Posts Tagged ‘plugin’
Tuesday, March 16th, 2010
[Editor’s note: Struggling to pick colors in ArcMap or need to ensure your design meets federal accessibility standards for vision impairment? ColorBrewer.org has been updated to version 2.0 and now a ArcMap plugin brings some functionality right into your GIS. It’s not clear to me if the “Terrain overlay” option for previewing the colors takes into account the muted nature / secondary HSV mixing of the colors, I don’t recommend using that part just yet.]
Republished from National Cancer Institute.
Seen at Weary Ramblings.
ColorTool is a plugin for ArcMapâ„¢ (part of the ESRI ArcGIS Desktop suite) that helps users create choropleth maps using ColorBrewer color ramps.
The program runs from a button in the toolbar and opens a form that guides the user in choosing a classification scheme. For more information on the color options, visit ColorBrewer.org. ColorTool supports Quantile, Equal Interval, Natural Breaks (Jenks), and Unique Value classification types.
Download the ColorTool plugin . . .
Along with the plugin, the main ColorBrewer site has been upgraded to version 2.0
Republished from Free Geography Tools.
ColorBrewer is an online Flash app designed to help select appropriate data coloring schemes for maps, including sequential (choropleths), diverging (data with break points), and qualitative (discrete categorical data). I’ve covered version 1.0 before, and now ColorBrewer 2.0 is out. Not a huge number of functional differences, but some useful additions (and one disappointing subtraction):
- More parameters are selected by drop-down boxes instead of buttons; bit faster this way
- All controls are on the left side, making them easier to find
- You can now choose between a colored background and a terrain background
- Color transparency can now be set between 0 and 100%
- More choices for background, road, city and border colors
- You can now screen color schemes by appropriateness for color blindness, photocopying and print. In version 1.0, you only had icons showing which uses were appropriate, and these are still available in the “Score Card†tab at lower right
- More options for color scheme export directly from the program, including an Excel file of all available color schemes, export in Adobe Swatch Exchange format (ASE), and in-program text hex color codes for copying and pasting into graphics programs.
- No more map zoom; I miss this option.
Tags: 2.0, arcgis, arcmap, choropleth, color brewer, color ramps, colorbrewer, colortool, equal interval, free geography tools, jenks, national cancer institute, natural breaks, plugin, quantile, unique value, weary ramblings
Posted in Best practices, Design, Flash, General, Mapping, Software | Comments Off on ColorBrewer in ArcMap, updated to version 2.0 (via Weary Ramblings)
Wednesday, November 18th, 2009
[Editor’s note: The beta had expired; this is purely an extension of the testing period to November 2010. No new features. I’ve been caught up in Natural Earth the last year and will return to the project at a date uncertain.]
I have been developing a plugin / script for Adobe Illustrator to make it easier to select type in Illustrator by attributes like font family, style, size, and fill color. I hope to release this as a commercial plugin for designers and cartographers at some point. If you would like to beta test this plugin for me, please send me an email at nathaniel@kelsocartography.com or…
Download version 11e of Find and Replace Fonts Script (1.6m). Good thru November 2010.
More information on this script available in this March 2009 post.
Tags: air, find and replace fonts, find font, Flash, Freehand, illustrator, mini max, plugin, same font, script
Posted in Best practices, Design, Mapping, Print, Self promo, Software | 11 Comments »
Friday, June 19th, 2009
[Editor’s note: The latest update of the Illustrator plugin includes a collision-free rule based label engine, but it will cost you an extra license fee.]
Republished from Avenza.
MAPublisher 8.1 for Illustrator is powerful map production software for creating cartographic-quality maps from GIS data. Developed as a suite of plug-ins for Adobe Illustrator, MAPublisher leverages the superior graphics capabilities of this graphics design software for working with GIS data and producing high-quality maps with efficiency.
