Combining Maps
Overlay maps in Surfer by dragging the map layer to a new map frame in the Contents window, by using the Map | Add command, or by using the Map Tools | Map Tools | Overlay Maps command. To combine two maps by dragging in the Contents window,
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Start with two separate map objects. In this example, there is a post map and a contour map. Note that each map has an independent set of axes.
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The contour map layer and the post map layer are displayed in separate map objects in the Contents window and the plot window. |
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Select the post map layer in the Contents window and drag it to the contour map object. To do this, left-click and hold the left mouse button while you drag the map layer to a new map frame. When the cursor changes to a horizontal arrow, release the left mouse button and the map layer is added to the new map frame. The post map will now be overlaid on the contour map.
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First left-click and select the post map layer (left), then drag the post map layer to the other map object. When the cursor is a horizontal arrow (middle), release the mouse button to drop the map layer in the new location (right). |
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An empty map frame may remain after removing the last map layer from the map object, depending on your options. If an empty map frame exists, select the empty map frame and press DELETE on the keyboard to remove the empty map frame. The end result is a single map object with two map layers; a post map layer and a contour map layer. Additional map layers can be added with the Add to Map commands.
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The result of this method is one Map object with two map layers. |
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Overlaying Maps on an Existing Map Frame
Maps can be overlaid on an existing map frame. Select the existing map and use the Map | Add command to overlay a new map on the selected map. See Introduction to Map Layers.
Removing a Map Overlay
Select the map layer and use the Break Apart Layer command to remove a map layer from a map object. Alternatively, right-click on the map layer and select Break Apart Layer.
Deleting a Map Layer
To delete a map layer from a map frame, select the map layer in the Contents window and press the DELETE key on the keyboard. Alternatively, you can select the map layer and use the Home | Selection | Delete command, or right-click the map layer and select Delete.
Overlaying Two Existing Maps
If two maps already exist, you can move (or overlay) a map layer from one map frame into the other map frame by dragging and dropping in the Contents window or by selecting both maps with Home | Selection | Select All and overlaying the maps with the Map Tools | Map Tools | Overlay Maps command.
Deleting Empty Map Layers
When the last map layer has been removed from a map, there is an option to automatically delete the existing map frame and axes. Click File | Options and click on the General page. Check the Delete empty maps option. Click OK. When the last map layer is moved from a map frame, the map frame and axes are automatically deleted. When this option is not checked, empty map frames and axes remain after the last map layer is moved. By default, this option is checked so that empty map objects are automatically deleted.