McIDAS-X User's Guide
Version 2023.1

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MAP

Displays a map and latitude/longitude lines on a graphics frame.


Formats

MAP map color1 [keywords]
MAP map color1 LALO color2 [keywords]


Parameters

map

one of the map names listed below, or a predefined map name in the MAP.SITE or MAP.USER file; see the Remarks (default=SAT)

 

DEF

draws a map of the domain defined with the LAT and LON keywords using the projection specified with the PRO keyword; uses the US*.MAP files if the STATE, COUNTY, or ZONE keyword is specified, otherwise uses the OUTLSUPU map file for the continental USA, OUTLUSAM for North America, and OUTLHRES for all other areas

 

EUR

draws a map of Europe's coastal and political boundaries; latitude=20 80, longitude=-60 30; uses map files OUTLSUPW and OUTLHPOL

 

EURB

draws a map of Europe's political boundaries; latitude=20 80, longitude=-60 30; uses map file OUTLHPOL

 

EURO

draws a map of Europe's coastal boundaries; latitude=20 80, longitude=-60 30; uses map file OUTLSUPW

 

H

draws a map of North America's coastal and political boundaries contained in the frame's preexisting navigation; uses map file OUTLUSAM

 

L

draws a map of the world's coastal boundaries contained in the frame's preexisting navigation; uses map file OUTLHRES

 

LALO

draws latitude/longitude lines using the frame's preexisting navigation

 

MID

draws a map of the U.S. Midwest; latitude=35.7 50.4, longitude=81.2 104.6; uses map file OUTLUSAM

 

NA

draws a map of North America's coastal boundaries; latitude=5 80, longitude=55 179; uses map file OUTLSUPW

 

PO Abbrev

draws a map of the U.S. state identified by its two-letter state post office abbreviation; uses map file OUTLUSAM for AK, OUTLSUPU for all other states

 

POLI

draws a map of world political boundaries; uses map file OUTLHPOL

 

PRC

draws a map of Asia's coastal boundaries; latitude=15 55, longitude=-145 -65; uses map file OUTLSUPW

 

PRCB

draws a map of Asia's political boundaries; latitude=15 55, longitude=-145 -65; uses map file OUTLHPOL

 

SAT

draws a map of the locations contained in the frame's preexisting navigation; uses the US*.MAP files if the STATE, COUNTY, or ZONE keyword is specified, otherwise uses the appropriate OUTL* file for the map's geographic region

 

USA

draws a map of the continental USA; latitude=23 56, longitude=66 126; uses map file OUTLUSAM

 

VH

draws a map of continental USA's coastal and political boundaries contained in the frame's preexisting navigation; uses map file OUTLSUPU

 

WIS

draws a map of Wisconsin; latitude=41 48, longitude=85 95; uses map file OUTLSUPU

 

WORL

draws a map of the world's coastal boundaries; used with the pseudo-Mercator projection; uses map file OUTLSUPW

color1

graphics color level for the map; use positive numbers for solid lines, negative numbers for dashed lines, or zero (0) to suppress map drawing (default=value specified for the MCOLOR keyword in the MAP.USER /.SITE /.CORE text file; the value is set to 1 in MAP.CORE for all maps except EUR, which is set to 1 for coastal boundaries and -1 for political boundaries)

LALO

draws latitude/longitude lines with a map (default=does not draw lines)

color2

graphics color level for latitude/longitude lines; use positive numbers for solid lines and negative numbers for dashed lines (default=2)


Keywords

ACC=

accuracy for the latitude/longitude lines; the range is 1 to 10 (default=4)

BOX=

YES color

draws a box around the map in the specified graphics color level (default for all except SAT, L, H, VH and X; default color=1)

 

NO

does not draw a box

COUnty=

c1 . . cN

list of counties to draw; use the STATE keyword to limit counties to a specified state; the county name must be in single quotes if it contains spaces, do not include punctuation, for example, specify 'ST LUCIES' for St. Lucie's county; you cannot use the COUNTY keyword with the ZONE or MARINE keywords; see the Remarks

 

ALL

draw all counties

 

NONE

draw no counties (default)

DAShset=

dlength gcolor glength

sets dashed line characteristics when a negative number is specified for color1 or color2

 

 

dlength

length of dashes (default=current GD command setting)

 

 

gcolor

graphics color level of gaps in dashed lines; specify 255 for transparent (default=current GD command setting)

