Map display customization
In Hydromagic, most of the screen space is taken up by the map display. This display shows, among other things, the background map, the hydrographic data collected and the location of your vessel. Extra information can also be added such as waypoints, comments, boundaries and planned lines. This document details how to further customize this display to suit your preferences.
The map display in Hydromagic showing the vessel position with distance rings and course line.
Select which items are shown
To select the items shown, open the global preferences dialog by selecting the "Preferences..." option from the "Tools" menu. In the dialog that appears, open the map display options by clicking the "Map" tab.
Customize the map display using the "Map" tab in the preferences dialog.
Distance Rings
With the 'Ring Count' option set to any value higher than zero, a set of rings will be drawn around the ship at fixed intervals. Use this function, for example, to see at a glance how far away objects are from the boat. Another useful option is to set the interval to the distance between survey lines for guidance. In addition to setting the distance between the rings and the number of rings, you can also choose a drawing color for the rings that is clearly visible against the background.
Distance rings around your GNSS position at a specified interval.
Course Line
The course line can be used to see where the vessel is going. Please note that the course line indicates the correct heading only when the NMEA0183 output of your GPS or RTK receiver outputs this information and the vessel is moving. Alternatively, a compass or RTK heading sensor can determine the correct course.
To display the course line, simply enable the "Show course line" option. In addition, you can set the line color and width to improve visibility.
Show map scale
By checking the "Show map scale" check box, the scale indicator can be included at the bottom-left of the screen. This scale indicator gives an idea of the zoom factor that is currently being used. This setting also applies when printing the map display content. The distance shown in the scale indicator is in horizontal units associated with the selected map coordinate system.
The map scale will be drawn in the lower-left corner of the display.
Show north indicator
The "north indicator" shows the true north of the map display. By default, the map view is always oriented to the north (rotated zero degrees), but changes when you rotate the map view using one of the tool bar buttons below. To include this indicator in the map view, check the "Show north indicator" check box. This setting also applies when printing the map display's content.
The map rotation buttons in the tool bar.
Show low frequency depths
In Hydromagic software versions earlier than 9.0, only the high frequency depth of the raw data or processed sounding was shown on the map. Now it is possible to display the low-frequency measured depths instead (when a dual-frequency echo sounder is used). Please note that this setting does not affect generated matrices as they are generated statically with only one frequency setting.
It is important to ensure that you disable this feature when loading a project that has been recorded with a single frequency echo sounder, otherwise, no depths will be visible.
Map background color
The background color setting allows you to choose the color seen behind objects such as waypoints, depths, maps, and other map attributes. However, this color cannot be seen behind raster maps that consist of image files such as maps downloaded with the map download tool.
However, when a vector map such as an AutoCAD DXF file, is used, it may sometimes be necessary to choose a different background color to make the map more visible. To adjust the color, click on the downward pointing arrow next to the colored area.
Map display background color set to yellow.
Vessel shape color and offsets
When the GPS antenna and the echo sounder transducer are not directly above each other, it is important to indicate the locations of these sensors relative to the boat. This can be done with the help of the "vessel designer" tool, which is described in more detail on the "Vessel shape and offsets" page.
If this does not apply to your vessel and you are happy with the default vessel shape, you can change the vessel shape color by clicking the downward-pointing arrow next to the colored area.
Customizing the way raw data files, soundings and matrices are displayed
Since it is possible in Hydromagic to set the presentation of raw data files, soundings and matrices separately, these settings cannot be found under the general map display settings. To set how these are displayed, right-click the relevant folder and select the 'Display Settings ...' option.
Video Tutorial
The following YouTube video tutorial shows how to customize the map display. Click below to play the video. When you like the video, please click the like button and subscribe so you will receive an update when new video tutorials on Hydromagic are uploaded.
This video demonstrates how to customize the way the vessel is displayed on the map.