Using Map Styles

Map styles allow you to set the background image, background color, branch coloring, layout mode, outline numbering and various other settings with a single action.

NovaMind comes with a number of map styles built in, but you can edit these, and create your own styles. Each map style may set some or all of the attributes mentioned above - these settings are defined when the style is created.

To apply a Map Style

To apply a style to a single map, deselect all the branches and graphics by clicking on the canvas, or if you are using NovaMind Pro or Platinum and want to change the settings for multiple Maps at once, switch into document view and select the maps you want to change by Shift-clicking on each one to add it to your selection.

Now you can either use the Map Style palette to select the style you want to use, or you can right-click the canvas and select the style to apply from the context menu.

To create a Map Style

To create a new blank style, and edit it:

Scroll down to the bottom of the list of map styles in the style selector palette and choose the Edit Styles menu option. A panel like this will be shown:

Use the + button to add a new map style, then edit the name of the style in the table view on the left. Now you can adjust the settings to suit your needs. Each of the main sections has a checkbox to indicate whether your style will store settings for that aspect (e.g. branch coloring). If you check the checkbox in a section, then all the settings for that section will be applied when you apply the style.

To take your current settings and save them as a reusable style:

In the style selector palette, click on the gear icon, and choose the "Save as new style" option, and give your new style a name. Make sure you go into the style editor and check the map settings sections that you want to have applied when you use that style.

To use an existing style as a starting point for a new style:

Scroll down to the bottom of the list of map styles and choose the Edit Styles menu option. in the Map Styles Editor, select the style you want to use as a starting point, and then click on the gear icon at the bottom of the window, and choose the option to duplicate the style. Edit the name of the style copy and alter the settings to suit.

To delete a Map Style

Scroll down to the bottom of the list of map styles in the style selector palette and choose the Edit Styles menu option. Click on the style you want to delete in the left side of the panel, and click on the "-" icon at the bottom to remove it.