Contents for PC Bible Atlas Online Help
Contents for PC Bible Atlas for Windows Online Help

Welcome to the PC Bible Atlas for Windows Online Help system. Here you can find general information on operating the program and instructions on all of its menu options and screen elements.

To make getting around in the help system as easy as possible, it has been divided into different areas, each represented by one of the buttons below. You can move to an area by clicking its button. The areas and topics are interconnected and linked so that you can move quickly from one area directly to another by clicking buttons or underlined words.


Online Help

Onscreen information to help you operate the features of the PC Bible Atlas program. Online Help is available from the Help menu, by pressing F1 from within the program, by clicking the Help icon on the icon bar, or by pressing a Help button displayed on an open dialog box.


Introduction to Online Help

PC Bible Atlas Online Help offers information to help you operate the features of the PC Bible Atlas program. At the Contents for PC Bible Atlas Online Help window, click on any topic of interest to view help text about it. After reading the information displayed, click on the Contents button at the top of the Help window to return to Contents for PC Bible Atlas Online Help.

You can access Online Help at any point in your work by pressing F1 or by clicking the Help icon on the icon bar. You can also click on the Help button if one appears in a dialog box.

Within a Help topic, you can move quickly from one area directly to another by clicking on a topic (shown with an underline). Within some topics, you can also click on words with a dotted underline to pop-up quick information.

Online Help is versatile. In addition to choosing and reviewing topics, you can print them, attach annotations, and perform other operations. Details for using these special features are available by choosing How to Use Help from the Help menu at the top of this window or Using Help from the Help menu at the PC Bible Atlas desktop.

For more information see:

Using Copyrighted Maps in Your Own Materials

Program Copyrights

Special Thanks

Bibliography


Using Copyrighted Maps In Your Own Materials

The purpose of PC Bible Atlas for Windows is to provide an easy way for you to create maps for use in your own personal study, Bible lessons, sermons, and presentations. The maps included with the program are copyrighted by Parsons Technology, and portions of the text are copyrighted by various publishers, but certain uses are allowed.

Federal copyright laws allow for "fair use" of copyrighted materials without permission under certain circumstances. The law allows the reproduction, distribution, and adaptation of copyrighted material if the use is "for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching (including multiple copies for classroom use), scholarship, or research."

To judge if your use falls under these guidelines, you should take into consideration ALL of the following:

1.	Is the use commercial or non-profit educational? In general, commercial use is not covered under "fair use."

2.	Is the material relevant to the context in which it is used? That is, you can't justify copying the maps or other materials in the program by handing them out to a classroom full of people when they aren't even studying Bible geography.

3.	How much of the material are you reproducing? In general, reproducing a small number of maps is allowed under "fair use", but reproducing all (or most) of the maps may not be.

4.	What is the effect on the potential value of PC Bible Atlas by your usage? If your usage may cut into our sales of the program, it's likely your usage is not "fair." For example, if you are going to reproduce our maps to create your own computerized (or printed) atlas, you're probably going to have to ask permission first.

One general rule to apply is to put yourself in our place. How would you react if someone used material you created in the way that you are contemplating using ours?

If you think your usage may not fall under "fair use," contact Parsons Technology at 1-319-395-9626. We'll probably be able to handle your request by phone. But, if your situation is complicated, we may ask you to write or send us a copy of your proposed usage of our material. We want you to use the maps included with the program; we have very few situations where we've absolutely refused. However, we may ask you to give us credit in your work.

This information is not intended to be legal advice, nor to grant rights beyond those allowed under U.S. and international copyright laws. You should contact Parsons Technology and/or competent legal counsel if you have questions about the issues covered herein.

(By the way, some of the material above is adapted from Every Writer's Guide to Copyright & Publishing Law by Ellen M. Kozak, copyright (c) 1990, Ellen M. Kozak.)


Program Copyrights

Articles labeled [Baker] are excerpts from Baker Encyclopedia of the Bible, Walter A. Elwell,

General Editor, copyright (c) 1988 Baker Book House.

Articles labeled [PT] copyright (c) 1993 Parsons Technology, Inc.

All other articles are excerpts from The Revell Bible Dictionary, Lawrence O. Richards, Ph.D., General Editor, copyright (c) 1990 Fleming H. Revell Company.

All maps copyright (c) 1993 Parsons Technology, Inc.


Special Thanks...

Special thanks to these people for their assistance:

Professor Roy Chung, Department of Geography, University of Northern Iowa, Cedar Falls,  Iowa.

Dr. Naftali Kadmon, Department of Geography, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel.

Dr. Jonathan J. Lu, President of Holy Light Theological Seminary, Taiwan, Republic of China.

Dr. Carl Rasmussen, Department  Of Old Testament Studies, Bethel College, St. Paul, Minnesota.


Bibliography

Aharoni, Y., The Land of The Bible. Trans. A. F. Rainey Philadelphia:  The Westminster Press, 1967.

Aharoni, Yohanan and Michael Avi-Yonah.  The Macmillan Bible Atlas.  2nd ed.  New York:  Macmillan Publishing Company, 1977.

Beitzel, Barry J.  The Moody Atlas of Bible Lands.  Chicago:  Moody Press, 1985.

Berkhof, L.  The History of Christian Doctrines. 1937.  Grand Rapids:  Baker Book House, 1990.

Bimson, J. J. ed., et. al.  New Bible Atlas.  Wheaton:  Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., 1992.

Blaiklock, E. M., ed.  The Zondervan Pictorial Bible Atlas.  Grand Rapids;  Zondervan Publishing House, 1974.

Blaiklock, E. M. and R. K. Harrison, editors.  The New International Dictionary of Biblical Archaeology.  Grand Rapids:  Zondervan Corporation, 1983.

The Digital Chart of the World, computer software, U. S. Defense Mapping Agency, four CD-ROM disks, 1992.

Douglas, J. D., ed.  The New International Dictionary of the Christian Church. Revised edition.  Grand Rapids:  Zondervan Publishing House, 1981.

Elwell, Walter A., ed.  Baker Encyclopedia of the Bible.  2 vols.  Grand Rapids:  Baker Book House, 1988.

Espenshade, Edward B, Jr.,ed.  Goodes World Atlas.  13th ed.  Chicago:  Rand McNally and Company, 1970.

Frank, Harry Thomas, ed.  Atlas of the Bible Lands.  Maplewood:  Hammond Incorporated, 1984.

Kadmon, N., Atlas of Israel.  3rd ed., Tel Aviv, Israel: Survey of Israel, 1989.

Kroll, Woodrow.  Bible Country:  A Journey Through the Holy Land.  Lincoln, Nebraska:  Woodrow Kroll, 1992.

Pearson, F., Map Projections: Theory and Applications.  Boca Raton, Florida:  CRC Press, , 1990.

Pritchard, James B.  The Harper Concise Atlas of the Bible.  New York:  HarperCollins Publishers, 1991.

Richards, Lawrence O., ed.  The Revell Bible Dictionary.  Old Tappan, New Jersey:  Fleming H. Revell Company, 1990.

Seltzer, Leon E. , ed.  The Columbia Lippincott Gazetteer of the World.  Morningside Heights:  Columbia University Press by arrangement with J.B. Lippincott,  1962

Snyder, J. P., Map Projections - A Working Manual,  U.S. Geological Survey Professional Paper 1395, U.S.  Washington D.C.: Government Printing Office,., 1987.

Student Map Manual: Historical Geography of the Bible Lands,  Grand Rapids:  Zondervan, nd.

Tenny, Merrill C.  The Zondervan Pictorial Encyclopedia of the Bible.  5 vols.  Grand Rapids:  Zondervan Publishing House, 1978.

Walvoord, John F.  and Roy B. Zuck, editors.  The Bible Knowledge Commentary of the New Testament. Chicago:  Victor Books, 1988.

Walvoord, John F.  and Roy B. Zuck, editors.  The Bible Knowledge Commentary of the Old Testament.  Chicago:  Victor Books, 1988.

World Databank, nine-track tape, U. S. Department of Commerce,


Navigating the Program

PC Bible Atlas is a computer-based atlas of the historical-geographical regions, cities, and countries found in the Bible with the user-friendly features of Microsoft Windows. We think you'll find PC Bible Atlas to be a sophisticated, but easy-to-use program. Review the topics in the topic list below to familiarize yourself with the basic program operations.

For more information see:

Elements of the PC Bible Atlas Screen

Optional Settings

Additional Display Options

Summary of Menu Options

Selecting Items and Using Buttons

Dialog Boxes

Data Entry Procedures

Printer Setup

Where to Find Help

Exiting the Program


Elements of the PC Bible Atlas Screen

Depending on the options and features of the program that you are using, various items may appear on the PC Bible Atlas screen. The basic components of the PC Bible Atlas screen are listed in the topic list below. Click on any topic for more information.

For more information see:

Menu Bar

Icon Bar

Map Window

Legend

Articles

Scroll Bars

Status Bar

Toolbox

Desktop Window

Minimize Button

Maximize Button


Menu Bar

Along the top of the screen is a horizontal list of Main Menu options: File, Edit, Maps, Articles, Search, Options, Window, and Help. When you select any of these options, a pull-down menu appears listing choices for the option selected. These pull-down menus provide easy access to program features. Similar or related program features are grouped together on a menu. For example, most of the functions you'll use to view, create, and edit maps are on the Maps menu.

You can access the menu bar menus using your keyboard or a mouse. To select a Main Menu option using your keyboard, press the Alt key plus the menu's underlined pick letter. To select a Main Menu option with your mouse, simply click on the desired option. Note that the menu bar is not always active, but it is always displayed.

Making the Maps/Articles "Read Only"

If you prefer not to let anyone modify the maps or articles included with the PC Bible Atlas program, you can modify the PCBAWIN.INI file in your PC Bible Atlas directory so that the program is effectively a "read only" reference tool. When you do this, the map and article creation/modification options are dimmed (and thus unavailable) from the menu bar's pull-down menus. For details on using this feature, see the README file in your PC Bible Atlas directory.

For more information see:

Elements of the PC Bible Atlas Screen

Icon Bar

Map Window

Legend

Articles

Scroll Bars

Status Bar

Toolbox

Desktop Window

Minimize Button

Maximize Button


Icon Bar

Just below the menu bar is an icon bar containing special buttons for the PC Bible Atlas features you're likely to use frequently. Click on one of these buttons to perform a task rather than selecting the item from the menu. For example, clicking on the first button on the icon bar allows you to open an existing map.

Initially, the icon bar is displayed by default, but you can hide it if you like by selecting Icon Bar from the Window menu. If you then save the desktop, the next time you start the program (or use  the Restore Desktop feature), the icon bar will not be displayed. You can turn the icon bar back on by selecting the Icon Bar option again. A check mark appears next to the option if the  icon bar is currently being displayed.

The following outlines the buttons contained in the icon bar. (Note that within the program, you can click and hold any icon bar button to display a brief description of that button on the status bar.)

Open Map--accesses a list of existing maps from which you can select a map to open.

Close Map--closes the map in the active window. If you have an article displayed in the current Map window, the article remains open after you close the map.

Print Map--accesses the Print dialog where you can enter the desired print settings and print the current map.

Open Article--accesses a list of existing articles from which you can select an article to open.

Close Article--closes the article in the active window. If the article is displayed in a Map window, the map remains open.

Tile Windows--arranges all open windows so you can view them on screen at the same time.

Search--accesses the Place/Names dialog where you can view a list of items associated with the current map, select an item to add to the map, and perform various other search and display tasks.

Access QuickVerse--activates QuickVerse for Windows if this program is installed on your computer. If QuickVerse is not already running, this will start it. If QuickVerse is running, this button switches to the QuickVerse application. You can also use this button to access QuickVerse for Windows to search for verses about items or information referenced in PC Bible Atlas.

Access Holman Bible Dictionary--activates the Holman Bible Dictionary for Windows program if this program is installed on your computer. If Holman is not already running, this will start it. If Holman is running, this button switches to the Holman application. You can also use this button to access the Holman Bible Dictionary to look up words referenced in PC Bible Atlas.

Arrow Cursor--activates an arrow cursor you can use to select an item, resize a graphic on a map, or calculate the distance between two or more points on a map, for example.

Hand Cursor--activates a hand cursor you can use to move map items and graphics.

Edit Map Item--allows you to edit a selected map item to change the name, icon, text article attached, display characteristics, etc.

Toolbox--displays/hides the graphics toolbox.

Zoom--accesses the Zoom feature where you can set the zoom level for the map. If  you have an area selected on the map, clicking this button zooms in on the selected area only.

Previous Article--accesses the last article that you viewed. The Previous and Next Article buttons allow you to scroll through the articles that you have viewed.

Next Article--accesses the next article that you have viewed if you have returned to an article that you viewed previously.

Help--accesses online program information Help.

For more information see:

Elements of the PC Bible Atlas Screen

Menu Bar

Map Window

Legend

Articles

Scroll Bars

Status Bar

Toolbox

Desktop Window

Minimize Button

Maximize Button


Status Bar

The bar along the very bottom of the PC Bible Atlas application window. The status bar displays important information as you work with the program, including:

A help segment on the left with hints for operating the program.

A distance meter in the center that displays the distance between two or more points when you use the distance measurement feature.

A latitude/longitude indicator on the right that displays the location of a selected map item, such as a city.


Holman Bible Dictionary for Windows

A Windows-based Bible dictionary program available from Parsons Technology.


Map Window

Whenever you open a new or existing map in PC Bible Atlas, the map appears inside an active Map window. You can change the size and location of the window like any other window within a Microsoft Windows application. You can also open more than one window at a time; however, the number of windows you can have open at one time depends on your system's configuration. Below is an illustration of the map window.

A Map window may contain a map or a map and an article (as illustrated in the above screen). When you first open a map, only the map appears inside the Map window. If you double click on a map item, an article for the selected item also appears inside the Map window. You can also display information about the map by selecting Display Map Article from the Maps menu (if the map has an associated article). When you move or resize the entire Map window, the map and article are adjusted accordingly. You can also adjust the height of the article within a Map window if you want it to appear larger than the map, for example. However, any time you adjust the width of a map or article, the entire Map window is affected.

To close a map, select Close from the Maps menu (or click on the Close Map icon on the icon bar). If you had an article open within the Map window, it remains open. Double click on the control-menu box in the upper, left corner of the Map window to close everything in the Map window.

For more information see:

Elements of the PC Bible Atlas Screen

Menu Bar

Icon Bar

Legend

Articles

Scroll Bars

Status Bar

Toolbox

Desktop Window

Minimize Button

Maximize Button


Active Window

A window whose title bar is active. The active window is also known as the "current" window.


PC Bible Atlas Map

An illustration of a particular historical-geographical region in the Bible. Some maps included with the program are complete with added text and notations, while others are bare background maps you can use to create your own Bible maps.


Article

Textual information used to supplement PC Bible Atlas maps. Some articles included with the program contain information about a map as a whole while others contain information about specific map items (cities, regions, etc.). Since you can create your own articles (and even modify the ones included with the program), an article can also contain any information that you choose.


Close-box Icon

  An icon appearing in the upper left corner of a window. When you click on this box with your mouse, a submenu appears where you can choose to move or close the window. You can double click on a close-box icon to close the window immediately (without using the submenu).


Legend

Like all good maps, PC Bible Atlas maps have an associated legend, which you can choose to display or not. A legend may include a distance scale, an elevation scale, and keys to other symbols and text displayed on the map. The exact items you'll see depend on the map you have open. Below is an example of a map legend.

A map legend can illustrate the following:

Map events--Lists the biblical events depicted on a map (these are user-definable from the Map Legend dialog box).

Distance scale--shows you the scale factor for the map's background based on the current zoom level (these are preset for you).

Elevation scale--provides a key for the elevation scheme used on a map (this is preset for you and only appears for topographic maps).

To display a legend for the currently active map, choose Display Legend from the Maps menu. A small window opens on the map within the Map window. You can move the legend anywhere on the map for easy viewing. If you scroll through the map so that its legend is no longer visible, choose the Display Legend option again to reposition the legend in the lower right corner of the map.

To display the legend for another map, click on that map to make it active and choose Display Legend again. You can edit a legend for an existing map or any maps you've created using the Map Legend dialog box (accessed by selecting Edit Legend from the Maps menu).To close a legend, double click on the close-box icon in the upper, left corner of the legend window.

For more information see:

Elements of the PC Bible Atlas Screen

Menu Bar

Icon Bar

Map Window

Articles

Scroll Bars

Status Bar

Toolbox

Desktop Window

Minimize Button

Maximize Button

Working with Maps


Map Legend

A chart outlining the information contained on a map. A legend can contain a distance scale, an elevation scale, and keys to other symbols and text displayed on the map. You can choose the information you want displayed (and edit the information already displayed) on a map's legend using the Map Legend dialog box.


Zoom Level

The level to which you have the mapped zoomed. You can zoom out (to as low as .2) to see an overview of the entire map or you can zoom in (up to 1.5) to view the map up close. You can modify the zoom level via the Zoom Map dialog box (accessed by selecting Zoom Map from the Window menu).


Topographic Maps

Maps containing graphical representations of the physical features of the regions depicted on a map. Various colors are used to illustrate the different levels of elevation shown. The map legend contains an elevation scale that provides a key to the colors used.


Text Article
Articles

Within PC Bible Atlas, textual information is used to supplement the maps included with the program. This information is stored in articles. Some articles included with the program contain information about a map as a whole while others contain information about specific map items (cities, regions, etc.). Since you can create your own articles (and even modify the ones included with the program), an article can also contain any information that you choose.

Articles can be linked to a map or to specific items on a map. A "map article" is an article linked to a map and a "text article" is an article linked to a map item. There is no difference between a map article and a text article; they are merely linked to different parts of a map.

Displaying Articles

To display a map article, open the desired map and choose Display Map Article from the Maps menu. If an associated article exists, that article will open. (If no associated article exists for that map, you can choose the article to be associated with the map via the Choose Map Article option on the Maps menu.) To display a text article, double click on any map item. Both of these methods open an article within the Map window. Initially, the article appears at the bottom of the Map window--unless you have modified the placement of the map via the Settings dialog box (accessed by selecting Settings from the Options menu).

Once you have opened an article within a Map window, you can click once on any map item to replace the current article with the article for the selected item. You can access information about any word appearing in a different color within an article by double clicking on it. You can also access QuickVerse for Windows (if you have this program installed on your computer) to review verses about selected items or information referenced in an article.

To close an article, choose Close from the Articles menu (or click the Close Article icon on the icon bar). If you opened the article within a Map window, the map remains open.