 

 

glength

length of gaps (default=current GD command setting)

DOMain=

YES

draw all borders in the map's domain using the selected or specified OUTL* file in addition to drawing the borders specified in the COUNTY, STATE and ZONE keywords (default=NO, meaning draw only the borders specified in the COUNTY, STATE and ZONE keywords)

ELE=

min max

TV element extents (default depends on frame size)

FILe=

name of the map file used to determine the map's detail and components (default=appropriate OUTL* file for the map's geographic region); the following map files are supplied with McIDAS-X:

File Name Comparitive Resolution Geographical Coverage
OUTLANT high Antarctica
OUTLARST high Argentinian states
OUTLAUSS high Australian states
OUTLAUST high Australian region
OUTLAUSW very high Australia's Lake Eyre
OUTLEURO high European region
OUTLHPOL medium world political boundaries
OUTLHRES high world coastal boundaries
OUTLSUPU very high USA with states and major waterways
OUTLSUPW medium world coastal boundaries
OUTLUSAM high North America with states and provinces

GRA=

f1 . . fN

graphics frame number(s) to display the output; see the Remarks (default=current)

IMA=

image frame number to use for navigation (default=current)

INT=

lat lon

intervals for latitude/longitude lines (default=computed)

LABel=

scheme clat clon card
defines the format and colors of latitude and longitude labels (default=WESTPOS 5 4 NO)

 

 

scheme

labeling scheme; specify one of the five options below; see Remarks for details
WESTPOS - Western longitudes positive, Eastern longitudes negative
EASTPOS - Eastern longitudes positive, Western longitudes negative
ALLPOS - all latitudes and longitudes positive
360E - longitudes 0 - 360, with values increasing eastward
360W - longitudes 0 - 360, with values increasing westward

 

 

clat

graphics color level for latitude labels (default=5)

 

 

clon

graphics color level for longitude labels (default=4)

 

 

card

specify YES or NO as described below
YES - includes cardinal directions (N, S, E, W) with latitude and longitude labels
NO - does not include cardinal directions (default)

 

NO

 

does not label latitude and longitude lines

LAT=

lat1 lat2

latitudes of the points at the lower-right and upper-left corners of the map (default=-90 90 for DEF maps with mercator projection)

LIN=

min max

TV line extents (default depends on frame size)

LLInset=

slat nlat elon wlon lat_int lon_int line_col
draws latitude and longitude lines within the specified inset region, where:

 

 

slat

southern latitude of inset region

 

 

nlat

northern latitude of inset region

 

 

elon

eastern longitude of inset region

 

 

wlon

western longitude of inset region

 

 

lat_int

spacing interval for latitude lines (default=computed)

 

 

lon_int

spacing interval for longitude lines (default=computed)

 

 

line_col

graphics color level of inset lat/lon lines (default=color level of main lat/lon lines if they are requested; otherwise default=2)

LLMark=

YES lat lon color size sym
draws symbols, letters or numbers at lat/lon intersections determined by lat and lon, where:

 

 

lat

latitude interval (default=calculated)

 

 

lon

longitude interval (default=calculated)

 

 

color

graphics color level (default=color of lat/lon lines or 2 if lat/lon lines are not requested)

 

 

size

height of symbols in pixels; the range is 3-30 in multiples of 3 (default=6)

 

 

sym

symbol, letter or number to draw (default=+)

 

NO

 

does not draw symbols at lat/lon intersections (default)

LON=

lon1 lon2

longitudes of the points at the lower-right and upper-left corners of the map; if you choose a CONF projection and specify SCALE, you cannot specify values for lat2 and lon2; if you specify only lat1 and lon1, the map is centered at that point; defaults for SAT projections are the range taken from the image or map geographical limits; for CONF and MERC projections, defaults are latitude -90 to +90, longitude -180 to +180

LSIze=

height of latitude and longitude labels in pixels (default=7)

MARine=

m1 . . mN

list of marine regions to draw, or used to limit the ZONE keyword; use one or more of the 2-letter abbreviations below, ALL or NONE; you cannot use both the MARINE and COUNTY keywords; see the Remarks

 

 

 

valid abbreviations are:

