Difference between revisions of "EVE UNI Mapper"

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'''Pathfinder''' is a free and open-source wormhole mapping tool. This tools allows groups of players to share mapped wormhole connections, intel and cosmic signature information.
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{{Cleanup|Needs to be updated to current Main and Wormhole Community information as well as general cleanup}}
  
Mapping is important to coordinate campuses' scanning and exploration and is vital for [[Wormhole_Campus|Wormhole Campus]] to ensure they have full knowledge of nearby wormholes. EVE University hosts a private Pathfinder for its members at https://pathfinder.eveuniversity.org/
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{{eunispecific}}
Pathfinder was [https://forum.eveuniversity.org/viewtopic.php?f=218&t=114996 introduced] in November 2019 as a replacement for our old [https://github.com/evewspace/eve-wspace EVE-Wspace] tool.  
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{{Wormhole Links}}
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'''Pathfinder''' is a free and open-source wormhole mapping tool. This tool allows groups of players to share mapped wormhole connections, intel, and cosmic signature information.
 +
 
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Mapping is essential to coordinate EVE University communities' scanning and exploration and is vital for [[Wormhole Community]] to ensure they have full knowledge of nearby wormholes. EVE University hosts a private Pathfinder for its members and was [https://forum.eveuniversity.org/viewtopic.php?f=218&t=114996 introduced] in November 2019 as a replacement for our old [https://github.com/evewspace/eve-wspace EVE-Wspace] tool.
  
 
== Accessing the mapper ==
 
== Accessing the mapper ==
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# Go to https://pathfinder.eveuniversity.org/
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# Use SSO login and login EVE Online account.
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# Select required map. Usually a community map, but personal or shared maps can be created.
 +
 +
== Reading the map ==
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The map is made of systems of any [[System security|security level]], and the connections between them. The map will show some of their information in compact form. To see the complete set of information about the system, select it on the map and look at the adjacent panels.
  
To view and contribute to the mapper, you need to log in via SSO:
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[[File:Pathfinder_system_info.png|thumb|right|On the system bubble you can quickly see the basic information of that system]]
  
*Go to https://pathfinder.eveuniversity.org/
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=== Connections ===
*Use SSO login and log in with your EVE Online account. The logging in is done through EVE Online servers and is safe.
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Connections between systems will change shape and color depending on their properties. These are user-defined and rely upon capsuleers to specify this information by right-clicking on the connection on the map.
  
First thing you will want to do after logging in, is to select your required map. This will usually be your campus map, but you may also have a personal or shared map.
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* Wormhole size limit is indicated by a letter on the wormhole
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** Small and medium wormholes have dashed lines
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* Gate Connections are straight with blue cores
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* Reduced and critical mass wormholes have yellow and red cores
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* End-of-life (EOL) wormhole connections have purple outlines
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* If Signature Overlay is enabled the wormhole will show its type at its ends
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* Bubbled holes have large clear circles over the end of the connection
  
To do this, click the respective map at the top of the map screen.
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== Managing information ==
  
[[File:Mapper_Map_Select.png|thumb|Select your map on the bar.]]
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=== Adding Systems ===
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There are two ways to add systems.
  
*LSC - [[Low_Sec_Campus|Low Sec Campus]] Map
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# Automatically by Pathfinder as they are jumped into
*NSC - [[Null_Sec_Campus|Null Sec Campus]] Map
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# Manually create systems by right-clicking on the map
*HSC - [[High_Sec_Campus|High Sec Campus]] Map
 
*WHC - [[Wormhole_Campus|Wormhole Campus]] Map
 
*AMC - [[Amarr_Mining_Campus|Amarr Mining Campus]] Map<br>
 
  
== Reading the map ==
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To move a system on the map, left-click and hold while the mouse is over where the class of the wormhole (or security status of the system) is specified, and subsequently re-position the system to where you wish. Clicking and dragging on any other part of the box will attempt to create a connection to another system, and that will be visible by the underlying animation.
  
The map is made of systems of any [[System security|security level]], and the connections in between them. On the map it will show some of their information in compact form. To see the full set of information known about the system, select it on the map and look at the adjacent panels.
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=== Adding Connections ===
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After a system has had another system added to it with a wormhole connection this can be linked to a signature in that system. Simply click the "leads to " attribute on the WH signature and select the corresponding system once the new system is present. Setting this will automatically add mass and size limit info on the connection if the wormhole was not K162.
  
