Map coordinates are the coordinates used to place objects on the map in their correct relative positions. MapViewer can make use of any type of coordinate system, although the latitude and longitude coordinate system is the most widely known and used. The boundary files included with MapViewer make use of the latitude and longitude coordinate system.
In a map window, there are two coordinate systems in use at a time.
Page coordinates mark the position of objects on the page. These are the coordinates indicated by the rulers along the top and left side of the map window. Page coordinates are measured in inches or centimeters.
Map coordinates (also referred to as boundary coordinates) control the position of boundary objects in relation to each other. When you import boundaries into a map window, MapViewer defines the extent and position of the underlying map coordinate system in relation to the page coordinate system. The position of the map coordinates then remain fixed in relation to the page coordinates unless you import and append new boundaries to the existing boundaries, or you use the Map | Move/Size All Layers command to move a map and the map coordinate system on the page.
When you are looking at a map, you can determine the position of objects using the pointer. As you move the pointer over the map, the pointer position is indicated in the status bar at the bottom of the map window. Pointer position can be reported in either page units or map units in the coordinates section of the MapViewer status bar. To control how the measurements are reported, use the File | Options command.
Click the Units page and select the unit type in the Coordinate display units list for the pointer position map coordinates.
Click the Units page and select the Inches or Centimeters option in the Coordinate display units group if you want to see the page coordinates for the pointer position.
Change the coordinates display in the status bar by clicking the Significant digits button on the Label page of the Default Properties.
When you want to see the position of the map coordinate system relative to the page, you can use the Map | Graticule command to place grid lines on the map.
See Also
Map Coordinates in a New Map Window
Moving Map Coordinate Systems on the Page