New Features of MAPublisher 8.1 for Adobe Illustrator
- Support for the new MAPublisher LabelPro collision-free rule-based labeling system (additional license required)
- Improved MAP Web Author Tool for automatic creation of interactive Flash maps
- New MAPublisher Preferences options for customization of various features and functions
- Split Layer function to move data to new layers based on attributes and expressions
- Enhanced Expression Builder allows import of expressions from Selection Filters
- Enhanced Plot Centroids function now has the option to copy attributes from the source area
- New Export Attribute function for exporting the attributes table to a delimited text file
- Enhanced Register Image function can now create a new MAP View from any referenced image
- New Specify Anchors functionality allows world values to be entered in any co-ordinate system
- Improved MAP View and MAP Stylesheets panels with new functionality
- Various other user interface improvements and performance enhancements to improve usability
Continue reading about 8.1 upgrade at Avenza . . .
Features of MAPublisher LabelPro
MAPublisher® LabelPro™ offers advanced labelling capabilities beyond those available in the standard MAPublisher Feature Text Label and the MAP Tagger Tool, including a sophisticated and user-friendly rule-based and collision-free placement engine.
The MAP LabelPro engine contains sophisticated algorithms based on EZ Label technology from MapText Inc. It solves many of the most common map labelling problems such as complex conflict resolution across multiple layers, the ability to specify data as obstacles and the ability to create complex labelling conventions using user defined rules.
MAPublisher LabelPro uses map attributes, rules and styles for labelling which provides a great level of sophistication and control. Map layers may be assigned an order of priority for labelling and set as label obstacles. Labels can be placed on any defined text layers, unplaceable layers can be ignored or placed. Placement rules and styles can be saved to a file and imported or shared over a network.
Users can use the following rules and placement options to place the text on their maps.
Continue reading about LabelPro at Avenza . . .
Tags: 8.1, adobe, avenza, cartography, ez label, gis, illustrator, labelpro, maptext, mapublisher, plugin
Posted in Interactive, Mapping, Promote, Software | Comments Off on Avenza Systems Releases MAPublisher 8.1 + LabelPro
Tuesday, June 2nd, 2009
[Editor’s note: This new script from John achieves that old fashioned halftone look found in ancient newspapers and magazines.]
Republished from John Wundes’ JS4AI blog.
Want to make halftones in illustrator?
You could go the auto trace route, or you could go with a plug-in from Phantasm. The Phantasm plug-in is powerful and gives you great control, so I do recommend using their product, but if you’re on a tight budget, you can try my new script which is easy, and free.
First off, if you don’t know about the “Mosaic Filter” in Illustrator, read this quick article. The Mosaic Filter is an amazingly under-used feature and it will do most of the heavy lifting for us today. Filter>Create>Object Mosaic
Continue reading at the JS4AI blog . . .
Tags: ai, halftone, illustrator, john, js4ai, nick, phantasm, plugin, script, scripting, size by luminance, wundes
Posted in Best practices, Design, Print, Promote, scripting, Software | 1 Comment »
Wednesday, May 6th, 2009
[Editor’s note: The beta expired so this is purely an extension of the testing period. No new feature.]
I have been developing a plugin / script for Adobe Illustrator to make it easier to select type in Illustrator by attributes like font family, style, size, and fill color. I hope to release this as a commercial plugin for designers and cartographers late 2009? If you would like to beta test this plugin for me, please send me an email at nathaniel@kelsocartography.com or…
Download version 11d of Find and Replace Fonts Script (1.6m). Good thru summer 2009.
More information on this script available in this March 2009 post.
Tags: air, find and replace fonts, Flash, Freehand, illustrator, mini max, plugin, script
Posted in Best practices, Design, Mapping, Print, Self promo, Software | 1 Comment »
Monday, March 30th, 2009
[Editor’s note: Cartographers looking for Douglas-Peucker type line simplication in Illustrator now have a solution to Illustrator’s default simplify command when trying to generalize features like river oxbows. Jim started on the problem of fixing an Illustrator bug (see image above) where redundant points were created in the path outline command, and now has a more generalized solution.]
