10 replies to this topic

[Matthew Hampton]

I am working on an update to an 8-panel map with 2 right-angle folds. It ends-up with a nice cover panel and you unfold it into thirds, then it accordions open into a double-sided map.

When it's all folded - does it matter if the first accordion fold is on the left or the right?

Based on a re-design I want to change the folding pattern and I didn't know if I would be breaking any standards or conventions. Not that I have been bothered much by such things in the past - I just want to prevent any headaches at the bindery. The existing design places the cover panel on the lower right corner and the first accordion fold is on the left. Am I going to be in a world of hurt if I move it to the lower left corner and have the first accordion fold on the right?

[Dennis McClendon]

Let me check DIN Gefaltetespapierkartetechnischenorm 107.20 to see what it says. There may also be an IGN technical paper that covers the subject, but they usually are more open to an appeal for a variance than the Germans are.

Seriously, no one but your printer/bindery can really predict very well what will be a problem. I don't think this kind of change should be a big problem, though. Where I usually run into trouble is doing too many fanfolds over a given length, such that my printer's folder won't handle it so he has to job it out.

[Matthew Hampton]

Thanks Dennis,

I recently checked with a local bindery regarding the size and fortunately will not have to ship (to Frederic's) this time around. I remember seeing a local map that had to (unfortunately) turn everything upside-down on one panel to make the folding work. I'm not too sure what mistake they made with the layout - but I want to prevent that from happening.

I also was unsure of any user-testing or cross-cultural focus-groups that might have determined factually that people who lived between 125º-90º w longitude overwhelmingly prefer maps that fan open to the left vs. the right.

[razornole]

Great question,

I am working on a large-scale, folding map and wondering if there was a difference between a head-to-foot orientation vs. a head-to-head. To me, I hate having to wonder which side is north, however, there seems to be an overwhelming majority of maps that are head-to-foot. I wonder if this is an industry standard or an oversight?

kru

[Melita Kennedy]

Great question,

I am working on a large-scale, folding map and wondering if there was a difference between a head-to-foot orientation vs. a head-to-head. To me, I hate having to wonder which side is north, however, there seems to be an overwhelming majority of maps that are head-to-foot. I wonder if this is an industry standard or an oversight?

kru

I've always noticed that when I flip a map, it's usually opposite of what I expect.

For smaller, and larger too, pages, I want to flip the shorter axis. That is, if it's in portrait mode, I want to flip left-to-right, thus it's head-to-head. If it's landscape, I want to flip top-to-bottom, head-to-foot. That's less awkward to me.

Melita

[Matthew Hampton]

I've always noticed that when I flip a map, it's usually opposite of what I expect.

I thought it was just me! It's heartening to know there are others out there. I am curious to know what others think. We just did some map focus group testing and while we didn't specifically test folding/handling - I noticed the various ways people handle and fold maps. The map we used was in a landscape format printed head-to-head, but I saw several folks flip top-to-bottom (erroneously). Just as many flipped left-to-right so I can't offer any sound advice, but it's interesting to hear opinions. I like Melita's "whatever is less awkward give the map shape" approach.

[razornole]

I've always noticed that when I flip a map, it's usually opposite of what I expect.

I thought it was just me! It's heartening to know there are others out there. I am curious to know what other think. We just did some map focus group testing and while we didn't specifically test folding/handling - I noticed the various ways people handle and fold maps. The map we used was in a landscape format printed head-to-head, but I saw several folks flip top-to-bottom (erroneously). Just as many flipped left-to-right so I can't offer any sound advice, but it's interesting to hear opinions. I like Melita's "whatever is less awkward give the map shape" approach.

I guess that it would depend on the data. However, I always find that the feature I am following, whether it be trail, river, or road, always terminates on the next panel over. It seems more often then not, this panel is on the other side of the map. I would like to fold that panel over and quickly view the map/terminus of my journey with the same orientation. Instead I have to flip the map over, rotate it, fold in the panels that I was viewing on the other side, and finally unfold the panels on the other side so I can view the panel that I wanted to see a long time ago. Seems nonsensical. Maybe it is because I am backpacking with 80lbs of gear on my back, or navigating my canoe through class III rapids, but I rarely ever view the entire side of a map at once in the field. I'm always navigating panel to panel.

Another factor would be the legend, if north is oriented the same on both sides, then so would the legend and any other misc text.

My two cents,
kru

[DaveB]

I don't know the answers, best to check with your printer/bindery as to what is possible and if there is a difference in cost. Melita's "less awkward" idea makes sense, too. As does razornole/kru's point about panels. As with most things it depends on a number of factors and all you can hope to do is make it better for more of your map readers, but probably not all of them.

(I did run paper-folding machines in a previous work life, so if I can see the folding machine (up and down plates, right angle extensions, etc.) and a mockup of the final product I can figure out how it goes)

[Agnar Renolen]

I am working on an update to an 8-panel map with 2 right-angle folds. It ends-up with a nice cover panel and you unfold it into thirds, then it accordions open into a double-sided map.

When it's all folded - does it matter if the first accordion fold is on the left or the right?

No it doesn't matter. But it is preferrable that the front panel has a fold on the top. I suggest a 3-panel concertina fold horizontaly, and then a C-fold vertically with the front panel in the middle and the lower panel inside the upper panel.

Agnar

[rudy]

We produce a number of folded maps and have recently switched from a top fold to a side fold (i.e. when the map is all folded up, where is the first fold?). I'd have to say I prefer the side fold - it tends to stand up better in the rack than a top fold. We also generally put our maps head to head - I tend to think of a user flipping the map as tuning a page - hence the head to head.

[natcase]

We produce a number of folded maps and have recently switched from a top fold to a side fold (i.e. when the map is all folded up, where is the first fold?). I'd have to say I prefer the side fold - it tends to stand up better in the rack than a top fold. We also generally put our maps head to head - I tend to think of a user flipping the map as tuning a page - hence the head to head.

What Rudy said: top fold (accordion fold and C or flop fold) is easier to fold and unfold, but side fold stands up in racks. The ideal? Accordion fold one way, accordion fold the other way. If you can get that to work... and it means front and back cover are not adjacent, which is sometimes important.