I know that everyone is concerned about COVID-19 which has us all feeling uneasy and unsure about short and long-term plans and the overall impact of this global pandemic. This is why I am personally reaching out to you today to let you know that Avenza feels it too and we are here to help wherever we can.
As the public health situation around COVID-19 continues to evolve, Avenza is doing its best to support our users and keep the lines of communication open while balancing that with ensuring the health and safety of our employees and performing our social responsibility to curtail the spread of the virus.
In heeding all government and health professional directives and to support social distancing within our own offices, we have directed and empowered all our staff to work from home during this crisis period. This flexibility and understanding will help protect their well-being and allow them to continue to stay productive during these uncertain times. We are virtually maintaining our regular office hours and are available through many of our social media and support channels, email, and of course by telephone. Our priority is to continue to provide the dependable and personalized service you’ve become accustomed to receiving, while as a number one priority protecting the health and well-being of our staff, their families, and the public at large.
You will have probably now seen many of these types of notices but I want to assure you that we are here, active and available to support you as may be necessary so that you may also continue to remain working and productive.
Both Windows (64-bit) and Mac users can explore the exciting new and improved features MAPublisher 10.6 offers with the latest version of Adobe Illustrator. Talk about a power duo — upgrade today (it’s free for maintenance users)!
Spatial Join
In our line of work, spatial relationships are really important and can be complicated, but working with them shouldn’t be. MAPublisher 10.6 delivers the brand-new Spatial Join feature and we’re ecstatic to be sharing it with you. With Spatial Join, you can:
copy attributes from one layer to another based on their spatial relationship
use relationships including Near, Closest, Identical To, Contains, Within, Has Centre In, and Intersects
adjust the Precision and Tolerance
Spatial Join tool
Features joined based on spatial relationship
Improved Line Plotter
The Earth isn’t flat, and your plotted lines shouldn’t be either! The improved Line Plotter tool will accurately plot lines with the Geodesic and Rhumb line methods, taking your projection into consideration (or calculation if we’re getting technical) and is available for both Point by Point and Course & Distance plotting styles.
The Rhumb line method will create either straight or curved lines, depending on the projection used. Still want to plot straight lines? The Cartesian method is sticking around and will work just as you remember it. A preview option is now available, so you can take a look at the three different methods on your map before plotting the line (or simply turn it off if your line has too many points).
Geodesic Method: Shortest distance between points
Rhumb lines: Constant bearing, curved or straight depending on the map projection.
Cartesian lines: straight lines from destination to destination.
Improved Map Measurement Tool
With the addition of the Geodesic and Rhumb methods for plotting lines, we’ve made sure you can accurately measure the distance between points with these methods as well, whether they’re curved or straight lines.
Measure distances between points using Geodesic, Cartesian and Rhumb line methods
Like the Line Plotter, Geodesic and Rhumb measurement lines can be curved or straight, depending on the map projection
A combination of keyboard presses (Shift + Click) will add the measurement line as an object on your layer
Rhumb Measurement Line
Geodesic measurement line
Cartesian Measurement Line
Installer Will Uninstall Previous Versions
We’ve made some improvements to the installer. You’ll notice that the MAPublisher 10.6 installer will prompt you to uninstall previous versions of MAPublisher. We’ve designed the installer to guide you through this process. You can also uninstall older versions through the Control Panel (Windows) or as usually on macOS.
Export Document to Image
Colours on a map can make important information pop or sometimes they just make the map look nice. Whichever way, we’ve made sure your colour profiles stick around when exporting your document to an image. ICC profiles (the data that characterizes a coloured input or output device) will be embedded when documents are exported as TIFF files. If an Adobe Illustrator document is in the CMYK colour space, its colour profile will be embedded in the TIFF if the exported TIFF’s colour mode is also set to CMYK.
Map Data Links
We’ve made it easier to keep your workspace clean. Previously, when a layer is deleted, data links were not removed. In MAPublisher 10.6, data links are now removed when a layer is deleted and is the new default behaviour.
