Opening a map file
 | |
| Illustration 1 | g01266728 |
In order to open a map file, click on the "File" menu and select the "Open" option. Refer to illustration 1.
 | |
| Illustration 2 | g01266733 |
The "Open file" dialog box will appear. Refer to illustration 2.
 | |
| Illustration 3 | g01266738 |
Use the open file dialog box in order to search for a pattern file to edit. After you have found the file, click on the file, and then select the "Open" button. To save changes under a new name, click on the "Open as read only" selection box. If you open the file as "read only", in order to save the file, use the "Save as"option under the "File" menu. Click on the "Open" button. The user will be returned to the main AQMStudio screen. The pattern will be displayed in the map area. Refer to illustration 3.
Manipulating the map
AQMStudio has a button bar that manipulates the map. The button bar is shown in illustration 4.
 | |
| Illustration 4 | g01266743 |
(1) Zoom window (2) Zoom in (3) Zoom out (4) Drag (5) Select holes (6) Select artifacts (7) Draw artifacts (8) Zoom all | |
The above buttons are tools. Click on the button in order to use the tool. When the mouse pointer is moved over the map, the pointer will simulate the button that has been selected. Refer to Table 1.
| Key Function | Description |
| Zoom Window | In order to create a window to zoom in on, click the left mouse button and drag the box over the area. |
| Zoom in | Left click the mouse in order to zoom in on the map. The zoom is centered on the location the mouse pointer currently is at. In order to spot zoom in on a area, press the "i" key. |
| Zoom out | Left click the mouse in order to zoom out on the map. The zoom is centered on the location that the mouse pointer currently is at. Press the "o" key in order to zoom out. |
| Drag | Click this button in order to grab a hold of the map. Hold the mouse button down in order to move the map around with this function. |
| Select holes | Use this tool to select holes or groups of holes. Click on the hole in order to select that hole. Click on the hole again in order to unselect the hole. Click on the screen and drag the mouse in order to draw a box on the screen. Any holes that are not selected will become selected when the box passes over the holes. Holes that are selected will become unselected when the box passes over the holes. Hold the shift key down to "pan" while using the "select hole" mode. |
| Select artifacts | Press the button to select artifacts "Lines, text, or bootleg holes" and groups of artifacts. Click on one line node whether it is the end of a line, or a point on the line changes direction or on a bootleg hole and this function will select that one artifact. Click on the artifact again to unselect it. In order to draw a box on the screen, click and drag the mouse. Any holes that are not selected will become selected when the box passes over the holes. Any artifacts that are selected will become unselected when the box passes over the artifacts. Hold the shift key down to "pan" when using the "select hole" mode. |
| Draw artifacts | Press this button to draw artifacts on a map. When you select this tool, a list at the bottom of the map will appear, listing available artifact types. In order to draw artifacts, choose an artifact type in the list and click on it, and start drawing artifacts on the screen by left clicking. To end a polygon, right click the mouse. You can always go back and modify the artifacts that you create using the "Select artifacts" tool. |
| Zoom all | Press this button in order to make the entire map visible in the current map window. The zoom all tool is selectable no matter which tool is currently being used. |
Example of editing a map
Selecting holes
 | |
| Illustration 5 | g01266935 |
Select the zoom window tool by clicking on it. Refer to illustration 5.
 | |
| Illustration 6 | g01266943 |
Use the "Drag a window" tool to zoom in on an area. In order to select holes, click in one corner of the box and hold the mouse button down. Move the mouse until the box has been drawn. Refer to illustration 6.
 | |
| Illustration 7 | g01266944 |
In order to modify specific holes, select the holes and choose the hole select tool. Refer to illustration 7.
 | |
| Illustration 8 | g01266945 |
Select a group of holes by dragging the box over the holes. Refer to illustration 8.
 | |
| Illustration 9 | g01266947 |
Click on the hole select tool and a list of holes will appear at the bottom of the screen. When you check off the square box next to a hole's name, the hole will become selected. When you select a hole on the map window, the square next to the name will become checked.
The selected holes will have yellow circles surrounding. The list of holes on the bottom has scrolled to show the last hole that was selected, and you will see that the name has a checked box to the left. Refer to illustration 9.
Deleting holes
 | |
| Illustration 10 | g01266948 |
In order to delete holes, right click the mouse within the map window. Choose the "delete hole" option from the menu. Refer to illustration 10.
 | |
| Illustration 11 | g01266949 |
Select the three holes that were just below the holes that were deleted. An information box called a "tool tip" will appear when the mouse is placed over a hole. The tool tip will contain the following information:
- hole's name
- hole's easting
- hole's northing
Adjusting hole attributes
 | |
| Illustration 12 | g01266950 |
In order to adjust the northing of these holes, right click anywhere on the map and choose Adjust hole > Northing. A pop up input box will appear that asks you to specify the amount by which to adjust the northings. Type in the measurement in the units the map is in and click on the "OK" button. Refer to illustration 12.
 | |
| Illustration 13 | g01266951 |
In illustration 13 the selected holes have had the northings adjusted by 10 map units.
Drawing lines
 | |
| Illustration 14 | g01266953 |
In order to edit the artifacts "lines and bootleg holes" on a map. Zoom on the whole map by clicking on the "Zoom All" button. Refer to illustration 14.
 | |
| Illustration 15 | g01266955 |
Select the "Draw Artifact" tool. This tool can draw artifacts directly on the map. Refer to illustration 15.
 | |
| Illustration 16 | g01266964 |
After selecting the "Draw Artifact" tool, a list of artifact types will appear at the bottom of the map window. Select which type of artifact to draw. In this case, pick the "BORDER" artifact, which happens to be a line artifact type. Refer to illustration 16.
 | |
| Illustration 17 | g01266969 |
When drawing artifacts or line nodes, the mouse cursor appears as a set of crosshairs. In order to add line segments to the line, left click on the map. Right click in order to finish drawing the line. Refer to illustration 17.
Editing lines
 | |
| Illustration 18 | g01266972 |
In order to modify the line, choose the "Select artifact" tool. This will allow the user to select the individual nodes of the line. Refer to illustration 18.
 | |
| Illustration 19 | g01266975 |
Select a node that was placed in the middle of the line, and click on the node. The user may also drag a box over the area in order to select the node. Refer to illustration 19.
 | |
| Illustration 20 | g01266977 |
Right click on the map to open up the artifact menu, choose "Adjust artifact" > Easting. Refer to illustration 20.
 | |
| Illustration 21 | g01266982 |
An input box will appear, then specify to increment the easting by 10 map units. Refer to illustration 21.
 | |
| Illustration 22 | g01266985 |
The middle node is then shifted to the right, due to the change in easting. Refer to illustration 22.
Appending a map
 | |
| Illustration 23 | g01266987 |
In order to add holes from another map to the current map, choose "Append" from the "File" menu.
Choose another pattern file, and the contents to the currently opened map. Refer to illustration 23.
Saving your changes
Click on the "Save" option from the "File" menu in order to save changes. Alternatively, the user may use the "Save as" option. The "Save as" function, allows you specify a new file name for the map. The "Save as" allows you to continue working on the map under this new name. Use the "Save as" function if you want to keep a backup copy of the original map.