3. Layers

When you open one of the FreeHand files, you will be presented with a map featuring a coastlines, borders, rivers, cities, names, graticules (lines of latitude and longitude), and a scale. To get the full benefit from these files, make sure you have the “Layers” floating palette open by choosing “View > Windows > Layers” menu (version 3.1), or “Window > Layers…” (version 4.0 and later). You will see from the Layers palette that not all layers are checked. By clicking at the left margin of any other layer name a check mark appears, and that layer becomes visible. 

             Version 3.1 Layers palette                  Version 5.0 Layers palette

The layers are as follows:

Box rule: This is a 1 point black box rule of precisely the same dimensions as the corresponding relief map on your Mountain High Maps disc.

Scales: This is a “grouped” graphic – to ungroup it, select “Arrange > Ungroup.” Most of the projections used in the Mountain High Map collection are “equal area,” so the scale can be used to measure distances at any point on the map. However, some distortion occurs on the world maps, and on these maps the scale is calibrated at the Equator. 

Graticules: This is a 0.25 point red line describing the meridians of longitude and parallels of latitude.

Graticule labels: This contains annotation for the intervals between each graticule, measured in degrees.

City/town locations: These are 1.5mm diameter black dots indicating the locations of major cities and towns.

City/town names: This layer displays the names of all of cities and towns featured on the opened map. The font used is Helvetica. To change the font select a name by clicking on it (you can select every name by making all the other layers invisible and then choosing “Select all” from the Edit menu), and then change the font using the “Type > Font” menu.

River names: This layer displays the names of rivers featured on the opened map. The font used is Helvetica. To change the font select a name by clicking on it (you can select every name by making all the other layers invisible and then choosing “Select all” from the Edit menu), and then change the font using the “Type > Font” menu.

Country Names: This layer displays the names of all of the countries featured on the opened map. The font used is Helvetica. To change the font select a name by clicking on it (you can select every name by making all the other layers invisible and then choosing “Select all” from the Edit menu), and then change the font using the “Type > Font” menu.

Countries: When you select any country from those listed, that country will be visible as a 0.25 point (hairline) black path. To change the thickness and color of an individual country border, select the path (hide all the other layers and choose “Select all” from the Edit menu), and choose “Attributes > Fill and line…” (version 3.1) or use the “Inspector” palette (version 4.0 and later). 

Coastline: This is visible as a 0.25 point (hairline) cyan path. NOTE: Some coastlines are very complex, and if you intend printing a complex map at a small size, the coastline may fill in unless it is printed as a very fine line or is made less complex. If you use FreeHand version 4.0 (or later), you can make a path less complex by selecting the path and then choosing “Arrange > Path operations > Simplify” menu.

Rivers: These are visible as 0.25 point (hairline) cyan paths. 

Borders: These are visible as 0.5 point magenta paths. Country borders are mostly colored magenta; those borders which are colored purple are either disputed or undefined Refer to the “Disputed borders” document in this folder for more information.

Lakes Fill: This layer contains white fills for lakes and inland water areas.

Relief TIFF: This layer is where you will find the placed corresponding grayscale relief map. It is invisible when you first open the map, to speed up screen redraw. If you do not need relief in your map, be sure to delete this layer before working on the map (use “Options > Remove” on the Layers palette). For more about using the relief TIFFs, see Chapter 4.

The FreeHand versions of Mountain High Maps are constructed with cartographic integrity, and consequently they are made up of very detailed and complex paths. This can present problems when printing with low amounts of printer memory if left as continuous, joined paths (in any case, FreeHand limits the number of points in a path to 1,000 – some of the map outlines would contain many times that number if left as joined paths). Therefore, to minimize printing problems, we have split the more complex paths into smaller chunks. To avoid having to create “tiled” fills using closed paths, we suggest that you use the masks to create fills. These can be placed directly into your map and you can apply any color to the mask (see Chapter 5).

To use the FreeHand files with other applications, export your document as an EPS file – choose “Export” from the “File” menu. If you have placed a relief map image or any other TIFF files within your document, make sure that the “Include TIFF images” option is checked.

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