Welcome to randymajors.org Help resources
Search the FAQs and view the Help Videos, then if you still need help, scroll down to the Contact randymajors.org Support form
Frequently Asked Questions
Map & Search Tools
How do I use the map and search tools?
Instructions for each tool can be found directly underneath the map or search box on each page. You can also view the help videos. Also, the data sources for the map tools are shown at the bottom of each map tool page.
Map Tools
How can I share a link to a map I am viewing?
To share the map, click the “Share/Save Map” button in the lower left corner of the map. This will save the map, including the layers being viewed, the center point, and the location of the blue dot, and more. Whoever you share the link with will see the same map view that you see. Monthly Contributors can also click the “Save to My Account” button once in the “Share/Save Map” window!
Map Tools
Where can I find the acceptable uses for the map tools?
Please visit our Terms of Use, Disclaimer and Privacy Policy page before making use of the tools and information on this website.
Map Tools
How do I show my current location on the map?
Click the small circle button ( ◉ ) in the upper right corner of each map tool to re-center the map on your current location (location will be most accurate on smartphones containing a GPS with both cellular and wi-fi enabled). There are also many Current Location Tools that go immediately to your current location.
Map Tools
How do I print the map or take a screenshot?
There are a few options for printing:
- Click the “print” button in the upper right corner of the map window on your desktop browser. A clean map view will appear, where you can either print or take a screenshot:
- To print, click the “Print…” button and adjust orientation to landscape for best results.
- To take a screenshot, press Windows logo key+Shift+S to copy the screenshot to your clipboard so it can be pasted into another document. When finished, click the “DONE Printing” button in the upper right corner above the map.
- Use your browser’s print option (right click in the light blue panel above the map and choose “Print…”). Typically, a letter paper size in landscape orientation will work best as it most closely mimics the shape of the map window.
- Another option is to click the Toggle Fullscreen button in the upper right corner (available to Monthly Contributors) and then use the screenshot shortcut: Windows logo key+Shift+S.
mapBuilder – Custom Maps
How can I create a custom map?
There are many types of custom maps you can create by using the mapBuilder form found below most of the map tools. Create maps from custom groupings of US ZIP Codes (5-digit or 3-digit), US counties, and create maps live-linked to Google Sheets or imported from Google My Maps, Google Earth and more. Plus, Monthly Contributors can interactively draw points/lines/shapes. Also, learn more in the Custom Maps section of this website!
mapBuilder – Custom Maps
What if I need more than the number of ZIP Codes I am limited to on my map?
There are different limits for the free version and Monthly Contributor version. There are a couple of different solutions: Try combining 5-digit and 3-digit ZIP Codes, explained here. The benefit is that there are fewer than 1,000 3-digit ZIP Codes in the U.S., so your spreadsheet will be much smaller and your map will load a lot faster. If for some reason that doesn’t work for your situation, you can also try chunking up your map into multiple regional maps.
mapBuilder – Custom Maps
How can I add multiple addresses or latitude longitude points to the map?
To add a spreadsheet of addresses to the map, use mapBuilder’s “Add custom points to the map” module. It is fastest to have latitude longitudes in your spreadsheet, but if you only have addresses, the tool will automatically geocode the addresses using the US Census Bureau’s geocoder, which will convert the addresses into lat longs that can be pasted into your Google Sheet. The Address column must contain U.S. addresses in this format: address, city, state, ZIP Code.
Note the Census Bureau’s geocoder isn’t always accurate, and it takes about 1 second per 10 addresses, and only works with US addresses. So if you have a lot of addresses and/or you need higher accuracy, you may want to use some other address geocoder service (Start by Googling “free online address geocoder”). Then, use mapBuilder’s “Add custom points to the map” module.
Monthly Contributors can also interactively add points to the map in 3 ways while using mapBuilder’s “Draw & Measure on the map” module: 1) add address markers by using the “Search Places” box, 2) add latitude longitude points by using the “Find lat long” box, or 3) click on the map.
mapBuilder – Custom Maps
Is there a list of color names I can use in my Google Sheet for my custom map?
You can use any browser-supported color name or any 6-digit hex color code.
mapBuilder – Custom Maps
Can I draw and measure on the map?
Yes, Monthly Contributors can draw points, lines and shapes on any map, and then save the drawings and finished maps to their My Account dashboard for easy access and retrieval. The saved drawings can then be added to any map you create, and can be combined with any other mapBuilder module (such as custom areas and custom points). Also, length and area are displayed when you draw or edit a line or shape.
mapBuilder – Custom Maps
What is a Saved Drawing vs a Saved Map?
A Saved Drawing can contain many shapes that you draw (points, lines and/or shapes) all of the same color. A Saved Map is the finished map, which can contain many Saved Drawings, as well as other map layers you created with mapBuilder, such as custom areas from ZIP Codes or counties, custom points from a live-linked Google Sheet, and so on.
