Quick Start with Excel

This example will enable you to get started with entering data using Microsoft Excel. It is recommended that you print these instructions before you start.
See the Data Entry page for other ways of entering DMAP distribution data.

  1. Locate the Workbook files DMAPXLS1, DMAPXLS2 and DMAPXLS3 which should be found in your C:\Dmapw folder. If you cannot locate these files, they can be downloaded from the Add-on Utilities page of the DMAP Web site.
  2. Open DMAPXLS2 in Microsoft Excel. If you get a message about enabling macros, you must select 'Enable Macros', otherwise the DMAP link will not work. Note also, that in Excel 2000, Security needs to be set at Medium (or Low, but not High) at Tools|Macro|Security in order to enable macros.
  3. In Excel, select File|Save As and save the Workbook to a new name (for example, MyData) to preserve the original version intact. The new Workbook can be saved in any folder, including the Dmapw folder.
  4. Read the entire Instructions page.
  5. Go to the RECORDS Worksheet and enter some data appropriate to your area of interest. Note that you should normally enter either Grid References or Latitude/Longitude rather than both.
  6. After entering some data, select DMAP File Generator from the Tools menu (Excel 2000), Add-Ins menu (Excel 2003) or the Quick Access Toolbar (Excel 2007 or later). Make sure that you have selected 'Grid Reference' or 'Latitude+Longitude' and then click on Export Data for DMAP. This will create the file excel.dis in the Dmapw folder. If the file already exists you will get a warning, and you will normally want to confirm replacement to update your distribution map with any new data entered into your Excel Workbook.
  7. Click on Run DMAP.
  8. In DMAP, select the Data File Group which is most appropriate to your study area and then click OK. If none of the File Groups is appropriate, it is suggested that you select The World. Later on, you can install a more appropriate map by following one of the procedures described on the Boundary Files page.
  9. Select File|File Group Setup and select the same Data File Group.
  10. Change the names of the DIS and NAM files as follows (after noting the names of the original files in case you wish to reinstate them):
    DIS - browse for the file excel.dis
    NAM - make this blank by deleting the text in the edit box
  11. Click on Save Changes and then Close.
  12. Select File|Open File Group and re-select the same File Group to refresh the data.
  13. Select View|Distribution Map, select a species and then click on OK.
  14. You should now see your distribution records displayed on the map, although you may need to Zoom in to see it.
  15. Exit from DMAP to get back to Excel and then Close the DMAP Data File Generator.
Note that steps 1-4 only need to be performed the very first time you use the Workbook, and steps 9-11 only need to be performed the very first time you export data to a particular File Group.

Comments or questions about this procedure can be sent to Alan Morton

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