USGS 7.5' Digital Quad Contour Lines

[Spaceman3750]

Does anyone know why the USGS digital quad here does not show contour lines while the older (2000) topo does? Am I missing a switch somewhere I'm supposed to flip to make the contour lines turn on?

I don't particularly want to use the older one if I can help it because it doesn't show all the trails the satellite image shows.

[sardak]

Because you have a map from a state that's too flat to need contour lines? 

There aren't contour lines or hydrographic (water features) included with this map because it's a "Digital Map - Beta." Only the newer, "US Topo" maps have these features. From the USGS:
The prototype of US Topo, "Digital Map–Beta," has been available since June 2009 and currently covers 17 states. US Topo maps include all of the content of the earlier "Digital Map–Beta," plus integrated contours and hydrographic features.

This map   http://nationalmap.gov/ustopo/about.html#status   shows which states have US Topos and which are still Beta versions. Illinois is shown as one of the Beta states. But they're working on the US Topos for them. The note on the map reads "US Topos for these quadrangles will be produced in 2012 and beyond." I live in one of the "red" states which have the full blown US Topos now.

As for the "switch" there actually is one available for the US Topos and Betas because they're in the GeoPDF format. Files in GeoPDF format have their data in layers which can be turned on and off (contours are a layer in US Topos). These files can be viewed in Adobe Reader, but I'm not sure if the "switch" is now native to Reader or whether it requires the free GeoPDF toolbar add-on. I have the toolbar installed on all my computers. The switch appears as two overlapping gray diamonds on the left edge of a GeoPDF file open in Reader.

If it's not there, the GeoPDF toolbar is available from: http://usgs.terragotech.com/home

Even if Reader opens them natively now, the GeoPDF toolbar adds additional functionality: "like measure distances between objects in the map, add your own comments to specific places on the map, view the files in conjunction with Google Maps, or even integrate them with your GPS to track your position on the map. All for free."

For those not familiar with where to get these maps, the US Topos and Beta versions are available from download at the USGS store:   http://store.usgs.gov  Then look for the "Map Locator" link. Once there, a layer can be turned on to show which maps are Beta and which are full featured US Topos. The old, non-GeoPDF topos are available for free download at the same place.

Mike

[Spaceman3750]

Because you have a map from a state that's too flat to need contour lines? 

There aren't contour lines or hydrographic (water features) included with this map because it's a "Digital Map - Beta." Only the newer, "US Topo" maps have these features. From the USGS:
The prototype of US Topo, "Digital Map–Beta," has been available since June 2009 and currently covers 17 states. US Topo maps include all of the content of the earlier "Digital Map–Beta," plus integrated contours and hydrographic features.

This map   http://nationalmap.gov/ustopo/about.html#status   shows which states have US Topos and which are still Beta versions. Illinois is shown as one of the Beta states. But they're working on the US Topos for them. The note on the map reads "US Topos for these quadrangles will be produced in 2012 and beyond." I live in one of the "red" states which have the full blown US Topos now.

As for the "switch" there actually is one available for the US Topos and Betas because they're in the GeoPDF format. Files in GeoPDF format have their data in layers which can be turned on and off (contours are a layer in US Topos). These files can be viewed in Adobe Reader, but I'm not sure if the "switch" is now native to Reader or whether it requires the free GeoPDF toolbar add-on. I have the toolbar installed on all my computers. The switch appears as two overlapping gray diamonds on the left edge of a GeoPDF file open in Reader.

If it's not there, the GeoPDF toolbar is available from: http://usgs.terragotech.com/home

Even if Reader opens them natively now, the GeoPDF toolbar adds additional functionality: "like measure distances between objects in the map, add your own comments to specific places on the map, view the files in conjunction with Google Maps, or even integrate them with your GPS to track your position on the map. All for free."

For those not familiar with where to get these maps, the US Topos and Beta versions are available from download at the USGS store:   http://store.usgs.gov  Then look for the "Map Locator" link. Once there, a layer can be turned on to show which maps are Beta and which are full featured US Topos. The old, non-GeoPDF topos are available for free download at the same place.

Mike

Thanks for the info .