FAQ: Editor
Editable Map
How is this map different than the other map?
It is the same map, with mostly the same controls. However, now you can edit the drawings and properties on the map. What appears when I mouse over a property?
Property specific information is given when you hover over a property. This can help you quickly determine if a property is the one you are looking for and whether there is already information saved for that property. or if you should add what you know. Check out the properties in your neighborhood and if you know information that is not already there, add it.

How do I select an existing property for editing?
Click on the property you wish to edit, and it will become highlighted in yellow.

Double click on the property, and a number of round circles (we call them handles) will appear. A handle is drawn at each corner, plus one in the center of the property. These handles are used for editing.

How do I move a selected property?
Drag the property using the center handle. Click Save or hit Enter when you have placed it in the desired location.

How do I change the shape or size of the selected property?
Drag handles on the border of the property to edit the shape. The handles are no present, click the property so that the handles appear.

To create new corners for oddly-shaped properties, click and drag one of the light-colored handles that are positioned between each corner handle. This will create a new corner. Drag each of the corners to indicate the full extent of the property, using the satellite image as a guide.

I see my house in the satellite image, but there is no house number. Can I add a new property?
You can do this manually or you can do it with the House Wizard . But please read the instructions below before adding anything. We don't want to get ahead of ourselves now! We appreciate your dedication to making this the best map in the world, this is an important contribution our users can make.

First make sure the property you are about to create isn't already on the map at the wrong location. If you are creating a property that has an address, turn on the labels (click the labels on button), and note the building numbers along the street. If you are trying to add #12 Mulberry Lane, and you see #'s 8, 10, and 14 all in a row, then it is safe to add #12. Note that properties with businesses may be labeled with just a business name, but if you click on it you should see the address displayed in the At a Glance box.

Before adding a property, make sure there is room for it on the map. Select and move any of the neighboring properties that have been incorrectly located on the map. Try to place them on their correct location, so it will be easier for you, or someone else, to edit them in the future. And while you're at it, edit your neighbors' properties.

The satellite image isn't clear enough. How can I make it easier to see?
At any time, even while editing a shape, you may:

1. Zoom closer using the zoom bar on the left.
2. Change the intensity of the satellite image or map by using the fader bar on the right.

Drawing Controls
Where are the Drawing controls?
The controls used to edit the map are on the right side of the screen.

The top-level tabs enable you to select the type of editing or additions you are going to make to the map. Depending up which tab you select, you will have different options and there are different procedures for use. The options are:

Select/Edit Mode: Use this option to edit building properties. You can adjust the shape and appearance of any property you are familiar with. You can also add textures for grass, flowers, trees, sidewalks, etc. You can make these changes for any structure, including schools, parks, houses of worship, workplaces, and homes.

Wizard: Use this feature to build a property quickly and place it on the map. After you have done this, you can use the Select/Edit Mode to add detail. See below for instructions.

Neighborhood/Campus: Use this to define the boundaries of regions of the map that might include more than one building or structure, such as neighborhoods.

How do I draw a new property?
1. Find the area of the map on which you wish to place your house.
2. Choose the Select/Edit Mode by clicking the tab with that title.
3. Click the Draw Property button on the top left of the editor.
4. Now you can draw the shape of the new property by clicking on the map to indicate each corner of the structure. Double-click the last corner to complete the shape.
5. Select the type of property you are drawing from among the Property Info tabs on the bottom of the editor.
6. Click Save to redraw the map. Note the addition of the new property.

For property types that have real street addresses, double click the new property outline. This will bring an editable information box to the bottom of the editor.
1. Click the Edit link next to Address, and select the section of roadway this property abuts. Be careful to choose the appropriate address range and pay attention to odd/even ranges (House #12 should be placed in address range [2-20], not [1-19]). If the correct section of roadway is not available, choose a road section with the correct name, even if the number range is wrong. If there is no road that matches the correct name, do not save an address for this property, and let us know about the missing street name by sending an email to datamaster@zoomatlas.com.
2. Enter the exact house number in the box provided.
3. Click Save to redraw the map. Note the addition of a number on the property.

There is a lot more that can be done. The rest is up to you!

