MapGazer - using icons

An icon is a symbol (image) used to indicate a point of interest on a map; there are some examples in the screenshot below. Icons can be assigned to Waypoints and Route waypoints.

You can choose (using Settings → Waypoints style) whether individual and route waypoints are:

always displayed as icons (in which case a default icon is displayed if no specific icon as been assigned)
mixed: displayed as icons (if an icon has been assigned) or as a drawn ‘X’ or dot (if no icon has been assigned)
always displayed as drawn ‘X’ or dot (even if an icon has been assigned).

When a waypoint is drawn its shape (‘X’ or dot) can be changed using Settings → Waypoints style and the width of the lines or dot drawn is changed using Settings → Line widths. You can also use Map → Map transparencies to change the transparency of icons to let map details ‘show through’ icons, drawn ‘X’ or dot marks, and also any other marks.

You can pick the icon for any waypoint by right-clicking on the waypoint and selecting Waypoint properties (for more details, see Mark properties). This lets you pick an icon and set its colour. That colour will also be used when the waypoint is drawn as an ‘X’ or dot.

Also in the Properties dialog you can save an icon (perhaps after changing its colour), or clear it (in which case the waypoint will be shown as a simple ‘X’ or dot).

All MapGazer icons are image files. Icons must be in a place known to MapGazer so they can be referred to by just their name (for example, ‘samples\photography.png’), because only the name will be stored in GPX files.

Icons may be in the MapGazer\icons folder, which is in the same folder as the MapGazer executable, or they may be in a specified folder of your choosing (see Settings → Data Folders – be careful to select the containing directory, not a subdirectory such as samples). If you specify an Icons data folder, this will be searched first (before the MapGazer\icons directory).

If you used the Windows Installer to install MapGazer (the .msi option) and want to add icons you should set your own Icons data folder as it is difficult to write to the installed MapGazer directory.

The sample icons installed with MapGazer (in MapGazer\icons\samples) are mostly a selection from the Maps Icons Collection, https://mapicons.mapsmarker.com, compiled by the Nicolas Mollet et al. There are many hundreds more available at that site.

Note that if you want to edit the image of an icon in the samples folder it is recommended that you move it to a different folder (such as the MapGazer\icons folder or your Icons data folder); new updates to MapGazer will overwrite icons in the samples folder.

Icons may be in various image formats; in particular, .png (Portable Network Graphics) and .jpg (JPEG) have been tested with MapGazer. The former are generally preferred because .png images support the concept of transparency (the map will ‘show through’ areas of the icon that are transparent, such as each side of the ‘V’ pointer in the icons shown below). Any size image is allowed, but sizes of 40×40 pels or less are recommended (larger ones may obscure too much map, and may be cropped in the Properties dialog).

When any icon image is displayed, MapGazer aligns the centre of the bottom edge of the icon image with the waypoint position as displayed on-screen. (A drawn ‘X’ or dot is centred on the waypoint.)

Sample track with associated waypoints (start, water crossing, <i>etc.</i>)

Sample track with associated waypoints (start, water crossing, etc.)

	MapGazer – using icons
Introduction Download MapGazer Getting started Using marks: Waypoints Tracks Routes Areas Images Scales Mark properties Using icons Using transparency General settings Getting maps Using map tools Go to location Coordinate formats GPX files Elevation data Aspect ratio Keyboard shortcuts Command line Thanks	An icon is a symbol (image) used to indicate a point of interest on a map; there are some examples in the screenshot below. Icons can be assigned to Waypoints and Route waypoints. You can choose (using Settings → Waypoints style) whether individual and route waypoints are: always displayed as icons (in which case a default icon is displayed if no specific icon as been assigned) mixed: displayed as icons (if an icon has been assigned) or as a drawn ‘X’ or dot (if no icon has been assigned) always displayed as drawn ‘X’ or dot (even if an icon has been assigned). When a waypoint is drawn its shape (‘X’ or dot) can be changed using Settings → Waypoints style and the width of the lines or dot drawn is changed using Settings → Line widths. You can also use Map → Map transparencies to change the transparency of icons to let map details ‘show through’ icons, drawn ‘X’ or dot marks, and also any other marks. You can pick the icon for any waypoint by right-clicking on the waypoint and selecting Waypoint properties (for more details, see Mark properties). This lets you pick an icon and set its colour. That colour will also be used when the waypoint is drawn as an ‘X’ or dot. Also in the Properties dialog you can save an icon (perhaps after changing its colour), or clear it (in which case the waypoint will be shown as a simple ‘X’ or dot). All MapGazer icons are image files. Icons must be in a place known to MapGazer so they can be referred to by just their name (for example, ‘`samples\photography.png`’), because only the name will be stored in GPX files. Icons may be in the `MapGazer\icons` folder, which is in the same folder as the MapGazer executable, or they may be in a specified folder of your choosing (see Settings → Data Folders – be careful to select the containing directory, not a subdirectory such as `samples`). If you specify an Icons data folder, this will be searched first (before the `MapGazer\icons` directory). If you used the Windows Installer to install MapGazer (the `.msi` option) and want to add icons you should set your own Icons data folder as it is difficult to write to the installed MapGazer directory. The sample icons installed with MapGazer (in `MapGazer\icons\samples`) are mostly a selection from the Maps Icons Collection, https://mapicons.mapsmarker.com, compiled by the Nicolas Mollet et al. There are many hundreds more available at that site. Note that if you want to edit the image of an icon in the `samples` folder it is recommended that you move it to a different folder (such as the `MapGazer\icons` folder or your Icons data folder); new updates to MapGazer will overwrite icons in the `samples` folder. Icons may be in various image formats; in particular, `.png` (Portable Network Graphics) and `.jpg` (JPEG) have been tested with MapGazer. The former are generally preferred because `.png` images support the concept of transparency (the map will ‘show through’ areas of the icon that are transparent, such as each side of the ‘V’ pointer in the icons shown below). Any size image is allowed, but sizes of 40×40 pels or less are recommended (larger ones may obscure too much map, and may be cropped in the Properties dialog). When any icon image is displayed, MapGazer aligns the centre of the bottom edge of the icon image with the waypoint position as displayed on-screen. (A drawn ‘X’ or dot is centred on the waypoint.) Sample track with associated waypoints (start, water crossing, etc.)