We are delighted to announce another milestone in the development of OCAD.
The OCAD App is now available as a beta version!
With the OCAD App, we are taking map making on mobile devices to a new level. While the previous OCAD Sketch App only allowed you to sketch, the new OCAD App enables you to edit the entire map. There are also many improvements to make mapping in the field even more ergonomic and efficient.
Discover the OCAD App at www.ocad.com/app.
We repeatedly receive support requests from users who want to reactivate OCAD on a new computer.
OCAD Single User licenses can be activated independently on a new device, even if the old device is no longer accessible!
Simply install OCAD on the new device and start the activation process. During the activation process you will see on which devices the Single User license has been activated and you will have the option to deactivate the license on another device.
You can then complete the activation process yourself.
Reminder: Transfer of OCAD Team licenses
For OCAD Team licenses, we recommend to set the option Deactivate this license automatically when closing OCAD in the License Manager tool in the Help menu,
If a Team license got stuck somewhere (e.g. hard disk failure, license transfer has not worked correctly or due to an inactive user), use the Transfer form on our website. We will reset the license so it can be installed and activated again on a new device.
We interviewed Janne Weckman, one of the World Orienteering Championship mapper in Finland and long-time OCAD partner, to gain insights into his working methods.
The World Orienteering Championships (WOC) took place in Kuopio, Finland from 8-12 July. Together with Timo Joensuu, Janne was responsible for the entire map making work.
Janne, could you start by providing us with some key figures relating to the maps for the 2025 World Orienteering Championship?
Timo and I started mapping in 2022. In total, including training maps, the 2024 World Cup maps and the 2025 World Championship maps, we mapped around 50 km2, of which just under 20 km2 were for the World Championships. I estimate 3-4 days of work per square kilometer, which amounts to a total of about 200 working days. Fortunately, it didn’t rain too often, so we made good progress.
What is a typical day in the field like?
On a survey day, I spend around eight hours in the field with a short lunch break.
I try to be systematic when mapping and plan the route I want to take in advance. This is also important because parking spaces can be hard to find, and good planning helps to avoid walking long distances through areas that have already been mapped.
What equipment do you use?
I work with a Panasonic Toughpad and draw the map directly in the field. In addition, I spend up to an hour in the evening optimizing the drawing. This is the most efficient way for me.
To determine my position, I use a professional GNSS receiver (CHC i80), which I store in my backpack. This provides me with precise positioning.
Which OCAD feature do you particularly appreciate?
I place a lot of value on good map legibility, so once the map is finished, Is use the Check Legibility feature to check the minimum dimensions of objects and the minimum distances between them.
Were many revisions necessary before the map went to print?
Fortunately not. We finished creating the maps last year, and only spent four days in Kuopio this spring updating them. As the World Championship site was a forest reserve, no forestry work was carried out. Apart from a minor storm last year, we mainly updated the maps based on feedback from course setters and officials.
You created the maps together with Timo Joensuu. How did you work together?
Timo and I have very similar mapping styles. We therefore divided up the area and each mapped their own part. We checked the critical locations (such as control locations) for each other.
As a professional mapmaker, what advice would you give to amateur cartographers?
There are always different opinions about maps, and no map is perfect.
However, it is certainly important that cartographers know and apply the ISOM, especially with regard to the legibility of the map. Ultimately, creating good maps requires the same qualities as succeeding in sport: training and passion.
One last question: We can hardly imagine it, but were you nervous before the World Championship races?
No, I wasn’t nervous at all. I was also involved in the World Championships as a pre-runner and control setter, so I knew that everything was as good as it could be. And looking back, everything went smoothly.
Janne, thank you very much for your time and your commitment to OCAD.
About Janne Weckman:
Janne Weckmann is our long-standing OCAD partner in Finland and assists us with sales and support. The former top orienteering runner works throughout Europe as a professional mapmaker and is known for his generalized and high-quality maps. His club is organizing the Jukola in 2026, with Janne as the map maker, of course.
WOC Maps:
Long distance Women |Long distance Men | Relay Women | Relay Men
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.
A Map Exchange means, that the runner needs to take a new map and continue the course on the new map.
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.
A Map Exchange creates two single-page PDFs. The paper format of the two PDFs can be different.
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
For the start of the spring orienteering season, we have revised our short and concise tutorial Getting Started with Course Setting in OCAD.
Here are 10 tips for your next course setting project. Do you know them all?
#01 Encrypted OCAD File
A map file must be loaded as a background map in your Course Setting project. If possible, this should be an OCAD file (.ocd) and not a PNG, JPG or PDF file. If an OCAD file needs to be made available to an external person, it can also be saved as an encrypted .eocd file to restrict misuse
#02 The Difference between Courses and Classes
In OCAD you can either work with courses only or you can use classes and courses. Different classes may use the same course, e.g., course A -> class W18, W16, M16; course B -> class W14, M14, Open Short. If you set courses for a training or small competition, it’s enough to define courses only. If you set courses for a competition with several courses/classes, you should also define classes.
#03 Quickly set a Course
The Compose Course tool is a very easy and intuitive tool to set and edit courses. First click adds a start object, each additional click adds a control point and double click adds a finish object to the map and the course.
#04 Marked Route with Map Issue Point
The map issue point is often used incorrectly, so here is a guide on how to use the map issue point correctly:
Firstly, draw a marked route to the start point. The marked route should end at the start point and not begin there.
Select the marked route and insert a Corner Vertex (red square below) to mark the position of the map issue point.
#05 Cut Control Circles and Connection Lines
Control circles: Select a control circle and use shortcut CTR+G to cut a gap. Click on the same position again to close the gap.
Connecting line: Select a connecting line and select the shortcut CTR+G to cut the connecting line. Right-click again on the connection line to reset it.
OCAD Wiki
#06 Evaluate your Courses with the Route Analyzer
You can use the Route Analyzer to find out the distance and estimated running time for various routes. The Route Analyzer can be used for all types of course setting projects (forest, urban, Ski-O, MTBO-O).
#07 Use the Canvas function to export PDFs
The Canvases function is a great advantage if you need to export PDFs in different scales and/or layouts. For example, courses in the scales 7’500, 10’000 and 15’000 can be exported as A4 portrait and A3 landscape format with one single click.
#08 Upload Courses to Livelox
Do you already upload your courses to Livelox? Livelox is a very popular web-based application for viewing and analyzing routes and maps from orienteering events. Let others see your great courses and runners upload their GPS-tracks.
#09 Export Courses to the Sketch App
If you want to check the control positions in the field or put out the controls, the use of the OCAD Sketch App is highly recommended. The GPS position gives you additional security in the terrain whether you are at the right control site or not. Also, you can capture map corrections and notes on your mobile device for yourself or send them directly to the controller, map maker or event adviser.
#10 New Training Ideas
It doesn’t always have to be a ‘normal course’. Bring some variety to the weekly club trainings and discover new exercises on our OCAD-Wiki page O-training with OCAD.
