Discussion: OOM legends

How do those of you who use OOM for drawing maps deal with creating a legend?

Drawing the legend is just the same as drawing the map.

I haven't used OOM, but I can tell you what I did in 0CAD going back to its paleolithic days, as well as with pen and ink drafting before that: I just created it manually. First I set up a text object with the spacing and left/right justification that I want, then I fiddle with what symbol names I need and what order they should go in, and when I get it the way I want, I then add the symbols, which is easy for point features, but more work for things like contours, where you need to draw something. It can take a bit of creativity to fit it into whatever space is available in the periphery of the map, depending on the map shape.

There's something to be said for a different approach, which is to not put legends on maps at all, but rather to make a quasi-universal legend that covers all of the symbols used by maps in your region, and just print a bunch of them for distribution to those who need them. In some circumstances you might want to include it in the map case, or use it as a piece of clip art that is printed next to the map, but outside the border. If you design it to be 8.5"x3", you have the option of putting it next to an 8.5"x11" map and printing it on legal-size paper (you might want two versions, one to go next to a landscape map, and the other to go under a portrait map).

The first time is tedious. Now, I just copy and paste from a previous map. Adjust as necessary.

A bit like Mr Holmes says. I created an.omap file called "symbols" and made up a couple of versions of a legend, made some effort to line them up straight, and added any notes, copyright and access statments that might be useful. A couple of logo's as well. Now when I want a legend I change the scale of "symbols" to match the map in progress and copy and paste, then do a bit of minor adjustment.

Turn on the grid so you can snap symbols to it and have everything line up nicely

As an alternative, I have created a tool that lets you import the "skeleton" of a SVG file: https://github.com/rhansson/svg2omap
It may save you some tedious work.

Draw it in OCAD then just reopen the file in OOM.

By which you really mean create it automatically in OCAD. I didn't say that because I assume not everyone has an OCAD license.

What is this obsession with putting legends on orienteering maps?
It doesn't matter where you go in the world the symbols on the orienteering maps are to be the same. It wasn't always that way but now you can count on it with only a few local symbols thrown in.
Suncoast Orienteering saves money and paper by leaving the legend off the map, giving more room for map on the map and usually at a large, more readable scale and has copies of orienteering map legends for the few who want to carry them.
Sorry if this distracts from the thread. But the guys above are correct. If you want it the auto legend function in OCAD is worth the price of admission.

Note that the original poster deals primarily with young students who are encountering an orienteering map (maybe any map) for the first time.

Yeah, I'm in the general camp that legends on the map are not necessary for advanced orienteering courses, but having a legend on a park map for people who have never even heard of orienteering before (like many Navigation Games participants) seems like a must-do.

Tinnishill's approach would make a lot of sense for an org like Navigation Games.

Legend on an A meet map? No. Legend on a ski O map at an event with lots of first timers? Yes! I did this for an event last week. The mapped area was very long and narrow so the legend actually helped to fill in some white space on the page. And orienteering on skis offers enough challenges without having to carry a separate legend sheet around with you, especially if you’ve never even heard of the sport before.

I wish this was better too. Just a default set of symbols that were meant for legend only and set atop the rest of the color scheme. Here is what I do (did this for sprint maps and also for regular ISOM):
1. Create a new blank map that is intended just for legend symbols.
2. I created an entirely duplicated symbol set. I called each symbol "Legend Contour 101" for example.
3. I created an entirely duplicated color set. I called each color "Legend Brown" for example. All of these colors sit atop the White-Mask (called White for Course Overprint I think)...I use it for masking out things I dont want to show for that race).
4. I assigned all of the legend symbols to the legend colors I created.
5. Create a few different pre-made legends that are designed to go in different openings on the map
6. Create a border for each paper size (letter, legal, tabloid). The border is 11.8.5 minus .25 margin all the way around (I'd give you the actual mm's if I wasn't too lazy to look them up).
7. When I am at my last stage for the map creation and before an event, I bring in the frame/border, then create a mask covering un-needed things around the border.
8. Last step is to import (by copy and pasting) the legend from the other program into the final map.

This ugly and cumbersome set of steps is probably avoidable somehow, but I so often found myself needing to mask off areas and display the legend so often that I spent an afternoon doing this. It has been pretty useful since then, and now if my legend is goofy, I only need to update my template, not my entire map.

Please tell me there is a better way:). (Besides just not putting a legend on the map).

PS...I often also just import a picture of a legend on the map too. But it never seems quite right. However works well for a quick and dirty either in OOM or in PP.

There should just be a legend for each symbol set that fits Letter sized paper, and print it on the back of the map!

Double sided tends to double the cost.

I use a 'graphic' for the legend, that I only put on the easy course maps

No legend in OOM - I have jpg and add in in condes. That way it doesn't end up under the control descriptions.