Monthly Archives: November 2022

How to add logos in OCAD

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In OCAD you can add raster logos in the Layout menu or you can import a vector PDF file.

Add raster logos

Raster logos can now be embedded directly in the OCAD file instead of just linking to the original file.

  • Embed: By embedding the raster images directly in the OCAD file, the file size increases accordingly. However, when passing on OCAD files, it is no longer necessary to ensure that the layout images are also supplied and saved in the correct folder.
  • Link: If your map contains layout images and you pass your file forward to another person, you need to ensure that the layout images are also supplied and saved in the correct folder, as they are not part of the OCAD file.

You can also select a linked image in the Layout object list and the Convert button becomes active. Press the Convert button and the selected image will be embedded.

In the best case the images are available as .png or.jpg files. Supported image files are also .bmp and .gif. Tiff files can be linked, but not embedded.

If there are only few and distinct colors with no color gradient, e.g. OCAD logo, the .png file is the best choice. Please note that PNG transparency is not supported. Save the logo as .jpg file if there are color gradients, e.g. IOF World Cup logo.

OCAD logo and IOF World Cup logo

The color model for layout images in OCAD is RGB. If you add raster logos, that are saved as CMKY logos, OCAD will convert the colors.

Make sure the raster images are not unnecessarily too large (e.g. some MB size). In this case, resampling before adding is recommended (e.g. in Paint or IrfanView).

More about the Layout menu.

Add vector logos

It is also possible to import logos in vector PDF format. In this case OCAD creates Image objects, which have the correct CMYK color values and can be scaled arbitrarily.

Check readability of orienteering maps directly

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The abundance of very precise data partly leads to the fact that orienteering maps become more detailed, whereby the readability of the maps may suffer.

In OCAD, it is now possible to check directly during drawing whether the drawn line or area object corresponds to the minimum dimension of the IOF. In the lower left corner of the screen, an indication appears whether the object has already fulfilled the minimum dimension or not. If this is the case, the indication appears green. If not, the indication appears red. In this case, an additional percentage indication shows by how much the object is too small.

Go to the OCAD Preferences > Drawing and Editing > Legibility to activate this function.

CheckIOFMinimumDimensions

Of course, there are always justified reasons to ignore the minimum dimensions. Nevertheless, this tool sensitizes you to draw objects large enough or to omit them for the sake of readability.

Together with the already available legibility halo, which reminds the user to leave enough space between adjacent objects, OCAD offers best support directly during drawing for well readable orienteering maps .

Reminder: Another tool to check the readability of orienteering maps is the Check Legibility function. This function also veryfies minimum distances between objects, minimum length of line objects or minimum size of area objects according to ISOM 2017. This tool can also be used by Event Advisers and Map Consultants that need to check a map.