Avenza Maps version 3.9 is now available for users on iOS and Android devices! We have added features for both our recreational and Pro subscription users and made some improvements based on user feedback. This update of Avenza Maps includes some great features including the integration of what3words. Now anyone can identify their location by simply using three words. This is a very useful feature for recreational and outdoor enthusiasts as well as professionals who use Avenza Maps in remote locations. You can find the what3words for any 3m square in the world on any map. Here are more new features in this release:
GPX Import (Pro and Plus)
Hurray! Pro and Plus users can now import GPX files. Our users have been asking for it and now GPX files containing tracks, routes, and waypoints can be imported onto any map.
Course-Up Map View Mode
When Course-up is enabled on the Location tab, the map view automatically rotates in accordance with your direction of travel.
Registration Links (Pro)
Avenza Maps Pro admins can distribute Registration Links to field users who can interact with them to automatically register for Avenza Maps Pro with their organization.
New Coordinate Display Formats
Several new coordinate formats are now available in Avenza Maps, including what3words, British National Grid (a Pro feature with a limited preview for all users), and Universal Transverse Mercator.
what3words is live in Avenza Maps and has given every 3m square in the world a unique 3 word address, making it easier for people to communicate precise locations. With the new what3words feature you can set accurate waypoints, plot your favourite points along hiking trails or cycling routes and identify your own location – using just three words. supply.founders.outreach, for example, is the 3-word address for the front entrance to Avenza Systems’ head office in Midtown, Toronto. The what3words location is included in every placemark dropped on a map and can be copied and shared.
There are some big changes and improvements in this version of the app and we’re very excited about it. Our goal is always to ensure that Avenza Maps users can navigate safely, track efficiently, and collect data even more precisely in the app.
Geographic Imager 6.1 is available now and in addition to full compatibility with Adobe Photoshop 2020, here are the other exciting new features to make working with spatial imagery in Photoshop even easier:
Vector Import from databases
Geographic Imager allows you to import a number of GIS vector formats directly on to your images in Photoshop. Whether performing a check to ensure accurate georeferencing, QA/QC or simply including supplemental data, this functionality allows you to improve the efficiency of your workflow. For a while, it was only possible to import vector data from your own files however we have added the capability to import from databases including PostGIS Spatial Database, and ESRI File and Personal Databases (.gdb and .mdb). Note that importing vector data from databases is only available in the full version of Geographic Imager.
Improved Mosaic Layer organization
When mosaicking documents in Photoshop with Geographic Imager’s Mosaic tools, you previously had the option to either group the layers from each document into folders or merge all layers into one single layer. In this new release, we’ve added a new option to merge source document layers which will flatten each source document into a single layer, but also keep each document separated in the destination, without the use of folders. This helps to keep the individual images separate while minimizing the number of layers and folders you need to deal with.
MAPublisher 10.5 was released today and it has lots of new and improved features to make it even easier to make beautiful maps in Adobe Illustrator. If you’re new to MAPublisher, you can get a rundown of the full feature set here, and even try it free for 14 days. If you already use MAPublisher, we would love for you to tell us, on our Facebook page about your favourite feature or even share a map you’ve made!
Adobe 2020 Compatibility
This version of MAPublisher is fully compatible with Adobe Illustrator 2020 so go ahead and upgrade! Are you excited? We are too, but mostly about the other new stuff that is also included in this version of MAPublisher.
Interval Markers
Want to add mileage markers or mark intervals along roads, trails or other paths? Do it automatically using this new feature! Options for interval markers are found in the Path Utilities tool.
Define the distance of the interval and the units
Select and style the shape of the interval marker
Choose the font type, size, and spacing within the marker shape
Choose where to start and how to increment the markers
Favourite Fonts
Tired of scrolling through hundreds of irrelevant fonts to find the ones you like? Now you can select your favourite fonts to appear at the top of the font selection list in Illustrator, saving you time and the reactivation of your repetitive stress injury. Recently used fonts will also appear at the top of the list.
NOTE: Screenshot is for illustrative purposes only. We do not advocate for the use of the Comic Sans font by anyone, at any time, for any reason. Ever.)
