MapGuide Help
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This guide will help you navigate and use our maps.
Site Requirements
To view the maps you will need either Internet Explorer 4.0 (or higher) or Netscape Navigator 4.0 (or higher) with the MapGuide Viewer installed.
About the MapGuide Viewer
The MapGuide Viewer is a free software component installed in your browser interface that allows you to display the map information distributed by a MapGuide server.
The MapGuide Viewer can be downloaded from Autodesk's website.  
Installing the MapGuide Viewer
There are two ways to install the MapGuide Viewer.

1.  If you are using Internet Explorer, you can install the viewer automatically just by entering the site. The site will load the viewer and ask if you want to install it. (This may take a few minutes depending on connection speed.) After installing the viewer, you should be able to see the dynamic map in your browser window.
2.  Download the appropriate viewer for your browser to your system. Close your browser and run the downloaded program either by double-clicking it or using the Windows Start - Run command. Follow the on-screen instructions for the viewer install program. After the installation program is complete, restart your browser and return to the site.
Viewing the Maps
This site is best viewed with a high screen resolution (1024 x 768 or higher), but it is not necessary. If you are viewing this site in a small browser window or at a low resolution, you will not see as much detail in the maps.
The map in your browser is dynamic, meaning it can and will change its properties at different zoom levels and actions. If you hold your pointer still over a map object, you will see a yellow tag fly-out containing information about that object. This feature allows you to "scan" the map and see relevant information quickly.
MapGuide Errors
This site is under a constant state of development. We will continually update and expand this site on a regular basis. This updating may cause temporary errors due to browser compatability issues. If you receive an error, please email us at gis@fostercity.org and tell us where the error occured. The most likely errors that may occur are scripting errors which can be ignored (say yes to continue using scripts on the page).
Viewer Toolbar
The MapGuide Viewer contains a toolbar of options for interactive maps.
This button allows the user to zoom by either picking a zoom spot or by holding the left mouse button and dragging a window across the map view.
This button allows the user to zoom out from a chosen point.
This button allows the user to zoom the map view to its full extents.
This button allows the user to pan the map around without changing the zoom level.  The user must left-click and hold while dragging the map view.
This button allows the user to view a report on a selected map object.  This button will only highlight when a map object is selected.
Viewer Legend
The legend shows the current visible layer names and their visibility status.
The user has the ability to "check" or "uncheck" the layer name for visibility.

The user also has the ability to rebuild a selected layer.
The user selects the layer to rebuild, right-click on the name and selects "rebuild".
Viewer Information Bar
The Map Viewer has a row of information along the bottom of the map view.
This information describes certain aspects of the current map view.


This bar shows the current layer and object and/or the current coordinates of the pointer.


This bar shows the current selected object.


This bar shows the current map scale ratio.


This bar shows the current rectangle size in the viewer.