When the program is installed, at least one contour color palette is provided and it becomes the default selection until more palettes are created.

Item

Description

 1

Selects the palette to edit

 2

Pressing this button creates a new palette. It will create a minimal palette with the given name that can be further modified to fit the need. When the button is pressed, the New Palette Name Dialog is displayed.

 3

Copies an existing palette. This is a convenient way to create variations of the same palette to make editing more efficient. For example if one wanted to have their favorite palette but make it semi-transparent instead of opaque, this option makes it easy and quick. When the button is pressed, the dialog shown in New Palette Name Dialog is displayed.

 4

Delete the selected palette. A confirmation dialog is given to give a chance to confirm or cancel.

 5

Contours can be shaded or drawn as lines or both. Note that for any contour interval the shade color and the line color must be the same although a combination of patterns and line styles with `background and foreground colors can be used to get additional effects.

 6

Outline contours. This draws lines at the intervals defined by the selected scale.

 7

Often, it is desirable to draw the contours shaded and then draw the lines opaque. However, when not shading, drawing the lines thick and semi-transparent Drawing using semi-transparent shading and lines is processor intensive. Expect semitransparent objects to take approximately twice as long to draw as opaque objects. maybe more desirable.

 8

Most of the time, it is desirable to have a consistent palette, such as all contour lines drawn to the same width and all shaded contours with the same amount of opacity. If this option is selected, all palette levels can be edited simultaneously (shade opacity, pattern opacity, line style, line width, line background, and fill pattern)

 9

Sets the shade opacity level for the palette level selected, or all levels if item 8 is selected. It can be set by using either the slider or the spinner.

 10

Sets the shade opacity level for the fill pattern if a fill pattern is selected. Again this is affected by item 8 similar to the shade. It can be set by using either the slider or the spinner.

 11

Selects the line style to use for the contour level or levels as determined by the selection of item 8.

 12

The fill pattern to use for the palette level or levels as determined by the selection of item 8. If the fill pattern is solid, the pattern color is ignored.

 13

The width of the palette line or lines as determined by the selection of item 8.

 14

Lines can be drawn solid or with a line pattern such as a dashed or dotted line. If drawn with a pattern then the spaces in between the dashes or dots can be left 'empty' or drawn with the color defined as the pattern/line background color. Again, item 8 influences how this is applied to the palette.

 15

Selecting this displays a color selector dialog to pick the desired color for the level. The color it is operating on is selected using the selector denoted by item 19.

 16

Moves the currently selected color one position to the left. The palette item to move is selected using the selector denoted by item 19.

17

Moves the currently selected color one position to the right. The palette item to move is selected using the selector denoted by item 19.

18

Selecting this brings up a color selector dialog to pick the color for the pattern &/or background color of a line. The color it is operating on is selected using the selector denoted by item 19.

19

Used to pick the palette item to operate on. To move it, press the left mouse button on it and drag. When the mouse is released, it will 'pop' to the closest level.

20

Sets the lower range selector. It operates similar to the palette item selector. It is used to set the lower range when the gradient pushbutton is used.

21

Sets the upper range selector. It operates similar to the palette item selector. It is used to set the upper range when the gradient pushbutton is used.

22

Applies a gradient between selectors. It can make it very simple to create palettes where the item colors change a small amount between levels. The gradient is applied to colors of all patterns, lines, and backgrounds. The transparency/opacity between the selected levels is also incrementally adjusted if it is different between the lower and upper selector.

23

This field is a sample of the palette. Levels can be added or removed by right-clicking on one of the levels to delete it or add a new one to the right. Text is displayed under the palette in order to give an indication of how the transparency will display on the Map Windows.

24

The lowest palette level is not used for contouring. It is used to draw objects that need to be displayed under the low threshold scale value. For example, on a map that displays contours and basin averages, when using a linear scale that starts contouring at ½" the basin averages that are less than ½" will be displayed using this palette level.

25

The highest palette level is not used for contouring. It is used to draw objects that need to be displayed over the high threshold scale value. For example, on a map that displays contours and basin averages, when using a linear scale that stops contouring at 3" the basin averages that are more than 3" will be displayed using this palette level.

26

A quick way to add or remove palette levels. New levels are added to the right of the palette selector location.

27

Save all changes and new palettes.

28

Cancel all changes made. Note that if a palette is added and then a second one and then Cancel, neither palette is saved.