Customizable MAPublisher Toolbar
MAPublisher has a lot of tools. That’s a good thing, right? But let’s say you’re in a minimalist mood, or just want to simplify your life by tidying up the clutter. Customize the MAPublisher toolbar by selecting which tool categories to display on the toolbar, and hiding the ones you don’t use often. Ahh, now that’s better.
Display Coordinate System Information on Scale Bar
Often, maps include the name of the coordinate systems in which the map is displayed, for reference purposes. It’s easy enough to create a text box and add this information manually, but we’re all about avoiding manual work.
Click the Display coordinate system checkbox in the Scale Bar to include the MAP View coordinate system as part of the scale bar.
Customize the label so that it reads the way you want it to
Decide on the positioning of the text above, below or beside the scale bar
Choose to center or align the label as you see fit
Other Useful Enhancements
MAP Attributes
You can now copy ‘read-only’ attribute values from MAP Attributes. Presumably, if you need or want to use this capability, the description of it probably makes sense to you.
Copy MAP Objects
In the past, you could not automatically link copied objects to layers in the destination document if it contained layers with the same name as the layer in which the copied object originated. Still with us?
Now you can automatically link objects (MAP Themes and Selections) to layers even if the destination document contains layers with the same name as the source document layer which is tied to the copied object. Now, grab a cup of peppermint tea and look at that neat and tidy toolbar for a few minutes to refocus.
MAP Symbols
New Oil & Gas symbols have been added to the MAP Symbols Library, as requested by users in this industry.
MAPublisher makes it easy to make maps in Adobe Illustrator without the manual work, and with the flexibility to style and design maps while retaining the geospatial integrity of the map data. It’s the bridge between the art and science of cartography.
It’s an exciting day for anyone who works with geospatial imagery, especially if your workflow involves editing images in Adobe Photoshop. We released a brand new version of Geographic Imager® – the plug-in for Photoshop that provides tools to make tasks like reprojecting, georeferencing, and terrain shading possible.
In addition to the new features like vector data import and Equal Earth projection support, we also improved many of the existing features that were already there (after all, Geographic Imager has improved the lives of cartographers for many years) and updated the interface so that it looks and feels just like the rest of the Adobe environment. Geographic Imager 6.0 is fully compatible with Adobe Photoshop 2019, and you can find the rest of the system requirements and compatibility requirements here.
Here’s a rundown of the new features you’ll find in Geographic Imager 6.0:
Vector Data Import
This long-awaited feature allows you to import a number of GIS vector formats directly on to your images. Whether performing a check to ensure accurate georeferencing, QA/QC or simply including supplemental data, these tools will improve the efficiency of your workflows. E.g. you can import your polygons from a shape file and convert them to pixel selections in one simple step!
Points and Text Import
Now you can provide geographic context to your images by importing geospatial text data and converting it to cartographic labels, or simply importing points of interest and overlaying them on top of your image in a few clicks. Datasets consisting of point or text features can be imported as Text Layers or by using the Count or Note tools in Photoshop. When using the Text tool, an attribute may be selected to generate the text and the imported text features are grouped together by layer.
When importing with the Note tool, you can control which attributes to include (or exclude) in the note itself. The name of the layer and the feature it belongs to are automatically added to the note.
When importing using the Count tool, no attributes are imported; however, the points are grouped together by layer for easy identification and management.
Similar to the import feature in MAPublisher (for Adobe Illustrator), the spatial and layer filters ensure that you only import what you need.
Line and Area Import
Polyline and polygon data can be imported as a single Photoshop path or each feature can be placed on its own path. The ‘Same path’ method is more beneficial when accessing individual features while the ‘Separate path’ method allows for more control over each feature. Here too, you can filter the data on import using spatial and layer filters, and you can choose attributes to use as path names.
Set your preference before importing for how to handle lines and areas that extend beyond the extents of the canvas; either import only data that intersects the canvas, crop to the canvas, or import everything and allow the data to extend outside of the map area.
