1

Re: Map Window

I finally found time to get to grips with the map window, but as usual with recorder it raises as many questiones as it solves.

Mostly I am wondering about how to share map layers across the network. I note that the local Base Maps folder is synchronised with that on the fileserver, but it does not appear that the local Map Files folder is similarly shared (there is no Map Files folder on the fileserver).

This means that if I go to a different workstation the Maps I have created on my own machine are available, but their constituent layers are not (they are listed in the bottom right pane of the map window but do not display).

Does that mean that for any layer we all need access to I have to create it on every workstation? I see in my local Map Files folder some gsf files with familiar names which I could copy to all other local drives (laborious) but most of the map files have names which tell us nothing about the contents so which do I copy

Surely there must be a better way of sharing commonly used layers, or am I missing something?

Rob Large
Wildlife Sites Officer
Wiltshire & Swindon Biological Records Centre

2

Re: Map Window

The map tiles are stored on each workstation because they tend to be quite large files, the use of which would overload lower capacity networks if they were stored on the server. Each 20 x 20 km 1:50,000 OS map tile available from the NBN is 15,627 KB. Polygon layers, on the other hand, are stored in the Object Sheet folder on the server, as they tend to be relatively small files. Therefore map tiles need to be installed on each workstation but there is an add-in to help. Install the map tiles you want to use on the first workstation then copy the Map Files folder from that to somewhere on a server that can be accessed by the other workstations. Then use the Bulk Load add-in – http://www.jncc.gov.uk/page-4597 – to install them from there onto the other workstations. Note that you can edit the .ini so that they get installed using the cut in and cut outs you require.

For more information see the user guide. Stuart Ball did a good job of writing up the mapping in the user guide for version 6.9.3. I subsequently updated it for v6.13 but it hasn’t been updated since although the mapping hasn’t changed much except for a few new features in v6.14. There is also more information in http://forums.nbn.org.uk/viewtopic.php?pid=6013#p6013 and the post it links to.

Sally Rankin, JNCC Recorder Approved Expert
E-mail: s.rankin@btinternet.com
Telephone: 01491 578633
Mobile: 07941 207687

3

Re: Map Window

Thanks Sally

I have tried what you suggest, but we have some kind of ongoing problem with Addins on our network. Several workstations do not show the full list of installed addins and several are not recognising the presence of the bulk load addin. In the past we have fixed this problem on each machine by re-registering RecorderAddinInstaller.dll, but that doesn't seem to do the trick here.

Thanks for pointing out the object sheet folder, I hadn't even noticed its existence. From what you say, the contents of this folder should be shared, so can you explain why when another user opens a map which I have created and which contains a couple of fully populated polygon layers, the list box on the left has all the layer names, but they do not appear to include any polygons? They don't appear to be being shared.

Also if I wish to use a polygon layer which I have already imported in a different map on a different workstation, the files in the Object Sheet folder have names which are of no use whatever in identifying their contents.

None of this seems very user friendly at present, but I understand that some other people have made it work, where am I going wrong?

Rob Large
Wildlife Sites Officer
Wiltshire & Swindon Biological Records Centre

4

Re: Map Window

Rob, does your Object Sheet File Path setting in the registry (HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Dorset Software\Recorder 6\Settings) point to the same path on all the machines that should be sharing polygon layers?

John van Breda
Biodiverse IT

5

Re: Map Window

Good point, I checked my own machine and it doesn't, but one I worked on yesterday did. Looks like I have more checking to do, thanks.

And now I have changed it, the bulk load tool looks like it might work

Rob Large
Wildlife Sites Officer
Wiltshire & Swindon Biological Records Centre

6

Re: Map Window

Looked like it worked but it didn't actually load any maps... hmmm

Rob Large
Wildlife Sites Officer
Wiltshire & Swindon Biological Records Centre

7

Re: Map Window

Looks like the addins problem is sorted now thanks to John Van Breda

Rob Large
Wildlife Sites Officer
Wiltshire & Swindon Biological Records Centre