How do I use the Wizard functions?
The wizard functions are provided to guide you through creating new properties. The wizard is a step-by-step, fool proof way to edit an address for the first time. We have provided the wizards so you can quickly and easily get the basics of a property (address, location, orientation, shape and texture) entered into the system so you can work on the fun stuff.

We are quite confident that once you get started with the House Wizard, you wont be able to stop. After you see the roof of your house, you are going to want to draw your yard. And then you'll need to draw your flowerbeds. And then, heck, might as well see what your backyard would look like with that jacuzzi you have been thinking about. Even though you will probably be able to do it with no instructions, here are step-by-step instructions to walk you through the House Wizard:
1.Click the House Wizard tab.
2. Enter an address in the Search Bar. You can only use the wizard to work on an address that has never been edited. We don't want to overwrite anyone's work! If the address you want to build qualifies, pressing enter will bring you to the next step. The map will be automatically set to show the satellite image and not the map information. This will help you to place and draw the property.
3. Drag the map so the magnifying glass is over the satellite image of the property you are drawing. This will let you place the property in the correct location. Click Next.
4. Adjust the size and orientation of the house you are building with the arrows that appear on the map. You will probably want to adjust those to match the satellite picture. Click Next.
5. Now you have several house shape and roof texture options. Select the house style and roofing material that best matches the property. When you are finished, click Done.

Once you are finished using the wizard, your new house should appear. Have fun adding more detail!

How do I add a feature or detail to a property?
Use the Select/Edit Mode to edit building properties. You can adjust the shape and appearance of any property you are familiar with. You can also add textures for grass, flowers, trees, sidewalks, etc. You can make these changes for any structure, including schools, parks, houses of worship, workplaces, and homes.

This is an easy process once you get the hang of it. Below are step-by-step instructions that describe how to change the shape of a basic house property and add a feature detail (for example a flower bed in the front yard or a pool in the backyard). If you need to add the property first, see add a house FAQ.
1. Click once on the property, ensuring that the outermost border is highlighted in yellow.
2. Drag the corners of the property to reflect the land that belongs to the property.
3. Click the Draw Shape button to select the drawing tool. When selected, the button will look like it has been pressed down.
4. Start drawing your shape by using the crosshair to click a spot on the map corresponding to one corner of the feature you plan to draw. Trace the shape in either a clockwise or counterclockwise direction, clicking at each corner, in order, and you will see the shape of the object start to appear. Don't worry about hitting every minute detail, you will be able to re-edit this shape as much as you want to get it perfect.
5. When you get to the last corner, double-click the mouse to close the shape
6. Select the type of feature from among the Styler tabs.
7. Select the feature appearance from the texture palate.
8. Click Save or press Enter. Thats it! The map will reload and the feature you have drawn should appear!

Thanks for the compliment, but my grass isn't that perfect. How do I change the appearance of the property?
To choose a property background material (we like to call them textures), simply select the property and then pick a material from the Styler. If the property is currently covered with grass, for example, the Styler will show you the different grass choices. As you move your cursor over each graphic, you will see a description of the type of grass that choice represents. Just click on your selection and hit Enter or the Save button to save your selection and update the map.

If you want to select a different category of texture, select another tab from within the Styler section. You will then be provided a menu of various new textures. Don't forget to hit Enter or Save after choosing a new texture.

Each property has a default background texture. This texture can be anything, and you are always free to draw with other textures on top. A good rule of thumb is to make the background texture to be the most-common ground feature (for example: grass, earth, weeds, asphalt, or sidewalk squares).

What if the texture I need is not available?
Please choose the closest match. While there are too many textures (for instance flowers) to possibly add, we are open to suggestions and if we get enough requests for a specific texture, we just might add it. Please let us know what we are missing by emailing datamaster@zoomatlas.com.

How do I use the Neighborhood/Campus tab?
Use this to define the boundaries of regions of the map that might include more than one building or structure, such as neighborhoods or school campus.
1. Click Neighborhood/Campus tab.
2. Click Draw Campus button.
3. Start drawing your shape by using the crosshair to click a spot on the map corresponding to one corner of the feature you plan to draw. Trace the shape in either a clockwise or counterclockwise direction, clicking at each corner, in order, and you will see the shape of the object start to appear. Don't worry about hitting every minute detail, you will be able to re-edit this shape as much as you want to get it perfect.
4. When you get to the last corner, double-click the mouse to close the shape
5. Select the type of campus from the choices under the tab.
6. Click Save or press Enter. Thats it!

