When you first start Map Milwaukee, the frame to the right of the map frame displays the Layer List. This lists each piece of map data available to you.

Layer Visibility

To the left of each layer in the list is a check box and a radio button. The check box determines whether that layer is visible on the map. To make a layer visible, make sure there is a check in the corresponding visibility checkbox and click the Redraw Map button at the top or bottom of the Layer List frame. To make a layer invisible, or turn it off, uncheck the visibility checkbox next to the desired layer and then click the Redraw Map button.

A Few Notes Regarding Visibility

1. Layers are drawn on the screen in order from bottom to top of the Layer List. For example, if you make both the Quarter Sections and Zip Codes visible, your map will look like the zip code polygons are laying on top of the quarter section squares. Therefore, you will only be able to see the parts of the quarter sections that extend beyond the zip code boundaries. It is important to remember this when displaying more than one polygon layer at one time - the polygons of the "top" layer may be covering up polygons of another layer that is listed below it in the layer list.

2. Some map layers, like parcels, have scale-dependent visibility parameters. For example, even if you have the visibility checked for parcels, you will not be able to see them until you zoom in far enough. Other layers, like zoning, have scale-dependent labels - you can see the polygons when zoomed to the entire city, but as you zoom in, zoning labels will appear. This is done for better map readability and faster display when drawing layers with large amounts of data.

Legend/List
Click this button to toggle between the Layer List and the Legend. These are displayed in the panel to the right of the map.

Overview Map
Click this button to toggle the Overview Map on and off. The overview map is located in the top, left corner of the map window.

Zoom In
Click the Zoom In button to activate this tool. The Zoom In tool can be used in two ways:

1. Click once on the map at the center of the area which you would like to enlarge. The map will then zoom in a standard amount using your click point as the center of the updated map. Continue to click on the map until you have zoomed into the desired scale.

2. In the map window, click and hold down your mouse button. With the button pressed, move your mouse to drag a box around the extent you would like displayed. Release the mouse button to refresh the map to this extent.

Zoom Out
Click the Zoom Out button to activate this tool. The Zoom Out tool can be used in two ways:

1. Click once on the map at the center of the area from which you would like to zoom out. The map will then zoom out a standard amount using your click point as the center of the updated map. Continue to click on the map until you have zoomed out to the desired scale.

2. In the map window, click and hold down your mouse button. With the button pressed, move your mouse to drag a box on the map. Release the mouse button to refresh the map to the new extent.

Full Extent
Click this button once to zoom out to see the entire city.

Last Extent
Click the Last Extent button to zoom to your previous view/map extent.

Pan
Click the Pan button to activate this tool. Note that when you move the cursor over the map, it changes to a four-pointed arrow. In the map window, click and hold down your mouse button. With the mouse button pressed, drag the map so it moves in the desired direction. Release the mouse button to refresh the map to the new extent.

Identify
This Map Data tool is used to display attribute data for any map feature in the active layer. Click the Map Data button to activate this tool. Make sure the layer for which you want to display data is active. Click once in the map on the feature for which you want to display attribute data. The returned attribute data is displayed as a table in the frame directly below the map.

Query
The Query tool is used to find features in the active layer that meet specific criteria. We will use this example to demonstrate the Query tool: find all parcels in Aldermanic District 16 that are owner occupied.

Unless you are familiar with the attribute data for the layer you wish to query, you will first want to use the Identify tool to become familiar with the available data. The columns listed in the identify are all valid fields on which you can query.

Now it's time to start our query.

1. Click the Query button and make sure the Parcels layer is active. In the frame below the map, the query form appears.

2.From the Field drop-down list, select Aldermanic District.

3.Make sure the Operator drop-down selection is =.

4.In the Value text box, type 16.

5.Whithin the query frame, scroll down and press the Add to Query String button. Now you see the first part of your query - the part that will find parcels in Aldermanic District 16.

6.Now press the And button (located in the top half of the Query frame to the right of the Value text box). This adds the word "AND" to your query string. The word "AND" links the two halves of your query string and indicated you want to find features that meet all parts of your query. In our example, we want to find parcels that are in Aldermanic District 16 and are owner occupied. Had we selected the Not button, we would find parcels that are in Aldermanic District 16 and NOT owner occupied. Had we selected the Or button, we would find parcels that are in Aldermanic District 16 OR are owner occupied (Or finds features that meet either/or both criteria).

7. Now select Owner Occupied? from the Field drop-down menu.

8. Make sure the Operator is still set to =.

9. In the Value textbox, type "O", including the quotes. (O indicates owner-occupied, N indicates not owner occupied). You can also press the Get Samples button to display a sample of the available options).

10. Click the Add to Query String button to add the second half of your query.

11. Click the Execute button.

Parcels that meet your query criteria will be displayed as a table in the frame below the map window and also highlighted on the map. If only one feature is selected, the map will automatically zoom to that feature. To zoom to one of many selected features, click on the number in the Rec field of your desired feature. If more than 25 features are selected, only the first 25 records will be displayed in the data table. To view more records, scroll down to the bottom of the data table and click the More Records link.

Search
Use the Search tool to find specific attribute data. For example, this is the tool you would use to find taxkey. This tool is case sensitive, so it may pay to use the Identify tool to become familiar with a layer's attribute data before trying to perform a search. The Search tool searches all columns of the active attribute table. Features of the active layer that meet your search criteria will be displayed as a table in the frame below the map window. If only one feature is selected, the map will automatically zoom to that feature. To zoom to one of many selected features, click on the number in the Rec field of your desired feature. If more than 25 features are selected, only the first 25 records will be displayed in the data table. To view more records, scroll down to the bottom of the data table and click the More Records link.

Locate
The Locate tool is used to find addresses or intersections.

Find Address
Using the Locate tool to find an address will not necessarily find the exact parcel with the desired address. This tool interpolates a point along a block face based on the house number. So, if a block has house numbering starting at 100 and ends and 199, and you are looking for house number 150, a point will be placed halfway down that block (but not necessarily in front of the parcel with that address).

In the Street text box, type the desired address in all CAPS in the following format:
[house number] [street direction] [street name] [street type]

Examples:
200 E WELLS ST
1000 N 4TH ST

Formatting Notes:
Matching to Martin Luther King Drive is particularly difficult. If you are having trouble getting a match, use the abbreviation "MLK." For example: 1615 N MLK DR

Find Intersection
To find a street intersection using the Locate tool, simply type in the one street in the Street text box and another street in the Cross Street text box. The street name must include the direction and street type. See formatting notes under Find Address for more hints. Your intersection search should looks something like this:

Street: N WATER ST
Cross street: E WELLS ST

Measure
The Measure tool allows you to find the distance between two points, or a series of points. Click the Measure tool and notice the measurement boxes that appear at the top of the map window. Click once on the map at the point you wish to start. Notice that once you have marked your beginning point, when you move your mouse around the map, the value in the Segment measurement box changes. The value in this measurement box indicates the map distance your cursor is from the point you just clicked.

Click again to mark the end of your measurement segment. You will see a line has been drawn on the map and the distance between the two click points is displayed in the Total measurement box. Continue to click points to add to your total distance.

If you need to zoom in, out, or pan your map, your measurement information will be saved and you can continue with your measurement even if you no longer see the last click point.

To start a new measurement, click the Clear button.

Clear
Click the Clear button once to clear any selected or highlighted features. This tool also clears any measurement lines.

Print
The Print button allows you to print the map that is currently being displayed. After you click the Print button, type the title you would like to appear on your map in the text box that appears in the frame below the map. Then press Create Print Page. A new browser window will open with a map ready to be printed. Use your browser's print function to send the map to a printer.