[[File:Pathfinder_system_info.png|thumb|left|On the system bubble you can quickly see the basic information of that system]]
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Wormhole connection health should be subsequently verified and set by right-clicking the wormhole connection. This way you can set the mass criticality and end of the lifetime of the connection. EOL connections are automatically deleted 4h 15m after the status is set. The "preserve mass" option is for informing other map users to not waste the mass of this wormhole.
{{clear}}
 
  
Connections between systems will change shape and color depending on their properties. These are user-defined and rely upon capsuleers to specify this information by right-clicking on the connection on the map.
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=== Adding Signatures ===
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First, make sure the correct system selected in Pathfinder. Signatures can be added imported in bulk or individually. It is recommended to import them in bulk as it is much faster and easier to keep the system up-to-date. Pasting signatures directly into the signatures window will update signatures immediately. Use the signature reader to check updates before applying them.
  
* Wormhole size limit is indicated by letter on the wormhole. Additionally small and medium wormholes have dashed lines. For example, an encircled "L" specifies a large connection.
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To quickly bulk import signatures:
* Reduced and critical mass wormholes have yellow and red cores.
 
* End-of-life (EOL) wormhole connections have purple outlines.
 
* If signatures are enabled the wormhole will show its connected WH signatures at its ends.
 
  
== Adding information ==
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* Make sure the correct system is selected in Pathfinder
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* Copy all signatures ({{button|CTRL}} + {{button|A}} then {{button|CTRL}} + {{button|C}}) from the in-game scan window
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* Paste the signatures ({{button|CTRL}} + {{button|V}}) into the signature pane
  
The main purpose of the mapper is to share information. If enabled, Pathfinder will automatically add systems and connections you jump into from systems already noted on the map. However, the rest of the information about the systems and details of the connections have to be entered by the players. 
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Using the signature reader:
  
The two main points of interest are signatures and connections. These two are closely linked together.
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* Make sure the correct system is selected in Pathfinder
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* Open the signature reader from the top right of the signatures pane
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* Copy all signatures ({{button|CTRL}} + {{button|A}} then {{button|CTRL}} + {{button|C}}) from the in-game scan window
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* Paste the signatures ({{button|CTRL}} + {{button|V}}) into the signature reader
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* New signatures are highlighted in green, updated signatures in yellow, and expired signatures are not highlighted
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* Selecting "Lazy Delete" from the top left of the reader will highlight expired signatures to be deleted in red
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* Press "Update Signatures" to process all signature updates
  
=== Adding signatures ===
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To add a single signature manually:
  
First make sure you have the correct system selected. Signatures can be added one by one or imported in bulk. It is recommended to import them in bulk as it is much faster and easier to keep the system up-to-date.
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* Make sure you have the correct system selected
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* Click the "+" button in the top right corner of the signatures panel
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* Add the full Signature ID (ex. ABC-123 with hyphen) shown in the signatures list
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* Add signature group, type, and description
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* Press the "+" button on this row of information
  
To add single signature manually, follow these steps:
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If a signature already existed in the system, the "Last Updated" timer will reset when the signature is updated. A signature that was not copied (i.e. it has expired) will not have its timer updated.
  
* Make sure you have the correct system selected.
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The "Undo" icon above the list of signatures allows for rolling back to a previous record of signatures. Useful if a signature is accidentally deleted or the wrong system's signatures are imported.
* Click the '''+''' button in the top right corner of signatures panel.
 
* Add the Signature ID (the three letters shown in your signatures list. For example, if the ID is RFA-139, you just add RFA).
 
* Select which type of signature it is.
 
* Add in the description.
 
* Press the + button on this row of information.
 
  
To quickly bulk import signatures, follow these steps:
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Preexisting signatures can also be edited or deleted in the signatures panel. Simply click the attribute you want to change.
  
* Make sure you have the correct system selected.
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=== Adding Structures ===
* Select a signature in your scan window in-game, or select all signatures (CTRL+A).
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Structures can be added to Pathfinder in two ways: manually one at a time or bulk imported from D-Scan. Importing via D-Scan allows for existing structure intel to be updated. Only Upwell Structures should be added. If a POS is notable (i.e. has a warp-in trap) it should be noted in the system panel notes.
* Copy the signatures (CTRL+C).
 
*
 
* Paste the signatures (CTRL+V).
 