For more information see:

Finding Text in an Article

Viewing Articles

Performing a Search

Searching QuickVerse for PC Bible Atlas Map Items

Searching Holman Bible Dictionary for PC Bible Atlas Map Items

Elements of the PC Bible Atlas Screen

Menu Bar

Icon Bar

Map Window

Legend

Scroll Bars

Status Bar

Toolbox

Desktop Window

Minimize Button

Maximize Button


Scroll Bars

Like most Windows applications, PC Bible Atlas contains scroll bars you can use to view additional information that does not fit on the screen. You can use the arrow buttons to move one line at a time or click and hold an arrow button to scroll continuously. You can also click and drag the box on the scroll bar to move to another location within the window. Click above or below the box on the scroll bar to jump about one screen.

You can modify scrolling speed via the Settings option on the Options menu. On the Settings dialog box that appears, you can define the number of scroll units you want to use when scrolling through maps and articles. Lower numbers allow you to scroll line by line, whereas higher numbers allow you to scroll several lines at a time.

For more information see:

Scrolling Through Maps

Settings Dialog Box

Elements of the PC Bible Atlas Screen

Menu Bar

Icon Bar

Map Window

Legend

Articles

Status Bar

Toolbox

Desktop Window

Minimize Button

Maximize Button


Status Bar

The status bar appears at the very bottom of the PC Bible Atlas application window. It displays important information as you work with the program. The status bar has three segments: a help/information segment on the left, a distance meter in the center, and a latitude/longitude indicator on the right. The help/information segment contains hints for operating the program, information on menu options, and important messages at certain program locations. The distance meter displays the distance between two or more points when you use the distance measurement feature. The latitude/longitude indicator reflects the current location of the cursor (such as a selected city, for example).

Initially, the status bar is displayed by default, but you can hide it if you like by selecting Status Bar from the Window menu. If you then save the desktop, the next time you start the program (or use the Restore Desktop feature), the status bar will not be displayed. You can turn the status bar back on by selecting the Status Bar option again. A check mark appears next to the option if the status bar is currently being displayed.

For more information see:

Elements of the PC Bible Atlas Screen

Menu Bar

Icon Bar

Map Window

Legend

Articles

Scroll Bars

Toolbox

Desktop Window

Minimize Button

Maximize Button


Toolbox

The toolbox allows you to add graphics to any PC Bible Atlas map. You can draw lines, circles, squares, and other shapes, specifying the size and color of each to suit your needs. The toolbox also allows you to move, resize, copy, and delete graphics. You can use the Graphics option on the Maps menu (or click the Toolbox icon on the icon bar) to display and hide the toolbox.

Click on any portion of the toolbox shown on the left side of this help window to pop up information about the various components of the toolbox.

The buttons on the top of the toolbox allow you to select the type of line or shape you want to create. You can select the arrow and hand cursors from the toolbox as well. You will select the arrow cursor to draw lines and shapes, resize graphics, and select graphics. The hand cursor allows you to select and move graphics. Other options on the toolbox allow you to select the colors for your lines and shapes and to select line width. For more information on using the toolbox to create graphics, click Inserting Graphics into a Map.

For more information see:
Inserting Graphics into a Map
Elements of the PC Bible Atlas Screen
Menu Bar
Icon Bar
Map Window
Legend
Articles
Scroll Bars
Status Bar
Desktop Window
Minimize Button
Maximize Button


Arrow cursor

Use this cursor to select an item, resize a graphic on a map, or calculate the distance between two points on a map.


Straight line

Use this tool to draw a line between two points.


Polyline

Use this tool to draw a line between several points.


Arrowhead

Use this tool to create a line with an arrow (to signify a particular direction, for example). To do this, draw a line, then insert an arrowhead at the end of the line. You can select the arrowhead direction using the Arrowhead orientation selectors to the right of the arrowhead button..


Square

Use this tool to draw a box or for cross hatching.


Top

Use this tool to move the selected graphic to the top when you have graphics layered on top of one another.


Copy button

Use this tool to copy a selected graphic.


Delete button

Use this tool to delete a selected graphic.


Line color selector

Use this to select colors for lines and cross hatching.


Fill color selector

Use this to select the fill color for shapes. You can also use this tool to select the desired cross hatching option. (Note that to select a cross hatching color, you must use the line color selector.)


Hand cursor

This cursor allows you to move map items and graphics.


Circle

Use this tool to draw circles or for cross hatching.


Polygon

Use this tool to draw multi-sided, angular shapes or for cross hatching.


Arrowhead orientation selectors

Use these to select the direction for an arrowhead.


Help button

Use this button to access Online Help.


Line/Fill color sample

These illustrate how your object will look with the current line color and fill color you've selected.


Color palette

Use this palette to select your line color and fill color for drawing shapes and lines.


Cross hatching selector

Use this selector--shown just below the color palette on the toolbox--to choose the type of cross hatching (slanted or crossed lines) that you want within your shape.

To use cross hatching, draw a square, circle or polygon. Then click the fill button and select the desired cross hatching option.

To choose a cross hatching color, click the line button, then click the desired color in the color palette.


No Fill selector

Use this option to change a solid shape to merely an outline (so the map contents underneath the shape are visible). This option will also remove cross hatching.


Line width selector

Use this tool to choose a line thickness for shapes and lines.


Desktop Window

The PC Bible Atlas desktop may contain one or more windows. These can be maps, articles, or other information (such as online Help). The number of windows you can have open at one time varies depending on the memory capacity of your computer.

For more information see:

Elements of the PC Bible Atlas Screen

Menu Bar

Icon Bar

Map Window

Legend

Articles

Scroll Bars

Status Bar

Toolbox

Minimize Button

Maximize Button


Minimize Button

This button displays a small down arrow and is located second from the right in the upper right corner of the PC Bible Atlas desktop and also within any Map window or Article window. Clicking on the desktop Minimize button reduces PC Bible Atlas to an icon on the Windows Program Manager. Clicking on the Minimize button on a Map window or Article window reduces the current map or article to an icon on the PC Bible Atlas desktop. In either case, the application, map, or article remains open. To return the application, map, or article, you must select the icon (by clicking on it) and maximize or restore it. (You can use the control-menu box to do this.)

For more information see:

Elements of the PC Bible Atlas Screen

Menu Bar

Icon Bar

Map Window

Legend

Articles

Scroll Bars

Status Bar

Toolbox

Desktop Window

Maximize Button


Desktop

The screen background for PC Bible Atlas, including anything that appears within the PC Bible Atlas application window. For example, the desktop may contain an icon bar, a status bar, maps, articles, the toolbox, etc.


Maximize Button

This button displays a small up arrow and is located in the far, upper right corner of the PC Bible Atlas desktop and also within any Map window or Article window. Clicking on this button on the PC Bible Atlas desktop increases the size of the PC Bible Atlas application so that is spans the entire screen. Clicking on the Maximize button on a Map or Article window increases the size of the map or article so that is covers the whole PC Bible Atlas desktop area. Whenever an application, a map, or an article is maximized, the Maximize button changes to an up and down arrow symbol. You can click on this icon to return the window to it's previous size.

For more information see:

Elements of the PC Bible Atlas Screen

Menu Bar

Icon Bar

Map Window

Legend

Articles

Scroll Bars

Status Bar

Toolbox

Desktop Window

Minimize Button


Program Options

Several options are available from the Options and Windows menus to allow you to modify the program environment to your liking. The Options menu items allow you to set general program defaults. Certain Windows menu items allow you to modify the placement of windows on your PC Bible Atlas desktop. For more information click the appropriate item below.

Options menu

Window menu


Options menu

On the Options menu, various optional settings are available to tailor the program to suit your needs. You can modify program settings, change the default font for articles, save the desktop, and restore the desktop. For more information on the options available from this menu, click the appropriate topic below.

Options menu choices:

Settings

Text Font

Save Desktop

Restore Desktop

For more information see:

Additional Display Options

Summary of Menu Options

File menu

Edit menu

Maps menu

Articles menu

Search menu

Window menu

Help menu


Text Font

The Text Font option on the Options menu allows you to change the default font and font characteristics for articles. Any changes you make affect all articles you already have open and any others you may open later. You can only select one font; therefore, you cannot use multiple fonts within an article.

For more information see:

Options Menu

Settings

Save Desktop

Restore Desktop

Additional Display Options


Save Desktop

Selecting Save Desktop from the Options menu saves the contents of the PC Bible Atlas desktop exactly as displayed. For example, any maps and articles you have open are saved so the next time you start the program, those maps and articles are displayed automatically. Likewise, if you have enabled or disabled the icon bar and/or the status bar, these selections are saved as well.

This is useful if you use a particular map frequently and always want the program to start with that map displayed. To set your preferences, open the desired windows (including any maps and articles), then select Save Desktop from the Options menu.

You can also save the desktop automatically each time you exit the program by selecting the Save Desktop On Exit check box on the Settings dialog box (accessed by selecting Settings from the Options menu).

For more information see:

Disable the Icon Bar and/or the Status Bar

Options Menu

Settings

Text Font

Restore Desktop


Restore Desktop

The Restore Desktop option on the Options menu closes all open windows and restores the desktop so it appears as if you've just started the program. However, if you've used the Save Desktop feature to save your preferences (by selecting Save Desktop from the Options menu or checking the Save Desktop check box before exiting the program), selecting Restore Desktop will replace the current contents of the PC Bible Atlas application window with those preferences.

For more information see:

Options Menu

Settings

Text Font

Save Desktop

Additional Display Options


Additional Options
Additional Display Options

Several options on the Window menu also can be modified to accommodate your personal preferences. Below is a list of the additional display options available from the Window menu.

Note that the map options change the map placement within the current Map window only. Any selection you make here will NOT override the default map placement you defined in the Settings option on the Options menu. On the Window menu, the current map placement selection is preceded by a check mark.

Map on Top--displays the map on top and the article underneath.

Map on Bottom--displays the map on the bottom and the article on top.

Map on Left--displays the map on the left and the article on the right.

Map on Right--displays the map on the right and the article on the left.

Icon Bar--displays/hides the icon bar display. The icon bar displays automatically by default, but you can turn it off by selecting this option. A check mark appears next to the item if the icon bar is being displayed.

Status Bar--displays/hides the status bar display. The status bar displays automatically by default, but you can turn it off by selecting this option. A check mark appears next to the item if the status bar is being displayed.

For more information see:

Window Menu

Settings

Text Font

Save Desktop

Restore Desktop


Summary of Menu Options

The following is a summary of the functions available from the PC Bible Atlas Main Menu. For more information about a particular menu, click on the appropriate menu name.

File--Export maps, modify print setup for maps and articles, print maps and articles, and exit the program.

Edit--Undo the last action, cut and copy selected text in an Article window or copy portions of a map to the Windows Clipboard, paste text from the Windows Clipboard into an article, select all text within an Article window, or use the Find feature to locate a particular word or phrase in the current article.

Maps--Create a new map; open an existing map; save, close, and delete maps; create, edit, place, remove, and move items on a map; display or choose a map's article; display or edit the map legend; change the background for a map; merge two maps; and access the toolbox to create and manipulate graphics for a map.

Articles--Create articles; open an existing article; save, close, and delete articles; return to the previous article viewed or jump to the next article viewed; edit, link, and unlink text articles; use the AutoLink feature; and bold, italicize, or underline text within an article.

Search--Open the Place/Names dialog where you can perform a variety of search and display options, access QuickVerse for Windows (if you have this program installed) to review verses or search for information, access Holman Bible Dictionary for Windows (if you have this program installed) to look up information about words or terms referenced in PC Bible Atlas, or perform a verse reference or cross reference search.

Options--Change various program settings, modify the default font for articles, save the desktop settings, and restore the default program desktop settings.

Window--Arrange open windows; arrange the icons of minimized windows; close all open windows; change the placement of the map in the current Map window in relation to the article; display/hide the icon bar and the status bar; zoom in or out on a map, and zoom in on a selected area of a map.

Help--Access online Help for information on program operation, details on using online Help, product support, and basic information about PC Bible Atlas.

Making the Maps/Articles "Read Only"

If you prefer not to let anyone modify the maps or articles included with the PC Bible Atlas program, you can modify the PCBAWIN.INI file in your PC Bible Atlas directory so that the program is effectively a "read only" reference tool. When you do this, the map and article creation/modification options are dimmed (and thus unavailable) from the Main Menu's pull-down menus. For details on using this feature, see the README file in your PC Bible Atlas directory.


Dialog Boxes

Throughout the PC Bible Atlas program, information is displayed on the screen in dialog boxes. Different types of dialog boxes ask for different responses. Some require you to enter information; others offer buttons you can choose to access other program features. In certain cases, you must respond to a dialog box before you can proceed with further program operations.

Many of the PC Bible Atlas dialog boxes that you will encounter are listed here. To learn more about a particular one, click on it.

Bible Link Dialog Box

Cross Reference Search Dialog Box

Delete Article Dialog Box

Delete Map Dialog Box

Edit Map Item Dialog Box

Map Legend Dialog Box

Merge Maps Dialog Box

Place/Names Dialog Box

Print Dialog Box (for maps)

Save As Dialog Box (for articles)

Save As Dialog Box (for maps)

Select Article Dialog Box

Select Attributes to Change Dialog Box

Select Background Dialog Box

Select Link Dialog Box

Select Map Dialog Box

Settings Dialog Box

Swap Backgrounds Dialog Box

Verse Reference Search

Zoom Map Dialog Box


Dialog Box

A bordered area displayed on screen to relay a message, report an error, confirm an action, request information, or display program features.


Working with Maps

Over 100 maps are included in PC Bible Atlas for a variety of uses and applications. These maps are based on geographical regions, events, and references in the Bible. Some are complete with added text and notations. You can view and modify the detailed maps included with the program or use the background maps to create your own maps from "scratch."

A variety of features are available to help you review and create maps easily. For example, you can display a legend, measure the distance between one or more points on a map, zoom in and out of a map, search for map items in PC Bible Atlas (and in QuickVerse for Windows if you have this program installed on your computer), and much more. The available features are listed in the topic list below. Click on any topic for more information.

Making the Maps "Read Only"

If you prefer not to let anyone modify the maps or articles included with the PC Bible Atlas program, you can modify the PCBAWIN.INI file in your PC Bible Atlas directory so that the program is effectively a "read only" reference tool. When you do this, the map and article creation/modification options are dimmed (and thus unavailable) from the Main Menu's pull-down menus. For details on using this feature, see the README file in your PC Bible Atlas directory.

For more information see:

Open a Map

What is on a Map?

Scrolling Through Maps

Viewing the Map Legend

Viewing Multiple Maps

Measure Distance on a Map

Zooming In and Out on a Map

Zooming a Selected Map Area

Performing a Search

Viewing a Map Article

Working with Map Items

Changing the Map Background

Creating a Map

Saving a Map

Copying Maps

Deleting Maps

Merging Maps

Exporting Maps

Printing Maps

Closing a Map


Background Map

An outline of a particular geographical region. Background maps may already contain graphical representations for rivers and land topography, but do not contain any map items (cities, countries, etc.). You use backgrounds maps when you create a new map and when you swap the background for the current map. For each of the available regions, there are four types of backgrounds:

Regular--contains an outline of a particular region (based on biblical boundary lines) with graphical representations for rivers included in that area. Regular backgrounds are labeled by the region (or event) only, such as Israel & Egypt.

Modern--same as the Regular background but with modern political boundaries instead. A (modern) indicator identifies this type of background, such as Israel & Egypt (modern).

Topographic--same as the Regular background with graphical representations of the physical features of the region. Various colors are used to illustrate the different levels of elevation shown. A (topographic) indicator identifies this type of background, such as Israel & Egypt (topographic).

Black & White--same as the Regular background but displayed in black and white only (rather than in color). If you are using a non-color printer or plan to export a map to another program, for example, this type of background allows you to view the details of the map more easily.


Background Maps

Within PC Bible Atlas, several background maps have been included to help you create your own unique maps. You can also use these backgrounds when changing the background for a map. The following illustration will help you understand the different backgrounds available within PC Bible Atlas. On this illustration, boxes have been used to outline the different backgrounds available within the program.

The following explains each of the areas depicted on the above illustration:

The entire illustration (without the box outlines) represents the Roman Empire background.

The pink box outlines the Eastern Mediterranean background.

The yellow box outlines the Fertile Crescent background.

The red box outlines the Israel & Egypt (regular and small) background.

(Note the Jerusalem background is not listed in the above illustration as it covers the city of Jerusalem only.)


Working with Map Items

Over 100 maps have been included with the program, some of which are complete with added places, text, and notations. These detailed maps contain map items listing the cities, countries, regions, etc. contained in a particular geographical area. You can access information about these map items and modify them to suit your needs. You can also add map items to the maps you create. You can select from among the cities, regions, etc. included with the program or you can create your own map items if you like. For more information on working with map items, click on a topic in the topic list below.

For more information see:

Accessing Information about Map Items

Adding Map Items

Selecting Map Items

Moving Map Items

Editing Map Items

Deleting Map Items

Finding Map Items

Linking Articles to Map Items


Working with Articles

To enhance the data displayed on its maps, PC Bible Atlas contains textual information to supplement the maps included with the program. This information is stored in articles. Some articles included with the program contain information about a map as a whole while others contain information about specific map items (cities, regions, etc.). Since you can create your own articles (and even modify the ones included with the program), an article can also contain any information that you choose.

Articles can be linked to a map or to specific items on a map. A "map article" is an article linked to a map and a "text article" is an article linked to a map item. There is no difference between a map article and a text article; they are merely linked to different parts of a map.

You can view and edit the articles included with the program and you can create your own to supplement the maps you create. When finished, you can even link your articles to maps and/or to items contained on a map. You can also link text within an article to other articles or to verses in QuickVerse for Windows (if you have this program installed on your computer).

The topic list below outlines the various features available for viewing, creating, and linking articles in PC Bible Atlas. Click on a particular topic to view more information about that procedure.

Making the Articles "Read Only"

If you prefer not to let anyone modify the maps or articles included with the PC Bible Atlas program, you can modify the PCBAWIN.INI file in your PC Bible Atlas directory so that the program is effectively a "read only" reference tool. When you do this, the map and article creation/modification options are dimmed (and thus unavailable) from the menu bar's pull-down menus. For details on using this feature, see the README file in your PC Bible Atlas directory.

For more information see:

Viewing Articles

Accessing Linked Articles

Finding Text in an Article

Creating Articles

Editing Articles

Linking Text within an Article

Linking Articles to Maps

Linking Articles to Map Items

Saving Articles

Printing Articles

Deleting Articles


Finding Text in an Article

When viewing or creating articles for PC Bible Atlas maps or map items, you can use the Find feature to locate text in the current article. This is especially useful for long articles, such as map articles.

