The quikmaps editor is reasonably simple, but there are a few quirks and juicy extras that I figure render a little guide useful. I’m going to assume, if you’re reading this, that you’ve been to quikmaps.com/new or quikmaps.com/edit.
Adding markers to the map
- Drag markers from the marker list onto the map
- Drag markers around the map to re-position them
- Left-click on a marker to add info to a particular marker
- Right-click on a marker to delete it
Adding connected lines to the map
- Click on ‘draw lines’ (it’s just above the map)
- Click a series of points on the map
- Click anywhere outside the map to finish and go back to ‘normal’ mode
- Drag the white line connectors to edit the line
- Right-click the white line connectors to delete parts of the line
Scribbling on the map
- Click on ’scribble’ (it’s just above the map)
- Hold down the left mouse button and start moving the mouse around — you’re scribbling!!
- Right-click on the scribbled lines to delete parts of them
Textual labels
- Drag the text label image onto the map (it’s under ‘other stuff’)
- Type your label in the input box that appears
- Drag the label around the map to re-position it
- Right-click on a label to delete it
Showing some other place on the map
Quikmaps should default to your home city (barring gaps in the Maxmind GeoIP database). However, if you’d like to move the map to somewhere else, type the place name in the ‘Go to’ box above the map (overwriting ‘my hometown’), and either press ‘Enter’ or click ‘Go’. You should either go where you expected to go or see a list of options. Quikmaps uses a combination of the Yahoo geocoding API and a local database based on the US National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency names server files. Quikmaps uses geonames.org’s geocoding service.
Clearing the map
Click the ‘Clear’ button.
nuff said?
