ToolMap is a cost-free, open-source software dedicated for digitizing data and producing complex multi-layer GIS projects.

It was developped in response to the need to create projects with:

• A faultless and accurate topological structure.
• A correct and homogenized semantic attribution.

ToolMap perform its duty based on two basic and undissociable principles:

• The data model describing the nature and spatial relationships between the possible different features.

• The digitizing process allowing only two types of geometries, lines and points to represent all two-dimensional “real-world” objects. No polygon layer exists in ToolMap; they are built from the combination of lines delinaeting surfaces. Digitizing all lines, line feature (strictly speaking) and borders of polygons within one single layer yields the following advantages:
  • No redundancy in the digitzing process: geometric shapes referring to multiple object types are digitized and stored only once.
  • Perfect match between geometric shapes occurring in different thematic GIS layers: all objects are extracted from the same construction layers.

The data model is a structure of data composed to represent the reality you want to vectorize. In the data model lay all the information you want to get at the end of your work. It sorts the data of the same nature together in layers. Seeing that fact, the more intricate a project is the more layers you shall have. Those layers may represent 3 types of geometries:

• Points
• Lines
• Polygons

In the subsequent case you will follow the realization of a new project. It is the hazard study of an area. The goal is to digitize the data properly. After analyzing them thoughtfully you can divide them in 3 different layers:

• A line layer containing information of the protective structures.
• A polygonal layer containing information of hazards
• A polygonal layer containing information of intensities

Those are the information you choose to vectorize. To do that you will need a different layer for each map; meanig two polygonal layers and a line layer. Each color of the polygonal layers represent a different object. Each object can then have individual properties. Those properties are described by the attributes. For exemple a medium hazard (object) can stem from an innondation or a Debris flow event (attributes).

All the objects can then be illustrated the following way:

Every layer is built to satisfy the necessities of the project. It means that to work with ToolMap efficiently you have to previously analyze your data to define what your final objective is so you can easily generate your data model.

Once your data model is defined, meaning it describes adequatly all the data you want to digitize, you will have to implement it into a ToolMap project. Launch ToolMap for getting started.

First of all you need to create a new empty project.

Project → New project → Empty...

After clicking on the [Create new project] button the Project definition window pops up. On the Project properties tab set the name of the author and some comments if wanted.

The spatial model tab allows you to implement your data model. It lists all the layers defined in your project. At this particular moment it is empty, but you will fulfill it with the layers you imagined as your data model.

Click now on the [+] button to add your first layer…

The Thematic layer definition window pops up. You will have several operations to do:

• Set the name of your layer
• Define its geometrical nature
• Create the objects contained in this layer
• Create the attributes characterizing the objects

The objects are listed on the first tab of the window. Click on the [+] to create a new object. Set a code and a name for every object.

The attributes are listed on the second tab of the window. Click on the [+] button to create a new attribute. Every attribute is defined by a name and a type. In this case we have 3 different types:

• Enumeration: the list must be computed. Each input is defined by a code and a name.
• Integer
• Text: the number of max characters must be defined.

Once you computed every information click on [Ok] to validate your layer and go back to the Project definition window. Create, following the same process, every other layers needed.

After your data model is fully implemented. Finish the creation of your project by clicking on the [Save] button.

At any time (after the creation) you can export the model of your project as a pdf file.

Project → Export Model as PDF...

The Export data model layout window allows you to choose between some display options, let the default display for the time being. Finalize the export by choosing a path to save the pdf file. If you followed rigorously the tutorial you should have something like:

The digitizing process goes through the vectorization of the following layers:

• Frame (line)
• Points (point)
• Lines (line)
• Labels (point)

Those layers are displayed in bold in the table of content.

Your project is now opened, but you will need some support themes as reference and base of vectorization.

Data → Link data... (Ctrl+O)

Navigate to ToolMap → 02 - data, select all the files and click on [Open]. The linked files now appear in the table of content.

The snapping option allows you to be certain two vertices are indeed at the exact same location.

Edition → Snapping → Snapping panel... (Ctrl+G)

By right-clicking on the panel display the contextual menu allowing you to add a new layer to be considered for the snapping. Display the layers Lines and Frame

Set the tolerance to 6 (depending your preferences and at which scale you are working you may want to increase/decrease this value).

Now that the snapping is set, define the area of study by drawing the frame.

Right-click on Frame → Edit layer

The layer is now underlined in the table of content meaning it is in edition. By selecting the draw tool start vectorizing the frame.

Edition → Draw feature (D)

Draw the frame by creating vertices all around the desired zone. Once at the end, put your last vertex a bit on the side and validate the frame with the [Enter] or [Tab] key. The vectorized line may not be very visible, to solve this little issue change the symbology of the frame.

Right-click on frame → Symbology

Change the color for orange (or any visible color) and set the width to 3.

You now have to close properly your frame:

Edition → Modify feature (M)

Click on the last vertex and drag it near the first vertex, if the snapping is set correctly it shall be attracted to it ensuring the geometrical validity (vertex displayed in green if it is the case). Finish the modification by clicking on the [Enter] key.

There are some few things to set before truly starting to vectorize the lines:

• Right-click on Lines → Symbology
  Set the color to a nice flashy green and the width at 2.