To use this feature,

1.	Open the desired article and select Find Text from the Edit menu.

2.	In the Find Text dialog that opens, enter the desired word or phrase (such as "Jerusalem"). Click the Match Case box for a case sensitive search (to search for Act and not act, for example).

3.	Click the Find button to initiate the search. The program searches for the designated word or phrase and highlights the first match it finds. A message dialog appears if the specified word or phrase could not be found in the current article.

4.	To repeat the search, choose Repeat Find from the Edit menu (or press F3).

The Find feature "remembers" your last entry so you can repeat your search using the same search criteria in another article. Simply open the next article you want to search and press F3 (or choose Repeat Find from the Edit menu) to repeat your search.


Selecting Items and Using Buttons

Both the keyboard and mouse movements used in PC Bible Atlas are typical of those found in many software programs. You'll learn keystrokes for specific operations when actually using those features. (Many program functions have shortcut keys listed beside the corresponding menu option on the menu.)

To select an item, do one of the following:

Position the mouse pointer on the option and click.

Use the arrow keys to move the highlight to the item of your choice and press Enter. (Press Alt to activate the Main Menu.)

Press Alt plus an option's underlined "pick letter."

Press ONLY the option's underlined pick letter. This applies to menu bar options when the menu bar is active or to submenu options when the submenu is pulled down.

You'll use buttons to choose other program features. For example, buttons can perform actions, complete actions, and open windows to additional program features. They look like buttons on any electronic device. Rather than pressing the button, however, you click on it with your mouse or press the Alt key plus the button's underlined pick letter.


Exiting the Program

When you are finished using PC Bible Atlas, exit the program in one of the following ways:

Select Exit from the File menu.

Select Close from the Control-menu box.

Double click on the Control-menu box.

Do NOT use Ctrl+Alt+Del to exit the program. Doing so may cause you to lose your map information. It would also cause any other applications you may be running under Windows to close. Also, make sure you exit PC Bible Atlas before turning off your computer.

Any of the recommended methods above produces a Verify dialog (unless you've disabled exit verification via the Settings option in the Options menu). On this dialog, you can select Yes to exit the program or No to return to the program. If you select Yes, another dialog appears prompting you to save any changes you've made. Click Yes to save your changes, No to exit without saving, or Cancel to return to the program. If you elect to save your changes, you may be prompted for a map or article name if you have not already assigned one.


Control-menu Box

  The box (or button) located at the upper-most corner of the PC Bible Atlas desktop. When you click on this box, a menu drops down listing available choices. From this menu, you can: arrange windows on the screen, move the window, change the size of the window, and close the current window. If you double-click on this box, you will exit the PC Bible Atlas application.


Data Entry
Data Entry Procedures

Many PC Bible Atlas dialog boxes display blank spaces, called fields, ready for you to enter information. You'll enter the information much like you would do using any word processor.

When you first access a dialog box, a highlight bar usually appears in the first field. This highlight indicates your current location on the screen. To move the highlight from field to field, use the Tab key or your mouse.

NOTE:  Not all of these keys will operate as described in every situation. The precise key or keys you will need to use may vary depending on your location in the program.

Fields are designed to accept the keyboard characters that you enter. As you start to type characters, a blinking cursor indicates your location within the field. Characters include letters, numbers, punctuation marks, spaces, and other keyboard symbols. Some fields accept any characters, but other fields accept only certain ones. For example, the Scroll Units field on the Settings dialog accepts numbers only.

For more information see:

Data Entry Keys

Deleting Data

Entering New Field Information

Marking Fields

Smart Picker

Using the Windows Clipboard Options

Keyboard Commands

Mouse Operations


Data Entry Keys

Some common cursor-movement and editing keys are listed here. These keys operate as indicated in most data entry fields:

Key/Function

Left Arrow

Moves the cursor one position to the left.

Right Arrow

Moves the cursor one position to the right.

Home

Moves the cursor to the beginning of a field.

End

Moves the cursor to the end of a field.

Del

Deletes the character in the current cursor position.

For more information see:

Data Entry Procedures

Deleting Data

Entering New Field Information

Marking Fields

Smart Picker

Using the Windows Clipboard Options

Keyboard Commands

Mouse Operations


Deleting Data

To erase data from a data entry field on a dialog box:

1.	Select the data to be deleted by dragging the cursor over the desired text.

2.	Press the Del key or the spacebar to delete the entire entry.

You can also erase entries character by character (without selecting any text) by pressing the Del or Backspace key repeatedly.

For more information see:

Data Entry Procedures

Data Entry Keys

Entering New Field Information

Marking Fields

Smart Picker

Using the Windows Clipboard Options

Keyboard Commands

Mouse Operations


Entering New Field Information

Initially, a data entry field on a dialog box can be empty or it may contain present or default characters.

To accept the data currently displayed in the field,

With the highlight positioned on the desired field, press Tab. The entry is accepted and the highlight moves to the next field.

To enter a different option, do one of the following:

With the highlight positioned on the desired field, use the keyboard to type in the appropriate information, then press Tab to accept your entry and move to the next field.

Click on the down arrow at the right end of many data entry fields to view a list of available choices. From this list, you can click on any option to select it. Your choice appears in the data entry field. Press Tab to accept the entry and move to the next field.

NOTE:  Not all of the keys just mentioned will advance the cursor to the next field in every situation. At some program locations, you may find one or more of the arrow keys performing a unique function. In these cases, use the Tab key to move to the next field.

For more information see:

Data Entry Procedures

Data Entry Keys

Deleting Data

Marking Fields

Smart Picker

Using the Windows Clipboard Options

Keyboard Commands

Mouse Operations


Marking Fields

On many dialog boxes, you need to choose from a list of features or indicate whether optional information should be included. You will encounter three slightly different versions of this type of field:

Check box

On some dialog boxes, you will notice check boxes that allow you to select or deselect an item (usually a display option). For example, the Map Legend dialog box (accessed by selecting Edit Legend from the Maps menu) contains several check boxes at the top that you can use to display/hide various items on the map legend. When you click on a check box with your mouse, an "X" appears in the box. Frequently, one or more items will be checked by default. To change the selection, move the cursor to the box in front of the option of interest and press the spacebar (or click on it with your mouse). If the item was previously selected, the "X" is removed from the box. If the item was not selected, an "X" appears in the box.

Radio Buttons

Some dialog boxes also contain circular radio buttons that allow you to select a particular option. For example, when you select Open from the Maps menu, a Select Map dialog appears where you can use the radio buttons at the bottom of the dialog to view the list of existing maps in alphabetic or Bible verse order. Radio buttons are used for options where you can make only ONE choice. Sometimes, radio buttons are selected by default, but you can change this by clicking on another radio button. The selection will move from the default to your new choice. You cannot deselect a radio button by clicking on it; you must select another option.

Colored Highlight Bar

Throughout PC Bible Atlas, some program features allow you to select one or more options using the highlight bar. You can select items using the keyboard or your mouse. For example, when you are selecting a map to open, you can click on the desired map or use the up and down arrow keys on your keyboard to select it. You can then click OK to open the map. On some dialogs, like the Place/Names dialog, you can select more than one item at a time. For more information on selecting items from this dialog, click Selecting Items from the Map Item List.

For more information see:

Data Entry Procedures

Data Entry Keys

Deleting Data

Entering New Field Information

Smart Picker

Using the Windows Clipboard Options

Keyboard Commands

Mouse Operations


Smart Picker

PC Bible Atlas contains a "smart picker" function that allows you to select from a pick list by typing only an item's first few letters.

For example, to open an article from the Select Article dialog, type the first few letters of the name of the article you want to open into the box above the articles list. The highlight automatically moves to this article, and you can now press Enter (or click OK) to open it.

For more information see:

Data Entry Procedures

Data Entry Keys

Deleting Data

Entering New Field Information

Marking Fields

Using the Windows Clipboard Options

Keyboard Commands

Mouse Operations


Using the Windows Clipboard Options

You can use Windows Clipboard options to perform various functions in PC Bible Atlas. For example, you can undo the last action performed, cut or copy selected text from an article, copy a selected map area, and paste text from the clipboard into an article. All of these options are accessible from the Edit menu. You can also use the following keyboard commands to perform each operation:

Undo	Ctrl+Z

Cut Text	Ctrl+X

Copy Map/Text	Ctrl+C

Paste Text	Ctrl+V

For more information see:

Edit menu

Copying Maps to the Windows Clipboard

Editing Articles

Data Entry Procedures

Data Entry Keys

Deleting Data

Entering New Field Information

Marking Fields

Smart Picker

Keyboard Commands

Mouse Operations


Keyboard Commands

Most PC Bible Atlas options can be selected using either the keyboard or a Microsoft (or compatible) mouse. The keyboard movements used in the program are typical of those found in many software programs. For example, next to some menu options on a pull-down menu, there are shortcut keys listed. You can use these shortcut keys to quickly access program features by pressing the appropriate key(s) on your keyboard.

NOTE:  Although many options in PC Bible Atlas can be selected using a keyboard or a mouse, a Microsoft (or compatible) mouse is still required to operate the program. Some features of the program, such as measuring distance between two or more points on a map, can only be performed with a mouse.

For more information see:

Mouse Operations

Data Entry Procedures

Data Entry Keys

Deleting Data

Entering New Field Information

Marking Fields

Smart Picker

Using the Windows Clipboard Options


Mouse Operations

Most PC Bible Atlas options can be selected using either the keyboard or a Microsoft (or compatible) mouse. Before you can run PC Bible Atlas, make sure the "mouse driver" software provided with the mouse has been properly installed. Refer to the installation instructions included with the mouse package.

Because most Windows users tend to use a mouse, we emphasize mouse operation in our program documentation and in the online Help. If you are new to mouse operations, please refer to your Windows manual for assistance.

NOTE:  Although many options in PC Bible Atlas can be selected using a keyboard or a mouse, a Microsoft (or compatible) mouse is still required to operate the program. Some features of the program, such as measuring distance between two or more points on a map, can only be performed with a mouse.

For more information see:

Data Entry Procedures

Data Entry Keys

Deleting Data

Entering New Field Information

Marking Fields

Smart Picker

Using the Windows Clipboard Options

Keyboard Commands


Where to Find Help

PC Bible Atlas for Windows is a user-friendly program that includes extensive online Help accessible from the Help menu and from most locations in the program (by pressing F1 or clicking on the Help icon on the icon bar). The Help menu is accessible from the Main Menu and has several options that will help you understand how to use the program, including:

Online Help--contains a list of topics from which you can select items to obtain additional information about program features and about using the program. From most topics, you can access additional or related topics as well.

Using Help--contains instructions and hints for using the Help system.

Product Support--contains information on contacting Parsons Technology.

About PC Bible Atlas--lists the program version and the address for Parsons Technology.

When you access Help, many times you are taken to a related topic automatically. Other times, you will be taken to a general topic list from which you can select the topic you need. A Help button is also available on many dialog boxes within the program. Simply click on this Help button to get information about the dialog.

If you have a problem with operating the program, please consult your PC Bible Atlas for Windows User's Guide and online Help to review all the available information. If you're still unable to resolve your problem, consult the Appendix and When You Need Help sections within the User's Guide BEFORE contacting Parsons Technology. The Appendix contains troubleshooting information you should review and follow whenever you encounter a problem operating the program. The When You Need Help section at the front of the User's Guide contains information on contacting Parsons Technology if you cannot resolve the problem yourself.

For more information see:

Help menu


Opening a Map

To open any of the maps in the PC Bible Atlas program, choose Maps from the Main Menu. At the submenu that appears, choose Open. This opens the Select Map dialog box.

Initially, the dialog will list only those maps included with the PC Bible Atlas program. But later, when you've added maps that you create yourself, the names of those maps will appear in the Select Map dialog box, too. (Remember, more maps are available than can be presented in the dialog window at one time. Use the scroll bar at the edge of the list to see more choices.)

Most maps included with the program are associated with a Bible verse, indicating the source for the map. Initially, the Select Map dialog lists maps in verse order (the verse is listed first, followed by the map name). However, you can also choose to sort them in alphabetical order if you like (which will display the map name first, followed by the appropriate verse). You can modify the default sort order via the Settings option on the Options menu.

When you've located the map you want, click on it with your mouse to highlight it, then click OK to open it (or, you can simply double click on the map name to open it). To select a map using the keyboard, use the arrow keys, PgUp, or PgDn to position the highlight on the name of the map you want to view and press Enter. The selected map opens on screen.

For more information see:

What is on a Map?

Scrolling Through Maps

Viewing Multiple Maps

Working with Maps

Working with Map Items


What Is On a Map?

The maps included with the program contain a variety of information. However, not all of the information is displayed on every map. The following is a list of the items that may be displayed on or for a map:

A background or geographical outline of the area that the map covers. The background includes the boundaries of map regions and any topographical illustrations associated with the map.

Places (or map items) applicable for the selected map. This includes the names associated with the map (cities, regions, etc.).

A legend providing a key for the map's events, a distance scale, and an elevation scale. This may be displayed on the map when you first open it. If not, choose Display Legend from the Maps menu to display it.

A map article explaining the places and/or events depicted on the map. To review a map article, choose Display Map Article from the Maps menu.

A text article containing information about a particular map item. To access this information, double click on any map item with your mouse.

Some maps also contain graphics that illustrate Biblical events. For example, lines are often used to illustrate a journey. (See the map Abraham's Migration from Ur.)

For more information see:

Scrolling Through Maps

Viewing Multiple Maps

Working with Maps

Working with Map Items


Map Article

An article linked to a map as a whole. Such articles are either already linked to a map or can be linked to a map using the Choose Map Article option on the Maps menu.


Text Article

An article linked to a specific item on a map. Such articles are either already linked to map items or can be linked to map items via the Edit Map Item dialog box.


Scrolling Through Maps

Many maps are too large to be fully displayed even in a maximized window. Scroll bars at the bottom or right edge of the Map window provide access to areas hidden from view. You may find, however, that the scrolling procedure on a Map window may be somewhat slower than normal. This is because only a portion of the map is loaded into memory when you first open the map. (This is done to conserve memory.) As you scroll, the program is loading more of the map into memory in order to display the new areas of the map, resulting in a slight delay.

Depending on the amount of memory you have available, you may notice that scrolling is faster when you scroll back to areas of the map you've already viewed. This is because these areas of the map have already been loaded into memory and do not need to be reloaded.

Scrolling speed can be adjusted slightly by selecting Settings from the Options menu. On the Settings dialog box that appears, you can adjust the number of scroll units defined to scroll in larger increments if you like (to scroll several lines at a time rather than line by line, for example).

For more information see:

What is on a Map?

Working with Maps

Working with Map Items


Maximized Window

A window that has been expanded to full screen size. You maximize a window by clicking the up arrow icon in the upper right corner of the window. When you maximize a window, the icon changes to display both an up and a down arrow. Clicking on the button in this mode reduces the window to its original size.


Viewing Multiple Maps

You can have several Map windows open at one time making it easy to compare information. The number of maps you can open simultaneously is limited only by the memory capacity of your computer. When viewing several maps, it can be helpful to adjust their size and location.

The maps you have open appear as items at the bottom of the Window menu. You can use the menu to move from map to map, or you can simply click on any part of an open map to make it active.

For more information see:

What is on a Map?

Working with Maps

Working with Map Items


Map window

A window containing a map or a map and an article.


Measuring Distance on a Map

PC Bible Atlas has a distance measurement feature you can use to calculate the distance between two or more points on a map. For example, you can measure the distance between two cities or between geographical areas (from the far edge of a body of water to a mountain range, for instance).

To measure a distance,

1.	Activate the arrow cursor by clicking on it on the icon bar.

2.	Position the cursor at the desired starting point.

3.	Click and hold the left mouse button.

4.	Drag the cursor to any other location on the map. Or, you can hold the Ctrl key down as you click on various map items to display the distance between all of the selected items.

The distance is continuously updated and displayed on the status bar. A line from your starting point to the current position of the mouse cursor helps you track your movements. When you release the mouse button, the line disappears and the distance from your starting point to the last location remains displayed on the status bar until you select another item.

You can also measure distances to map locations not initially displayed on the screen. Click the first location, hold, and drag in the direction of the hidden location. When you reach the edge of the map, let the mouse cursor gently "bump" the edge of the Map window until the desired location is visible. Continue on until the cursor is positioned on the end location and release.

For more information see:

What is on a Map?

Scrolling Through Maps

Viewing Multiple Maps

Working with Maps

Working with Map Items


Zooming In and Out of a Map
Zooming In and Out on a Map

PC Bible Atlas allows you to zoom in on a smaller area of the map or to zoom out to view more (or all) of the map from a greater distance. Zooming out can reduce the need to scroll. This feature works much like a zoom lens on a camera. Zooming in makes objects appear bigger, but you're given less overall scope; zooming out makes objects appear smaller, but you have greater range. Zoom works with all PC Bible Atlas maps.

To zoom (either in or out), choose Zoom Map from the Window menu. The Zoom Map dialog opens on screen.

The current zoom level is displayed near the right center of the box. You can adjust the zoom level by:

Typing a value directly into the Set Level field.

Using the Zoom In/Zoom Out scroll bar on the left side of the box.

You can set values from 0.2 (zoomed out to reveal the largest area of the map) to 1.5 (zoomed in to show the smallest area-the "close up"). When you're satisfied with the setting, click OK. Depending upon your computer system and the degree of change, the modification may take several moments to implement.

NOTE:  If you zoom your map out to such a degree that any text on it would be impossible to read, the text may not be displayed at all. Do not be concerned. The information has not been deleted and will reappear again when you zoom back in.

Zooming a Selected Map Area

You can also zoom a selected area of a map to examine it in greater detail. For details on this procedure, click Zooming a Selected Map Area.

For more information see:

Zooming a Selected Map Area

What is on a Map?

Scrolling Through Maps

Working with Maps

Working with Map Items


Performing a Search

Using the program's search features, you can look for cities, regions, events, geographical features, text, and other miscellaneous items. Any map item included with the PC Bible Atlas program (and those you add yourself) can be the object of your search. In addition, you can search for references in QuickVerse for Windows using PC Bible Atlas search options and can look up information on selected words in Holman Bible Dictionary.

Using the Place/Names Dialog Box

You can search for a map item in PC Bible Atlas using the Place/Names dialog box (accessed by selecting Find/Select Items from the Search menu). This dialog allows you to review a list of all items on the current map and even access a list of items not on the current map. Various buttons are available that allow you to: find an item on the current map, access a list of maps containing a selected item, and add items to the current map.