AM Atlantic - mid AN

Atlantic - North

GM Gulf of Mexico LC Lake St. Claire
LE Lake Erie LH Lake Huron
LM Lake Michigan LO Lake Ontario
LS Lake Superior PH Pacific - Hawaii
PK Pacific - Alaska PZ Pacific Zone
SL St. Lawrence River    
       
ALL use all marine regions
NONE draw no marine regions (default

PRO=

CONF

draws the map in a polar stereographic or general Lambert conformal projection; see the Projections section in the Remarks

 

MERC

draws the map in a pseudo-Mercator projection (default for all maps except SAT, H, VH, L and LALO)

 

SAT

draws the map using the frame's preexisting navigation (default if map is not specified, or map is SAT, H, VH, L or LALO)

SCAle=

map scale for a CONF projection; scale values in the range up to 1000 are multiplied by 1,000,000 (default=no scale)

SLAt=

lat1 lat2

standard latitudes for PRO=CONF projection; enter one value for a polar stereographic projection or two values for a general Lambert conformal projection (lat1 default=60 if the center of the map is in the Northern Hemisphere, -60 if it's in the Southern Hemisphere; lat2 default=lat1); see the Projections section in the Remarks

SLOn=

standard longitude for a CONF projection only (default is computed)

SPAn=

LOW

low line-spanning tolerance; use this keyword if your MAP command draws extra lines with the map

 

MED

medium line-spanning tolerance (default)

 

HIGH

high line-spanning tolerance; use this keyword if your MAP command draws a map with missing line segments

STate=

s1 . . sN

list of states to draw, or used to limit the COUNTY or ZONE keyword; use the 2-letter state post office abbreviation; see the Remarks

 

ALL

use all states (default if the COUNTY or ZONE keyword is specified and the MARINE keyword is not specified)

 

NONE

draw no states (default in all other cases)

WIDth=

graphics line width (default=value specified for the WIDTH keyword in the MAP.USER /.SITE /.CORE text file; the value is set to X for all maps in MAP.CORE, meaning use the current GD command setting)

ZONe=

z1 . . zN

list of National Weather Service state and/or marine zone numbers to draw; use the STATE and/or MARINE keyword to limit zones to the specified states and/or marine regions; you cannot use both the ZONE and COUNTY keywords; see the Remarks

 

ALL

draw all NWS zones (default if the MARINE keyword is specified)

 

NONE

draw no NWS zones (default if the MARINE keyword is not specified)


Remarks

The MAP command uses two sets of map files. The US*.MAP files (for example, USCOUNTY.MAP) are used only when the STATE, COUNTY, MARINE or ZONE keyword is specified. The OUTL* files (for example, OUTLSUPU) are used in all other cases. The US*.MAP files include all U.S. counties and National Weather Service zones and marine regions, and slightly different state boundaries than the OUTL* files. The US*.MAP files are derived from the National Weather Service AWIPS Map Database (http://www.nws.noaa.gov/geodata/).

If you want to draw a map using the frame's current navigation, specify L, H, VH or SAT (or X, since SAT is the default) for the map parameter. For example, running MAP with no parameters or keywords draws a map using the frame's navigation. MAP SAT STATE=KS draws the state of Kansas if it's present in the frame's navigation.

If you want to draw a map that defines new navigation for the frame, specify one of the predefined maps (for example, MID, USA, WORL) or DEF for the map parameter. The LAT and LON keywords define the domain for the DEF map. If you also include the STATE, COUNTY, ZONE or MARINE keyword, only the specified states, counties, zones or marine regions are drawn, if they're in the domain.

The STATE, COUNTY, ZONE, and MARINE keywords are used to draw only the specified states, counties, zones and marine regions using the US*.MAP files. These keywords do NOT define the map's domain. Domain is defined with the positional parameter map, using a predefined map, SAT, MID, USA, for example, or using DEF with the LAT and LON keywords. For example, MAP MID STATE=IA defines a domain consisting of the Midwest, but only draws the state of Iowa. If you then run MAP SAT STATE=ALL, all states in the domain are drawn using the USSTATE.MAP file.

When you specify the COUNTY or ZONE keyword, only the counties or zones are drawn; the outlines of the states and/or marine regions they're in are not drawn. Specify the STATE keyword without the COUNTY or ZONE keywords to draw state outlines. Specify the MARINE keyword without the ZONE keyword to draw marine region outlines and the zones within them.

