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Yearly Archives: 2023

Announcing the Avenza Map Contest 2023 Winners

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We are excited to announce that the 2023 Avenza Map Contest has now concluded. This year we saw cartographers from all over the world submit their best maps, with some truly impressive displays of cartographic design. Our entrants demonstrated how they utilize Avenza software to create visually appealing and meaningful cartographic products. Now that we have concluded the judging, discussing, and reviewing process, the Avenza team would like to congratulate this year’s prize winners!

Over the next few months, keep an eye out for Map Spotlight blogs detailing our winning entries and some other honourable mentions from the 2023 Avenza Map Contest. Each article will provide a closer look at the winning map entries, with insights from their creators, and an overview of tools and techniques used to develop their prize-winning maps.

Grand Prize Winner


Arctic Carbon Monitoring Network
Christina Shintani
Woodwell Climate Research Center

Check out more of Christina’s maps on her website. Additional contributors to the text content and illustration on this map are Jessica Howard and Julianne Waite, respectively.

Runner-Up Prize Winner


Korea Between the Wars
Nat Case
INCase, LLC

This map is published in the book Beyond the Border: A Korean’s Journey Between the North and South by Tae-hyok Kim and Nicole Kim Rogers. See the other maps Nat created for the book on his website.

Second Runner-Up Prize Winner


Africa’s Evolving Energy Landscape
Ginny Mason
S&P Global Commodity Insights

Several members of the team at S&P Global Commodity Insights contributed to this map: Melenie Yuen, Justin Cochrane, Roderick Bruce, Josephine Sajbel, Jennifer Tschopp, Enrico Pedica.

Congratulations again to this year’s winners!

UC Spotlight: Géom@tique, Cartography in the French-speaking World

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Géom@tique was founded at the end of the 1990s by introducing, for France and French-speaking countries, the distribution of MAPublisher for Adobe Illustrator. Through its position as a Value Added Reseller of Avenza products, Géom@tique is in contact, on a daily basis, with a wide variety of users who all have the desire to produce beautiful maps. With their vast knowledge of geomatics, they distribute our software, provide technical support, as well as certified training for Francophone users (one of their French MAPublisher trainings is coming up very soon). At this year’s Avenza User Conference, our friends Sophie-Anne and Alain presented with us an overview of how Géom@tique operates in France and, most importantly, highlighted the cartographic productions of some of the loyal and talented French-speaking users of MAPublisher and Geographic Imager they communicate with frequently.

Check out the video of Sophie-Anne and Alain’s full presentation at the Avenza UC 2023!

About Avenza UC

The Avenza User Conference is an annual free virtual conference for map makers, GIS enthusiasts, and geospatial professionals worldwide who share a common interest in Avenza mapping technology. The conference includes a combination of virtual sessions led by experts who will share their experiences with Avenza mapping products.

The Avenza User Conference is an annual event that grows each year with incredible speakers and participants. Get inspired by mapping and industry professionals by joining us for #AvenzaUC2024. Register here for next year’s conference taking place on May 9th, 2024.

Quick Georeference Images with Geographic Imager

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Sometimes we know enough about an image to georeference it in a faster manner than other images. In Geographic Imager, we call this type of georeferencing a Quick Georeference.

Quick Georeference is a method of georeferencing images that requires two conditions to be met:

  1. The image is not rotated; in other words, true north is oriented at the top of the page
  2. Two control points on the image are known, however these points cannot be aligned on either the X or Y axis

This article will show an example of quick georeferencing. The image used in this demonstration is called Americas_4.tif, and can be found in the Tutorial Data folder which is included with every installation of Geographic Imager.

After opening the image in Geographic Imager, you can confirm that it is aligned with true north. Then click the Georeference button on the Geographic Imager panel.

In the Georeference dialog box, you can click the Add Control Point button to do as such. Click anywhere on the image viewer to add a point. Point 1 will be added to the control point list. You can then adjust the pixel coordinates (PX and PY); these are the coordinates for the points on the image. Type 599 in the PX box and 0 in the PY box.

Next, you want to set the world coordinates that correspond to the pixel coordinates you just entered. You can double-click in the WX, WY or Coordinate System boxes to open the Edit Location dialog box. Here you want to select the WGS 84 coordinate system, and enter a Lat value of 35.917 and Long value of -50.064. After clicking OK, you will see that the world coordinates have been updated in the control point list.

You now want to add your second control point at the location with pixel coordinates of PX = 0 and PY = 456. Following the above steps again, give this point the world coordinates of Lat = 6.731 and Long = -88.417.