Cross Reference and Verse Reference Searching

PC Bible Atlas also has two other kinds of search features: cross reference and verse reference. The cross reference search allows you to access a list of articles containing a specific item (such as Jerusalem). The verse reference search allows you to access a list of articles that reference a specific passage in the Bible (such as John 3:16).

Searching with QuickVerse

If you have QuickVerse for Windows (Version 1.0i or later) installed on your computer, you can search for verses containing a selected word, phrase, or verse referenced in PC Bible Atlas. You can also access QuickVerse without performing a search if you want to perform your own unique search or use other QuickVerse program features. For more information on this type of search, click Searching with QuickVerse.

Searching with Holman Bible Dictionary

If you have Holman Bible Dictionary for Windows installed on your computer, you can look up information about words or terms referenced in PC Bible Atlas in the Holman Bible Dictionary. You can also access Holman Bible Dictionary without performing a search  if you want to perform your own unique search or use other program features. For further details, click Searching with Holman Bible Dictionary.

For more information about searching, see:

Place/Names Dialog Box

Cross Reference Searching

Verse Reference Searching

Searching with QuickVerse

Searching with Holman Bible Dictionary

See also:

What is on a Map?

Working with Maps

Working with Map Items


Place/Names Dialog Box

The Place/Names dialog box allows you to access a list of all cities, regions, events, geographical features, text, and other miscellaneous items available in PC Bible Atlas. You can access this dialog by selecting Find/Select Items from the Search menu or by clicking the Search icon on the icon bar.

From the Place/Names dialog box you can:

Review a list of items on the current map.

Review a list of items NOT on the current map.

Add items to the current map.

Find an item on the current map.

Access a list of maps containing a selected place or name.

Permanently delete places and names from the PC Bible Atlas database.

The options available on this dialog vary depending on how you have accessed the dialog. For example, if you open this dialog from a blank desktop (no maps are currently open on screen), the Delete button is active allowing you to permanently delete map items from the PC Bible Atlas map item database. For more information on the options available for this dialog, click the appropriate topic below.

For more information see:

Limiting Categories

Selecting Items from the Map Item List

Selecting Items to Add to a Map

Finding an Item on the Current Map

Using the Map List Button


Limiting Categories on the Place/Names dialog
Limiting Categories

On the Place/Names dialog box, you can limit the items that appear on the list using the various check boxes in the lower right corner of the dialog. Map items are divided into six categories: Cities, Regions, Events, Geo (geographical features), Text, and Misc.

Initially, all categories are selected. Unmark (or mark) a category by clicking on the box preceding the desired option. When you're satisfied with your selections, click on the Apply button to activate your choices. The map item list will change to display only items that match the categories you've marked. A category code in front of each item indicates its category (for example, "<C>" denotes a city).

For more information see:

Selecting Items from the Map Item List

Selecting Items to Add to a Map

Finding an Item on the Current Map

Using the Map List Button

Performing a Search

Place/Names Dialog Box

Working with Maps


Selecting Items Using the Place/Names dialog
Selecting Items from the Map Item List

On the Place/Names dialog box, you can select items from the map item list in several ways. Once you've selected an item, you can add it to the current map, find it on the current map, or access a map list for the selected item. The following outlines the available options for selecting one or more items from the map item list:

To select a single item, click on its name in the Place/Names list. You can enter the first few letters of the item in the data entry field above the list to move near the item's location in the list quickly. (Do NOT enter the category code.)

To select several non consecutive items from the list, press and hold the Ctrl key as you click on the various items of interest. Each item will be highlighted.

To select several items in a row, click and hold the left mouse button as you drag the mouse to the last item of interest. Release the mouse button. (Or, you can click the first item and press the Shift key while clicking on the last item.) All items in the block you've selected are highlighted.

For more information see:

Selecting Items to Add to a Map

Finding an Item on the Current Map

Using the Map List Button

Limiting Categories

Performing a Search

Place/Names Dialog Box

Working with Maps


Finding an Item on the Current Map

You can easily locate an item on the current map using the Place/Names dialog. To access this dialog, choose Find/Select Items from the Search menu (or click the Search icon on the icon bar.

From the Place/Names dialog, use the following steps to find an item on the current map:

1.	Click Items On Map to display a list of map items that appear on the current map.

2.	Mark the categories of items you want to list and click on Apply.

3.	Highlight the item(s) of interest on the map item list.

PC Bible Atlas will automatically find your item and outline it on the map. However, if the item is located on an area of the map not currently visible in the Map window, you will not see it. Click on the Find button. The map will adjust to display the selected item.

The Place/Names dialog remains open, ready for you to Find or Add other items. If you've completed your work, click on the Close button to close the dialog.

For more information see:

Limiting Categories

Selecting Items from the Map Item List

Selecting Items to Add to a Map

Using the Map List Button

Performing a Search

Place/Names Dialog Box

Working with Maps


Using the Map List Button on the Place/Names dialog
Using the Map List Button

The Map List button on the Place/Names dialog box allows you to view a list of maps where a specific item is displayed. To view a map list:

1.	Select the item from the list in the Place/Names dialog box.

2.	Click on the Map List button.

A Select Map dialog appears listing all maps where the item you've selected appears. The list includes all maps included with the program and any you've created. Highlight a map and click OK to open it.

The list also contains an ***Untitled Map*** option you can use to open a new map (based on the Roman Empire background) with the selected item appropriately placed on the map. Simply highlight this option and click OK. If you use the Map List button again to locate another item and choose ***Untitled Map***, the next item will also be added to this untitled map. If at some point you save this untitled map, the next time you choose the ***Untitled Map*** option, the program will open another new untitled map.

For more information see:

Limiting Categories

Selecting Items from the Map Item List

Finding an Item on the Current Map

Performing a Search

Place/Names Dialog Box

Working with Maps


Searching with Holman Bible Dictionary

PC Bible Atlas and Holman Bible Dictionary can communicate with one another using Dynamic Data Exchange (DDE). DDE support allows you to select a word or phrase from a map or text article in PC Bible Atlas and search for it in Holman Bible Dictionary.

You can also select a place (such as "Bethlehem") in Holman Bible Dictionary and search PC Bible Atlas for a map where the item is located. You can also access a list of the maps in PC Bible Atlas containing a given city referenced in Holman Bible Dictionary.

Before you can use the interface between PC Bible Atlas and Holman Bible Dictionary, you must define the path from PC Bible Atlas to your Holman Bible Dictionary program files (and vice versa). Click Setting Paths for details on these procedures.

Looking Up Terms in Holman Bible Dictionary

To look up a term referenced in a PC Bible Atlas article (such as MOAB),

1.	Use your mouse to highlight the desired word or phrase.

2.	Click the Access Holman Bible Dictionary icon on the icon bar. This starts (or switches to) the Holman Bible Dictionary program.

The dictionary will try to locate any articles whose name contains the selected word(s). If the dictionary program finds an article, it will open the article on screen. A message appears if the dictionary program could not locate any matching articles.

You can return to PC Bible Atlas by clicking the Map icon in the dictionary's toolbar.


Searching with QuickVerse

PC Bible Atlas and QuickVerse for Windows can communicate with one another using Dynamic Data Exchange (DDE). DDE support allows you to select an item from a map or text article in PC Bible Atlas and search for it in QuickVerse.

You can also select an item from the biblical text in QuickVerse and search PC Bible Atlas for a map where the item is located. In QuickVerse, you can also select a place, such as Jerusalem, and search for a list of maps containing that city. For more information about using QuickVerse with PC Bible Atlas, click the appropriate topic below. For more information about DDE, consult your QuickVerse User's Guide.

Before you can use the interface between PC Bible Atlas and QuickVerse, you must define the path from PC Bible Atlas to your QuickVerse program files (and vice versa). Click Setting Paths for details on these procedures.

NOTE:  QuickVerse for Windows Version 1.0i or later is required for the interface between PC Bible Atlas and QuickVerse to work. If you do not have this version and would like to order it, call Parsons Technology at 1-800-223-6925.

For more information see:

Setting Paths

Searching QuickVerse for Map Items

Searching QuickVerse for Text in an Article

Accessing QuickVerse Without a Search

Searching in PC Bible Atlas from QuickVerse

Verse Reference Searching


QuickVerse For Windows

A Windows-based Bible study program available from Parsons Technology.


Setting Paths

Before you can use the interface between PC Bible Atlas and QuickVerse or the interface between PC Bible Atlas and Holman Bible Dictionary, you must define the location of your QuickVerse and/or Holman Bible Dictionary program files in PC Bible Atlas (and vice versa).

Setting Up PC Bible Atlas

To set the path for QuickVerse or Holman Bible Dictionary from PC Bible Atlas, choose Settings from the PC Bible Atlas Options menu and enter the complete path along with the name of the program in the appropriate field (for example, C:\QVWIN\QVWIN.EXE or C:\HOLMAN\HOLMAN.EXE).

Setting Up QuickVerse

To set the path for PC Bible Atlas from QuickVerse, choose Other Applications from the QuickVerse Options menu and enter the complete path along with the name of the program in the dialog that appears (for example, C:\PCBAWIN\PCBAWIN.EXE).

Setting Up Holman Bible Dictionary

To set the path for PC Bible Atlas from Holman Bible Dictionary, choose Settings from the Holman Bible Dictionary Options menu and enter the complete path for PC Bible Atlas along with the name of the program in the dialog that appears (for example, C:\PCBAWIN\PCBAWIN.EXE).

For more information see:

Searching with Holman Bible Dictionary

Searching with QuickVerse

Searching QuickVerse for Map Items

Searching QuickVerse for Text in an Article

Accessing QuickVerse Without a Search

Searching in PC Bible Atlas from QuickVerse


Searching QuickVerse for PC Bible Atlas Map Items
Searching QuickVerse for Map Items

You can search a QuickVerse for Windows Bible translation for an item on a current PC Bible Atlas map. For example, to search for verses containing "Jerusalem,"

1.	Click on "Jerusalem" on the current map to select it.

2.	Click on the QuickVerse icon on the icon bar (or choose QuickVerse from the Search menu).

PC Bible Atlas will start the QuickVerse program (if it's not running already) and switch to it with the Search List dialog box open. All verses containing "Jerusalem" are displayed in the dialog. See your QuickVerse for Windows User's Guide if you need help using the Search List dialog. To return to PC Bible Atlas, click on the Access PC Bible Atlas icon on the QuickVerse icon bar.

NOTE: If when you clicked on the QuickVerse icon you received a message indicating that QuickVerse was busy, you have a message dialog open in QuickVerse that requires a response before you can access the program from PC Bible Atlas. Use Alt+Tab to switch to QuickVerse and respond to the dialog. Then, return to PC Bible Atlas and try your search again.

Spellings Used in PC Bible Atlas

Within PC Bible Atlas, spellings for all places throughout the program are based on the New International Version (NIV) of the Bible. If you are using another translation in QuickVerse, these spellings may not be the same and QuickVerse may not be able to find the selected reference. Note, however, that many places are spelled the same in all translations of the Bible. If you do not have the NIV translation for QuickVerse and would like to order it, call Parsons Technology at  1-800-223-6925 to add this translation.

For more information see:

Searching with QuickVerse

Setting Paths

Searching QuickVerse for Text in an Article

Accessing QuickVerse Without a Search

Searching in PC Bible Atlas from QuickVerse


Searching QuickVerse for Text in an Article

If you are using QuickVerse for Windows Version 1.0i or later, you can open QuickVerse to names and Bible references that appear in a PC Bible Atlas article. Before attempting to access QuickVerse from PC Bible Atlas, however, remember to define the location of your QuickVerse program files in PC Bible Atlas using the Settings option on the Options menu. (Click Setting Paths for details).

Searching for a Word or Phrase in an Article

You can search for a word, phrase, or name from an article in PC Bible Atlas. For example, you could search for verses on Jerusalem by:

1.	Highlighting "Jerusalem" in the article.

2.	Choose QuickVerse from the Search menu or click on the QuickVerse icon on the icon bar.

The QuickVerse program opens with the Search List dialog box displayed. All verses containing the name "Jerusalem" are displayed in the dialog. See your QuickVerse for Windows User's Guide if you need help using the Search List dialog.

NOTE: If when you clicked on the QuickVerse icon you received a message indicating that QuickVerse was busy, you have a message dialog open in QuickVerse that requires a response before you can access the program from PC Bible Atlas. Use Alt+Tab to switch to QuickVerse and respond to the dialog. Then, return to PC Bible Atlas and try your search again.

Searching for Bible References in an Article

You can also search for a Bible reference from an article. For example, to review a verse referenced in a text article (such as Matt 27:33), simply double click on the desired verse. The QuickVerse program opens directly to the selected verse.

Many text articles contain a list of several verse references (such as Num 27:12; Deut 32:49; Jer 22:20). You can access all of these at once in QuickVerse if you like. To do this,

1.	Use your mouse to highlight the desired verses.

2.	Click the QuickVerse icon on the icon bar or choose QuickVerse from the Search menu. The QuickVerse program opens directly to the first verse selected. The QuickVerse Search List dialog also appears listing all of the selected verses. To review the next verse, highlight it and click View on the Search List dialog.

3.	To switch back to PC Bible Atlas, click on the Map icon on the icon bar within QuickVerse. (Before doing so, check to make sure you have defined the location of your PC Bible Atlas program files in QuickVerse; click Setting Paths for details)

For more information see:

Searching with QuickVerse

Setting Paths

Searching QuickVerse for Map Items

Accessing QuickVerse Without a Search

Searching in PC Bible Atlas from QuickVerse


Accessing QuickVerse Without a Search

If you want to access QuickVerse without performing a search, click on the Access QuickVerse icon on the PC Bible Atlas icon bar. This starts QuickVerse--or switches to it if you already have it running--without performing a search of any kind. This allows you to perform your own unique search or use other QuickVerse program features.

You can also press Alt+Tab to switch from PC Bible Atlas to QuickVerse (and vice versa) if you already have both applications running.

NOTE: If when you clicked on the Access QuickVerse icon you received a message indicating that QuickVerse was busy, you have a message dialog open in QuickVerse that requires a response before you can access the program from PC Bible Atlas. Use Alt+Tab to switch to QuickVerse and respond to the dialog. Later when you return to PC Bible Atlas, the Access QuickVerse icon will function normally.

For more information see:

Searching with QuickVerse

Setting Paths

Searching QuickVerse for Map Items

Searching QuickVerse for Text in an Article

Searching in PC Bible Atlas from QuickVerse


Searching in PC Bible Atlas from QuickVerse

From the QuickVerse for Windows program, you can select an item, then search PC Bible Atlas for a map where the item is located. For example, to locate maps containing "Bethlehem,"

1.	Highlight "Bethlehem" in the Bible text or the note text.

2.	Click on the PC Bible Atlas Search button on the QuickVerse icon bar (or choose PC Bible Atlas from the Search menu).

3.	The operation will switch to PC Bible Atlas with the Select Map dialog open. All maps containing "Bethlehem" are listed.

4.	Double click on the map or select the map you want to open and click on OK. The selected map will open on screen.

To return to QuickVerse, click on the QuickVerse icon on the PC Bible Atlas icon bar.

For more information see:

Searching with QuickVerse

Setting Paths

Searching QuickVerse for Map Items

Searching QuickVerse for Text in an Article

Accessing QuickVerse Without a Search


Viewing a Map Article

To display a map article within the Map window, open the desired map, then choose Display Map Article from the Maps menu. If the map has an article associated with it, that article opens within the Map window. (If there is no article associated with the current map, you can choose one using the Choose Map Article option on the Maps menu.)

Initially, the map article appears at the bottom of the Map window (unless you have modified the placement of the map; click Additional Options for details). You can also view map articles within their own window (outside of the Map window); click Viewing Articles for details.

Some words in the article may appear in another color. These are "links" to other articles contained in the program. You can click on these to access more information. Click Accessing Linked Articles for details on using these links.

You can access text articles about items contained on the map by double clicking on the appropriate map item. To close a map or text article, choose Close from the Articles menu (or click the Close Article icon on the icon bar). If you opened the article within a Map window, this closes the article portion of the Map window so only the map is displayed.

For more information see:

Finding Text in an Article

Accessing Linked Articles

Viewing Articles

Viewing a Text Article

Working with Maps

Working with Map Items


Accessing Information about Map Items

To access information about an item on a map, double click on the item of interest. A text article opens within the current Map window, displaying information relating to that item. You can also open a text article within its own window if you like; click Viewing Articles for details.

Some words in the article may appear in another color. These are "links" to other articles contained in the program. You can click on these to access more information. Click Accessing Linked Articles for details on using links.

You can access other text articles in the same manner and even display the map article (by selecting Display Map Article from the Maps menu). To close an article, choose Close from the Articles menu. If you opened the article within a Map window, this closes the article portion of the Map window so only the map is displayed.

For more information see:

Accessing Linked Articles

Viewing Articles

Viewing a Map Article

Working with Maps

Working with Map Items


Creating a Map

Over 100 maps are included in PC Bible Atlas for a variety of uses and applications. Some are complete with added text and notations; these are the actual "maps" included with the program. Background maps have also been included with the program. These are outlines of a particular geographical region. You can use these "backgrounds" as a base for creating your own maps.

One easy way to create a map is to open an existing map and modify it to suit your needs. But, if you prefer to start from "scratch," you can do that, too. Select New from the Maps menu and choose the desired background from the Select Background dialog that opens.

Whether you're modifying an existing map or starting from scratch, you can add map items, display and modify the map legend, add graphics, etc. to create a map that fits your objectives precisely. For detailed information about each of these functions (and more), click on the appropriate topic in the topic list below.

For more information see:

Background Maps

Adding Map Items

Selecting Map Items

Moving Map Items

Editing Map Items

Deleting Map Items

Changing the Map Background

Editing the Map Legend

Inserting Graphics into a Map

Opening a Map

Saving Maps

Working with Maps

Working with Map Items


Adding Map Items

Whether you are modifying an existing map or creating your own unique map, you may want to add cities or other items to your map. You can add cities, regions, rivers, events, etc. The easiest way to add map items is to select from among the list of existing biblical map items included with the program. You can also create your own map items if you like. Click the appropriate topic below for more information on selecting items to add to a map and creating your own map items.

For more information see:

Selecting Items to Add to a Map

Creating Your Own Map Items

Creating a Map

Working with Map Items

Working with Maps


Selecting Items to Add to a Map

The Place/Names dialog allows you to select from a list of existing biblical map items to add an item to a map. To access this dialog, select Place Items from the Maps menu. Use the following steps to select an item to add to a map:

1.	From the list of items displayed on the left of the dialog, select the item(s) you want, then click the Add button. (You can select multiple items by pressing Ctrl while clicking.) The items are added to your map. The Place/Names dialog remains active so you can add additional items or perform other functions, if needed.

