Topographic Mapping Tool Help Page

The navigation bars at the top of the window provide links to other pages, as described by their titles. These bars appear at the top of every page of the Web site.

This menu provides you with access to all interactive maps on the Atlas of Canada site. A series of non-interactive reference maps is also available.

Instructions:

1. Position the cursor over the topic you are interested in.
2. A pop-up menu will appear to the right showing the subtopics available.
3. Position the cursor over the subtopic you are interested in and click the name you want.

The toolbar buttons give you access to more information about the map and the selected map location (city, boundary, province, etc). The buttons enable you to navigate within the map, get help and print the map.

Zoom In

This tool lets you view part of the map in greater detail.

Instructions:

1. Click the "Zoom In" button.
2. Position the cursor over the part of the map you would like to see in greater detail.
3. Click the mouse.
4. The map will be redrawn to show more detail.

Zoom Out

This tool lets you view a larger area with less detail.

Instructions:

1. Click the "Zoom Out" button.
2. The map will be redrawn to show a larger area.

View Full Map

This tool lets you zoom out to view the entire map.

Instructions:

1. Click the “View Full Map” button.
2. The map will be redrawn to show all of it.

Re-centre Map

This tool lets you select a specific centre for the map.

Instructions:

1. Click the “Re-centre Map” button.
2. Position the cursor over the part of the map you would like to be the new centre.
3. Click the mouse.
4. The map will be redrawn.

Map Size

This tool lets you change the size of the map window.

Instructions:

1. Click the one of the three buttons, “S” (small map) or “M” (medium map) or “L” (large map).
2. The map will be redrawn in either a larger or small window size.

Note: This tool has been designed to work best after using the "Zoom In" tool at least once.

Get Info from Map

This tool allows you to get specific information about any location on the map.  You will be able to obtain the National Topographic System map sheet number, the latitude and longitude and elevation, all at the same time and with one click.

Instructions:

1. Click the "Get Info from Map " button.
2. Click a location on the map.
3. A small pop-up window will appear with the information.
4. Once you are finished, click the “Close Window” button.

Note: Liability restrictions apply to the information shown; please read the liability note for complete details.

Measure Distance

This tool allows you to measure distances on the map, in kilometres.

Instructions:

1. Click the “Measure Distance” button.
2. Click one or more locations on the map.
3. A purple line will show the location of the distance(s) to be measured.
4. View the distance, by segment, in the box below the bottom right corner of the map. See Section 11 below
5. To measure another distance, repeat steps 1 to 4.

Note: Liability restrictions apply to the distance(s) measured; please read the liability note for complete details.

Print Preview

This tool lets you print your map. It provides a printer-friendly, letter-size, portrait-format page that includes the current map, locator map and legend.

Instructions:

1. Click the "Print Map" button.
2. The browser window will refresh showing the map, title, locator map and legend.
3. Using the browser's print function, send the page to your printer.

Note: The maps print best using a colour printer.

Save Map

This tool allows you to save a copy of the map you are currently viewing to your computer.

Instructions:

1. Click the “Save Map” button.
2. A small pop-up window will appear with instructions.
3. Using your mouse, right-click on the map.
4. Select "Save Image / Picture As".
5. Select and save the map to a location on your computer.

Note: Liability restrictions apply to the map you are saving; please read the liability note for complete details.

Help

This tool gives you access to these instructions for using the interactive mapping features.

Instructions:

1. Click the "Help" button.
2. The browser window will refresh showing the help information.

The map window shows the map that you are currently viewing. The text box in the upper right hand corner contains links to more information about topographic maps. The north arrow in the upper left corner points to True North.

The locator map shows the full extent of the map you have selected and highlights, with a red box or dot, the location currently showing in the map window.

The legend lists the map's features and explains the colours, symbols, line patterns, shadings and annotation used for them.  The legend also shows you the different layers of information the map contains. 

The satellite and elevation image layers, at the top, are always turned off but can be turned on by clicking the box to the left of either layer name.  When this is done, all the other layers are turned off.  If you wish to display one of the other layers or layer groups on top the satellite or elevation image, click the box to the left of the layers or layer groups you wish to turn on.

The 1:250 000 and 1:50 000 Map Sheet Index layers can also be turned on and viewed over top of the map by clicking the box to the left of either layer name.  These layers are helpful to find the actual National Topographic System map sheet number. You can use this number to purchase a printed map, the data used to produce the map, or find information related to the currency of the map and data.

The next entries in the legend are groups of specific types of topographic information such, as roads.  These groups are always visible except when the satellite and elevation image layers have been turned on.  If you wish to view any of these groups on top of the satellite or elevation image layers, click the box to the left of any of the group names.

If you would like more specific information about currency or other details of any of the map layers or any other information about topographic maps and data, please go the Map Sources page.

The search tab allows you to perform three types of searches to locate a specific area of interest and view the topographic map for that area.

Search using Place and Feature Names

Instructions:

1. Enter the place or feature name you would like to search for (for example, Ottawa or Ottawa River) in the text entry box.
2. Click the arrow button to the right of the text entry box.
3. The search tab will refresh with the search results that match the name searched for.
4. Click the name of the place or feature you are interested in viewing a map of.
5. The map window will refresh with the selected map.
6. You can use the tools in the toolbar to explore the map.
7. To do another search, click the “Return to Search” button at the top of the search results list.
8. If you would like to do an advanced search, click the “Advanced Search” link on the search tab.

Search using a Topographic Map Sheet Number

Instructions:

1. Enter the topographic map sheet number in the text entry box of this section of the search tab.
2. Click the arrow button to the right of the text entry box.
3. The map will refresh showing the boundaries of the map sheet searched for.
4. You can use the tools in the toolbar to explore the map.

Search using Latitude and Longitude

Instructions:

1. Enter the latitude and longitude in the text entry boxes of this section of the search tab.
2. Enter the numerical degrees only in the degrees box and the numerical minutes in the minutes box, for both the longitude and latitude.
3. Do not add a “negative” sign, as is commonly done, for degrees of west longitude.
4. If you do not know the minutes, do not enter anything in the minutes box.
5. Click the arrow button in the bottom right hand corner.
6. The map will refresh with a topographic for that location.
7. You can use the tools in the toolbar to explore the map.

The pan arrows, eight small triangles around the edges of the map, let you move left, right, up, down and diagonally to see parts of the map that aren't currently visible.

Instructions:

1. Click the arrow that points in the direction you would like to move.
2. The map will be redrawn showing the new parts.

The scale bar shows the distance in kilometres.

This tool allows you to change the viewing scale of the map you are currently viewing.

Instructions:

1. Click your cursor in the map scale text box.
2. The current map scale value will disappear.
3. Enter the scale value that you would like the map displayed at.
4. Click the “Update Map” button to the right of the map scale text box.
5. The map will refresh at the selected scale.

Note: The maximum allowable viewing scale value is 20 000. The map centre will be maintained when the viewing scale is changed.

The distance box shows the distance that is being measured when using the “Measure Distance” tool. Please refer to the section describing this tool in the Toolbar section of this page.

This link goes to a page detailing the sources of information used to make the map.

If you can't find what you're looking for in this Help document, use the "Contact Us" feature in the top navigation bars to send us an e-mail.