  
This updates those signatures, or adds them if they don't exist.
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To add a structure manually:
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* Make sure the correct system is selected in Pathfinder
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* Click the "+" button in the top right of the structures panel
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* Add the Name and Owner exactly as they appear in-game
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* Select the structure type
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* Add Owner to the notes section if not able to select in Owner search
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* Save the structure
  
"Lazy delete" option can be used when you import all the signatures in a system. With lazy delete all old signatures that are not included in your new bulk import will be deleted. This is great for completely refreshing a system and clearing out any old signatures.
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To bulk import structures:
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* Make sure the correct system is selected in Pathfinder
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* Click the "D-Scan Reader" icon in the top right of the structures panel
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* Copy everything ({{button|CTRL}} + {{button|A}} then {{button|CTRL}} + {{button|C}}) from the in-game D-Scan window
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* Paste ({{button|CTRL}} + {{button|V}}) into the D-Scan reader
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* Press "Update Intel" to update structure intel
  
There is also a more detailed signature reader. To open it click the clipboard icon at the top right corner of the signatures panel. This works the same way as simply pasting the signatures to Pathfinder but with a preview window.
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Due to the browser based nature of Pathfinder, multiple bulk imports can occasionally be needed to add all structures on D-Scan. Repeat bulk imports of the same D-Scan will add missing structures from previous imports.
  
Preexisting signatures can also be edited or deleted in the signatures panel. Simply click the attribute you want to change.
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== Keeping content updated ==
  
=== Adding systems and connections ===
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Even after systems in an area of interest have been mapped and their information added into Pathfinder, it is important to keep it continuously updated.
  
There are multiple different ways to add systems and connections.
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=== Signature updates ===
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System signatures should be updated every time a system is entered and frequently when undocked.  
  
If you have tracking enabled in Pathfinder the map will automatically add systems to the map as you jump to them. The types of systems can be limited by the map maintainer. If the map scope is set to "all" all connections will be automatically added, if the map scope is set to "wormholes" only wormhole connections are added and if the scope is set to "stargates" only stargate connections are added. If the scope is set to "none" no connections are automatically added.<br>
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Signatures should be updated even if they have not been scanned down. Bulk imports from the in-game scan window allow for quick updates to all of a systems signatures. Existing signatures will keep all signature information with only the 'last updated' column refreshed. Expired signatures can be removed automatically if Lazy Delete is selected. New unscanned signatures will appear as unknown in Pathfinder when bulk imported allowing for quick identification of what needs to be scanned down.  
The pilot tracking has it flaws. Jump cloning, getting podded or just opening a different map may add non-existing connections to the map.
 
  
Right clicking a system allows you to add a connection to it.
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=== Connection health ===
  
After a system has had another system added to it with a wormhole connection this can be linked to a signature in that system. Simply click the "leads to " attribute on the WH signature and select the corresponding system. Setting this will automatically add mass and size limit info on the connection (only if the WH was not K162).
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Pay attention to the lifetime of wormhole connections each time you travel through them. When you notice that the connection is approaching the end of the line due to its visual differences / descriptive text of the wormhole, go into Pathfinder and mark the connection between the respective systems as "EOL". When doing this, the connection will turn purple on the map, and the connection will be automatically removed from Pathfinder once a 4-hour timer expires.
  
Wormhole connection health can be set by right clicking the wormhole connection. This way you can set the mass criticality and end of lifetime of the connection. EOL connections are automatically deleted 4h 15m after the status is set. The "preserve mass" option is for informing other map users to not waste mass of this wormhole.
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When considering jumping through a wormhole that is already marked EOL, look at the last update time of the particular connection. You can do this by hovering your mouse over the "ship" icon in the top right corner of the map grid. When you do this, tooltips will appear over every wormhole connection, which will tell you when the connection was first created (the first line) and when the connection was last updated (the second line). If the last update time is 2 to 4 hours of a connection already marked EOL, give additional consideration to whether you jump through and how long you decide to stay. This information can also be seen by hovering over the hourglass next to the ship icon.
  
=== Practical example ===
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When verifying the EOL status of a wormhole while on grid, you should check to see if the mass criticality has changed since it was first observed and entered into Pathfinder. This may be the case due to the number of players entering and exiting the wormhole, but also due to players specifically trying to [[Living in Wormhole Space#Rolling Wormholes|roll the wormhole]].
  
Here is a practical example on how to add scan data to Pathfinder:
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== Available tools and intelligence ==
  
* You arrive to the system of Octanneve. After making sure you are safe you start to scan the system. The first mapper-related thing you should do is to check if the mapper contains up-to-date information on cosmic signatures. If you are lucky, all the signatures are already mapped and you don't need to scan at all. To do this, select the system in which you are and look at the "Signatures" panel below the map.
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One of the core features of Pathfinder is that it provides a variety of intelligence about the local environment in a readily available manner. More specifically, when inspecting any given system, you are provided with basic information such as the number of Jumps, Ship & Pod kills, and NPC kills. There are also links to [https://evemaps.dotlan.net/ DOTLAN] and [https://eveeye.com/ EVE Eye] located below the map directly to the specific system. Likewise, a truncated version of the killboard showcasing the five ship skills for that system is displayed alongside the other panels.
  