Note:  If the item you added cannot be placed on the map because its coordinates lie outside of the map's boundaries, after you click the Add button, a Message dialog will appear indicating the selected item cannot be viewed on the existing map. You can place the item anyway or cancel the selection. For more information, see Message Dialog Box for Non-viewable Items.

2.	When done, click the Close button to close the dialog and return to your map. The item is appropriately positioned on the map.

Most maps included with the program already have a text article associated with them. Therefore, when you add one of these items to a map, a text article is automatically linked to it. You can double click on the new item to view its associated text article (if there is one).

For more information see:

Using the Place/Names Dialog

Creating Your Own Map Items

Working with Map Items

Working with Maps


Creating Your Own Map Items

PC Bible Atlas also allows you to create your own unique map items to add to an existing map or one you've created yourself. When you create your own map item, you can select from a variety of options. For example, you can display the name and a selected icon, a name only, or an icon only. You could use the name and icon selection to add cities and the name only option to add rivers or other geographical items, for example.

You also can define the font characteristics for any names and the display attributes for any icons you add. You can attach a text article to a map item so that when you double click on it, additional information about that item appears on screen.

To add a user-defined item to a map,

1.	Select Create New Item from the Maps menu.

2.	Note that when you move the Cursor onto the map, it changes to a "Where?" indicator. Position this indicator where you want the new item to appear and click the left mouse button. The Edit Map Item dialog appears.

3.	On the Edit Map Item dialog, you can enter the appropriate information. For details on the fields contained on this dialog, click Using the Edit Map Item dialog.

4.	When you've finished entering information, click OK. The new map item appears on your map as defined.

For more information see:

Using the Edit Map Item dialog

Selecting Items to Add to a Map

Working with Map Items

Working with Maps


Moving Map Items

When editing a map (or creating a new one), you lay want to move map items to a different location or just make a few minor adjustments. For example, if you modify the zoom level for a map, the city names may have to be moved slightly to make them easier to read.

To move a map item,

1.	Click on the hand cursor on the icon bar (or choose Move Items from the maps menu to activate the hand cursor).

2.	Position the hand cursor's extended index finger on the item you wish to move (a city name or icon, for example).

3.	Click and hold the left mouse button to select the item. (Note that if the item selected has an icon, both the name and icon are selected.)

4.	Drag the item to the desired location and release the mouse button. The program will reposition the item as indicated. For example, if you moved a city's icon, both the icon and the name are repositioned. If you moved the city's name, only the name is adjusted (the icon is unchanged).

NOTE:  If you move an icon, a Message dialog appears asking you if you want this change to affect all maps on which the item appears. Click Yes to make a global change affecting all maps or click No to change the item on the current map only. To cancel the operation ( and leave the icon where it was originally), click Cancel. If you select Yes, the item will be modified on all maps, regardless of whether or not you save the current map.

For more information see:

Working with Map Items

Working with Maps


Selecting Map Items
Selecting Multiple Map Items

You can select a group of map items on a map to edit them simultaneously. For example, if you want to change the color for all the cities on the map, you first need to select the cities. There are two ways you can select multiple items on a map--using your mouse and using the Place/Names dialog.

Selecting Items with a Mouse

To select a group of map items using your mouse,

1.	Activate the arrow cursor by clicking on the Arrow Cursor icon on the icon bar.

2.	Press and hold the Ctrl key as you click on each map item you want to select.

3.	With the appropriate items selected, you are now ready to edit or delete them as needed.

Click Editing Map Items or Deleting Map Items for details.

Selecting Items Using the Place/Names Dialog

To select a group of map items using the Place/Names dialog,

1.	Choose Find/Select Items from the Search menu or click on the Search icon on the icon bar.

2.	From the list of items on the map, highlight the map items you want to select. To select items individually, press and hold the Ctrl key as you click on each item. To select several items in a row, click on the first item, then press and hold the Shift key on the last item to be selected; all the items in the specified block are selected. You can limit the types of map items displayed on the list by cities, regions, etc. to make selecting items easier using the check boxes in the lower, right corner of the dialog.

3.	With the appropriate items selected, you can edit or delete them as needed. Click Editing Map Items or Deleting Map Items for details.

For more information see:

Using the Place/Names Dialog

Editing Map Items

Deleting Map Items

Working with Map Items

Working with Maps


 Editing Map Items

When modifying a map, you may occasionally need to edit map items. You can edit items individually or select a group of items to edit simultaneously. For example, you can move a city's name or you can change the font color for all cities on a map. In order to modify the font color for all cities on a map, you must first select all the cities. You can do this by holding the Ctrl key as you click on each city or using the Place/Names dialog.

To edit one or more map items,

1.	Select the item (or items) you wish to edit. To select one item, click on it with your mouse. For details on selecting multiple map items, click Selecting Multiple Map Items.

2.	Click on the Edit Map Item icon on the icon bar (or select Edit Items from the Maps menu). The Edit Map Item dialog appears. (Note that if you are editing several map items at once, nothing appears in the Name field on this dialog. Additionally, other fields may be blank if the items selected do not have the same display attributes.)

3.	Make the appropriate modifications. For information about the fields contained on the dialog, click Edit Map Item dialog.

The Edit Map Item dialog is identical to the Edit Map Item dialog you see when you are adding a new map item. However, an additional check box appears at the bottom of the dialog. The Change item(s) on all maps check box allows you to indicate whether or not the changes made should be global (thus, affecting all maps on which the selected item appears). Leave this check box blank to change the current map only. Use the spacebar or your mouse to check the box if you want to make a global change.

4.	When done, click OK to save your changes.

If you did not check the Change Item(s) on All Maps check box on the Edit Map Item dialog, you will return to the Map window immediately. If you made a cosmetic change affecting how the map looks, you will immediately be able to see your modification(s). If you changed the text article attached to the map item, you will need to access the text article by double clicking on it to see your change.

If you checked the Change Item(s) on All Maps check box, a Select Attributes to Change dialog appears. This dialog outlines the types of modifications you made (name, font, icon, text article, etc.) and gives you an opportunity to select the items you want changed. Each area you have changed is automatically selected by default; you can deselect the items you don't want changed. Click OK when done to update all maps and return to the Map window.

For more information see:

Selecting Multiple Map Items

Moving Map Items

Deleting Map Items

Saving Maps

Working with Map Items

Working with Maps


Deleting Map Items

While creating or editing a map, you may want to delete one or more items. To do this,

1.	Select the item or items you wish to edit.  To select one item, click on it with your mouse. For details on selecting multiple map items, click Selecting Multiple Map Items.

2.	Choose Remove Items from the Maps menu. The selected information is removed from the map. You can also use the Del key to delete selected map items; however this key does not work if the Place/Names dialog is displayed and is active.

For more information see:

Selecting Multiple Map Items

Working with Map Items

Working with Maps


Changing the Map Background

If you want to change the background of your map (to view modern political boundaries instead of topographical information, for example), you can select the background you want from a list of predefined background maps. The available background maps are listed below. (For each one listed, there is a regular, topographical, modern political version, and black and white version.)

Eastern Mediterranean

Fertile Crescent

Israel & Egypt

Israel & Egypt small

Jerusalem (no modern version is available for this background)

Roman Empire

To change the background for a map currently active on screen,

1.	Select Swap Backgrounds from the Maps menu. The Swap Backgrounds dialog appears. Notice that the background currently being used is displayed at the top of the dialog. In the middle of the dialog, a list of the available background maps is displayed.

2.	Select the desired background map from the list by clicking on it with your mouse. You can use the box above the list to locate a specific map. For example, if you type in the first few characters of the map's name into this box, the program will highlight the first match if finds. (You can also double click on the desired background to swap the background immediately. In this case, you do not need to perform Step 3.)

3.	Click OK (or press Enter) to replace the old background with the newly selected background. The program rearranges the map items accordingly and the result appears on screen.

NOTE: If you swap in a completely different type of background (rather than just swapping in another version of the same background), you may not be able to see all of the map items and graphics if they extend beyond the boundaries of the new map background. Items may appear larger or smaller than they did on the original map and may overlap, depending on whether or not the new map background covers more or less area than the original.

For more information see:

Background Maps

Saving Maps

Working with Map Items

Working with Maps


Editing the Map Legend

PC Bible Atlas has a map legend feature you can use to clarify the information contained on a map. Every map has a legend associated with it--even new maps you create yourself. To display the legend for a map, open the desired map and select Display Legend from the Maps menu. The appropriate map legend appears on the map within the Map window.

Most maps included with the program already have a map legend created for them complete with legend items outlining the events depicted on the map. If you're creating a new map, only the distance scale and the elevation scale (if appropriate) are displayed; you will need to enter your own legend items.

You can change the items on a map legend and modify the display options from the Map Legend dialog (accessed by selecting Edit Legend from the Maps menu). This dialog also allows you to create legends for your own user-defined maps. For information on using this dialog, click Map Legend dialog.

Saving Maps with Legends/Closing the Legend

If you want the legend to display automatically each time you open a particular map, just save the map with the legend displayed. The next time you open the map, the legend opens automatically. Likewise, if you don't want the legend to display when you open a particular map, close the legend and save the map. To close a map legend displayed on a map, double click on the close-box icon in the upper left corner of the legend window. For details on saving maps, click Saving a Map.

For more information see:

Displaying the Map Legend

Saving a Map

Working with Maps


Inserting Graphics into a Map

If you want to emphasize a portion of a map or illustrate an event, you can draw lines, boxes, and circles to create your own graphics using the toolbox. To activate the toolbox, select Graphics from the Maps menu (or click on the Toolbox icon on the icon bar). To disable the toolbox, reselect this menu option or click the Toolbox icon again.

Toolbox Elements

The buttons on the top of the toolbox allow you to select the type of line or shape you want to create. You can select the arrow and hand cursors from the toolbox as well. The arrow cursor allows you to draw lines and shapes, resize graphics, and select graphics. The hand cursor allows you to select and move graphics. Other options on the toolbox allow you to select the colors for your lines and shapes and to select line width. The various functions you'll use to create and manipulate graphics are outlined in the topic list below. Click on any topic for more information.

For more information see:

Toolbox

Drawing Lines

Drawing Shapes

Selecting Graphics

Copying Graphics

Moving Graphics

Deleting Graphics

Resizing Graphics


Drawing Lines

You can draw straight lines or polylines on any map. For example, you might use a collection of lines on a map to illustrate a biblical event. To draw a line on a map,

1.	Click on the desired line with your mouse. You can choose either the straight line or the polyline.

2.	Select the desired line color and width on the toolbox. To choose a line color, select the Line option above the color palette, then click on the desired color. To select a line width, position the cursor on the correct width and click.

3.	Move the cursor to the map and position it where you want the line to begin. Notice that when you move the cursor onto the map, it changes to a crosshair cursor (+).

4.	If you are drawing a straight line, click and hold the left mouse button as you drag the mouse across the map. An outline of the line appears as you drag the mouse to help you position the line correctly. When you've finished drawing your line, release the mouse button. The line is drawn as indicated.

If you are drawing a polyline, you do not have to hold down the mouse button as you're drawing the line. For example, you can click once on the line's starting point, move the cursor to another position and click again, and move the cursor to yet another position and click again. An outline of the polyline you've drawn appears on screen. When finished, double click at the end of the line. The line is drawn as indicated.

For more information see:

Inserting Graphics into a Map

Toolbox

Drawing Shapes

Selecting Graphics

Copying Graphics

Moving Graphics

Deleting Graphics

Resizing Graphics

Working with Maps


Drawing Shapes

You can draw shapes on any map to identify or emphasize an area, for example. Drawing a shape is much like drawing a line. When you draw a shape, however, you can draw an outline of a shape or you can "fill" it to create a solid shape. To draw a shape on a map,

1.	Click on the desired shape with your mouse. Available shapes are: circle, square, arrowhead, and polygon. (See Arrowheads below for details on drawing arrowheads.)

2.	Select the desired color and line width on the toolbox. You can also select whether or not you want to fill the shape and specify a line color and a fill color. You can also fill your shape with slanted or crossed lines using the crossing hatching options shown below the color palette on the toolbox.

To choose a line color, select the Line option above the color palette then click on the desired color. To select a fill color, select the Fill option above the color palette then click the desired color. Click No Fill if you want the background to display behind the shape. To select the line width, position the cursor on the correct width and click.

3.	Move the cursor to the map and position it where you want the shape to begin. Notice that when you move the cursor onto the map, it changes to a crosshair cursor (+).

4.	Click and hold the left mouse button as you drag the mouse and "draw" the shape on the map. An outline of the shape appears as you drag the mouse to help you position the shape correctly.

If you are drawing a polygon, you do not have to hold down the mouse button as you're drawing the shape. For example, you can click once at the shape's starting point, move the cursor to the next position and click again, etc. until you've defined all the anchor points for the shape you want. An outline of the shape you've drawn appears on screen.

5.	When you've finished drawing your shape, release the mouse button. (If you're drawing a polygon, double click on the last anchor point to end the shape.) The shape is drawn as indicated.

Arrowheads

You can use the arrowhead shape on the toolbox to draw arrowheads for lines on a map (to illustrate a journey in a particular direction, for example). However, you should note that drawing an arrowhead is slightly different than drawing other shapes. To draw an arrowhead, follow these steps:

1.	With the arrowhead shape selected, click on the arrowhead orientation buttons to the right of the arrowhead button to choose the desired direction for the arrowhead.

You can also select the line width, line color, and fill color for the arrowhead using special buttons on the toolbox. To select the line width, position the cursor on the correct width and click. To choose a line color, select the Line option above the color palette then click on the desired color. To select a fill color, select the Fill option above the color palette then click the desired color. Click No Fill if you want the background to display behind the shape.

2.	Position the cursor where you want the arrowhead to appear. Note that when you move the cursor onto the map, it changes to an arrowhead indicator. This will help you position the arrowhead correctly on the map.

3.	When you've placed the cursor where you want the arrowhead to appear, click once with your mouse. The shape appears on your map where indicated.

Once you've placed an arrowhead on a map, you can copy, move, delete, and resize it as you would any other shape.

For more information see:

Inserting Graphics into a Map

Toolbox

Drawing Lines

Selecting Graphics

Copying Graphics

Moving Graphics

Deleting Graphics

Resizing Graphics

Working with Maps


 Selecting Graphics

Once you've created a line or shape, you may want to copy, delete, move, or resize it. To perform any of these options, you must first select the graphic using the special "handles" that appear on a graphic. Graphic handles are small boxes that appear on the ends of lines and on various anchor points on a shape. These handles only appear when the toolbox is active; therefore, you cannot manipulate graphics when the toolbox is disabled.

To select a graphic,

1.	Activate the toolbox (click the Toolbox icon on the icon bar or select Graphics from the Maps menu).

2.	Select the hand cursor or the arrow cursor (on the toolbox or on the icon bar) as is appropriate. If you are moving a graphic, select the hand cursor. If you are resizing a graphic, select the arrow cursor. If you are copying or deleting a graphic, you can use either cursor.

3.	Position the cursor on one of the graphic's handles and click. This selects the graphic. Note that the handles are a different color when the graphic is selected.

When you select a line or shape, the entire graphic is selected; therefore, you cannot delete or remove portions of a line or shape. If many shapes or lines have been used to illustrate a path or journey, for example, you can select each line or shape individually to delete them as needed.

NOTE: The graphic handles for circles do not appear on the circle as they do for lines and other shapes. The graphic handles for circles appear just outside the circle in the upper left and lower right corners of the area the graphic encompasses.

For more information see:

Inserting Graphics into a Map

Toolbox

Drawing Lines

Drawing Shapes

Copying Graphics

Moving Graphics

Deleting Graphics

Resizing Graphics

Working with Maps


Copying Graphics

If you want to copy a line or shape you've already created, you can select it and copy it using special buttons on the toolbox. To copy a graphic,

1.	Select the desired graphic by clicking on one of the graphic's handles. For information on graphic handles and selecting graphics, click Selecting Graphics

2.	Click on the Copy button on the toolbox. A duplicate appears next to the original graphic. You can move the duplicate to another position if you like by selecting it and dragging it to the desired location; click Moving Graphics for details.

For more information see:

Selecting Graphics

Toolbox

Drawing Lines

Drawing Shapes

Moving Graphics

Deleting Graphics

Resizing Graphics

Working with Maps

Inserting Graphics into a Map


Graphic Handles

The small boxes that appear on the ends of lines and on various corners of a shape. The graphic handles for circles do not appear on the circle as they do for lines and other shapes. The graphic handles for circles appear just outside the circle in the upper left and lower right corners of the area the graphic encompasses.


Moving Graphics

You can move or reposition any graphic on a map using the hand cursor. To move a graphic:

1.	Click on the hand cursor on the toolbox (or on the icon bar).

2.	Select the desired graphic by clicking on one of the graphic's handles. For information on graphic handles and selecting graphics, click Selecting Graphics.

3.	Click on one of the graphic's handles and hold the left mouse button as you drag the graphic to the desired location. Note that as you move the graphic, an outline of the line or shape follows to help you position the graphic correctly.

4.	When you've positioned the graphic where you want it, release the mouse button. The graphic appears in the new location.

For more information see:

Selecting Graphics

Toolbox

Drawing Lines

Drawing Shapes

Copying Graphics

Deleting Graphics

Resizing Graphics

Working with Maps

Inserting Graphics into a Map


Deleting Graphics

The toolbox also allows you to delete any graphics you don't need. To delete a graphic,

1.	Select the desired graphic by clicking on one of the graphic's handles. For information on graphic handles and selecting graphics, click Selecting Graphics.

2.	Click on the Del button on the toolbox. The graphic is removed from the map.

For more information see:

Selecting Graphics

Toolbox

Drawing Lines

Drawing Shapes

Copying Graphics

Moving Graphics

Resizing Graphics

Working with Maps

Inserting Graphics into a Map


Resizing Graphics

With the toolbox active, you can use the arrow cursor to resize lines and shapes on a map. To resize a graphic,

1.	Click on the arrow cursor on the toolbox (or on the icon bar).

2.	Position the cursor on one of the graphic's handles. For information on graphic handles and selecting graphics, click Selecting Graphics.

3.	Click and hold the mouse button on the graphic handle and drag it to the desired position. When the line is the desired length or the shape is the desired size, release the mouse button. The object is resized accordingly.