You can specify a single frame or multiple frames in the GRA keyword using the list format (frame1 frame2 frame3. .) and the range format (bframe-eframe). For example, a map is displayed on frames 1 through 5 with any of the following: GRA=1 2 3 4 5, GRA=1-5, GRA=1 2-4 5.

Frame-oriented maps (H, L, LALO, SAT, or VH in the map parameter) always use the navigation of the single frame specified in the IMA keyword, even if multiple frames are specified in the GRA keyword.

If you have multiple panels on a frame, you can display maps on a range of panels by specifying beginning and ending panel numbers with the global keyword PAN. For example, MAP NA PAN=1 4 draws a map of North America on panels 1 through 4. If you specify a frame-oriented map (H, L, LALO, SAT, or VH) in the map parameter and a range in the PAN keyword, the maps may be different because each uses the navigation of the panel it's drawing to. For example, MAP H PAN=2 4 draws a map on panel 2 using the navigation for panel 2, draws a map on panel 3 using the navigation for panel 3, and draws a map on panel 4 using the navigation for panel 4.

The coverages, projections, colors and line widths for the predefined maps listed in the map parameter (EUR, EURB, EURO, MID, NA, POLI, PRC, PRCB, USA, WIS, WORL, and the 50 two-letter state post office abbreviations) are set in the text files MAP.CORE, MAP.SITE, and MAP.USER. The .CORE file is supplied with McIDAS-X and should not be modified. The .USER file overrides the .SITE file, which overrides the .CORE file. This order of precedence allows you or your site to change existing settings and/or add new maps in your .USER or .SITE file. To create a .USER or .SITE file, copy the .CORE file from ~mcidas/data to your $HOME/mcidas/data directory (or another MCPATH directory) and edit the existing predefined maps and/or add new ones.


Labels

The LABEL keyword defines the format and colors of the map's latitude and longitude labels. LABEL=NO omits the labels. The five options for the scheme parameter are described below.


Projections

The pseudo-Mercator projection has equidistant latitude lines; otherwise it is the same as a true Mercator projection. The Lambert conformal projection includes polar stereographic projection as a special case. If you enter only one positive SLAT value or if you accept the default of 60°, the projection is polar stereographic with the North Pole as the origin of projection. If you enter only one negative value for SLAT, the origin of the polar stereographic projection is the South Pole. You must enter two SLAT values to obtain a general Lambert conformal projection. If SLAT1 + SLAT2 > 0, the North Pole is the origin of projection. If SLAT1 + SLAT2 < 0, the South Pole is the origin of projection.

For some values of keywords LAT, LON, SLON and SLAT, the area defined cannot be found. If this happens, an error message is displayed and the program stops. Use SLON for CONF projections only. The default value is computed by assuming that the standard meridian is located in the middle of a box set by two points and is parallel to the left and right edges of the TV screen. If a map is centered, the default SLON is equal to LON.


Examples

The examples below are divided into four groups that include satellite, pseudo-Mercator, polar stereographic and general Lambert conformal projections.


Satellite Projection

MAP VH -7 DASHSET=2 255 8

This entry draws a high-resolution map in graphics color level 7 with dashed lines. The dashes are each two pixels in length with gaps of eight pixels between the dashes.

MAP VH GRA=1-12

This entry draws a high resolution map on graphics frames 1 through 12. The map is identical in all 12 frames because it uses the navigation for the current image frame.

MAP VH IMA=1 GRA=1-12

This entry draws a high resolution map on graphics frames 1 through 12. The map is identical in all 12 frames because it uses the navigation for image frame 1.

MAP X 5 LALO 6 INT=5 10

This entry draws a map on a satellite image in graphics color level 5. It draws latitude/longitude lines in graphics color level 6 and labels them. The interval for latitude lines is 5°. The interval for longitude lines is 10°.

MAP USA X LALO LABEL=NO

This entry draws a high resolution USA map and latitude/longitude lines without labels.

MAP STATE=OH IN

This entry draws the states of Ohio and Indiana, if they're present in the current frame navigation.

MAP COUNTY=DANE 'ST CROIX' COLUMBIA STATE=WI

This entry draws Wisconsin's Dane, St. Croix, and Columbia counties, if they're present in the current frame navigation. Note that St. Croix must be specified without a period and must be enclosed in quotes because of the space in the county name.