Now that you have added your two necessary control points to the image, you are ready to Quick Georeference your image. Next to the Image Coordinate System label, select the Specify… link. In the Choose Coordinate System dialog box, select the [No Coordinate System Specified] link. This opens the Specify Coordinate System dialog box, where you can select the Geodetic > World category, select the “WGS 84” coordinate system and click OK.

Back in the Georeference dialog box, select the Quick Georeference button (lightning bolt icon), and select By Two Reference Points (North/South aligned). You will notice that an additional control point is automatically added to the control point list and image view. Its world coordinates were calculated based on the existing two control point pairs. This occurs because a minimum of three control points are required to reference an image. It is also why the two control points you selected must not align.

To complete your Quick Georeference, simply click OK. Voilà! You will see the reference information appear in the Geographic Imager panel, and further details can be found in the Geographic Imager: General panel.

You can also check out our video tutorial for Quick Georeferencing on YouTube:

To view the step-by-step instructions that constituted the material in this blog post, check out the Quick Georeference tutorial in our Support Centre!

Avenza Releases MAPublisher 11.3 for Adobe Illustrator

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Toronto, ON, October 31, 2023 – Avenza Systems Inc., producers of the Avenza Maps® app for mobile devices and geospatial extensions for Adobe Creative Cloud®, including Geographic Imager® for Adobe Photoshop®, is pleased to announce the release of MAPublisher® version 11.3 for Adobe Illustrator®. This version offers full compatibility with Adobe Illustrator 2024 (version 28), macOS Sonoma (version 14), and the FME Auto 2023 update. It also includes performance enhancements and bug fixes.

MAPublisher cartography software seamlessly integrates more than seventy GIS mapping tools into Adobe Illustrator to help you create beautiful maps from geospatial data. Import industry-standard GIS data formats and make crisp, clean maps with all attributes and georeferencing intact using the Adobe Illustrator design environment.

New features of MAPublisher v11.3 for Adobe Illustrator include:

  • Adobe Creative Cloud 2024 compatibility: MAPublisher now supports Adobe Illustrator 2024 (version 28.0) on both Mac and Windows
  • macOS Sonoma compatibility: MAPublisher also officially supports the new macOS Sonoma (version 14) update
  • FME Auto 2023 compatibility: MAPublisher now supports the recent FME 2023.1 updates when using the FME Auto
  • Additional performance improvements and bug fixes

Users require a valid Adobe Creative Cloud subscription and a compatible operating system to utilize the improvements and enhancements offered in MAPublisher v11.3. For questions and information on how compatibility requirements may affect your organization, please contact our Support Centre.

MAPublisher 11.3 is immediately available free of charge to all current MAPublisher users with active maintenance and as an upgrade for non-maintenance users starting at US$699. New licenses are available from US$1619. MAPublisher FME Auto and MAPublisher LabelPro are also available as add-ons starting at US$539. Academic, floating, and volume licenses are also available. Prices include one year of full maintenance. Visit www.avenza.com/mapublisher for more details.

More about Avenza Systems Inc.

Avenza Systems Inc. is an award-winning, privately held corporation that provides cartographers and GIS professionals with powerful software tools to make better maps. Avenza also offers the mobile Avenza Maps app to sell, purchase, distribute, and use maps on iOS and Android devices. For further information contact:  416-487-5116 – info@avenza.com – www.avenza.com

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PDF Press Release

What’s New in MAPublisher 11.3?

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We are very excited to announce the release of MAPublisher version 11.3, the latest version of our MAPublisher® extension for Adobe Illustrator®. 

With MAPublisher v11.3, we are introducing several compatibility updates! It also includes numerous performance enhancements and bug fixes.

Here’s what you can expect with the latest MAPublisher v11.3 release:

Compatibility with Adobe Creative Cloud 2024 and macOS Sonoma

We have committed ourselves to providing our users with a MAPublisher update that supports new Adobe releases as quickly as possible. We are happy to announce that MAPublisher v11.3 is fully compatible with the recently released Adobe Illustrator 2024 (also known as version 28.0). 

In addition to Adobe CC 2024, MAPublisher is also fully compatible with the new macOS Sonoma (version 14). 

FME Auto Update with FME 2023 Support

MAPublisher FME Auto is a Windows-only powerful add-on that connects the GIS data processing environment of FME Form to the cartographic design and publishing environment of MAPublisher and Adobe Illustrator. MAPublisher v11.3 is the first version of MAPublisher to provide support for the recent FME 2023.1 update.

MAPublisher 11.3 is Available Now!

If you would like to learn more about the new MAPublisher v11.3 update or have any questions, please check out our Support Centre.

MAPublisher v11.3 is immediately available today, free of charge to all current MAPublisher users with active maintenance subscriptions and as an upgrade for non-maintenance users. 