{| class="wikitable"
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The current status of Thera connections is pulled in as a separate panel and used as an important input for the systems of interest in the route panel. As players update the systems on the map, and as Thera connections come and go, the route panel will be continuously updated showing the most effective ways to those destinations. You can manually refresh the routes with the refresh button in the top right corner.
|-
 
| [[File:Pathfinder signature quick import.png]]
 
|-
 
| Old scan data of the system. You can see the age of the scan information at the right side of the table. In this example it has been 2 days 4 hours since someone scanned the system. You will need to completely re-scan the system.
 
|}
 
  
* Start by enabling the "lazy 'delete' signatures" option at top right corner. With this option enabled you can paste new full signature data of the system and all the signatures that are not present anymore will be deleted from Pathfinder. Note that this option will automatically disable itself after every scan so you will need to re-enable it every time you need it.
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Lastly, the current structures and stations that exist in the system are displayed as panels as well, providing a quick way to understand who might be living in the system or at least has a stake in others' presence.
* Open the probe scan window in-game.
 
  
{| class="wikitable"
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== Shortcuts ==
|-
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* {{button|Space}} + mouse allows dragging the map.
| [[File:Probe scanner select all.png|left|Probe scan window]]
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* Holding {{button|CTRL}} allows you to select multiple systems or connections on the map.
|-
 
| Select the probe scanner window, select all signatures with CTRL+A and copy them with CTRL+C.
 
|}
 
  
* Pay attention to the filters you use. Depending on the campus you are in, information on anomalies in [[System security#Known space|known space]] is rarely useful and just adds unnecessary noise. On the other hand, in wormhole space the information on anomalies can be very important.
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== Personalizing ==
* Go back to Pathfinder window and CTRL+V to add the info on signatures. Now you will easily see if any of the old signatures is still present in system. There is no need to scan those again so you will be able to scan faster by taking advantage on the old scanning information in Pathfinder.
 
* Once you have scanned all signatures you can add the scanned data in Pathfinder the same way. Select signatures with CTRL+A, copy them with CTRL+C and paste them in Pathfinder with CTRL+V.
 
  
In this example you find a wormhole in system. You, being a good explorer, will of course map it:
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You can change certain aspects of how information is presented or handled on the mapper. These settings will only apply to you.
  
* Warp to the wormhole at a distance so you are not immediately uncloaked.
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The map setting can be changed by clicking the "map" button on the top right corner of Pathfinder. This opens sidebar with the following options:
* Once you are on grid with the wormhole you will be able to see the type of the wormhole on your overview. All wormholes have not very useful "K162" on their "out" end and a more useful name on the "in" end. As such, the "K162" can be present for any [[Wormhole space#Statics|class of wormhole]]. Other types are usually associated to specific classes and wormhole sizes.
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* Settings - Only available for the map maintainer.
* In this example the "in" end is in this system. Add this information to the Pathfinder for the specific signature that you warped to.
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* Grid snapping - Snaps systems into the grid when you move them.
* In the signatures panel click the red "unknown" text in the "type" column of the wormhole. Write in the name of the wormhole.
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* Magnetizing - Causes systems to push at each other to prevent them from overlapping.
* With the exception of the "K162" wormhole types, knowing the type of the wormhole will reveals the ship size limit, mass limit and what kind of system is on the "out" end of the wormhole.
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* Signatures - Shows signature info of the wormhole connections on the map.
* To map the connection to the specific system, you jump through the wormhole. If you have tracking enabled in Pathfinder the destination system is added and connected in the map automatically. If the tracking is not enabled you can right click the system you were in and select "add system" to add a system.
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* Compact - Hide/show pilot names on the map.
* Add a bookmark for the wormhole connection in the respective campus bookmark location. Some campuses may require a specific scheme for naming bookmarks.
 
* Now connect the previous signature to the wormhole. Make sure your now previous system is still selected, then click the "leads to" attribute of the wormhole in the signatures panel. The drop down menu will already contain the newly connected system for you to select. This information is useful later when the signature has gone away. When next person comes and removes the signature that is no longer mapped the wormhole connection is also deleted without extra input.
 
