# TopoEditor

> A highly featured, simple to use, tool for creating interactive rock climbing topos available free online

## Multiple Purpose

TopoEditor creates topos which are saved as SVG files which can be:
- Reloaded into TopoEditor for further editing
- Viewed in any browser
- Incorporated into any website, e.g. [SMC New Routes](https://smc.org.uk/climbs/newroutes)
- Loaded into Abode Illustrator or InDesign or other page setting software for incorporating in printed guidebooks 
- Loaded into mobile app (coming soon) 

## Integration

TopoEditor is integrated into the route database software used by:
- [Climbers Club](https://climbers-club.co.uk)
- [Scotish Mountaineering Club](https://smc.org.uk)
- [Fell & Rock Climbing Club](https://frcc.co.uk)
- [Alpine Club](https://aplineclub.org)

It is also available as a webcomponent for integration into websites, such as the [SMC new routes submissions](https://smc.org.uk/climbs/submission)


## Key Reasons to Use

- Highly quality, fully featured topos
- User / use specific styling
- Topo originator (Club, Author, etc) retains ownership
- Very easy and quick to use basic functionality.
- No licencing cost.
- Create once, use wherever.


## Features

- Overlapping routes (joins and splits) ideal for complex multi-pitch trad topos.
- Variations (i.e. diverging/merging lines of a route)
- Display of approach, descent, belays, lower-offs, abseils, title, text, icons, etc
- Optional legend with control over content and positioning
- Control over sizing of lines, features, text, legend, etc
- Variety of customisable themes (some user specific) changeable instantly via a select.
- Image management (resize, crop, trace, swap)
- Output options (svg, jpg, adobe)


## Alternatives

- **Wiki website specific topo tools**.  These are generally create only simple topos and have the disadvantage
that the resulting topo typically becomes the property of the website owner.
Examples are [The Crag](https://www.thecrag.com/en/article/topotutorial) and
[UK Climbing](https://www.ukclimbing.com/logbook/updates/tutorial.php).

- **Mobile App tools**.  These can create good topos for mobile publishing for bouldering and sport climbing.  
Some companies such as [27 Crags](https://27Crags.com) allow the originator to retain the copyright.
Compared to TopoEditor, these tools lack the advanced features desirable for trad or multi-pitch climbing,
and the output options or quality for printed publication.

- **Commercial Graphics Software such as Adobe Illustrator**.
Such software requires a paid licence and a skilled (trained) operator.  As such graphics software mostly used by designers / page setters,rather than the person who knows where the routers go. 
If used to create the orginial topo, there is typically considerable time spent sending
draft topos backwards and forwards making corrections to the lines.
The topos created are good for printed publication, but lack the interactivity desired for digital publishing.
A better solution is to get the person with the knowledge of the crag to create the topo using TopoEditor,
and the page setter to 'finish' the topo in Adobe.

## Resources

- [Help File](/help.md)
- Sample Topo