A new feature of Cartographica 1.2 is layer bounding-box invisibility. This makes it easier to use a single large background map for multiple mapsets without having to be constantly zoomed in. Given that Cartographica now has the ability to import live maps you will find that this tool is very useful because it allows more flexibility with zoom commands when working with a large background map such as a Live Bing map.

When a raster file is imported into Cartographica it will be displayed at its full extent. However when data are added for a specific location the map will focus on that location by setting the extent of the raster file to match the extent of the location data.

In the first screenshot below notice that when added by its self, the Bing map includes the entire map window.

In the second screenshot notice that we have added data for Washington D.C. and now the Bing map does not take up the entire map window and we are fully zoomed out indicated by the scroll bar on the right being set to 100.

In the third screenshot we are going to highlight the Bing map in the layer stack, go to the Layer menu and then select Include in Map Extent.

Notice in the fourth screenshot that the Bing map now takes up the entire map window being the Washington D.C. block group layer and that the scale is now zoomed in indicated by the scroll bar on the right being set to 137,184.