Jim Heck shared an amazing tool for Adobe Illustrator with me recently to deal with the irritating bug in versions CS3 and CS4 where redundant points (stacked on top of each other, illustrated above where the dupplicate points are pulled away from the basic shape) are created on outline or offset of a path’s stroke. The script (in Javascript) and Action set he created quickly remove these redundant points while still keeping the path shape. He does this with a bit of behind the scenes trigonometry wizardry. Please note this bug still exists in CS4 contray to rumors, though is lesser virulent form than CS3 (confirmed by me via email with Adobe engineers).
I’ve worked with Jim to refine it the last couple weeks. I think it’s ready for prime time now.
Screenshots:
Settings shown to remove redundant points for outlined path screenshot above. I used a tolerance of 12 points for the river ox bow screenshot below.
How it works:
- Selected path points only or all document paths
- Set distance tolerance in page units (optional)
- Works in locked objects
- Works in compound paths
- Reporting, Selection, and Removal modes
Cartographic applications:
I illustrate below the result of using Jim’s generalization script on a typial river path and you can see in area 1a and 2b how the ox bow removal is light years above Illustrator’s default path simplify command which grossly distorts the shape in the pursuit of point removal. Jim’s script preserves the shape and removes the tiny, tight wiggles. It needs a little bit more programming work to fix areas 1b and 2a + 2c where the shape is loosing some fidelity for not keeping the trailing point in the series of removed points. And maybe needing to keep an intermediary point between 2a and 2c for shape since this is a longer removal?
With a little more tweaking, this tool will become popular for cartographers since we often want to simplify lines while keeping the overall geometry shape when reducing clustered points. The opposite may be achievable, too, when adding points selectively to long curves, but NOT to segments of the line that are already dense with points. But that’s for a 2.0 release 😉
Download the script and actions from Jim Heck’s site . . .
Tags: action, adobe, cartographer, cs3, cs4, douglas, generalize, illustrator, javascript, jim heck, offset, outline, ox bow, path, pinball, plugin, puecker, redundant path points, script, simplify
Posted in Best practices, Mapping, Mountain Carto, Promote, scripting, Software | 8 Comments »
Monday, March 16th, 2009
[Editor’s note: This plugin looks useful to illustrators wanting a more free form calligraphic touch for their artwork. Plugin allows variable width strokes along existing artwork objects in Adobe Illustrator. PC-only at present. If you’ve used it, please leave a comment on this post. Screenshots below detail work flow.]
Republished from Zero-one.
Visit their site to get demo version of plugin.
Typography and calligraphy rediscovery!
Simple plug-in help you get rich typography and calligraphy in a few click. Now available for Adobe Illustrator CS, CS2 and CS3. [Editor’s note: will prob. work in CS4, too.]
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Live Pen features include:
- Digital natural drawing
- Moving Pen Anchor
- Simple adding or deleting Pen Anchor
- Pens library
- Minimal anchor after expanding
- Smooth integration
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Create your first calligraphy stroke with Live Pen
World-New Features
Digital Natural Drawing
Moving Pen Anchor
Simple Adding or Deleting Pen Anchor
Pens Library
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Tags: adobe, art, caligraphy, cs4, illustrator, pen, plugin, typography, variable width stroke, zero one
Posted in art, Design, Promote, Software | 2 Comments »
Friday, March 6th, 2009
[Editor’s note: This is largely a republish of my post here last September and before but with the added benefit of now being a public alpha (download version 11d) of the script that is good thru summer 2009. Why am I expanding testing? I’d like more feedback as I haven’t heard of any major problems with the script. And I need a little motivation to finish programming 😉 ]
I have been developing a plugin / script for Adobe Illustrator to make it easier to select type in Illustrator by attributes like font family, style, size, and fill color. I hope to release this as a commercial plugin for designers and cartographers first quarter 2009? If you would like to beta test this plugin for me, please send me an email at nathaniel@kelsocartography.com or…
Download version 11d of Find and Replace Fonts Script (1.6m). Good thru summer 2009.
