iMapIt (in English): iMapIt V4 - Map Screen

General information about the map screen.

General concept

The iMapIt structures the collected information as follows:

Projects  Surveys  Surveys attributes and coordinates

Surveys are also called features.

A project is a set of surveys with a specific meaning. A ranch, for example. At the place you can make a series of surveys such as the path for getting there, the outline of the entire property, the outline of the house, the line defining the place of a fence you want to build, location of specific trees that you have found, etc. All will be measured for you. The outline of the property or house can be created as a closed polygon, so that you have its area. The path can be created as a line, so you will have its length. The trees you want to mark can be collected as points, which can be groups of points or just one of them. Polygons, lines and points can be differentiated with different fills, outlines, colors and types of pins, to facilitate their visualization and interpretation.

You can also export your project. The project is exported in its entirety. The file formats are compatible with many known software and will be described later.

Conceptually iMapIt uses the iPhone’s or iPad’s GPS to collect your position and save that coordinate in a feature. This is the only way to add points to a feature: in the field. Preferably without a roof. The GPS uses the visibility of some in orbit satellites to locate your position. The more satellites are visible, the better the accuracy of your surveys. On our blog there are specific articles on the survey’s accuracy with the iPhone.

The map screen

This is the main iMapIt screen.

It is the starting point for all application controls.

We will briefly describe the function of each button below.

Starting by the top:

Creates a new project;

Lists all already created projects and allows you to alternate between them;

The bottom part:

Depending on the size of your device, the button bar is scrollable, that is, you can scroll left to see the other buttons.

The functionality embedded in each button is as follows:

Tap on it to start the procedure to collecting coordinates.

Set of buttons to select the survey type

Each time you tap on one of them you switch the survey type to the next one, until you find the one you want to use.

Manual measurement - A coordinate will be collected when you tap the MapIt button. And only when you tap on it. The MapIt button only appears when you start the survey;

Automatic Survey by Time - The coordinates will be collected at a time interval measured in seconds. This interval in seconds can be changed on the settings screen;

Automatic Survey by Distance - The coordinates will be collected at each distance interval covered, in the defined standard unit (feet, meters, etc.). This distance range, as well as the standard units for areas and lengths, are defined in the settings screen;

Automatic Survey by Direction - When you are moving you may be walking in a straight line or start making some small changes in direction. There is an angle defined in the settings screen that defines the tolerance limit that iMapIt waits, from your movement curve, to collect a new coordinate. Initially the defined angle is 1^o 30’ (one degree and thirty minutes, or one and a half degrees). Every time you change the direction of your displacement by more than 1^o 30’ iMapIt will collect a new coordinate;

Automatic collections were created so that you can collect coordinates while you are on the move, without having to keep tapping the MapIt button. It works better while you are on the move. If you interrupt your displacement we suggest you to also interrupt the coordination collection by tapping on the Pause button, to avoid collecting unwanted coordinates. Even while you are collecting coordinates automatically, the MapIt button will be available for you to collect an additional coordinate if you want.

Set of buttons to select the feature type

These buttons define what feature type, or shape, you are going to collect.

Each time you tap on one of them you switch the feature type to the next one, until you find what you want to use.

To collect isolated points;

To collect lines, or concatenated points;

To collect areas, or closed polygons;

Set of buttons to select the map orientation

These buttons define whether the map is static or rotating to follow your movement.

Each time you click on one of them you switch the orientation type to the next one, until you find which you want to use.

Map locked. The map will always be fixed, with its top facing north, unless you rotate it with your own fingers;

Rotating map. The map will always point to the direction you are moving. The map rotates automatically.

Set of buttons to select the map view

These buttons define whether the map shown is schematic, that is, a drawn representation of the geographic layout around you, or whether satellite photos of your region are displayed.

Each time you click on one of them you switch the map view to the next type, until you find what you want to use.

Schematic map;

Map with satellite photos;

Set of buttons to alternate location view

These buttons define whether you will see all of your measurements at once on the map, or whether the map will be centered where you are currently positioned.