Avenza Releases Geographic Imager 6.7 for Adobe Photoshop

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Toronto, ON, September 27, 2023 – Avenza Systems Inc., producers of the Avenza Maps® app for mobile devices and geospatial extensions for Adobe Creative Cloud®, including MAPublisher® for Adobe Illustrator®, is pleased to announce the release of Geographic Imager® version 6.7 for Adobe Photoshop®. This version offers full compatibility with Adobe Photoshop 2024 (version 25), and also includes some performance improvements and bug fixes.

Geographic Imager for Adobe Photoshop delivers an all-encompassing solution to import, edit, and export geospatial images such as aerial and satellite imagery. Work with digital elevation models, GeoTIFFs, and other popular GIS image formats, using Adobe Photoshop features such as transparencies, filters, cropping, and image adjustments, while maintaining georeferencing and support for hundreds of coordinate systems and projections.

Users require a valid Adobe Creative Cloud subscription and a compatible operating system to utilize the improvements and enhancements offered in Geographic Imager v6.7. For questions and information on how compatibility requirements may affect your organization, please contact our Support Centre.

Geographic Imager v6.7 is immediately available and is free of charge to all current Geographic Imager Maintenance Program members and starts at US$379 for non-maintenance upgrades. New fixed licenses start at US$809. Geographic Imager Basic Edition licenses start at US$119. Academic, floating, and volume license pricing is also available. Visit www.avenza.com/geographic-imager for more information.

More about Avenza Systems Inc.

Avenza Systems Inc. is an award-winning, privately held corporation that provides cartographers and GIS professionals with powerful software tools to make better maps. Avenza also offers the mobile Avenza Maps app to sell, purchase, distribute, and use maps on iOS and Android devices.
For further information contact: +1 416-487-5116 – info@avenza.com – www.avenza.com

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PDF Press Release

Map Spotlight: Northern New Jersey Highlands Trails by Jeremy Apgar

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In this Map Spotlight, we are highlighting a submission from the 2021 Avenza Map Contest: Northern New Jersey Highlands Trails by Jeremy Apgar, with additional contributions from Daniel Chazin. This map features more than 360 miles of marked trails and over 40 parks and preserves in the northern Highlands regions of New Jersey. As the region is located less than a one-hour drive or transit ride from New York City, these trails are very popular. Recent changes and additions to the trails have required accurately updated maps to be created, with this particular map being recreated from scratch and scaled up by 33% from the original.

The map now includes many new features absent in the previous versions, including junction-to-junction trail mileage numbers, a completely rebuilt basemap with new detailed contour lines, revised park boundaries, and more than 5,000 manually-placed text labels and symbols. It also includes several inset maps to cover complex areas, a complete trail index, and park contact information, history, and regulations. On the importance of these maps, Jeremy stated: “During a time when there is a wealth of ‘free but largely unreliable’ trail information online and in popular apps, it is even more important than ever that we provide comprehensive, accurate, and up-to-date trail maps for the parks and trails in our region in a variety of formats.”

This map is available to be purchased from the Avenza Map Store for use in the Avenza Maps mobile app. Physical copies can also be purchased on the New York-New Jersey Trail Conference website, or found at the trailhead kiosks located throughout the region.

Select the images below to see a detailed look at Jeremy’s map

Making the Map

Several MAPublisher tools and functions were used to create this map. Jeremy used the Multiple Data Import tool to aggregate several data formats at once, such as GDB, SHP, and GPX files. Following import, he used the MAP Views panel and editor for setting up the map scale and projection of the document, and also reprojecting data layers in different coordinate systems. The MAP Attributes panel as well as the MAP Selections tool were used to further filter and easily organize imported data.

Jeremy also utilized some of MAPublisher’s Geoprocessing tools in the creation of this very detailed map. The Flip Lines tool was used for some finer linework styling, and the Simplify Art tool was helpful for creating visually appealing contour lines. Finally, Jeremy used the MAP Vector Crop tool to remove any art that was beyond the boundaries of the map.

Jeremy additionally used the Label Features tool, and Layout Tools to create preliminary labels and a scale bar, which were later replaced by manually placed labels and custom graphics.

When his map was finished, Jeremy was able to use the Export Document to Geospatial PDF tool to export his file for its various versions of final products, as well as the Upload to Avenza Map Store feature to easily begin selling it on our Avenza Map Store.

Learn more about the Avenza Map Contest and submit your entry here, and check out our other Map Spotlight blogs here!

Maps for Morocco Earthquake Search and Rescue

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Toronto, ON, September 18th, 2023 –

An earthquake registered in Morocco approximately 72 kilometres (44.7 miles) southwest of Marrakech on Friday September 8, 2023, devastating the country and being felt far and wide. The quake had a magnitude of 6.8 and state media reported Monday that at least 2,862 people have been killed and 2,562 have been injured from its effects.

