I'm still living in the dark ages. All my maps are drawn freehand.
Dave, in this case your freehand is better than my FreeHand!
I'm still using power point from microsoft office to do my maps. I work with my 2003 version, but will be testing the 2010 version this summer. It convert to all later power point versions, and I can do all kinds of pasting into the presentation. I bring a google map picture in and draw my roads by copying. I then delete the google map. I don't have a cool feature for making two sided roads at one time, but copy and paste works great. City blocks are easy with inserting rectangles and leaving space between. I like that I can draw in a larger area than the sheet below, and then resize it. It also will zoom in and out, great for drawing the detail, and then seeing the whole sheet after for the look of the composition. If the map is readable at 75% on the computer screen, it will be extremely readable for most eyes on the paper. I can save this to many different formats. I also insert new slides to draw secondary maps for my race director.
I would love to see some hands-on work with some of the other softwares out there. I'm always looking for ways to make things faster and better.
I would love to see some hands-on work with some of the other softwares out there. I'm always looking for ways to make things faster and better.
Toni,
One important feature that is not available in Powerpoint (even the 2010 version) that many other drawing programs have is layers.
With this feature you can put the background map on a layer by itself and then make that layer visible but locked. This will make the background map unselectable, so it makes it easier to work. When you're done you can make the background map invisible rather than delete it, and it will still be there if you need it. Once you get accustomed to working with layers you'll see how much easier it makes many things.
One drawing program with layers that is free is OpenOffice. At my website below there is a link to download OpenOffice, map examples, and tutorials.
http://www.dukerdog.com/USATF/Measurer_Tools/
One important feature that is not available in Powerpoint (even the 2010 version) that many other drawing programs have is layers.
With this feature you can put the background map on a layer by itself and then make that layer visible but locked. This will make the background map unselectable, so it makes it easier to work. When you're done you can make the background map invisible rather than delete it, and it will still be there if you need it. Once you get accustomed to working with layers you'll see how much easier it makes many things.
One drawing program with layers that is free is OpenOffice. At my website below there is a link to download OpenOffice, map examples, and tutorials.
http://www.dukerdog.com/USATF/Measurer_Tools/
You are right, Mark. Layers make the difference in creating digital maps. Yet, as Guido says, Corel Draw has a handy feature (not easy to find how to do in the help index)wherein you draw your roads in wide black lines, combine them, copy them in place, then change the copied roads - which are now "on top" of the original roads - to white lines, slightly narrower. Voila - all roads look good whether straight or curved. A couple of examples:Capitol Hill Classic 10K Course Map Capitol Hill Classic 3K Certification Course Map. This is essentially the same technique that Paul uses in Illustrator.
Corel Draw and Illustrator (highly comparable programs) do have a steep learning curve for beginners. Some day, if there is sufficient interest nationwide, I recommend RRTC look into getting a company license for either of these programs or both. We would provide individual seats to measurers for a reasonable fee. We could conduct on line classes which cover both the Corel/Illustrator basics and a customized course on map drawing. Certainly Duane, Paul, Guido and others in RRTC could contribute to the curriculum.
Corel Draw and Illustrator (highly comparable programs) do have a steep learning curve for beginners. Some day, if there is sufficient interest nationwide, I recommend RRTC look into getting a company license for either of these programs or both. We would provide individual seats to measurers for a reasonable fee. We could conduct on line classes which cover both the Corel/Illustrator basics and a customized course on map drawing. Certainly Duane, Paul, Guido and others in RRTC could contribute to the curriculum.
Lyman, FreeHand has the same capability - it has a "Clone" feature which I haven't seen on Illustrator (not familiar w/ Corel). Trace a scan or satellite photo of a road in 12 point black line. Clone, change to 10 point white. Clone again, change to dotted red w/ arrowheads. In about 15 seconds you've created your roads and the running route w/ about half a dozen keystrokes.
Yes, after first hearing about that trick from Jim G. I tried it with OpenOffice Draw and it works there too. It works with Powerpoint also, with the caveat that Powerpoint does not paste in place. So you have to move the pasted lines back over top of the originals at some point in the process.
Jim - Illustrator has the Clone capability. Simply copy the "black road" line, paste-in-place (keystroke) on a new layer, and you then reduce the line weight, changed to white. Same simple steps you indicate. Oh, yes - "simple steps" if one knows the program well, as with all drawing applications.
All can do the same process, and as Mark says, Open Office is free.
All can do the same process, and as Mark says, Open Office is free.
Thanks Duane. I just purchased the latest version and will try this once I install it. Still don't know what I'll do w/ all my old FreeHand maps - hopefully they can be opened w/ Illustrator and manipulated properly.
You may get lucky and have FreeHand port into Illustrator. I believe they can, at least when I tried it a number of years ago.
When cloning, to Paste into the original location, even on a new layer, on a PC I press CTRL>SHIFT>V. This is how I do my roads.
Good Luck!
