| iTool User's Guide: Working with Maps |

## Displaying Maps

The iMap tool's primary goal is to visualize map data, though the tool is capable of much more once the data is displayed. The iMap tool also allows you to manipulate and edit the displays. The first task is to display the map data.

Your options for calling the iMap tool are:

- At the IDL Command Line without arguments or keywords

- At the IDL Command Line with arguments or keywords

Note Arguments and keywords are accepted at the IDL Command Line for the iMap tool, for more information on accepted arguments and keywords, see IMAP.

- Through the File New Visualization iMap menu option in the IDL Development Environment

- Through the File New iMap menu option in an iTool

- On Windows platforms, from the Start menu (Start Programs RSI IDL 6.1 iTools iMap)

You have two options for getting started with displaying a map. You can:

- Apply a map projection and then visualize data within it

- Visualize image or contour data and then apply a map projection to it

To get started with one of these options, see the following sections:

- Applying a Map Projection

- Displaying an Image

- Displaying a Contour

IDL Online Help (March 01, 2006)