• Browser requirements to View Maps
• General site information
• How to do a Property Search and Identify
• Layers and Backgrounds
• Navigational and Information Buttons
• How to print the map image
• Additional information and contacts

This web site will work with Microsofts Internet Explorer version 6.0 and above. Some functions will not currently work with versions of Netscape or Mozilla.

The general layout of the Welcome screen is maintained throughout the program. Maps will be displayed in the center right portion of the screen.

Options for viewing data are located on the top line. Geographic data may be viewed as follows:

• By searching for a particular property within the county
• By searching for a particular address range using street names
• By viewing a particular data layers (governmental, property, streets and roads, etc.)

The left column switches between two functions:

• To allow the user to select backgrounds and data layers to display on the map by clicking boxes on/off, or
• To show map legend, identity, data information for the current map view.

Navigational and other mapping buttons are located on the bottom line.

A refresh map function is located at the bottom of each theme page. Once you have picked the layers you want click here to draw the map.

Your current map extent (the "place" you have arrived at either by zooming or by using the place searches) will be kept as you add whatever combination of layers you like.

How to do a Property Search and Identify

Each county differs in the database information kept regarding property ownership etc. When you click on Property Search at the top of the screen several search options will be displayed. Choose only one option according to the information you have, i.e. Name or Parcel ID Number or Map Number and hit the submit button. It is important to enter the name in the format the database uses. E.G. last name followed by a comma and a space followed by the first name or portion thereof. For a name search, if multiple names are found a list will be presented for you to choose the name from. It will bring up the tax info for the name you pick and then draw the associated parcel map.

  Property Card: Once you have found a parcel by doing a search this button can be used to bring up an image of the property card. The property card may have a building footprint and building particulars for structures associated with the parcel.

  Print: Once you have found a parcel by doing a search this button will allow you to make a one page layout with the parcel and its information. Then use File->Print under the tool bar of your browser to print the page.

You may also do an identify function on any parcel you see on the screen. The identify function is selected by clicking on   and then double clicking on the point you're interested in. You may select a different layer from the parcels by selcting it using the drop down. Property information should appear to the left of your screen.

  Help: Displays this help file.

  Legend: Displays the legend for the data layers you select.

  Identify: Provides database information about an x, y coordinate for the data layer you select. The data layer is selected from a list of active data layers. A left mouse click on the current map image picks the x, y point.

  Drag Zoom: Allows you to zoom in by dragging a rectangle over the current map image by holding the left mouse down, dragging to the lower left and then releasing the mouse button. The rectangle will appear with a green outline.

  Quick Zoom In Zoom in to the center of the current image.

  Quick Zoom Out Zoom out from the center of the current image.

  Return to Full extent: This will return to to the full extent of the county with no data layers drawn.

  Pan: These four arrows allow you to move the current map image up, down, left, right. The pan will recenter the map at the current zoom level.

To print the Property Record Card

Choose Print Preview under your Browser's Print Icon dropdown. Choose the horizontal A icon to print in Landscape mode. Leave "Shrink To Fit" as the page sizing option.

To print just the map image

The small quick toolbar options (with the print etc option) that used to appear over an image is no longer provided with IE7.

To print an enlarged map image (by itself) you can use these steps.

Click the “i” button on the site. This changes the map state such that it knows you’re not trying to drag to zoom. Then you can right click on the map image and choose “Copy”. This selects the map frame of the site. After you’ve done the “Copy” you can click the arrow beside your “Print” icon to choose “print Preview” (or you can do File-> Print Preview)

Where you see “as laid out on screen” click the drop down arrow and choose “Only the selected frame”.

Choose landscape layout. This is the right most icon that looks like an “A”. If you hover your mouse over it, it should read Landscape.

Where you see “shrink to fit” click the arrow and choose 100% or 125% to make it bigger (depending on the frame size on your monitor).

You can get a large landscaped print of just the map this way.

If you're missing the File option you can turn its toolbar on by using the Tools dropdown (to the right of your browser controls) click on the down pointing arrow and then click the MenuBar option and you should see the menu appear under the address bar near the top of your browser. You can now do File-> and then Send-> shortcut to desktop, or email etc.

Use the print format button after a search or zoom to parcel to display the property you have just found on a single page with its parcel database information. Use the Print option under the File dropdown of the browser to print out the property report.

Support for this site is provided by Understanding Systems of Raleigh, NC.

EMail:

Note: Our e-mail address is displayed by the following picture. To cut down on our spam our address is not directly written in the HTML code. You must include the county name in the subject of your email. Include the parcel ID or name or layer you are having problems with.