For more information see:

Inserting Graphics into a Map

Toolbox

Drawing Shapes

Selecting Graphics

Moving Graphics

Deleting Graphics

Drawing Lines

Working with Maps

Inserting Graphics into a Map


Saving a Map

You can save any map currently active on screen using the Save and Save As options on the Maps menu. The Save option allows you to save a new map for the first time and give it a name. This option also allows you to save existing maps under their original name. The Save As option allows you to make a copy of a map and enter a name for the new map.

To save a map currently active on screen,

1.	Select Save or Save As from the Maps menu (whichever is appropriate).

2.	If you're saving a user-defined map for the first time (or you chose the Save As option), a Save As dialog appears where you can enter a name of up to 60 characters for your map. You can also enter a Bible verse in the Reference field (of up to 30 characters) to indicate the source of the map if you like. The reference you define here is used if you are sorting maps in verse order (per the Settings option on the Options menu).

If you selected the Save option and have saved the map before, the Save As dialog doesn't appear and your changes are saved automatically.

If you're saving an original map included with the program, a warning dialog appears indicating that you are about to override original reference material. Click Yes to save the map (which will permanently change the map based on your changes) or click No to cancel the selection.

When you save a map, the program remembers the current scroll position so that next time you open the map, the map is positioned as it was when you last saved it. If you have the legend displayed when you save the map, it will automatically be displayed the next time you open the map.

For more information see:

Copying Maps

Exporting Maps

Printing Maps

Working with Maps


Copying Maps

If you want to create a copy of a map (to copy an original reference map included with the program, for example), use the following procedures:

1.	Open the map you want to copy. (You can make modifications now before you actually copy the map if you like.)

2.	Select Save As from the Maps menu. A Save As dialog appears where you can enter a new name for the map. After you've entered a new name, click OK to make a copy of the map under the new name you entered. If you made changes to the original map, your changes are saved in the newly created map. The new map opens on screen. (The original map is unchanged.)

For more information see:

Copying Maps to the Windows Clipboard

Saving a Map

Merging Maps

Exporting Maps

Printing Maps

Working with Maps


Deleting Maps

If you want to delete a map, choose Delete from the Maps menu. On the Delete Map dialog that appears, highlight the desired map and click OK. A verify dialog appears where you can click Yes to permanently delete the selected map or click No to cancel the selection. Note that you cannot delete a map that is currently open on screen; you must close the map before you can delete it.

For more information see:

Working with Maps


Merging Maps

If you want to combine two maps, you can use the Merge Maps feature on the Maps menu. Simply open a map and then merge items from a selected map into the current map. For example, you can open the map Abraham's Journey to Mt. Moriah and merge in the map Abraham to Egypt and Back to compare the two journeys. To do this,

1.	Select Open from the Maps menu (or click on the Open Map icon on the icon bar). On the Select Map dialog that opens, select Abraham's Journey to Mt. Moriah. Note that you can use the box above the list of maps on the Select Map dialog to locate a specific map. For example, if you type the first few characters of the map's name into this box, the program selects the first match it finds. When you have located the map, click OK. The map opens on screen.

2.	Select Merge Maps from the Maps menu. On the Merge Maps dialog that appears, select the map Abraham to Egypt and Back.

3.	Click OK (or press Enter). All of the cities, graphics, etc. from the map Abraham to Egypt and Back are added to the map Abraham's Journey to Mt. Moriah.

NOTE:  If not all of the selected map's items appear on the current map, it may be because they fall outside the boundaries of the map. (However, they are still part of the map as they will appear as items on the map on the Place/Names dialog.) Merged items may appear larger or smaller than they did on the original map and may overlap items on the current map.

For more information see:

Saving a Map

Copying Maps

Exporting Maps

Printing Maps

Working with Maps


Selecting Portions of a Map

You can select a portion of a map using the right mouse button. You can then copy the selected area to the Windows Clipboard, export it to a graphics file, and zoom in on or print the selected area only. To select a portion of a map,

1.	Select the arrow cursor by clicking it on the icon bar.

2.	Position the cursor where you want to begin.

3.	Click and hold the right button on your mouse as you drag the outline over the area you want to select. (For example, move the cursor across, then down, to select an area.)

4.	When you've defined the area you want, release the mouse button. The specified area is selected. You can now print it, copy it to the Windows Clipboard, etc.

To copy to the Windows Clipboard, select Copy Map from the Edit menu. To zoom in on the selected area, select Zoom Selected Area from the Window menu. To export the map to a graphics file, select Export Map from the File menu. To print the selected area, select Print Map from the File menu. For more information on zooming, exporting, and printing selected areas of a map, click the appropriate topic in the topic list below.

For more information see:

Copying Maps to the Windows Clipboard

Zooming Selected Areas on a Map

Exporting Maps

Printing Maps

Saving a Map

Working with Maps


Copying Maps to the Windows Clipboard

You can copy a selected portion of a map to the Windows Clipboard to paste it into another Windows application, such as Paintbrush. To copy a portion of a map to the clipboard,

1.	Select the area you want to copy using the right mouse button. (Click Selecting Portions of a Map for details.)

2.	Select Copy from the Edit menu. The selected map area is copied to the clipboard. For details on using the clipboard, refer to your Windows manual.

For more information see:

Selecting Portions of a Map

Zooming Selected Areas on a Map

Exporting Maps

Printing Maps

Working with Maps


Zooming Selected Areas on a Map

If you want to zoom in on a selected portion of the map only, you can use the Zoom Selected Area option on the Window menu. You can use this to view a specific area of a map in detail.

To zoom a selected area,

1.	Select the area you want to zoom using the right mouse button. (Click Selecting Portions of a Map for details.)

2.	Select Zoom Selected Area from the Window menu (or click on the Zoom icon on the icon bar). The zoomed area appears within the active Map window.

The program will attempt to zoom the selected area so that it fills the current window. The program may adjust the zoom level to accommodate this (up to the maximum zoom level of 1.5). To restore the rest of the map, zoom back out by reducing the zoom level on the Zoom Map dialog (accessed by selecting Zoom Map from the Window menu).

For more information see:

Selecting Portions of a Map

Copying Maps to the Windows Clipboard

Exporting Maps

Saving a Map

Printing Maps

Working with Maps


Exporting Maps

You can export any map included with the program (or one you've created) in a variety of formats, such as .PCX and .BMP. Note that you may want to use a black and white background when exporting maps; click Changing a Map's Background for details on changing backgrounds.

To export a map,

1.	Open the desired map.

2.	Select the area of the map you want to export using the right mouse button. (Click Selecting Portions of a Map for details.)

3.	Select Export Map from the File menu.

4.	Enter a name for the file and select the desired file format.

5.	Click OK to save the file.

The file appears in the location specified and can be opened, read, and/or imported by any program accepting the file format specified. For example, you can use the Windows Paintbrush application to open maps exported in .PCX and .BMP formats.

For more information see:

Selecting Portions of a Map

Copying Maps to the Windows Clipboard

Zooming Selected Areas on a Map

Working with Maps


Closing a Map

There are two basic ways to close a map currently active on screen:

Select Close from the Maps menu (or click on the Close Map icon on the icon bar). This closes only the map within the Map window; any article you had open within the Map window remains open.

Double click on the control-menu box in the upper, left corner of the Map window to close everything within the Map window. This closes the map and any article you may have had open within the Map window.

For more information see:

Working with Maps


Viewing Articles

There are two ways you can open an article: within a Map window and within a separate Article window. For details on articles and viewing them within the Map window, click Articles. To view any article within its own Article window, follow these steps:

1.	Choose Open from the Articles menu (or click on the Open Article icon on the icon bar) to open the Select Article dialog box.

2.	From the list of existing articles displayed in the dialog, choose the article of interest. This list contains all articles included with the program and any you've created). You can move to an item quickly by typing its first few letters in the box above the list. To scroll through the list, use the scroll bars or press the down arrow on your keyboard.

3.	When the desired article is highlighted, click OK (or press Enter). The selected article opens on screen in an Article window. You can move, size, and close this window independently of any other windows you may have open in PC Bible Atlas. For details on manipulating windows, see your Windows manual.

You can access information about any word that appears in another color within the article by double clicking on it. This will replace the contents of the current Article window with the article for the selected item. For more information on this procedure, click Accessing Linked Articles.

You can also access QuickVerse for Windows (if you have this program installed on your computer) to review verses about selected text within the article or to open verses referenced at the end of an article. For more information on performing this type of search, click Searching QuickVerse for Text in an Article.

For more information see:

Viewing a Map Article

Viewing a Text Article

Finding Text in an Article

Accessing Linked Articles

Editing Articles

Printing Articles

Working with Articles


Accessing Linked Articles

Many articles contain one or more words displayed in a different color to distinguish them from normal text. These words are "Links" to related articles. Double click on one of these words to "jump" to the related article. The related article replaces the original one in the current window.

The related article may have additional links, so you can easily lose track of the original article after viewing other linked articles. To move back and forth between the articles you've viewed, choose Back or Forward from the Articles menu (or click on the Previous Article or Next Article icons on the icon bar.

For more information see:

Viewing Articles

Working with Articles


Creating Articles

You can create your own articles and then link them to a map or to a map item. To create an article,

1.	Choose New from the Articles menu to open an untitled Edit Article window.

2.	The Edit Article window is a simple word processor. Type the information you want to include in your article.

3.	When done, choose Save from the Articles menu.

4.	On the Save As dialog that appears, enter a name for your article--up to 60 characters--and click OK (or press Enter).

Your new article is added to the program and will appear in the list of existing articles displayed in the Select Article dialog box that opens when you choose to open an article. You can now link the article to a map or to a map item. Click Linking Articles to Maps and Linking Articles to Map Items for details on these procedures.

For more information see:

Defining Font Characteristics

Linking Text Within an Article

Linking Articles to Maps

Linking Articles to Map Items

Saving Articles

Printing Articles

Working with Articles


Editing Articles

You can edit existing articles or those you've created yourself, then choose to save the changes to the existing article or save it with a new name. To edit an article,

1.	Open the desired article. You can use the Open option on the Articles menu or you can double click on a map item on a map to open the appropriate article.

2.	Choose Edit from the Articles menu. This places the article into the Edit mode. A check mark appears next to the Edit menu option when the Edit mode is enabled for the current article. (Later, when you are done, you can disable the Edit mode by reselecting the Edit option from the Articles menu.)

3.	Make the desired changes in the article's text as you would edit any document on a word processor. For details on using bold, italics, and underlining to emphasize text, click Defining Font Characteristics.

4.	Choose Save or Save As from the Articles menu to save your changes:

Save--overwrites the previous version of the article. You can save changes to an original PC Bible Atlas article. However, the program will present a message before completing your action if you have checked the Display a Warning When Modifying Original Reference Material check box on the Settings dialog (accessed by choosing Settings from the Options menu). To save, click Yes. To cancel, click No.

Save As--opens a Save As dialog where you can enter a new name for the edited article. This allows you to preserve the previous version of the text as well as the new one (to create a copy of the original). To save, click OK.

For more information see:

Defining Font Characteristics

Edit Menu

Linking Text Within an Article

Linking Articles to Maps

Linking Articles to Map Items

Finding Text in an Article

Saving Articles

Printing Articles

Working with Articles


Defining Font Characteristics for Text in an Article

The Bold, Italic, and Underline options on the Articles menu allow you to assign those font characteristics to text within an article. To change a font characteristic,

1.	Activate the appropriate window.

2.	If needed, activate the Edit mode by choosing Edit from the Articles menu. If you are already in the Edit mode and a check mark appears next to this menu option, skip this step.

3.	Highlight the text you want to define. To do this, position the cursor on the starting point and drag it over the desired area.

4.	Choose the font characteristic you want to assign to the highlighted text from the Articles menu. You can choose Bold, Italic, Underline, or all three.

NOTE: You cannot change the font characteristics of words used as links since those words have been assigned special characteristics essential to the linking process. (Click Linking Text Within an Article for details.)

You can specify the font for articles via the Text Font option on the Options menu. However, this changes the font for ALL TEXT and affects any articles you currently have open as well as those you'll open later.

For more information see:

Editing Articles

Finding Text in an Article

Saving Articles

Working with Articles


Linking Text Within an Article

Links in PC Bible Atlas are ties between one article and another one that may contain related information. Links can also include verses referenced within an article that are linked to a verse in QuickVerse for Windows (if you have this program installed on your computer).

While many names and verses in the original articles are linked when you receive the program, you may want to add others, and you'll almost certainly want to create links for the articles that you create.

To create a link within an article,

1.	Activate the appropriate window by clicking anywhere in that window.

2.	If needed, activate the Edit mode by choosing Edit from the Articles menu. If a check mark already appears next to this option on the menu, skip this step.

3.	Highlight the text within the article that is to be linked.

4.	To link the selected text to an article within PC Bible Atlas, choose Link to Article from the Articles menu to open the Select Link dialog box. The dialog lists all existing map and text articles. If PC Bible Atlas locates an exact match for your selected text, that item is highlighted in the Select Link list. The program will attempt to offer a selection even if no match is found. In either instance, you can accept the offered item or select an alternative.

To link the selected text to a verse in QuickVerse for Windows, choose Link to Verse from the Articles menu to open the Bible Link dialog box. This dialog allows you to select the book, chapter, verse, and version (Bible translation) to which the selected text should be linked. If you are linking a verse reference that you inserted in your article (such as John 3:16), the Bible Link dialog automatically defaults the correct book, chapter, and verse for you when you open this dialog.

NOTE:  Although any PC Bible Atlas user can create a verse link, you must have QuickVerse for Windows installed on your computer in order to view any verse links within the PC Bible Atlas program.

5.	When the desired item is highlighted, click OK to establish the link. Within the article, the selected text now appears in the color of other linked items. To check the link, use the Goto Link option on the Articles menu. (Click Using the Goto Link Option for details.)

6.	Choose Save or Save As to save the new link. (Click Saving Articles for details on these options.)

7.	Deactivate the Edit mode by reselecting the Edit option on the Articles menu.

For more information see:

Using the AutoLink Feature

Using the Goto Link Option

Editing Articles

Linking Articles to Maps

Linking Articles to Map Items

Saving Articles


Using the AutoLink Feature

An article, especially a new one, may contain several items you may want to link to other existing articles. You can create these multiple links simultaneously using the AutoLink feature from the Articles menu. To use AutoLink,

1.	Activate the appropriate window by clicking anywhere in that window.

2.	If needed, activate the Edit mode by choosing Edit from the Articles menu. If you are already in the Edit mode and a check mark appears next to this menu option, skip this step.

3.	Choose AutoLink from the Articles menu.

PC Bible Atlas searches all existing articles for any names in the current article that match existing article names and links them automatically. If you have verse references in your article (such as John 3:16), PC Bible Atlas will automatically link them to the appropriate book, chapter, and verse. A message appears when the AutoLink procedure is complete.

NOTE:  Although any PC Bible Atlas user can create a verse link, you must have QuickVerse for Windows installed on your computer in order to view any verse links within the PC Bible Atlas program.

For more information see:

Using the Goto Link Option

Linking Text Within an Article

Linking Articles to Maps

Linking Articles to Map Items

Saving Articles


Using the Goto Link Option

When editing an article, you can check any links within the article using the Goto Link option on the Articles menu. This feature allows you to check links within an article while you are still in the Edit mode. To use the Goto feature,

1.	With the appropriate article open and already in the Edit mode, highlight the linked item of interest. To do this, position the cursor on the starting point of the word or phrase, then drag the cursor over the linked item.

2.	Choose Goto Link from the Articles menu to open the linked article or verse.

For more information see:

Using the AutoLink Feature

Linking Text Within an Article

Linking Articles to Maps

Linking Articles to Map Items

Unlinking Text Within an Article

Saving Articles


Unlinking Text Within an Article

To remove a link within an article that may not be appropriate or is no longer needed,

1.	Activate the appropriate window (click anywhere in the window).

2.	If needed, activate the Edit mode by choosing Edit from the Articles menu. If you are already in the Edit mode and a check mark appears next to this menu option, skip this step.

3.	Highlight the item within the article to be unlinked and choose Unlink from the Articles menu. The text returns to its normal display characteristics and the link is removed.

For more information see:

Editing Articles

Linking Text Within an Article

Using the AutoLink Feature

Using the Goto Link Option

Linking Articles to Maps

Linking Articles to Map Items

Saving Articles

Working with Articles


Saving an Article

If you are creating a new article (or modifying an existing one) and wish to save your changes, select Save or Save As from the Articles menu. The Save option allows you to save a new article for the first time and give it a name. This option also allows you to save existing articles under their original name. The Save As option allows you to make a copy of an article and enter a name for the new article.

To save an article currently active on screen,

1.	Select Save or Save As from the Articles menu (whichever is appropriate).

2.	If you're saving a user-defined article for the first time (or you chose the Save As option), a Save As dialog appears where you can enter a name of up to 60 characters for your article. If you selected the Save option and have saved the article before, the Save As dialog doesn't appear and your changes are saved automatically.

If you're saving an original article included with the program, a warning dialog appears indicating that you are about to override original reference material. Click Yes to save the article (which will permanently change the article based on your modifications) or click No to cancel the selection.

For more information see:

Linking Text Within an Article

Linking Articles to Maps

Linking Articles to Map Items

Printing Articles

Working with Articles


Linking Articles to Maps

Most maps included with the program have an associated map article that provides more details about the information depicted on the map. Likewise, you can create your own articles to supplement the maps you create, or you can use one of the articles included with the program. If you want to use your own article, you'll first need to create it; click Creating Articles for details.

To link an existing article to a map,

1.	Open the map to which the article is to be linked.

2.	Select Choose Map Article from the Maps menu. The Select Article dialog appears.

3.	From the list of existing articles displayed, select the desired article. You can move to an item quickly by typing its first few letters in the box above the list. Use the scroll bars or the down arrow on your keyboard to scroll through the list.

4.	When the desired item is highlighted, click OK (or press Enter) to establish the link. To check the link, select Display Map Article from the Maps menu. The specified article opens within the Map window.

For more information see:

Opening a Map

Viewing a Map Article

Linking Articles to Map Items

Linking Text Within an Article

Using the AutoLink Feature

Using the Goto Link Option

Unlinking an Article

Working with Articles


Linking Articles to Map Items

When creating your own maps, you may want to link some or all of the map items you add to your map to existing articles. For example, you can link an article you created yourself to a city that you added to a map. This allows you to access information about that city at the click of a mouse.

To link an article to a map item,

1.	Select the map item to which the article will be linked by clicking on it with your mouse.

2.	Select Edit Items from the Maps menu or click on the Edit Map Item icon on the icon bar.

3.	On the Edit Map Item dialog that appears, click on the down arrow beside the Text Article input field to view a list of available articles.