Support for the Equal Earth Projection
The Equal Earth projection is gaining popularity as it is intended to provide a visually pleasing alternative to the Gall-Peters projection, which shows landmasses at their true size relative to each other but drastically distorts their shape. With Geographic Imager 6.0 you can reproject virtually any map using Equal Earth (or hundreds of other supported coordinate systems). All of the geospatial information will be recalculated and preserved in the new projection. It’s that easy!
Look and Feel
We’ve updated the Geographic Imager tools and dialog boxes to more closely match the look of the Photoshop interface. When you change the appearance settings in Photoshop, the appearance of the Geographic Imager toolbars and dialog boxes will change to match. Nice, right?
Simplified Chinese Interface
Working with tools in multiple languages can be confusing. So, when the installed version of Photoshop is configured to use the Simplified Chinese language option, you will be prompted to install Geographic Imager in the Chinese language to maintain the continuity of the Geographic Imager experience. For now, Geographic Imager in Simplified Chinese is available for Windows only.
Try Geographic Imager 6.0 today and see how easy it can be – when you have the right tools – to work with spatial imagery in Photoshop!
Avenza Maps version 3.7 is now available for users on iOS and Android devices! We have added features for both our recreational and Pro subscription users and made some improvements based on user feedback. The newest version of Avenza Maps includes features that will facilitate location monitoring, improve the precision of your data collection and enhance your Avenza Maps experience!
Geofences
New in Avenza Maps 3.7, is Geofencing. These are virtual perimeters or boundaries that are set up around a geographic location. When you approach or leave one of the boundaries, the app triggers a notification on your device. You have the option to create geofences around features in any map including placemarks, tracks, lines, areas, layers, and even the map itself.
Geofences act as a location monitoring tool in order to keep track of your location without needing your phone in your hand at all times! With global geofence notification capability (a Pro feature), you can ensure that you never miss an alert because regardless of the map you have open, your global geofence will always be active.
Plot GPS Average
Pro users can increase the integrity and precision of location data by using the new Plot GPS Average tool to plot placemarks. The tool works by sampling your location over a period of time then deriving the average of the location samples and plotting a placemark on the map.
Map Versions
Avenza Map Store Publishers can now release updates directly to their existing products! Now when an update to one of your previously downloaded maps is released by the publisher, you will be notified in the app and prompted to install the newest version. The notification will appear as a button under the current map that says Update Available. We recommend updating your maps but if you would prefer not to, you can decline the upgrade and the update option disappears.
Any map data linked to the previous version will transfer to the new version of the map. So, if for example, you have a trail map that you use to collect your tracks or plot placemarks, you won’t lose a thing!
There are some big changes and improvements in this version of the app and we’re very excited about it. Our goal is always to ensure that Avenza Maps users can navigate safely and efficiently and collect data even more precisely in the app!
We released an update today, to MAPublisher, our well-known cartography plug-in for Adobe Illustrator. This version features support for the Equal Earth projection, has a new look and feel that more closely matches Adobe Illustrator’s interface and includes new options for importing geospatial data into Illustrator.
Equal Earth Projection
Our partners, Blue Marble Geographics, have added the Equal Earth Projection to their GeoCalc library, the system that we use for data reprojection and coordinate transformations. This projection is now available in MAPublisher 10.4.
Want an Equal Earth map to experiment with? You can download MAPublisher-enabled Adobe Illustrator files at equal-earth.com
Crop to Artboard
In MAPublisher 10.4, when a matching MAP View is found while using the Import or Copy MAP Objects From tools, you can now choose to crop the added data to an artboard’s extents. This same functionality is available when specifying the destination MAP View in Multiple Data Import. Furthermore, if you don’t want to add data to the existing MAP View, you now have the option to specify which artboard the incoming data will be added to.
New Look
We’ve changed the look of the MAPublisher tools and dialogs to match the colours, fonts, and styles of the Adobe Illustrator interface. So as you use the MAPublisher tools, it feels more like you are still using Illustrator – which of course, you are! The MAPublisher tool and dialog styles will also change to match any changes in the Illustrator interface preferences. Note that the interface changes only apply to Adobe Creative Cloud versions of Illustrator, not CS6.