Avenza Map Store and Search and Rescue Maps

Immediately, Search and Rescue teams mounted efforts to help those trapped or injured and developed a series of maps to aid in those efforts. The Avenza Maps team worked with Reliefweb and uploaded the maps to the Avenza Map Store for worldwide and free distribution and use on mobile devices using the Avenza Maps app. Reliefweb works to keep humanitarian efforts informed, and combining their maps with Avenza Maps app software allows Search and Rescue teams to know their location and collect data offline without cell reception or wifi.

More about Avenza Systems Inc.

Avenza Systems Inc. is an award-winning, privately held corporation that provides cartographers and GIS professionals with powerful software tools to make better maps. Avenza also offers the mobile Avenza Maps app to sell, purchase, distribute, and use maps on iOS and Android devices. For further information contact:  416-487-5116 – info@avenza.com – www.avenza.com

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PDF Press Release

UC Spotlight: Mapping in the Wild

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Getting started with MAPublisher can be a daunting task, especially if you don’t have a background in cartography. Unfortunately, that’s exactly what the staff at SafariBookings, the largest marketplace for African safaris, was facing. But with the help of Red Geographics they were able to quickly learn how to use MAPublisher to create their own maps. At the Avenza User Conference in May of this year, Hans van der Maarel, the owner of Red Geographics presented to us how this amazing feat was achieved. Hans is a long-time partner of Avenza and user of MAPublisher and Geographic Imager. He uses the products for a wide range of cartographic projects for international clients and offers training courses and consultancy projects aimed at developing workflows for clients. In addition to that, he is currently a board member of NACIS.

By using MAPublisher together with open data, Hans and his team were able to swiftly get SafariBookings up and running and producing their very own maps. They worked with two members of the SafariBookings team, both of whom had previous graphic design and Adobe Creative Cloud experience, but were not experienced with GIS or cartography. Red Geographics offered them a personal training plan and helped them source data allowing them to start producing high-quality maps in less than a month.

Check out the video of Hans’s full presentation at the Avenza UC 2023!

About Avenza UC

The Avenza User Conference is an annual free virtual conference for map makers, GIS enthusiasts, and geospatial professionals worldwide who share a common interest in Avenza mapping technology. The conference includes a combination of virtual sessions led by experts who will share their experiences with Avenza mapping products.

The Avenza User Conference is an annual event that grows each year with incredible speakers and participants. Get inspired by mapping and industry professionals by joining us for #AvenzaUC2024. Register here for next year’s conference taking place on May 9th, 2024.

Avenza Releases MAPublisher 11.2 for Adobe Illustrator

News

Toronto, ON, July 31, 2023 – Avenza Systems Inc., producers of the Avenza Maps® app for mobile devices and geospatial extensions for Adobe Creative Cloud®, including Geographic Imager® for Adobe Photoshop®, is pleased to announce the release of MAPublisher® version 11.2 for Adobe Illustrator®. This version comes with the brand-new Vector Basemaps tool and includes additional performance enhancements and bug fixes.

MAPublisher cartography software seamlessly integrates more than seventy GIS mapping tools into Adobe Illustrator to help you create beautiful maps from geospatial data. Import industry-standard GIS data formats and make crisp, clean maps with all attributes and georeferencing intact using the Adobe Illustrator design environment.

New features of MAPublisher v11.2 for Adobe Illustrator include:

  • The new Vector Basemaps tool: The new MAPublisher Vector Basemaps tool imports georeferenced vector data from an online server. Imported data is autostyled based on the zoom level and attribute information, but can also be configured or imported by users to create savable custom styles.
  • Additional performance improvements and bug fixes

Users require a valid Adobe Creative Cloud subscription and a compatible operating system to utilize the improvements and enhancements offered in MAPublisher v11.2. For questions and information on how compatibility requirements may affect your organization, please contact our Support Centre.

MAPublisher 11.2 is immediately available free of charge to all current MAPublisher users with active maintenance and as an upgrade for non-maintenance users starting at US$699. New licenses are available from US$1619. MAPublisher FME Auto and MAPublisher LabelPro are also available as add-ons starting at US$539. Academic, floating, and volume licenses are also available. Prices include one year of full maintenance. Visit www.avenza.com/mapublisher for more details.

More about Avenza Systems Inc.

Avenza Systems Inc. is an award-winning, privately held corporation that provides cartographers and GIS professionals with powerful software tools to make better maps. Avenza also offers the mobile Avenza Maps app to sell, purchase, distribute, and use maps on iOS and Android devices.

For further information contact: +1 416-487-5116 – info@avenza.com – www.avenza.com

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