@mappingtoolsMicrosoft MapPoint 2010 introduced the concept of map features that can be switched on or off. Map features are grouped by category (eg “water” or “large city”). Individual categories can have their graphical representations and/or labels switched on or off. It is also possible to add more detail.
Setting the Map Features
The map features are set using the Map Settings Task Pane. Select Map Settings from the combo-box at the top of the task pane:
How to select the Map Settings Task Pane from the Task Pane combo box
Alternatively, the Map Settings Task Pane can be displayed by selecting View->Panes->Map settings on the main menu.
This will then display the Map Settings Task Pane:
The Map Options Task Pane
This pane lists all of the different map features which can be controlled. You may control the display of both the graphical representation (‘symbols’) and labels for all of the map features except for the railroads. MapPoint does not display any labels for railroads, so these cannot be switched on or off.
The display status can be seen by the check boxes in the two columns. Click each check box to set the required display setting. There are three levels:
- Do not display (clear square check box)
- Default level of display (green square checkbox)
- Display more detail (check or tick mark)
In the above example, all boundary labels have been switched off. Toll roads and railroad lines have been switched off, but a higher level of detail has been selected for highways and local roads.
Using these settings it is possible to greatly change the visual appearance of a map.
You can also use the Map Settings Task Pane to change the font size using the Map font size combo box in the top left. This simply makes the fonts larger or smaller. The relative font sizes for different features remain the same. Ie. a small town label will never use a larger font than a country label. There are five size variations possible: Smallest, Smaller, Medium, Larger, and Largest.
The Map Settings Task Pane can also be used to set the map style.
Alphabetical List of Map Feature Categories
Here is the full list of map feature categories sorted in alphabetical order:
- Boundaries – 3 digit Postal Code – Labels
- Boundaries – 3 digit Postal Code – Symbols
- Boundaries – Commune – Labels
- Boundaries – Commune – Symbols
- Boundaries – Country – Labels
- Boundaries – Country – Symbols
- Boundaries – County – Labels
- Boundaries – County – Symbols
- Boundaries – Postal Code – Labels
- Boundaries – Postal Code – Symbols
- Boundaries – State or Province – Labels
- Boundaries – State or Province – Symbols
- Miscellaneous – All Other – Labels
- Miscellaneous – All Other – Symbols
- Miscellaneous – Parks and Reserves – Labels
- Miscellaneous – Parks and Reserves – Symbols
- Miscellaneous – Points of Interest – Labels
- Miscellaneous – Points of Interest – Symbols
- Miscellaneous – Water Features – Labels
- Miscellaneous – Water Features – Symbols
- Populated Places – City (500,000 – 999,999) – Labels
- Populated Places – City (500,000 – 999,999) – Symbols
- Populated Places – Major City (1,000,000+) – Labels
- Populated Places – Major City (1,000,000+) – Symbols
- Populated Places – Minor City (100,000 – 499,999) – Labels
- Populated Places – Minor City (100,000 – 499,999) – Symbols
- Populated Places – Town/Other Place (0 – 99,999) – Labels
- Populated Places – Town/Other Place (0 – 99,999) – Symbols
- Transportation – Highways – Labels
- Transportation – Highways – Symbols
- Transportation – Local Roads – Labels
- Transportation – Local Roads – Symbols
- Transportation – Railroads – Symbols
- Transportation – Toll Roads – Labels
- Transportation – Toll Roads – Symbols