¡¡Warning!! This is not final release-quality product!!! Please save your work before running the script. I have never had it crash my machine but don’t take chances!!! Use at your own risk!!!
To install new scripts you need to:
- Download the ZIP file using “Save asâ€.
- Quit Illustrator
- Copy the script files into the Illustrator application folder’s “Presets†» “Scripts†subfolder
- After restarting Illustrator, you can find the scripts in the menu “File†» “Scriptsâ€;
- TIP: You can create subfolders in the scripts folder to organize your scripts
NOTE: You will need version CS3 or CS4 of Illustrator. If you have CS or CS2, get a trial version of CS4 from Adobe.
Insure you get further updates to the Script by joining this email list:
What is this tool and why would you use it?
- A magic wand for clicking on text and selecting like-styled text
- A non-modal eye dropper tool for copying font attributes and pasting them onto other text objects without directly eye dropping (like Freehand’s copy and past attributes).
- Menu items for Select > Type > Same font, same style, same size, same font color, overprinting, etc
- A pro version of the Find Fonts dialog already in Illustrator that does find / replacing in locked and hidden layers, or only in the active layer, sublayer, or window view.
Usage Tips
The resulting non-contiguous text can only be affected (eg: by the Character panel) by:
- Hitting escape on the keyboard and then making changes
- but the original instance will not be changed
- all others will be, though
- The entire text object was selected
- Initiating the “similar text (described in 2nd New features below) in text object mode, NOT text range or text insertion point mode.
- Using the Full Dialog mode’s replace functions
Looking Forward
Developing the plugin has taken a lot longer than I expected to implement all the basic and advanced features but I am now 90% complete with the script version, which is over 8,000 lines of code or a 300 page book! I need to start working on the plugin version which will entail completely translating the script from JavaScript into C in XCode on the Mac and Visual Studio on the PC.
- Port to XCode and start testing as Illustrator Plugin, first for Mac, second for Windows
- Settle on price and start selling. Perhaps thru a distributor.
- There will be a cheap version and a pro version.
Turning the script into a plugin will bring several benefits:
- Speed: much faster execution
- Work with 1,000s of type objects / characters, not 100s
- Menu items that can be assigned keyboard shortcuts
- Can be recorded with Actions for automating routine tasks
- New tool: magic wand for text and non-modal eyedropper for text font appearances
- Allow me to recoup development costs
Example uses:
- Selection:
- Find all other type objects with same font – View video
- Find all other type objects with same type size – View video
- Find all other type objects with same character fill color
- Applying / creating character styles:
- Cartographer: ArcMap text imported to Illustrator >> have plugin apply matching style or create new styles that match each of the implicate styles
- Designer: Quickly comp out a design and select all matching text with certain font attributes with the new Text magic wand tool and make them styles. Great for deadline projects.
- Find and Replace fonts on hidden and locked layers (better than Illustrator’s default Find Font)
Demonstration videos:
Selecting by Font Color – Basic
Including exactly the same color, pattern, swatch, same color mode, by character and by object.
View video – 7.8 megs
Selecting by Font Color – Advanced
Including selecting type object NOT a color and overprints, replacing with knockout.
View video – 17.2 megs
Changing Alignment and Registration of Type
Includes limiting to just point, area, or line type objects
View video – 11.0 megs
Why Change the Registration for Point Type?
To scale type size when it is registered to a townspot or other graphic element.
View video – 1.1 meg
Finding Scope
Limit your selection to active layer, sublayer, current view, selection, artboard/page, and document.
View video – 20 megs
Finding by Text Content
Find all type that has the “River†or “Road†or “Street†in it and then change those text range’s attributes. Options include Is, Starts, Ends, and more.
View video – 13.5 megs
Replacing by Text Contents
With exact phrase or add to the end or beginning of the matched text.
