Map Display Options
The Map Options allow you to adjust how the map is displayed and what information it contains. There are several sections within the options. Continue reading or click on a feature in the image below to learn about each section and the options it contains.
After changing the setting of any option, hit the 'Enter' key or click on the 'Apply Changes' button. The 'Reset to Default' button returns all Map Options to their default states, and the 'Cancel' button closes the window without enacting any changes made since it was last opened. The settings seen in this image are the default settings.
Node Content - what's in a node
The options within 'Node Content' allow you to control what information is displayed within the nodes on the map.
When checked:
'Name' includes the name of the person, company, or investor
'# of Investors, Investments, or Boards' includes the number of investors for a company node, the number of investments made for an investor node, and number of boards currently sitting on for a person node.
'Capital Information' will show the numer of rounds and total capital raised in company nodes. There is no change in person or investor nodes.
Node Appearance - how the node looks
The options within 'Node Appearance' allow you to change how the nodes look to make them, or the map as a whole, easier to read.
'Truncate Name' allows you to fill in a number. That number is the number of letters that will be shown in the names of the nodes, and the rest of the name will be cut off. This helps to save space in busy maps by making the nodes smaller, and you can include enough letters so that you can still tell what the nodes are.
'Adjust Font Size' allows you to fill in a number that will change the size of the font. Please note that a font size number does not represent the same size in different maps because of how the maps are created. So a good number for viewing in one map may not suffice in another. Just remember that you can always adjust it larger or smaller if it's not right on your first try.
Link Appearance - adjust the links
The Link Factor can be adjusted in this window, making the links longer or shorter. In some maps with small nodes you can shrink the links to create more space, and the nodes and font will increase. Decreasing the Link Factor from 1.0 to 0.8 can make big differences in some maps. You can also increase the factor from 1.0 to 1.3 or 1.4 or more if you want to make the links longer, and therefore the nodes and font smaller.
Map Descriptors - keeping track of your map
Map Descriptors are options that help you keep track of what map you are looking at by including information about target nodes and filters in the map itself. When checked:
'Show Map Title' will include the Title of the map in the top left corner of the map. The title lists the target node(s) by node type and name.
'Show Filter Information' includes a list of all currently applied filters under the Map Title. If you have removed all public companies, or all investors with over 100 investments, it will be noted in the top left corner. If you not sure if filters are currently being applied, you can check this box to see.
'Show Legend on Map' includes a legend of what the colors, shapes, and patterns of all of the links and nodes that could potentially be in a map at the bottom of the map. This is very useful, but if you want a map image that does not contain this legend, you can remove it by unchecking this box.
The Advanced Options panel can be seen on the taskbar. It is the section just above the map that contains the 'Exclude Target Node,' 'Drop Pendants,' and 'Re-map' features. If you do not use these features and would like to remove them, you can do that by unchecking this box.
The 'Remember these options for every map' feature is a way to create a personlized view that meets your needs and then continue applying it to all maps you create. By checking this box, whatever settings are made will continue to be applied. Without checking the box, moving to a new map or tab may revert the map to its default settings.