Saved Maps also remember what other map layers are visible, label settings, your map’s center point, zoom level, base map type (roadmap, satellite, terrain), and so on. Saved Drawings can be re-used and added to many maps. If you edit a Saved Drawing (e.g. change its shape or color), those edits will automatically be reflected in any Saved Maps that the Saved Drawing is part of.
Links to Saved Maps (which may include Saved Drawings) can be shared so they can be viewed by others who do not have an account, such as this example Study Area Map (anyone with the link can view this map).
mapBuilder – Custom Maps
How do I show a map on my website?
Many companies/people take a screenshot of the map to insert on their website. Be sure to follow the guidelines and preserve the copyright notices at the bottom of the map, and a link back to the map tool on this website.
mapBuilder – Custom Maps
Can I embed the map tool on my website?
A map image, yes. The map tool itself, no. The technology and licensing used by the map tools does not allow for this. As another option, see “How do I show a map on my website?”.
mapBuilder – Custom Maps
Can I export the data?
You can use the Selection Tools button in the lower left corner of the map to select map features (e.g. counties, cities, Township Range, ZIP Codes) and copy/paste the selection into another application. Choose the map tool that pertains to the data you want to select. For example, to copy/paste a list of ZIP Codes you select, use the ZIP Codes map tool; to copy/paste a list of counties you select, use the County Lines map tool, etc.
Note that the geospatial map layers and maps themselves cannot be exported from this website. You can print/screenshot any map (see the “How do I print the map or take a screenshot?” question above). Also, you can use the mapBuilder form below the map tools to import various formats of data into the website, including spreadsheets, KML/KMZ files, GPX files and more.
Map Images
Do you have static map images?
Yes, see the Reference Maps section of this website for static maps by state, including counties, city limits, civil townships, ZIP Codes and Section Township Range.
Sign In / Monthly Contributor
Why can’t I Sign in with Google?
You need to be a Monthly Contributor in order to Sign in with Google.
Sign In / Monthly Contributor
I am a Monthly Contributor. How do I sign in?
Sign In / Monthly Contributor
How do I reset my password?
Use the “Forgot password?” link found on the Sign in page. Be sure to use the e-mail address you used when you originally signed up as a Monthly Contributor.
Sign In / Monthly Contributor
How do I get access to ad-free fullscreen map and search tools?
Click the ‘JOIN NOW’ button on this page.
Sign In / Monthly Contributor
What benefits do I receive for being a Monthly Contributor?
View the benefits of being a Monthly Contributor.
Sign In / Monthly Contributor
How do I save a map?
To save a map, Monthly Contributors can click the “Share/Save Map” button, then give the map a name and click the “Save to My Account” button. NOTE: Some browsers such as Firefox block pop-ups by default, so you may need to enable popups on randymajors.org for this functionality to work.
Sign In / Monthly Contributor
How do I update the credit card details or billing address for my subscription?
To update your credit card number, expiration or security code/CVC, go to My Account > My Subscriptions and click the “Change or update payment method” button.
To update the ZIP Code associated with your billing address, go to My Account > Billing address and click the “Edit” link.
Sign In / Monthly Contributor
Does this website store my credit card number?
This website does NOT store your credit card number. This is made possible by tokenization, whereby your actual credit card number is stored on the payment gateway, which includes Stripe for credit card processing, Google Pay, or Apple Pay.
Sign In / Monthly Contributor
How do I cancel my Monthly Contributor subscription?
Go to your My Account > My Subscriptions page where you can cancel or modify your subscription.
When you cancel, you will still have access to the ad-free website through the end of your current monthly term. After 90 days of cancelling or failing to complete a monthly contribution payment, any Saved Maps or Saved Drawings will be deleted from your account and cannot be recovered.
Troubleshooting
Why can’t a person see a map I shared with them?
Use the “Share/Save Map” button in the lower left corner of the map window to share a link to your map. If someone cannot view the entire mapBuilder map you created, check if you’ve exceeded one of the limits of the free version of the map tools.
If you’ve exceeded a limit, see the recommendations listed in the question “What if I need more than the number of ZIP Codes I am limited to on my map?”.
Troubleshooting
Why isn’t my KML file loading?
Only points and lines (routes) can be imported from a KML file. If you have polygons you wish to import, you can try converting them to polylines in your source data before importing.
Also, note that point KML files must contain longitude and latitude coordinates in decimal degrees; geocoded addresses without coordinates are not supported.
Troubleshooting
How do I fix a missing address or wrong pin location?
Follow these steps to submit a missing address or wrong pin location to Google Maps.
Troubleshooting
What do I do if I find a discrepency between your maps and another source?
The sources for each map tool are listed in the “Sources” box below each map tool. If you believe there is an error, try searching online for that source agency’s error submission procedure.
Historical U.S. Counties Auto-Checker
How do I use the Historical U.S. Counties Auto-Checker Chrome extension?
Find general information on the Chrome extension here. Then, once installed, follow all of these steps. You can also watch a video walkthrough of the Auto-Checker.
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