between 6 PM and 9
PM Pacific time.
W. W. Mayfield
23219 Audrey Ave.
Torrance, CA 90505
Telephone: (310) 375-2249 (between 6 PM and 9 PM Pacific
time)
Compuserve User ID: 72010,3566
The registration form can be obtained by printing the
file REGISTER.DOC which is on the ClpMap distribution disk.
In order to print this file from within DOS, go to the
directory containing ClpMap and type PRINT REGISTER.DOC
followed by the Enter key. It can also be printed from
within ClpMap. To print the registration form open ClpMap
and select Help from the main menu, then select Register and
follow directions.
14
