Delaware Valley Orienteering Association

Topic created by johncampbell on Mon Nov 6, 2017 at 4:03 pm

johncampbell
Num Posts: 88
Primary Club: DVOA
Fav map: Batsto
First O: 1969

A great event and fun to have seen a lot of familar faces I hadn't seen in a while. I have one comment regarding the course printing on the maps. I realize I am getting old and the eyesite is not quite what it was just a few years ago. That said the courses this weekend were very hard to read on the maps, to the point we even had to have a copy of the Hawk Mountain map at the start highlighting the start triangle. I know there is a color specifically selected in order to address those who are color blind. That specify's the color, but it should have been a darker tint of the same color to make it legible on such a detailed map. I heard a number of people comment about this. I think this is an item that we need to review for the future.

 

Reply by Guy-O on Mon Nov 6, 2017 at 6:39 pm

Guy-O
Num Posts: 356
Primary Club: HVO
Fav map: Spackman Creek
First O: 1982

I concur.

Reply by ErikEddy on Mon Nov 6, 2017 at 6:49 pm

ErikEddy
Num Posts: 409
Primary Club: DVOA
Fav map: Mount Penn Antietam
First O: 1998

How would you fix that? Just using condes standard symbol. So if it's bad then Condes should fix it. Has that changed?

Reply by rpboehme on Mon Nov 6, 2017 at 7:02 pm

rpboehme
Num Posts: 126
Primary Club: DVOA
Fav map: Nolde
First O: 2012

Is there an option in Condes to "bold" an item much in the same way that a piece of text may be "bolded" in a conventional application?  Could this be, perhaps, set up in the options for Condes - Set lines to be 1.0 mm thick, 0.9 mm thick, and so on. 

Just a thought,

Rich

Reply by EricW on Mon Nov 6, 2017 at 7:17 pm

EricW
Num Posts: 99
Primary Club: DVOA
Fav map:
First O: 0

I noticed and heard of some course printing shorcomings as well.
As course consultant, I was at least partially responsible for the Hawk Mtn triangle situation, for which I would certainly like a "do-over".
On that specific detail, I'll suggest that the source of the problem was case-specific, a shortage of white or light background colors at the Start location, a situation that I admittedly didn't notice in time.
A slightly different shade or color might be worth considering, but I don't think that would make a significant difference in this case. Other options should have been tried first.

There are other course printing issues on my meet discussion list, for which I believe there are also more conventional responses, before modifying our course printing specs., at least for the details I noticed.
However, I'd prefer to address these issues off- line.

Reply by Steve on Tue Nov 7, 2017 at 9:39 am

Steve
Num Posts: 382
Primary Club: DVOA
Fav map: Paradise Farm
First O: 1993

For what it is worth, Condes 9 does allow you to change the colors, but itis time consuming. Each circle and number must be done one at a time, and then the lines between must be done. Totally impratical. 

Reply by Sandy on Tue Nov 7, 2017 at 10:35 am

Sandy
Num Posts: 312
Primary Club: DVOA
Fav map: Hickory Run 1:15000
First O: 1993

It is possible to change the color and thickness of the lines, numbers and circles in Condes all at once under the Canvas tab.  You can also "white out" the areas around numbers, circles and lines.  The question is more whether this should be done or not.

For example, for the Norristown sprints this summer, I outlined the circles and lines between controls in white since it was hard to see many of them given that the buildings were black.  (In a real sprint map they would be grey.)  I also frequently bold numbers and thicken control circles on my all control maps so that when I'm field checking my courses they're easier to see.

So there are easy ways to affect these changes.  However, it is not clear to me when changes should be made and what those changes should be.  I concur with Eric that an off-line conversation about this is warranted.

Reply by edscott on Tue Nov 7, 2017 at 11:09 pm

edscott
Num Posts: 703
Primary Club: DVOA
Fav map: Hickory Run 1:15000
First O: 1983

The courses on the Hawk Mountain maps are difficult for me to see  Are they the exact color specified?  Could it be closer to the brown used for contours?  Or maybe there is just so much red on the overprinted out of bounds areas that the courses don't jump out at me.  The other two maps are OK for my eyes so I suspect the Hawk Mountain courses just get lost in the maze of out of bounds areas.

Reply by Len on Fri Nov 10, 2017 at 12:47 pm

Len
Num Posts: 123
Primary Club: DVOA
Fav map:
First O: 2011

Part of this may also be the printer it is being printed from. I printed the Egypt Mills maps myself and I know the colors (or tones of them) are relative to the printer I used. That may not have been an issue with the National event.