MAPublisher 10.4 Release Notes
Support for Equal Earth projection
New options available to auto-crop data when importing or copying MAP objects
Enhanced user interface matching Adobe Illustrator interface preferences
We’re excited to announce the release of MAPublisher 10.3 for Adobe Illustrator. We’ve listened to your feedback and worked closely with our users to build features to improve map design and productivity. Stay tuned for more blog posts and other resources that go deeper into some of the new features. For now, here’s an overview:
MAPublisher 10.3
This update contains new features and performance improvements as well as fixes for reported issues. Some highlights are summarized below, for the full release notes see below.
Compatible with Adobe Illustrator CC 2019. We’re committed to providing the best GIS and cartography tools for building great quality maps in Adobe Illustrator. Improvements to our user interface to support high-resolution monitors, and this release is fully compatible with the latest Adobe Illustrator CC 2019 on both Windows (32-bit and 64-bit) and Mac.
Create Elevation Profile charts. An often-requested feature from our users, elevation data for points along a selected path can now be collected and displayed as an elevation profile in a highly customizable chart. The data is downloaded in real-time from a server (internet connection is required), which can then be customized to your liking using the available settings. Frequently used settings can even be saved for future use.
View data distribution when batch generating rules in MAP Themes and MAP LabelPro. When selecting a data classification in MAP Themes or MAP LabelPro, you now have the ability to see how it affects the data distribution in an interactive histogram and chart. Histograms are a great way to visualize continuous data in intervals and useful for large sets of data points.
Improved attribute capabilities in ‘Join’ tools. We have added many attribute management improvements to MAPublisher Join tools (Join Areas, Join Points, and Join Lines). You can now better manage how attributes are handled during a Join process, including the ability to calculate new attributes. We also added additional operations to help you better sort and calculate statistics from attributes.
MAPublisher 10.3 Release Notes
Compatible with Adobe Illustrator CC 2019
Create Elevation Profile charts
View data distribution when batch generating rules in MAP Themes and MAP LabelPro
Improved layer, attribute, and feature filtering and simplification capabilities
Toronto, ON, July 10, 2018 – Avenza Systems Inc., producers of the Avenza Maps® app for mobile devices and geospatial plug-ins for Adobe Creative Cloud, including Geographic Imager® for Adobe Photoshop®, is pleased to announce the release of MAPublisher® 10.2 for Adobe Illustrator.
This MAPublisher release improves on streamlining data import, specifically the ability to target specific layers, attributes, and features using filtering options and tools. In addition, requested features such as new format support and GeoJSON export are also included in this release.
“Over the past several quarters, we have reached out to numerous cartographers and GIS professionals to gain insight on map production workflows and best practices,” said Ted Florence, President of Avenza. “We’re learning a lot and excited to continuously work with the mapping community to support their efforts and projects to map this world using the MAPublisher tools they love.”
Enhancements and new features of MAPublisher 10.2
Filter layers and attributes with expressions on import
Simplify complex art on import
Import support for WFS 2.0 and AutoCAD 2018
Export support for GeoJSON and AutoCAD 2018
User interface and usability enhancements
More about MAPublisher for Adobe Illustrator
MAPublisher for Adobe Illustrator is powerful map production software for creating high-quality maps from GIS data. MAPublisher cartographic tools leverage the superior graphic design environment of Adobe Illustrator to manipulate features and produce print-ready, mobile, and online maps with accuracy and efficiency.
MAPublisher 10.2 is available free of charge to all MAPublisher users with currently active maintenance subscription and as an upgrade for non-maintenance users starting at US$599. New commercial licenses are available from US$1399. MAPublisher FME Auto and MAPublisher LabelPro are also available as add-ons starting at US$399 per license. Floating, volume and academic pricing 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. In addition to desktop software offerings for Mac and Windows users, Avenza offers product training, as well as the Avenza Maps app for selling, purchasing, distributing and using maps on iOS and Android mobile device in an iTune-like environment. Visit www.avenza.com for more details.
For further information contact Avenza Systems | 416-487-5116 | info@avenza.com | www.avenza.com
