Tag Archives: Canvas

Map Flip vs Map Exchange

3 Replies

In the Course Setting module of OCAD, a Map Flip or Map Exchange can be inserted into a course.

This opens up new advantages and possibilities when setting courses:

○ A course can be printed in A4 format instead of A3. (Example)
○ An (interesting) area can be used several times. (Example)
○ The course setter can surprise the runners with a route choice after the Map Flip/ Map Exchange.

Difference between Map Flip and Map Exchange

A Map Flip means, that the runner needs to turn the map over and continue the second part of the course on the backside of the map.

Course with Map Flip. The Map Flip symbol appears in the control description.

A Map Exchange means, that the runner needs to take a new map and continue the course on the new map.

Course with two Map Exchanges. The Map Exchange appears in the control description. There can be more than one Map Exchange during a course.

Both, Map Flip or Map Exchange, can be placed after a control or after a Marked Route.

In contrast to the Map Flip, where the runner can turn the map independently, the Map Exchange requires effort on the part of the organizer (e.g. map boxes, helpers, …). However, at a Map Exchange the runner can not read the course ahead on the backside, the paper format can be changed and the runners get a ‘fresh, undamaged’ map.

Export PDFs for Printing

If a Map Flip is added to a course and a PDF is exported, a single PDF file with two pages will be exported for double-sided printing. The front and back can contain the same or two different map extracts.

Single PDF file with two pages for double-Sided printing.

A Map Exchange creates two single-page PDFs. The paper format of the two PDFs can be different.

Two separate PDF files with one page each.

We recommended not printing courses with Map Flips and Map Exchanges directly from OCAD. Instead use the Canvas function to export PDFs and print them from Adobe Acrobat Reader. This is especially useful for larger course setting projects or if you want to assign different map extracts to the sub-courses.

○ Map Exchange with Canvas
○ Map Flip with Canvas
○ Demo data for Canvas

If there is a course with a Map Flip or Map Exchange, you can see that this course is split up into sub-courses (e.g. Map flip #1 and Map flip #2) in the Canvas dialog. You can add a different map extract for each sub-course if needed.

Use Backside for PDF Export

Leave a reply

With the latest OCAD Update the option Use backside for PDF export has been added.
This option allows you to export a PDF with two pages for double-sided printing.

In the Define Paper Size function of the Layout menu, there is now a tab to define a frontside and a backside for an extent. If the option Use backside for PDF export is activated in the Backside tab, an extent for the backside can be defined as well. This must have the same paper size (e.g. A4) as the frontside, but can cover a different a map extent.

Exporting double-sided PDF

In the Export dialog, you can then load the double-sided extent to export a PDF with two pages for double-sided printing.

In the Canvas function, you can choose between Frontside, Backside or double-sided if there is an extent with a backside defined. -> Example

Applications for double-sided printing

  • You can print the course title, start number, relay variant, … on the backside. -> Example
  • You can add a Map Flip to an orienteering course. This means that the runner has to flip the map to continue the course on the backside. This opens up new advantages and possibilities when setting courses:
    ○ A course can be printed in A4 format instead of A3. -> Example

○ An (interesting) area can be used several times. -> Example

How to print a double sided PDF?

Open and print the double-sided PDF in Adobe Reader, where you have the possibility to set the option Print on both sides of paper.

Canvas – Map Exchange and Map Flip now also supported

Leave a reply

The Canvas function now also supports Map Flip and Map Exchange.

If a Map Exchange (new map) or Map Flip (turn the map over) is inserted in a course, a different canvas can be assigned for each map extract in the canvas function.

Example

  • A Map Flip has been added to a course.
  • In the canvas function, two map extracts appear for this course (#1 and #2). The first map extract is assigned to Canvas East, the second to Canvas West.
  • When exporting, both map extracts are exported as PDF files.
  • PDF with first part of the course.
  • PDF with second part of the course after the Map Flip. Note that the map extract and map layout is different to the first part of the course.

The above example can be downloaded here as OCAD file together with other Canvas examples.

Canvas – Demo Video Available

Leave a reply

The Canvas function allows you to export PDF’s of the same course setting project in different scales and layouts.

What is it good for?

Well, you probably have a course setting project and need to export maps in different scales (e.g. 15’000, 10’000 and 7’500), different layouts (e.g. text control description and symbol control description) and paper size (e.g. A4 and A3). Not an easy task, especially when last minute changes come in and you have to re-export the course maps.

With the Canvas function, you can set up your layouts and settings in a quiet minute and only hit one button to export all course maps again in the correct way.

Demo video available

In this demo video (available in English or German), we give you an introduction to the Canvas function and show you how it can be used with practical examples such as…

  • Exporting course maps where some courses have a symbol control description and some courses have a text control description
  • Exporting course maps where some courses have a marked route
  • Exporting course maps at different scales and layouts, e.g. 1:15,000, 1:10,000 and 1:7,500