Create topics

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A map can contain several different types of topics. The central topic appears on a new map automatically. You can then use keystrokes and menu commands to quickly add other topics in Map View or Outline View.  
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The default placement of topics on your map is controlled by the layout settings you choose.

 

   See also:

 

Create topics using keystrokes

To create:

Keystroke

Mouse

Central topic

{ added automatically }

 

Main topic

ENTER

Double-click the map background

Topic (sibling)

Select a topic and press ENTER

 

Topic before (above) a  topic

Select a topic and press SHIFT + ENTER

 

Topic as a parent of a topic
Does not apply to Central Topic

Select a topic and press CTRL+ SHIFT + INSERT

 

Subtopic

Select a topic and press INSERT or CTRL+ENTER

 

Callout topic

Select a topic and press CTRL+SHIFT+ENTER

 

Floating topic

 

Click the map background and  type the topic text at the cue arrow  
Or

Double-click the map background and type directly into the floating topic.  

You can set options to enable these features.

Convert a topic to a floating topic

 

Select a topic, press SHIFT, and drag it to a new location to detach it.

 

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Create topics using the topic frame's Quick Add tabs

Click the topic, callout, or boundary where you would like to add a topic or callout.  The selected item displays the blue topic frame and the Quick Add tabs.   
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Use these tabs to add topics to the map:

The selected topic with blue topic frame and Quick Add tabs.

Click the topic's Quick Add tab to add a parent topic, topics at the same level (siblings) or subtopics (children).

The selected boundary with blue topic frame and Quick Add tab.

Click the boundary's Quick Add tab to add a callout topic.

The selected callout with blue topic frame and Quick Add tab.

Click the callout's Quick Add tab to add subtopics (children) topics

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Create topics using menu commands

On the Home or Insert  tab, in the Add Topics group, do one of the following to create a topic:

Click New Topic to add a topic at the same level as the currently selected topic - a sibling topic. (If the central topic is selected, a main topic is created.) Or Click the New Topic arrow to add a topic above the current topic (Add Topic Before)
Click New Subtopic to add a topic at the level below the currently selected topic. (If the central topic is selected, a main topic is created, otherwise, a subtopic is created.) Click Floating, and then click on the map background where you want to add the topic.
Click Callout to add a callout to the current topic.

 

Or on the Insert  tab, in the Add Topics group:

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Enter topic text

When you create a topic, a placeholder topic appears, and is automatically selected.

Add the date and / or time to a topic

You can add the date and / or time to any topic on the map. This information is most typically added to the central topic to indicate when the map was current. You may also insert the dates and times in topics to indicate when they were added or the date of an event.

  1. Select the topic (info is added in place of the default topic text, or at the beginning of existing text), or select a location within the topic text.

  2. On the Insert tab, in the Topic Elements group, click the Date & Time pull-down.

  3. Then, either:

    Select Insert Current Date & Time to insert the date and time using default formatting. Or

    • Press CTRL+ SHIFT + D
    Select Insert Date & Time for more options

    • Press CTRL + ALT + D

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