IMGDISP MET/FD LATLON=0 0 MAG=-5 BAND=8; MAP; MAP X 2 FILE=OUTLHPOL

These entries display band 8 of the most recent image in dataset MET/FD, then draw the world coastal boundaries and the world political boundaries contained in the newly-displayed image. The coastal boundaries are drawn in the default graphics color level and the political boundaries are drawn in graphics color level 2.


Pseudo-Mercator Projection

MAP AK X LALO

This entry draws a map of Alaska and latitude/longitude lines with labels.

MAP EURO 2; MAP EURB X LALO

This entry draws a map of Europe with coastal and political boundaries.

MAP MN 3 STATE=ALL WIDTH=2
MAP X -3 COUNTY=ALL DASHSET=1 255 4

The first entry defines a map domain of Minnesota and its surrounding states, then draws the states in graphics color level 3 with a line width of two pixels. The second entry draws all counties (in all states) present in the current frame navigation (defined by the first entry) in graphics color level 3 with dotted lines.

MAP MID 3 STATE=IA ZONE=6 19 34

This entry defines a map domain of the Midwest, but only draws Iowa's National Weather Service zones 6, 19, and 34 in graphics color level 3. If DOMAIN=YES is also specified, the states in the domain (the Midwest) are also drawn, using the OUTLUSAM map file.

MAP WORL 7; MAP X 8 FILE=OUTLHPOL

These entries draw a map of the world coastal boundaries in graphics color level 7, and the world political boundaries in graphics color level 8.

MAP AR COUNTY=FAULKNER WHITE CRAWFORD MADISON 'VAN BUREN' CARROLL NEWTON BOONE STATE=AR

This entry defines a map domain of Arkansas and its surrounding states, but only draws the eight Arkansas counties listed with the COUNTY keyword. Note that Van Buren is enclosed in single quotes because of the space in the county name.

MAP DEF STATE=AZ COUNTY=MARICOPA GILA LAT=31 37 LON=107 117
MAP VH 2

The first entry defines a map domain of the specified latitude and longitude range, but only draws Arizona's Maricopa and Gila counties. The second entry draws all states in the map domain in graphics color level 2.


Polar Stereographic Projection

MAP WI PRO=CONF

This entry draws a map of Wisconsin in conformal projection.

MAP LALO PRO=CONF LAT=0 70 LON=90 -90

This entry draws latitude/longitude lines and labels for the specified North American region.

MAP DEF X LALO PRO=CONF LAT=30 45 LON=90 110 SLON=100 FILE=OUTLSUPU

This entry draws a map and latitude/longitude lines for a region with the specified latitude/longitude range and standard longitude. The map is drawn using the OUTLSUPU very high resolution map file. In this case, the map file can also be chosen by specifying VH as the first parameter (instead of DEF) and omitting the FILE=OUTLSUPU keyword.

MAP X X LALO PRO=CONF LAT=-20 -20 LON=0 180

This entry draws a map of the northern hemisphere with the North Pole as the origin of projection.

MAP X X LALO PRO=CONF LAT=20 20 LON=0 180 SLAT=-60

This entry draws a map of the southern hemisphere with the South Pole as the origin of projection.

MAP X X LALO PRO=CONF LAT=-90 SLAT=-90 LON=0 SCALE=23

This entry draws a map of Antarctica with latitude and longitude lines and a scale of 1:23,000,000. The map can be rotated 180 degrees by changing LON=0 to LON=180.

MAP X X LALO PRO=CONF LAT=-5 -35 LON=-115 -170 SLAT=-60

This entry draws a map of Australia with latitude/longitude lines and labels in the projection centered at the South Pole.

MAP X X LALO PRO=CONF LAT=-60 0 LON=-70 -145 SLAT=-60 SLON=140

This entry produces the same map of Australia but rotates it by 90° so that the South Pole is located at the right of the frame.


Lambert Conformal Projection

MAP PRO=CONF LAT=20 60 LON=70 165 SLAT=40 60

This entry draws a Lambert conformal map of the United States.

MAP X X LALO PRO=CONF LAT=40 70 LON=150 -150 SLAT=40 60

This entry draws a map of the Alaska region. In the Lambert conformal projection, the map splits but the information is complete.

MAP X X LALO PRO=CONF LAT=-15 LON=-135 SLON=180 SCALE=25 SLAT=-60 -40

This entry draws a map of Australia with latitude and longitude lines.


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