||Dates: |December 1996
|September 1997
|October 1998
|January 1999
|July 1999|

Tools:

SOPAC.MBX V1.32

MapBasic Execute, to be run from MapInfo? Menu File-> Run MapBasic Program. This software adds a Data Centre Menu as well as a Data Centre Toolbar. It can be Autloaded automatically from MapInfo?.

This tool is now protected under the GNU General Public License. It means you can get the source code and redistribute but not sell.

Menu Description:

Image goes here

This utility has been developed specifically for the Pacific Region as it contains the Map Projection and Map View taylored for the Pacific Area. However this default settings may be customised for all.

Reload

The system reloads the workspace defined in the sopac.ini file in the same directory as sopac.mbx.

Map Projection

Change the map window projection to one of the basic projections used in the Pacific.

Map View

Zoom your current map window to one of the SOPAC member country.

Save Changes

Save the changes made in Map Projection menu and Map View menu.

Grid

Select a map window first and click on grid. The system will create a custom grid. You can specify the step of the grid as well as the style of the labels and lines and the position of the labels. This modules allow you to append several grids to your map window.

Layout Preview

The layout preview will create a scaled map in the layout window with a grid and title block. First select a map window, and click on Layout Preview. Specify the scale and the size and orientation of the final document. A Selected rectangle will appears in your map window indicating the are that will be displayed in the layout window. Use the select tool to re-locate this rectangle to your preferred area. Do not resize the rectangle. When you are satisfied click on the Accept Changes item of the new menu Layout Preview or Re-specify the parameters. When you have accepted the Layout Preview the system will resize the map window to the Rectangle extents and create a grid and a title block to your specifications, then it will merge all these elements in a new layout window.

Customisation

You can easily customise this utility.

• Change the default workspace in the sopac.ini file located in the same directory as sopac.mbx. You can use an absolute path or a relative path.
• Change the image logo.tif to change the logo displayed in the title. Just open the file logo.tif in an image editor and apply your changes. Do not modify the the file logo.tab.
• Change the text of the element in the Title.tab table. The elements with a data value not empty mustn't be modified as they are used to create the dynamic title.
• Change the Title Table size as long as you keep the projection as Non-Earth? "mm" with a maximum size of 2000mmx2000mm

The Title table, the Logo table, the Sopac.mbx and the Sopac.ini file must be located in the same directory. It is recommended to set the attribute of these files to Read-Only? to avoid that a user makes modification to these tables after creating a new layout. Only Sopac.ini should be read/write if you want your users to add more projections and locations to the default.

(Who wants to write something about customisation?)
Feedback

Send any feedback to ((franck@sopac.org.fj|Franck Martin))

Download

1. Download SOPAC132.ZIP? or SOPACSRC132.ZIP? (Contains source code as well as German and French mbx)
2. Uncompress this file in a directory
3. Change the workspace name in SOPAC.INI to a valid workspace or to .\NULL.WOR
4. Set all the other files as Read-Only? and run SOPAC.MBX from MapInfo?

The old version is also available SOPAC.ZIP?

SOPAC140B.Zip? is a beta version to be finalised very soon (as soon as you report bugs!).

History

SOPAC.MBX V1.32

' Global Version 1.32

Future/Notes

Allow customisation of the Map Projection and Map View menu through the sopac.ini file(done).

Draw the grid label outside of the map (done).

Allow any size for the Title bar to support full customization. (done)

Translate in many language this utility. Just download the file English.def? and send it back to me with the text between the quotes translated. I will then recompile the utility with the new language.

I expect the V1.32 to be bugged for the grid when the option "labels outside the grid" is selected. However in this current release I have fixed a lot of bugs. If you find it bad don't use it or download the old version (send feedback).

Manual: It will be nicer with a manual or help file, but I don't have a help compiler...

Version 1.32 has been compiled with MapBasic 5.0

Source:

SOPAC, Franck Martin