4.	Highlight the desired article, then click OK to establish the link. The Map window returns.

To check the link to be sure it's enabled, double click on the map item. The appropriate text article should open within the Map window.

For more information see:

Linking Articles to Maps

Linking Text Within an Article

Using the AutoLink Feature

Using the Goto Link Option

Unlinking an Article

Working with Articles


Deleting Articles

If you want to delete an article, choose Delete from the Articles menu. On the Delete Article dialog that appears, highlight the desired article and click OK. A verify dialog appears where you can click Yes to permanently delete the selected article or click No to cancel the selection. Note that you cannot delete an article that is currently open on screen; you must close the article before you can delete it.

For more information see:

Working with Articles


Printer Setup

PC Bible Atlas provides separate printer setup for maps and articles, so you can print your maps in landscape and your articles in portrait mode if you like. Both of these printer setup procedures are exactly the same; only the option you choose from the menu to perform the setup varies.

To define the print settings for maps, choose Print Setup for Maps from the File menu. To define print settings for articles, choose Print Setup for Articles from the File menu. When you select one of these options, the Print Setup dialog appears where you can select the desired printer, page orientation, and paper size/source.

Depending on the printer you are using, an additional Options button may appear on the Print Setup dialog. The Options button allows you to modify a variety of print options unique to the selected printer. The options that appear will vary depending on the printer you are using. See your Windows manual for more information on print options.

For more information see:

Printing Maps

Printing Articles


Landscape

A page orientation selection where the image prints in a wide (11" X 8-1/2") format.


Portrait

A page orientation selection where the image prints in a tall (8 1/2" X 11") format.


Printing Maps

You can print any maps you've created or any included with the program. If you have a color printer, you can even print out PC Bible Atlas maps in full color. The following instructions outline how to print a map.

1.	Open the desired map.

2.	Select Print Map from the File menu.

3.	On the Print dialog that appears, define the following:

Area to be printed (selected rectangle, current window, or entire map).

The top, bottom, left, and right margins.

Print style (gray scale, black and white, or color).

You can also specify whether or not you want the events depicted on the current map to be printed. To print any events shown on the current map, use the spacebar or your mouse to check the Print event markers check box at the bottom of the Print dialog. Leave this box unchecked if you do not want events printed on the map.

4.	When finished, click Print to print the map as indicated.

Printing the Map Name on the Legend

By default, the map name will print on the map legend whenever you print legends on your maps. To disable this feature, select Edit Legend from the Maps menu and use the spacebar or your mouse to uncheck the Print map name check box at the top of the Map Legend dialog.

Scaling the Legend

When printing maps with legends, the program will attempt to scale the map legend based on the print options you've selected. If, however, the legend would be too small if scaled as specified (the print would be illegible, for example), a message will appear indicating the program cannot print the map. Likewise, if the legend would be too big if scaled as specified (the legend would take up most of the map, for example), a similar message will appear. In either case, the message will allow you to continue printing without the legend or to cancel the print operation.

For more information see:

Printer Setup

Selecting Portions of a Map

Working with Maps


Printing Articles

You can print any articles included with the program and any you've created yourself. You can print an article from a Map window or an Article window. To print an article,

1.	Open the article (or activate the window in which it is already open by clicking anywhere in that window).

2.	Select Print Article from the File menu.

The article in the currently active window is printed. The article is printed with one inch margins. The program uses the font characteristics currently defined in the Text Font option on the Options menu.

For more information see:

Printer Setup

Working with Articles


Article Window

A window in PC Bible Atlas that contains only an article.


File Menu

The File menu allows you to export maps and print maps and articles. Also, there are separate print setup options for maps and articles so you can print maps in landscape and articles in portrait mode if you like. The File menu also provides an option for exiting the program. For more information on the specific functions available from this menu, click the appropriate topic below:

File menu choices:

Export Maps

Print Setup for Maps

Print Map

Print Setup for Articles

Print Article

For more information see:

Summary of Menu Options

Edit menu

Maps menu

Articles menu

Search menu

Options menu

Window menu

Help menu


Edit Menu

The Edit menu provides options you'll use when creating and editing articles and when working with maps. For example, you can use options from the Edit menu to transfer information from one article to another. The following paragraphs explain each of the options available from this menu. Note that most of the options from this menu are only available if you have selected something in the active window (usually text in an article).

Undo--reverses the last editing operation you performed. You can undo edits made to an article or a map. For example, if you moved a map item and want to replace it where it was originally, you can use the Undo option. Likewise, if you change text in an article, you can choose undo to return the original text. Note that some editing operations cannot be undone. For instance, you cannot undo global changes (those affecting multiple maps) or any edits where you changed several map items at the same time.

Cut--removes the selected text and places it in the Windows Clipboard. This option is only available when you have text selected in an article.

Copy Map/Text--places a copy of the selected map area or the text selected in an article on the clipboard.

Paste Text--inserts text from the clipboard at the current cursor position. This option is only available if you have copied text to the clipboard.

Select All Text--highlights all the text in the current window. This option is only available if you are currently editing an article (either in a Map window or in an Article window).

Use Cut and Copy to move text from a text article to the clipboard. Then move the cursor to another text article and select Paste Text to insert the text from the clipboard into the new location.

For more information see:

Summary of Menu Options

File menu

Maps menu

Articles menu

Search menu

Options menu

Window menu

Help menu

Editing Articles


Maps Menu

Most of the functions you'll need as you're working with maps in PC Bible Atlas can be found on the Maps menu. Options on this menu allow you to open, create, and manipulate maps. You can also work with map items, display and select the map article, display and edit the map legend, change the background for the map, merge two maps, and access the toolbox to add graphics to a map. For detailed information about the features available from this menu, click Working with Maps.

Making the Maps "Read Only"

If you prefer not to let anyone modify the maps or articles included with the PC Bible Atlas program, you can modify the PCBAWIN.INI file in your PC Bible Atlas directory so that the program is effectively a "read only" reference tool. When you do this, the map and article creation/modification options are dimmed (and thus unavailable) from the menu bar's pull-down menus. For details on using this feature, see the README file in your PC Bible Atlas directory.

For more information see:

Working with Maps

Summary of Menu Options

File menu

Edit menu

Articles menu

Search menu

Options menu

Window menu

Help menu


Articles Menu

The options on the Articles menu allow you to view, create, and manipulate articles. Articles can be linked to a map or to specific items on a map. A "map article" is an article linked to a map and a "text article" is an article linked to a map item. There is no difference between a map article and a text article; they are merely linked to different parts of a map. You can view and edit the articles included with the program and you can create your own to supplement the maps you create. When finished, you can even link your articles to maps and/or to items contained on a map.

You will use Articles menu options to create and edit articles and you will use Maps menu options to link articles. When creating an article, you can also create links to other articles. For details on this and other features available from the Articles menu, click Working with Articles.

Making the Articles "Read Only"

If you prefer not to let anyone modify the maps or articles included with the PC Bible Atlas program, you can modify the PCBAWIN.INI file in your PC Bible Atlas directory so that the program is effectively a "read only" reference tool. When you do this, the map and article creation/modification options are dimmed (and thus unavailable) from the menu bar's pull-down menus. For details on using this feature, see the README file in your PC Bible Atlas directory.

For more information see:

Working with Articles

Summary of Menu Options

File menu

Edit menu

Maps menu

Search menu

Options menu

Window menu

Help menu


Search Menu

The Search menu allows you to search for information in PC Bible Atlas and to access QuickVerse for Windows (if you have this program installed on your computer) to search for verses on text or map items you've selected in PC Bible Atlas. The following paragraphs explain each of the options available from the Search menu:

Find/Select Items--opens the Place/Names dialog where you can view a list of items on the current map or a list of items NOT on the current map. You can add items to the current map or find items already on the map. You can also view a list of maps containing a selected map item. Various category check boxes are available so you can limit the types of information displayed on the dialog. For example, you can display cities only if you like. You can access the Place/Names dialog even if you do not have a map currently open on screen. Click Place/Names Dialog Box for more information on using this dialog.

QuickVerse--accesses QuickVerse for Windows to search for verses about items or information referenced in PC Bible Atlas. This menu option is only available if you have selected an item on a map, text in an article, or a verse in an article. For more information, click Searching with QuickVerse.

Holman Bible Dictionary--accesses Holman Bible Dictionary for Windows to look up information on selected words in PC Bible Atlas. This menu option is only available if you have selected an item on a map or text in an article. For more information, click Searching with Holman Bible Dictionary.

Verse References--opens the Verse Reference Search dialog where you can access a list of articles that reference a specific passage in the Bible (such as John 3:16).

Cross References--opens the Cross Reference Search dialog where you can access a list of articles containing a specific item (such as Jerusalem).

For more information see:

Summary of Menu Options

File menu

Edit menu

Maps menu

Articles menu

Options menu

Window menu

Help menu


Window Menu

The options on the Window menu allow you to perform the following functions:

Arrange open Map windows.

Arrange the icons of minimized Map windows.

Close all open windows.

Change the placement of the map in the current Map window in relation to the article. (Click Additional Display Options for details on this procedure.)

Display/hide the icon bar and the status bar. (Click Additional Display Options for details on this procedure.)

Zoom in or out on a map by modifying the current zoom level. (Click Zooming In and Out on a Map for details on this procedure.)

Zoom a selected area of the map. (Click Zooming Selected Areas on a Map for details on this procedure.)

View a list of open windows or switch to an open window.

For more information see:

Summary of Menu Options

File menu

Edit menu

Maps menu

Articles menu

Search menu

Options menu

Help menu


Help Menu

The options on the Help menu allow you to access online program information Help and to access information on using the online Help system, contacting Parsons Technology, and about the program itself. The following explains each of the options available from the Help menu:

Online Help--contains a list of topics from which you can select items to obtain additional information about program features and about using the program. From most topics, you can access additional or related topics as well.

Using Help--contains instructions and hints for using the Help system.

Product Support--contains information on contacting Parsons Technology.

About PC Bible Atlas--lists the program version and the address for Parsons Technology.

For more information on finding help, click Where to Find Help.

For more information see:

Summary of Menu Options

File menu

Edit menu

Maps menu

Articles menu

Search menu

Options menu

Window menu


Bible Link Dialog Box

You can link text in an article (while creating or editing the article) to a specific passage or verse in the Bible using the Link to Verse option on the Articles menu. To use this feature, select the text you want to link (either text or a verse reference, such as Acts 1:9) by highlighting it with your mouse, then choose Link to Verse from the Articles menu.

The Bible Link dialog appears where you can select the book, chapter, verse, and version (Bible translation) to which the selected text should be linked. If you are linking a verse reference that you inserted in your article (such as Acts 1:9), the Bible Link dialog automatically defaults the correct book, chapter, and verse for you when you open this dialog.

NOTE:  Although any PC Bible Atlas user can create a verse link, you must have QuickVerse for Windows installed on your computer in order to view any verse links within the PC Bible Atlas program.

When the desired item is highlighted, click OK to establish the link. Within the article, the selected text now appears in the color of other linked items. To check the link, use the Goto Link option on the Articles menu. (Click Using the Goto Link Option for details.) Choose Save or Save As to save the new link. (Click Saving Articles for details on these options.)

NOTE: You can link text, as well as a scripture reference to a verse. However, instead of linking a word to a verse, we recommend that you edit the article to add the scripture reference after the word, then link the scripture references to the appropriate verse. For example, if you want to link the word "ascension" with the verse Acts 1:9, write (Acts 1:9) behind the word "ascension" and link the scripture reference to the verse.

For more information see:

Using the Goto Link Option


Cross Reference Search Dialog Box

The cross reference search allows you to access a list of articles in PC Bible Atlas containing a specific item (such as Jerusalem). To perform this type of search,

1.	Choose Cross References from the Search menu. The Cross Reference Search dialog box opens.

2.	Enter the item you wish to search for in the Show Articles Linked To box at the top of the dialog. To obtain a list of articles containing the word "Jerusalem," for example, type JERUSALEM in this field.

This field contains a "smart picker." For example, if you type in the letters JERUS, the program automatically selects "Jerusalem" for you. Also note that you cannot type in words that are not referenced in any articles; the program will instead attempt to locate the first article matching your entries. You can scroll through the list of available items for this field using the up and down arrow keys on your keyboard.

3.	Click the Show List button (or press Enter) to initiate the search. A list of all the articles containing the specified word or phrase appears in the middle of the Cross Reference Search dialog.

4.	To display an article shown in your cross references list, click on it with your mouse, then click the Show Article button (or simply double-click on the article). The article opens, but the Cross Reference dialog remains open so you can review the other items in your cross reference search list.

(If you want the Cross Reference Search dialog to close each time you display an article, click the check box at the bottom of the dialog.)

Repeating a Search and Changing Search Options

The Cross Reference Search dialog automatically defaults to your last search criteria, so you can easily access the information again at anytime. To perform another search, simply type in the new word or phrase you wish to search for in the Show Articles Linked To field and click the Show List button. When you are finished using the Cross Reference search feature, click the Close button.

For more information about searching, see:

Performing a Search

Verse Reference Searching

Searching with QuickVerse

Searching with Holman Bible Dictionary

Place/Names Dialog Box


Delete Article Dialog Box

When you select Delete Article from the Articles menu, a Delete Article dialog box appears. On this dialog, you can select the article you wish to delete. Note that you cannot delete an article that is currently open on screen. To select an article to delete, do one of the following:

Click on the desired article with your mouse.

Use the up and down arrow keys.

Type the first few letters of the article's name into the input field above the list.

After you've selected the desired article, click OK. The article is permanently removed from the articles database. (You can also double click on an article on the Delete Article dialog box to select it and delete it in one step. In this case, you do not need to click the OK button.)

NOTE:  You can click the Cancel button on the Delete Article dialog box at any time to void the operation and return to your original place in the program.


Delete Map Dialog Box

When you select Delete Map from the Maps menu, a Delete Map dialog box appears. On this dialog, you can select the map you wish to delete. Note that you cannot delete a map that is currently open on screen. To select a map to delete, do one of the following:

Click on the desired map with your mouse.

Use the up and down arrow keys.

Type the first few letters of the map's name into the input field above the list.

After you've selected the desired map, click OK. The article is permanently removed from the maps database. (You can also double click on a map on the Delete Map dialog box to select it and delete it in one step. In this case, you do not need to click the OK button.)

NOTE:  You can click the Cancel button on the Delete Map dialog box at any time to void the operation and return to your original place in the program.


Edit Map Item Dialog Box

The Edit Map Item dialog box appears when you use the Create New Item or Edit Items options on the Maps menu. The Create New Item option allows you to add map items to a map. The Edit Items option allows you to edit a selected map item. The following paragraphs explain the fields contained on the Edit Map Item dialog box and explains what to enter (or select) for each field.

Name--enter a name for the map item. The name you enter will appear on maps as entered here and is used to reference the item, so you can insert it on other maps later if you like (via the Place/Names dialog). Therefore, you need to enter a name for the item, even if you choose not to display it on your map. If you want to enter notes about the item, you can insert the information after the name within parentheses (anything within parentheses won't appear on the map, but will appear in the Place/Names dialog).

Font/Size/Style/Color--select the font type, size, color, and style (regular, bold, etc.) for the map item. You can type your choice for each into the appropriate field or click the down arrow beside the field to select an item from the list of available options. When you enter or modify font characteristics, an example appears in the box in the lower left corner of the dialog.

Rotate Name--specify the angle at which the name should be displayed. You can rotate the name to display it at an angle or to display it vertically instead of horizontally. You can enter your choice (from 0 to 360) or you can click the down arrow beside the input field to select from the list of available choices. An example of how the name will appear is displayed in the box in the lower left corner of the dialog.

Underline/Strikeout--these check boxes allow you to underline or strikeout the name for the map item. To use one of these options,  click the appropriate check box using the spacebar or your mouse.

Icon/Size/Color--select the icon to be displayed on the map as well as the size and color for the icon. you can enter your choice into the appropriate input field or you can click the down arrow beside the field to select from the list of available choices. An example of your selections appears in the box to the right. If you do not want an icon to display on the map, select the appropriate display option (see Display Options below).

Text Article--select the text article to be attached to the map item. You can leave this blank if you want to create your own text article and add it here later.

Category--define the type of item you are inserting by selecting the appropriate category from the category list provided. On the Place/Names dialog, you can use categories to sort items displayed on a map. You can limit the items displayed (by city, region, etc.).

Display Options--specify what is to be displayed on the map: name and icon, name only, or icon only.

Location--designate the exact location for the map item by entering the appropriate latitude and longitude. The settings displayed reflect the current location of the map item.

Change item(s) on all maps--indicate whether or not you want the changes made for this map item to be modified on all maps containing this item. This field only appears if you are editing a map item (it will not appear if you are creating a map item). Check this box using the spacebar or your mouse to change this item on all maps as indicated. If you have checked this box, when you click OK to accept your entries, a Select Attributes to Change dialog appears where you can verify/select the types of modifications to be made.

For more information see:

Editing Map Items


Map Legend Dialog Box

The Map Legend dialog box allows you to modify the information displayed on a map's legend. You access this dialog by opening a map, then select Edit Legend from the Maps menu. The following paragraphs explain the fields contained on the Map Legend dialog box and explains what to enter (or select) for each field.

Print map name--this box is checked by default, indicating the name of the map will print at the top of the legend when you print the map. To uncheck this box, use the spacebar or your mouse.

Display distance scale--this check box allows you to specify whether or not you want the distance scale displayed on the legend. The increments on the distance scale vary depending on the map's background and the zoom level you currently have selected. This box is checked by default, but you can uncheck it using the spacebar or your mouse.

Display elevation scale--this check box allows you to specify whether or not you want the elevation scale displayed on the legend for topographic maps. The elevation scale does not display on non-topographic maps. This box is also checked by default, but you can uncheck it using the spacebar or your mouse.

Label (Font/Color/Style)--use these fields to define the font characteristics for each item displayed on the legend. You will use these options in conjunction with the Legend Items boxes at the bottom of the dialog. You can enter the text into one of the fields, then select the appropriate font characteristics. You can enter your choices into the appropriate fields or click the down arrow beside a field to select a choice from the list of available options. An example of how the Legend Item will appear is shown at the bottom of the Map Legend dialog.

Underline/Strikeout--these check boxes allow you to underline or strikeout text in a Legend Item field. To use one of these options, highlight the desired text in a Legend Item field, then click the appropriate check box using the spacebar or your mouse.