What is Property Info?
This is where you enter information about the type of property and its physical stats. You can select the type of structure from among many choices.
1. Choose the correct tab from among the Property Info choices provided in the bottom of the editing pane.
2. Select a specific property type from among the icons provided. If you cannot find the right choice, please select something close and let us know by emailing datamaster@zoomatlas.com.
3. Hit Enter or click Save to commit the changes.
4. The At a Glance options will become available. This is the same information that goes on the section of the main page you get when you search.

How do I see the results of an edit?
You can only see the results of changes after they have been saved. To save the changes, simply hit your Enter key or click on the Save button. If you made a mistake, hit your Esc key or click on the Cancel button.

How do I save changes?
When you have made changes, the yellow outline of the property will become red, indicating that you have unsaved changes. Click on the Save button or hit the Enter key, and the property will redraw at the new location. If you made a mistake, click on the Cancel button or hit your Esc key.

How do I draw fences, paths, narrow driveways and other linear features?
Many objects that are long and thin (typically less than three feet wide), are difficult to draw as an outline. For these features, we provide the linear drawing tool.
1. Select the Draw Line tool.
2. Draw a line on the map to trace the centerline of the object: click once to start the line, and click once at each bend in the line. Don't worry about getting every point and smoothing every rounded edge, you will be able to go back in and edit this shape later.
3. Double-click at the last point along the path.
4. Select the type of feature from among the Styler tabs.
5. Select the feature appearance from the texture palate.
6.Enter the width of the shape in inches into the text box provided below the texture choices.
7. Hit Enter or click Save to commit the changes. Note the addition of the new feature.

Please note that you will need to draw separate linear objects if you wish to fill them with a texture at different rotations. For example, if you are painting a wooden boardwalk or a brick pathway, and the direction of the boards or bricks follows the edge of the pathway, you should draw separate linear pieces to get the most realistic results.

Will you explain how I can layer detail onto the property?
The shapes you draw on the ZoomAtlas Map are layered one on top of the other based on the order you painted them. We recommend that you think about how things are layered in real life, and draw them in from the bottom up. If you have a grassy garden, with flower beds, a brook, a wooden bridge and a thick canopy of trees (lucky!), paint those objects in the order listed.

If you make a mistake, no problem, you will not be required to redraw the objects. Simply select an object that has been wrongly covered by another, and choose a higher layer number in the Layer drop-down. Don't forget to hit Enter or Save to commit your changes and verify the correct results.

Speaking of trees, I live on a densely-wooded property. Should I just fill it with trees?
No. The power of the ZoomAtlas Map is that we can show great detail from the perspective of ground level, which is far more powerful than any satellite image can provide. We recommend that you leave all important features unobscured, and only draw tree textures starting at the edge of wooded areas. Of course, if you're still making moonshine in the back woods, better paint that area with trees in case they bring back prohibition!

I am trying to add my house, but the grass property shape is covering the satellite image. What do I do?
You can temporarily turn off the grass property shape by clicking the Fill Style button towards the bottom of the editor pane. This will cause the shape to become an outline only and allow you to use the satellite image as a guide for painting the property features. You will have to hit Enter or click Save for the change to take effect.

When you are done painting the contents of the property, please select the property once more and click Fill Style once more to fill in the grass.

The fader bar on the right side of the map can be used as an alternative. Pull the fader downward, and the satellite image will appear stronger and the map details will become fainter. This will allow the satellite image to shine through the textures, so you can see where to add new features.

My roof shingles are all going in the same direction. How do I rotate them?
Many of our textures can be rotated. With the object highlighted, and the base (unrotated) texture selected, click on the arrow/rotate buttons below the texture indicator to choose the proper orientation of that texture.

Please note that when you draw the roof of a house, you need to draw different pieces so that each section of roof can be rotated correctly. In addition to roofing, a large number of textures can be rotated (sidewalk squares, rows of agricultural crops, stadium seating, wood decking, etc.), so there is no limit to the control you will have in detailing your favorite places!



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