For gridded data (.tif), users can adjust display properties for color by elevation as well as toggle at which scales the layer are displayed in the map window.

To adjust display properties for data grids:

  1. From the Content Pane with the Maps tab selected, right-click on the name of a gridded data file (*.tif).
  2. From the shortcut menu, click Properties. The Elevation Options dialog box appears.
  3. From the list box, there are available color contour schemes – Aspect Shading, Grayscale, Linear, Precipitation, Red-Green-Blue, Terrain (default), and Water Depth.
  4. The Draw Edges option is specifically for ASCII NetTin files. If selected, the edges of the triangles that make up an ASCII NetTin file are drawn.
  5. The contour tic interval can be set by entering a value in the Tic Interval box.
  6. HEC-FIA sets the maximum and minimum limits of the contours automatically. To override the maximum and minimum limits, clear System Specified Min/Max Values and enter new values in the Maximum and Minimum boxes.

  7. Adjust the brightness (amount of white), saturation (amount of black), and transparency (level of opacity or alpha) for the colors using the Brightness, Saturation, and Transparency slider bars or boxes.

    Figure: Elevation Options Dialog Box 

  8. By default the Aspect Shading option is on. Aspect shading displays the map layer in relief by placing an imaginary light source above the map and shading the contours. The user can adjust the angle of the light source by using the Angle slider bar or by entering a value in the box. If aspect shading is not desired, clear Aspect Shading.
  9. Clipping allows users to highlight an area using user-definable color choices and values. For maximum clipping, fill the contour with the clip color from the maximum value of the map to the value entered for Maximum Clipping. For example, maximum clipping could be used to highlight smog levels, cloud cover, or snow level at a particular elevation. By default, maximum clipping is turned off. To enable, click Maximum Clipping, then choose a color by clicking Color, and either enter a maximum clipping value by using the Value slider bar or enter a value in the box.
  10. Minimum clipping fills the contour with the clip color from the minimum value of the map to the value entered for Minimum Clipping. For example, minimum clipping could be used to see where a water level would be if it flooded to a particular elevation. By default, minimum clipping is turned off. To enable, click Minimum Clipping, then choose a color by clicking Color, and either enter a minimum clipping value by using the Value slider bar or by entering a value in the box.
  11. Click Apply to display changes in the map window and keep editing.
  12. When finished editing, click OK to close the dialog.

Users may also set the zoom scales at which they would like layers to display in the map window. For example, a user might not want to see their counties shapefile below a particular scale. To toggle these settings:

  1. From the Content Pane with the Maps tab selected, right-click on the name of a gridded data file (*.tif).
  2. From the shortcut menu, click Properties. The Elevation Options dialog box appears.

  3. Select the Scale tab.

    Figure:  Elevation Options Dialog Box - Scale Tab

  4. Select Always Show Layer to display the layer in the map window at all scales.
  5. To make the layer visible only below a certain scale level, select Only show layer in the following scale range. Zoom to the desired scale level, click Set to Current for Only visible below 1. The layer now appears only when the zoom scale is below this level.
  6. To make the layer visible only above a certain scale level, select Only show layer in the following scale range. Zoom to the desired scale level, click Set to Current for Only visible above 1. The layer now appears only when the zoom scale is higher than this level.
  7. Click Apply to display changes in the map window and keep editing.
  8. When finished editing, click OK to close the dialog.