Icon (Type/Color)--these options allow you to select the icon type and color that you want displayed for a particular Legend Item. By default, the Dot icon is selected for each Legend Item you create. To select another icon, click on the down arrow beside the Type field, then click the desired icon. You can enter your choices for these fields or click the down arrow beside a field to select from the available options. An example of how the Legend Item will appear is shown at the bottom of the Map Legend dialog.

Hide the Icon--check this box if you do not want an icon displayed for a particular Legend Item. You can check (and uncheck) this box using the spacebar or your mouse.

Legend Items--the eight boxes that appear in the Legend Items section of the dialog allow you to enter text that will appear on the legend. Most maps included with the program list the events depicted on the map as Legend Items. You can use the Label options that appear above the Legend Items boxes to define the font characteristics for the text you enter. Again, an example of how each Legend Item will appear is shown at the bottom of the Map Legend dialog.

For more information see:

Legend


Merge Maps Dialog Box

The Merge Maps dialog box allows you to merge the contents of a selected map with the current map. This dialog appears when you select Merge Maps from the Maps menu with a Map window active on screen.

The Merge Maps dialog contains a list of existing maps and looks very similar to the Select Map dialog you see when you are opening a map. However, additional information is displayed at the top of the Merge Maps dialog. This information lists the background for the current map to give you an idea of the region represented by the current map, so you can make an appropriate selection.

You can use the scroll bars (or the up and down arrow keys on your keyboard) to scroll through the list. To select a map to merge with the current one, do one of the following:

Click on the desired map with your mouse.

Use the up and down arrow keys.

Type the first few letters of the map's name into the input field above the list.

After you've selected the desired map, click OK. The contents of the selected map are merged with the current map. (You can also double click on a map on the Merge Maps dialog box to select it and merge its contents with the current map in one step. In this case, you do not need to click the OK button.)

NOTE:  At any time, you can click Cancel on the Merge Maps dialog to return to your original place in the program.

For more information see:

Merging Maps


Message Dialog Box for Non-viewable Items

This dialog appears when you attempt to place an item on a map using the Place/Names dialog, but the item is not "viewable" on the current map. (That is, it lies outside of the boundaries of the map.) The name of the place or location in question is listed at the top of the dialog. On this dialog, you have several choices:

Yes--click this button to place the item on the map. This affects the current item only. If you are trying to place several items on a map at once and the program finds another non-viewable item, the Message dialog box will return.

Yes to All--click this button to place this item (and any other non-viewable items that you may have selected) onto the current map. No additional messages will be displayed.

No--click this button if you do not want to place the item on the map. Likewise, this affects the current item only. If you are trying to place several items on a map at once and the program finds another non-viewable item, the Message dialog box will return.

No to All--click this button if you do not want to place this item (nor any other non-viewable items that you may have selected) onto the current map. No additional messages will be displayed.

The ability to place "non-viewable" items is provided so that if you later want to swap backgrounds or merge maps, the item you have added can be viewed. For example, you could swap in the Roman Empire background. This background covers a broad enough area so that any original PC Bible Atlas item can be displayed.

Note that any selections you make from this dialog have no affect on the items you've chosen to place that ARE viewable on the current map. These are placed automatically.

NOTE:  You can click the Cancel button on this dialog box at any time to void the operation and return to your original place in the program.


Print Dialog Box (Maps)

When you select Print Map from the File menu, a Print dialog appears. On this dialog, you can specify the print options for the map being printed. The following paragraphs explain the options available on this dialog. Note that if you want to modify the page orientation--to print the map in landscape, for example--you need to use the Print Setup for Maps option on the File menu; click Printer Setup for details.

Area--specify the area of the map you want printed. Available options include: Selected Rectangle, Current Window, or Entire Map. The Selected Rectangle option is available only if you have selected an area on the map to be printed prior to accessing the Print Map option. (Click Selecting Portions of a Map for details on selecting an area of a map.) The Current Window option will print only the contents as shown in the active Map window. (Any article you have displayed within the Map window is NOT printed, however.) The Entire Map option adjusts the whole map (including those portions not currently shown on screen) to fit within the confines of the margins you specify.

Hint: The Selected Rectangle and Current Window print options give you more control over the appearance of the image printed. Before printing the map, you can set the zoom level and map position to your liking, for example. Then when you print the map, it will be printed exactly as it appears on screen.

Margins--define the top, bottom, left, and right margins for the map. The program adjusts the map to fit on the page based on the margins you specify. Therefore, larger margins will make the map appear smaller and smaller margins will make the map appear larger.

NOTE: The program will print the map as closely to the selected margins as possible. However, the right and bottom margins may be somewhat larger than specified depending on the print settings you have selected.

Style--indicate whether you want the map to be gray scaled (printed in various shades of gray), printed only in black and white, or printed in color. The Color option is available only if you are using a color printer.

Print event markers--indicate whether or not you want the events depicted on the current map to be printed. To print any events shown on the current map, use the spacebar or your mouse to check this check box. Leave this box unchecked if you do not want any events printed on the current map. (Only the cities, regions, geographical features, etc. will be printed.)

For more information see:

Printer Setup

Printing Maps


Save As Dialog Box (Articles)

When you select Save As from the Articles menu, a Save As dialog appears. This dialog allows you to enter a name for the new article. You can enter any name (up to 60 characters). When entering a name, you can use any keyboard character and can include spaces to separate words if you like. After you've entered the desired name, click OK to save the article under the name you entered. Or, you can click Cancel to cancel the selection (without saving the article) and return to the current window.

For more information see:

Saving an Article


Save As Dialog Box (Maps)

Whenever you save a user-defined map for the first time (by choosing Save from the Maps menu) or you choose Save As from the Maps menu (to make a copy of the current map), a Save As dialog appears where you can enter a name and a Bible reference for the map.

Choosing a Map Name

In the name field, you can enter a name of up to 60 characters for your map. You can use any keyboard character and can include spaces to separate words if you like. You can click the down arrow beside the name field (or press the down arrow on your keyboard) to view a list of existing maps.

Adding a Bible Reference

You can also enter a Bible verse in the reference field (of up to 30 characters) to indicate the source of the map if you like. For example, you could enter John 1:1 as the reference for the map. Note that the reference you define here is used if you are sorting maps in verse order (per the Settings option on the Options menu).

Saving the Map

After you've entered the appropriate information (note that the name is required, but the Bible reference is optional), click OK to save the map under the name you entered. Or, you can click Cancel to cancel the selection (without saving the map) and return to the current window.


Select Article Dialog Box

The Select Article dialog box allows you to choose an article to open or to link to a map. This dialog box appears when you select Choose Map Article from the Maps menu or when you select Open from the Articles menu. On the dialog, you'll see a list of existing articles. This list contains all the map articles and text articles included with the program plus any you've created. You can use the scroll bars (or the up and down arrow keys on your keyboard) to scroll through the list. To select an article, do one of the following:

Click on the desired article with your mouse.

Use the up and down arrow keys.

Type the first few letters of the article's name into the input field above the list.

After you've selected the desired article, click OK. If are opening an article (that is, you used the Open option on the Articles menu), the selected article opens on screen in an Article window. If you are choosing an article for the current map (that is, you used the Choose Map Article option on the Maps menu), the article is linked to the map. (To check and make sure the correct article was linked, select Display Map Article from the Maps menu.)

NOTE:  You can click the Cancel button on the Select Article dialog box at any time to void the operation and return to your original place in the program.

For more information see:

Linking Articles to Map

Viewing Articles


Select Link Dialog Box

The Select Link dialog box allows you to pick an article to link to selected text in an article. This dialog box appears when you are editing an article. You must first select text (by highlight it with your mouse), then choose Link from the Articles menu.

On the dialog, you'll see a list of existing articles. This list contains all the map articles and text articles included with the program plus any you've created. You can use the scroll bars (or the up and down arrow keys on your keyboard) to scroll through the list. To select an article, do one of the following:

Click on the desired article with your mouse.

Use the up and down arrow keys.

Type the first few letters of the article's name into the input field above the list.

After you've selected the desired article, click OK. The specified article is linked to the selected text within the current article. The link is enabled and the text change to the color of other linked items. (You can also double click on an article on the Select Link dialog box to select it and link it in one step. In this case, you do not need to click the OK button.)

NOTE:  You can click the Cancel button on the Select Link dialog box at any time to void the operation and return to the article.

For more information see:

Linking Text in an Article

Viewing Articles


Select Attributes to Change Dialog Box

The Select Attributes to Change dialog box appears if you have checked the Change item(s) on all maps check box on the Edit Map Item dialog box. The Select Attributes to Change dialog box outlines the types of modifications you made to the map item (name, font, icon, text article attached, etc.) and gives you an opportunity to select the items you want changed. items you don't want change using the spacebar or your mouse.

The following outlines each of the check boxes listed on the dialog along with a description of the information the check box represents.

Name--the name of the article.

Display Options--the information to be displayed for the map item (name and icon, name only, icon only).

Text Article--the text article associated with the map item.

Category--the type classification for the map item (city, event, geographic, misc., region, or text).

Location--the latitude and longitude for the map item.

Font--the type, size, angle, style, color, and underline/strikeout selections for the name of the map item.

Icon--the type, size, and color for the icon to be displayed for the map item.

Click OK when done to update all maps and return to the Map window. Or, click Cancel to return to the Edit Map Item dialog box.

For more information see:

Editing Map Items


Select Background Dialog Box

When you choose New from the Maps menu, a Select Background dialog appears where you can select the background for the map you're creating.  You can use the scroll bars (or the up and down arrow keys on your keyboard) to scroll through the list of available backgrounds. To select a background on the dialog, do one of the following:

Click on the desired background with your mouse.

Use the up and down arrow keys.

Type the first few letters of the background's name into the input field above the list.

After you've selected the desired background, click OK. The selected background opens on screen in a Map window. (You can also double click on a background on the Select Background dialog box to select it and open it in one step. In this case, you do not need to click the OK button.)

NOTE:  At any time, you can click Cancel on the Select Background dialog to return to your original place in the program.

For more information see:

Creating a Map


Select Map Dialog Box

The Select Map dialog box allows you to select a map to open on screen. This dialog appears when you choose Open from the Maps menu. The Select Maps dialog contains a list of existing maps. You can use the scroll bars (or the up and down arrow keys on your keyboard) to scroll through the list of available maps.

Most maps included with the program are associated with a Bible verse, indicating the source for the map. Initially, the Select Map dialog lists maps in verse order (the verse is listed first, followed by the map name). However, you can also choose to sort them in alphabetical order if you like (which will display the map name first, followed by the appropriate verse). You can modify the default sort order via the Settings option on the Options menu.

To select a map to open, do one of the following:

Click on the desired map with your mouse.

Use the up and down arrow keys.

Type the first few letters of the map's name into the input field above the list.

After you've selected the desired map, click OK. The selected map opens on screen in a Map window. (You can also double click on a map on the Select Map dialog box to select it and open it in one step. In this case, you do not need to click the OK button.)

NOTE:  At any time, you can click Cancel on the Select Map dialog to return to your original place in the program.

For more information see:

Opening a Map


 Select Map Dialog Box

This dialog box allows you to select a map to open on screen. A list of all maps containing the item you've selected on the Place/Names dialog appears. The list includes all maps included with the program and any you've created. Highlight a map and click OK to open it.

The list also contains an ***Untitled Map*** option you can use to open a new map (based on the Roman Empire background) with the selected item appropriately placed on the map. Simply highlight this option and click OK. If you use the Map List button again to locate another item and choose ***Untitled Map***, the next item will also be added to this untitled map. If at some point you save this untitled map, the next time you choose the ***Untitled Map*** option, the program will open another new untitled map.

NOTE: This dialog also appears when you have a place selected in QuickVerse and click the PC Bible Atlas Search icon on the QuickVerse icon bar (or choose PC Bible Atlas from the Search menu). The dialog's features work the same as described above.

For more information see:

Selecting Items from the Map Item List

Place/Names Dialog Box


Settings Dialog Box

The Settings dialog box allows you to set and modify various program operation features. This dialog appears when you select Settings from the Options menu. On the Settings dialog, you can do the following:

Specify default map window placement--defines where the map appears within the Map window in relation to the article. You can also change map placement from the Window menu. Any change you make here affects all currently open Map windows.

Select the distance unit--select kilometers or miles for map displays.

Define the number of scroll units--specify how fast you want to be able to scroll through maps and articles. You can enter any number from 1-100. Lower numbers allow you to scroll line by line, whereas higher numbers scroll several lines at a time.

NOTE:  Depending on the type of computer you have, very low numbers may make the program appear to run slowly. To scroll more quickly, you can increase the number of scroll units to find a speed that is comfortable to you.

Enter your QuickVerse for Windows path--define the location and name of this program if you have it installed on your computer (such as, C:\QVWIN\QVWIN.EXE). You can access QuickVerse from PC Bible Atlas to review verses about selected map items and other information referenced in PC Bible Atlas.

Enter your Holman Bible Dictionary for Windows path--define the location and name of this program if you have it installed on your computer (such as, C:\HOLMAN\HOLMAN.EXE). You can access Holman Bible Dictionary from PC Bible Atlas to look up information about selected words or phrases referenced in PC Bible Atlas.

Enable/Disable the original reference modification dialog--indicate whether or not you want a warning message displayed whenever you attempt to modify original program material (maps, articles, etc.). An "X" indicates the option is selected and the appropriate warning messages will be displayed. Use the spacebar or your mouse to check (or uncheck) this check box.

Enable/Disable the exit verification dialog--indicate whether or not you want the Verify Exit dialog to appear each time you exit the program. An "X" indicates the exit verification is enabled, and you will be prompted each time you exit the program. Use the spacebar or your mouse to uncheck this box to disable exit verification.

Elect to save the desktop when exiting the program--indicate whether or not you want to save the desktop before exiting the program. An "X" indicates this feature is enabled, and you will be given the option to save the current contents of the desktop upon exiting the program. Use the spacebar or your mouse to check (or uncheck) this check box. For more information on the save desktop feature, click Save Desktop.

Display maps list in Bible reference order--specify how maps in the Select Map dialog should be displayed. Most maps included with the program have an associated Bible reference indicating the source of the map. An "X" indicates this feature is enabled and any time a Select Map dialog appears, the maps list will appear in Bible verse order. Use the spacebar or your mouse to uncheck this box to display maps alphabetically by map name. (You can manually change the sort order from any Select Map dialog box as well; however, doing so does not modify the default established on the Settings dialog.)


Swap Background Dialog Box

The Swap Background dialog box allows you to select a new background for the current map. This dialog appears when you choose Swap Backgrounds from the Maps menu with a map currently active on screen.

To help you choose an appropriate background, the name of the current background is listed at the top of the dialog. This will help you select an appropriate background. For example, to switch from the Israel & Egypt (topographic) background to a background of the same area displaying modern political boundaries instead, you would choose the Israel & Egypt (modern) background. (Note that in this case, Israel & Egypt (topographic) would not appear as an option on the Select Background dialog since it's already in use.)

To select a background on the dialog, do one of the following:

Click on the desired background with your mouse.

Use the up and down arrow keys.

Type the first few letters of the background's name into the input field above the list.

After you've selected the desired background, click OK. The map's current background is replaced by the selected background. (You can also double click on a background on the Swap Background dialog box to select it and replace the current background in one step. In this case, you do not need to click the OK button.)

NOTE:  At any time, you can click Cancel on the Swap Background dialog to return to your original place in the program.

For more information see:

Changing the Map Background


Verse Reference Search Dialog Box

The verse reference search allows you to access a list of maps or articles that reference a specific passage in the Bible (such as John 3:16). To perform this type of search,

1.	Choose Verse References from the Search menu. The Verse Reference Search dialog box opens.

2.	Select the book, chapter, and verse for which you wish to search using the Selector boxes at the top of the dialog. To select multiple books, chapters, or verses, click on the first item of interest in the list, then press the Shift key on your keyboard as you click on the last item of interest. This selects all items within the specified range.

You can also enter the verse(s) you want to search for into the data entry field in the middle of the Verse Reference Search dialog. For example, you could enter JOHN 3:16, ACTS 1, or Matthew-John. You can also abbreviate books of the Bible. For example, you could enter Ja 5:17 (for James 5:17).

3.	Click the Show List button to initiate the search. A list of all the maps and/or articles that refer to the selected verse(s) appears at the bottom of the Verse Reference Search dialog.

4.	To display a map or article shown in the verse reference list, click on it with your mouse, then click the Show button (or simply double-click on the desired item). The selected item opens, but the Verse Reference dialog remains open so you can review the other items in your verse reference search list.

(If you want the Verse Reference Search dialog to close each time you display an item, click the check box at the bottom of the dialog.)

Repeating a Search and Changing Search Options

The Verse Reference Search dialog automatically defaults to your last search criteria, so you can easily access the information again at anytime. To perform another search, simply select or type in the new verse(s) for which you wish to search and click the Show List button. When you are finished using the Verse Reference search feature, click the Close button.

Searching from QuickVerse

If you also own QuickVerse for Windows, you can initiate a PC Bible Atlas verse reference search from the QuickVerse program. Simply highlight any verse reference in your QuickVerse Bible text and click the Map icon on the QuickVerse icon bar. (If you are using version 1.0i, click the Map Search icon instead.) This switches to PC Bible Atlas and opens the Verse Reference Search dialog. Any references to the selected verse appear in the verses list at the bottom of the dialog. To display an item shown in the list, double-click on it. Note: In order to use this feature, you must have already defined your path to QuickVerse from within PC Bible Atlas (and vice versa); click Setting Paths for details.

For more information about searching, see:

Performing a Search

Cross Reference Searching

Searching with QuickVerse

Searching with Holman Bible Dictionary

Place/Names Dialog Box


Zoom Map Dialog Box

The Zoom Map dialog box allows you to modify the zoom level for the current map. This dialog appears when you select Zoom Map from the Windows menu. The current zoom level is displayed in the Set Level field at the top of the dialog. To change the current zoom level, do one of the following

Typing a value directly into the Set Level field.

Using the Zoom In/Zoom Out scroll bar on the left side of the box.

You can set values from 0.2 (zoomed out to reveal the largest area of the map) to 1.5 (zoomed in to show the smallest area--the "close up"). When you're satisfied with the setting, click OK. Depending upon your computer system and the degree of change, the modification may take several moments to implement. (Note that you can click the Cancel button on the Zoom Map dialog at any time to void the current operation and return to your original place in the program.)

NOTE:  If you zoom your map out to such a degree that any text on it would be impossible to read, the text may not be displayed at all. Do not be concerned. The information has not been deleted and will reappear again when you zoom back in.