When cloning, to Paste into the original location, even on a new layer, on a PC I press CTRL>SHIFT>V. This is how I do my roads.
Good Luck!
DO NOT upgrade your Mac to OS-X Mountain Lion if you're using Freehand for your maps. With the latest version of the OS-X, Apple has abandoned support for Power PC applications, which leaves Freehand un-supported. I suspect that there may be others too that will not work with this release. Check before you invest your time and money.
I installed Mountain Lion this morning, and had to erase my hard disk and restore my latest backup (time machine) to be able to use Freehand. I'm a bit disappointed in Apple. I'm sure it Steve Jobs were still alive...
I installed Mountain Lion this morning, and had to erase my hard disk and restore my latest backup (time machine) to be able to use Freehand. I'm a bit disappointed in Apple. I'm sure it Steve Jobs were still alive...
Ron, don't blame Apple completely - Adobe is partly responsible. When they bought Macromedia they phased out support for FreeHand, to migrate users over to Illustrator. I have only used Illustrator for maps a few times so I don't know if it's as good as FreeHand, but I'm expecting that I'll have to keep my old Power PC Mac just for FreeHand use, just as I have a first-generation iMac to run Raceberry JaM race scoring software on OS 9. 
This may be kind of random but is anyone familiar with a drawing program called Gimp? I have heard that it's good, and free.
Bob,
Freehand is a vector drawing program. From what I can see on the web, Gimp manipulates jpg types of graphics and doesn't offer the tools needed to produce maps from scratch.
Jim,
This is a bit off-topic, but the only reason I considered updating to Mountain Lion was to enable Apple TV. Then after purchasing the upgrade, I learned that it wouldn't work for older MacBook Pros (2011 and earlier). But, I bought the update so I installed anyway. Shame on me for trusting Apple and not thoroughly investigating. Shame on Apple for advertising this release with AirPlay as a feature and not highlighting the caveats.
I still love Apple products, but not as intensely.
Ron
Freehand is a vector drawing program. From what I can see on the web, Gimp manipulates jpg types of graphics and doesn't offer the tools needed to produce maps from scratch.
Jim,
This is a bit off-topic, but the only reason I considered updating to Mountain Lion was to enable Apple TV. Then after purchasing the upgrade, I learned that it wouldn't work for older MacBook Pros (2011 and earlier). But, I bought the update so I installed anyway. Shame on me for trusting Apple and not thoroughly investigating. Shame on Apple for advertising this release with AirPlay as a feature and not highlighting the caveats.
I still love Apple products, but not as intensely.
Ron
Bob, I started using GIMP a few years ago after struggling with an older version of Photoshop. I am no expert with any of the drawing software and am constantly learning from the numerous tutorials. Since GIMP is free, you can install it onto all of your machines. -- Justin
I've used GIMP on PCs as an image manipulation program, but I guess it could be used to draw.
What's the freeware program Mark demonstrated in St. Louis last year?
What's the freeware program Mark demonstrated in St. Louis last year?
Mark has done work with OpenOffice. It is great, with the exception of drawing curves. None of us has mastered drawing curves. The tool does not operate like Corel, Illustrator, or any of the other vector drawing programs I have used.
That's one of the nice features of FreeHand - the multi-point line tool draws curves like no other program I've used.
Jim,
Have you explored any new (supported) vector drawing programs for your Mac in preparation for when Freehand becomes un-usable? You know the day is coming.
I'm thinking that I'll start practicing with OpenOffice to acquire some skill (speed) with using their drawing tools. I've looked at them and they certainly aren't as elegant as Freehand, but then, it's free.
Ron
Have you explored any new (supported) vector drawing programs for your Mac in preparation for when Freehand becomes un-usable? You know the day is coming.
I'm thinking that I'll start practicing with OpenOffice to acquire some skill (speed) with using their drawing tools. I've looked at them and they certainly aren't as elegant as Freehand, but then, it's free.
Ron
I've been on vacation with the family the past few days without (intentionally) a connected device.
I started looking into OpenOffice as an easy-to-use and free app that people could use to draw maps electronically for the first time. There's no doubt there are other drawing programs that have nicer drawing features, but three features of OpenOffice that are tough to beat include:
1) Price (free)
2) Learning curve (with the exception of the curve tool)
3) Stability (open source code which no one owns but which is supported by many)
I have map templates and tutorials at
http://www.dukerdog.com/USATF/Measurer_Tools/
Keep in mind that the intended audience for the above tutorials is an electronic map beginner.
I started looking into OpenOffice as an easy-to-use and free app that people could use to draw maps electronically for the first time. There's no doubt there are other drawing programs that have nicer drawing features, but three features of OpenOffice that are tough to beat include:
1) Price (free)
2) Learning curve (with the exception of the curve tool)
3) Stability (open source code which no one owns but which is supported by many)
I have map templates and tutorials at
http://www.dukerdog.com/USATF/Measurer_Tools/
Keep in mind that the intended audience for the above tutorials is an electronic map beginner.