• Right-click on Lines → Show vertex → begin/end
  This will display the vertices on both sides of every line. This will help a lot to know where you will be able to snap your lines.

• Attribution → Object kind...
  Open the Object kind panel where all the objects of the project are listed and sorted by layer type.

• Uncheck all the support files but “Intensity_map” in the table of content.
  You will use the others after finishing the vectorization of this map.

The line creation is a 3 steps process:

1. Vectorization
2. Object definition
3. Object attribution (if available)

Remember that every segment of line can be attributed differently depending upon the other levels of information. So every time you encounter an intersection you will have to undergo the 3 steps process.

Like we did for the frame, we have to enter the edition mode on the Lines layer this time.

Right-click on Lines → Edit layer

1. Edition → Draw feature (D)

Draw your first line until you find an intersection. Validate it by clicking on the [Enter] key. For the lines starting/ending at the frame don't be afraid to draw them out of it. They will be cut on the export anyway.

The created line is automatically selected after validation. By default the selected lines appear in red, all their vertices are also visible. When editing the Lines layer the line objects are automatically displayed in the Object kind panel.

2. Check Border of Intensity_map → press [Add] button

3. Attribution → Object attribute (single feature)... (Ctrl+A)

Nothing happens, your object “Border of Intensity_map” is a line delineating a polygon. It has consequently no attributes.

The 3 steps process is now finished, reiterate it for the rest of the lines. The frame act as a border of polygons, so don't bother vectorizing lines on it to close your polygons. Finally your project should start to look like the following:

At this stage the lines delineating the borders of the polygons of the intensity_map layer are drawn. But they are actually only empty surfaces. To give them their descriptive object and attributes you have to edit the labels. The process is similar to the lines but somehow more simple.

Right-click on Labels → Symbology…

Set the color a nice light blue and the radius at 8

Right-click on Labels → Edit layer

The labels don't have any topological meaning. It is why the exact location of your labels is not important. The relevant thing is to have one label laying within the borders of every polygonal surface you want to digitize.

1. Edition → Draw feature (D)

As the labels are point type geometries it is quiet easy to draw them. Click on the wanted location and the label is already created. There is no need to press a finalizing key like for the lines. Once it is created it is automatically selected and ready to be attributed.

2. Check appropriate object → [Add]

3. Attribution → Object attribute (single feature)… (Ctrl+A)

The Object attribute (single feature) window pops up. Set process to innondation, recurrence_age to 300 and you have the liberty to write a comment if you desire.

Reiterate the process as many time as needed to put one label in every surface appearing on your Intensity_map. You should slowly get to a map such as this one:

Until now you went through the vectorization of one support theme but there is still plenty information to digitize. Change the display of the support themes. move from Intensity_map to Hazard_map.

As you can see on the picture above, a lot of structures are actually redundancies of what you already vectorized. The lines consistent with the new support theme have to be attributed as part of this layer.

Right-click on Lines → Edit layer

Edition → Select feature (V) → [Add] new attribution

Once you have attributed the existing lines, you have to draw and attribute the rest of them. On this map there are new intersections. For that purpose create them by cutting the existing lines. The tool cut line allows you to cut a line on an existing vertex. The cutted line will be divided at the location of the vertex. If there isn't a vertex at the desired location, you can easily add one with the insert vertex tool.

Optional: Select a line → Edition → Insert vertex (I)

Select a line → Edition → Cut line (Ctrl+X)

When you are finished with the vectorization/attribution of the lines, reiterate the operations of the chapter ”Drawing the labels”. At the end you shall have something looking like this:

There is still the last layer to vectorize and attribute, the instability structures. As it is a line layer you just have to follow the process of the chapter ”Drawing the lines”.

Hint: No vectorization should be required ;)

After the vectorization phase comes the validation. You don't want to export layers with wrong attributions or topological errors. hopefully there are strong tools to check up your work in ToolMap.

You have to make sure your borders of polygon delineate correctly all your surfaces. If they don't you will have problems at the export.

Validation → Dangling nodes → Intensity_map

If the tool finds dangling nodes it means that at least one surface is badly closed. If it is the case, correct your error either by snapping the lines properly or attributing them adequately.

Reiterate this operation for the Hazard_map layer as well.

Sadly ToolMap can't yet prevent the human factor. So if you misattributed a feature, it won't be automatically corrected. To identify those mistakes use the queries. Using the query wizard create a query for every object.

Validation → New query...

The queries can be used to apply a different symbology on two groups of features. Use this option to sort your data and eventually discover mistakes.

right-click on a query → Use Query for symbology

or

right-click on current layer → Symbology… → Multiple symbology

Map with highlighted features of the Intensity_map layer

At this stage the only thing left to do is to export your layers. You will need to define the export path of your project for that.

Project → Edit → Settings... → Export path

Set the export path, you can use the folder “03 - Export”. You are now ready to export your layers.

Project → Export layer... (Ctrl+Alt+E) → [All] → [Ok]

You can now use your shapefiles in other softwares. See below the attribute table of my Hazard_map shapefile in Qgis for exemple:

Thank you for following this tutorial, we hope it provided you the help you needed to start with ToolMap. Find out more advanced tips on the vectorization, attribution and validation process further in this Wiki.