View video – 9.3 megs
Simplified Interface
This dialog is similar to what’d you see for the planned “magic wand†for type tool settings. Thanks to Tom for this suggestion!
View video – 7.6 megs
FEATURES NEW THIS VERSION (and the Last)
- Significant speed increase
- Will now deal with 100s of text objects (or characters in a single text object)
- But still slow in 1000s of text objects; change seach scope to text frame for best result
- Now selects ranges of text, not just text objects!
- “Just do it” non-dialog scripts
- Select text with same font face and style
- Select text with same font size
- Select text with same font face, style, and size
- Select like text within current selection
- Zoom to next and previous matching objects
- Can initiate “similar” text font styling based on currently selected
- Text object
- Selected text range within text object
- Text insertion point within text object
- Non-contiguous text that matches search criteria will be selected in the same text object
- Character styles can now be found and replaced
- Find options revamped
- Selection (results) scope now functional
- Hidden and locked layers now (mostly?) functional
- Less use of pure math logic in GU
- Fill color now works.
- Registration and Justification now work
- Simple dialog interface
- Search in active layer, active sublayer, and current document view
STILL NOT FIXED
- Character styles has a few bugs relating to color
- Find by text string still hinky
CONCLUSION
Please let me know what you think, what bugs you find, and how it can be made more useful. Send to nathaniel@kelsocartography.com.
If you couldn’t find the download links above, here it is again:
http://kelsocartography.com/beta/frf/files/FindReplaceFonts_a11d.zip
Tags: air, find and replace fonts, Flash, Freehand, illustrator, mini max, plugin, script
Posted in Best practices, Design, Interactive, Mapping, Print, scripting, Self promo, Software | 6 Comments »
Monday, December 8th, 2008
[Editor’s note: New version 8 of Avenza’s MAPublisher brings CS4 compatability and new feature to export interactive Flash SWF versions of your map with viewable data attributes, layer, and pan/zoom controls. Thanks Curt!]
Republished from MacNN and Avenza.
Avenza Systems has released MAPublisher 8.0, the latest version of its cartographic plug-in for Adobe Illustrator. The update includes a new tool for automatic creation of interactive Flash maps. A MAP Vector Crop tool and dockable toolbar have also been added, along with support for Illustrator CS4. The company has improved the MAP views editor, MAP attributes interface, and the line simplification function. The import time is claimed to have been reduced by up to 80 percent.
The tool can be used to create maps based on Geographic Information Systems (GIS) data, for high-resolution printing or electronic distribution. Many GIS data formats are supported, including ESRI, MapInfo, MicroStation, AutoCAD, Google, US Government, GML and S-57.
MAPublisher requires Illustrator CS2, CS3 or CS4, and can be purchased for $1250. Registered users of previous versions can upgrade for $550.
More on the new MAP Web Author Tool for automatic creation of interactive Flash maps:
MAPublisher 8 introduces the MAP Web Author tool that exports Adobe Illustrator documents with GIS data to interactive Flash maps, fully completed with callout bubbles, rollovers, layer control, pan and zoom controls, and with all the underlying GIS attributes intact.
As with the other MAPublisher functions, MAP Web Author is a completely built-in to Adobe Illustrator. Therefore, users are not required to have Adobe Flash installed to benefit from this tool.
What is looks like at default. View larger
Several Customization Options. View larger.
MAP Web Author Panel. View larger.
Web Tag Template (HTML formatting of GIS attribute data for that object). View larger.
Web Tag Dialog. View larger.
Export to Web. View larger.
Tags: 8, autocad, automation, avenza, cs4, esri, export to web, Flash, gis, google, illustrator, macnn, map, map creation, mapinfo, mapublisher, plugin, template, vector crop, web author, web tag
Posted in Flash, Interactive, Mapping, Promote, Software | Comments Off on MAPublisher 8.0 Adds Automatic Flash Map Creation (MacNN)
