Physical Maps

DNE Maps can read two kinds of maps, regular contribution maps and physical maps. While regular maps capture most of the ways in which NEs contribute to each other, they do not capture spatial relations. For instance, a regular map can represent that one train stop comes before another, but cannot represent the distance between the stops, nor the direction you have to travel in to get from one to the next. However, spatial relations like these can be represented on a physical map:

physical map

The physical map above represents exactly the same logical relationships as the regular contribution map below:

map

However, there are several differences between the regular contribution map (immediately above) and the physical map (top):

•	NEs on physical maps can be bunched together or spread apart to reflect "distance" (spatial or otherwise) between them, whereas NEs on regular maps are laid out in predetermined locations, so distance is not represented,

•	These spatial relations can be updated in DNE Maps,

•	Regular contribution maps are context-sensitive while physical maps are not context-sensitive (there is no "central NE" on a physical map).

•	Files and meta-data fields are only accessible from regular maps. Physical maps do not maintain files or fields.