  
Some mapping schemes may also require you to add a name for the connected wormhole system. This is based on the bookmarking scheme that is used by the respective campus to make it easier to follow bookmark trails without the need to look at the mapper in every system on the path. Double click a system in the mapper to open the dialog where you can add or update the name to include the name from the bookmark (e.g. "2 B1 Aldrat").
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The panels below the map can be rearranged by dragging them from their corners.
  
== Keeping content updated ==
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In addition, the mapper can look up the shortest routes to your favourite locations from a selected system. Use Routes/settings to add and save these connections (see screenshot).
  
Even after you have fully mapped the respective systems in your area of interest, the other part of Pathfinder is keeping it continuously updated.
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[[File:Mapper-Routes-settings-screenshot.png|400px|Mapper screenshot]]
=== Signature updates ===
 
  
As you travel through systems on the map, establish the habit of updating signatures as you warp through the system, even if you have not scanned them down yet. The panels within Pathfinder differentiate when a given signature was first created and when it was last updated. When bulk importing signatures using the "Lazy 'delete' signatures" method, your updates will automatically remove signatures no longer present in the system. Adding unknown signatures, particularly when you may not have time to scan them down, will prompt others to investigate. More importantly, if Pathfinder has specific information about a particular signature but it's unidentified in your local list, pasting updated signatures into Pathfinder will retain the specific information and will not overwrite it with unknown values.
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== Creating maps ==
 +
Pilots can host private maps in addition to the preexisting corporation maps. To create a map click the "add +" button on the row above the map. Private maps can be shared with a limited number of other players.
  
=== Connection End of Life ===
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=== Map Options ===
 +
==== Scope ====
 +
The types of systems automatically added to the map can be limited by the map maintainer.
  
Pay attention to the lifetime of wormhole connections each time you travel through them. When you notice that the connection is approaching end of line due to its visual differences / descriptive text of the wormhole, go into Pathfinder and mark the connection between the respective systems as "EOL". When doing this, the connection will turn purple on the map, and the connection will be automatically removed from Pathfinder once a 4 hour timer expires.
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* All - Every connection jumped will be automatically added
 +
* Wormholes - Only wormhole connections are added
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* Stargates - Only stargate connections are added
 +
* None - No connections are automatically added, but systems and connections can be added manually
  
When considering jumping through a wormhole that is already marked EOL, look at the last update time of the particular connection. You can do this by hovering your mouse over the "ship" icon in the top right corner of the map grid. When you do this, tooltips will appear over every wormhole connection, which will tell you when the connection was first created (the first line) and when the connection was last updated (the second line). If last update time is 2 to 4 hours of a connection already marked EOL, give additional consideration whether you jump through and how long you decide to stay.
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Pilot tracking has its flaws; Jump cloning, getting podded, or just opening a different map may add non-existing connections to the map.
  
== Creating maps ==
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== Practical example ==
  
In addition to the preexisting corporation maps you can also host private maps. To create a map just click the "add +" button on top right corner.
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Here is a practical example of how to add scan data to Pathfinder:
  
Private maps can be shared with limited number of other players.
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* You arrive at the system of Octanneve. After making sure you are safe you start to scan the system. The first mapper-related thing you should do is to check if the mapper contains up-to-date information on cosmic signatures. If you are lucky, all the signatures are already mapped and you don't need to scan. To do this, select the system in which you are and look at the "Signatures" panel below the map.
  
== Shortcuts ==
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{| class="wikitable"
* Spacebar + mouse allows dragging the map.
+
|-
* Holding CTRL allows you to select multiple systems or connections on the map.
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| [[File:Pathfinder signature quick import.png]]
 +
|-
 +
| Old scan data of the system. You can see the age of the scan information on the right side of the table. In this example, it has been 2 days and 4 hours since someone scanned the system. You will need to completely re-scan the system.
 +
|}
  
== Personalizing ==
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* Start by enabling the "lazy 'delete' signatures" option at the top right corner. With this option enabled you can paste new full signature data of the system and all the signatures that are not present anymore will be deleted from Pathfinder. Note that this option will automatically disable itself after every scan so you will need to re-enable it every time you need it.
 +
* Open the probe scan window in-game.
  
You can change certain aspects of how information is presented or handled on the mapper. These settings will only apply to you.
+
{| class="wikitable"
 +
|-
 +
| [[File:Probe scanner select all.png|left|Probe scan window]]
 +
|-
 +
| Select the probe scanner window, select all signatures with {{button|CTRL}} + {{button|A}} and copy them with {{button|CTRL}} + {{button|C}}.
 +
|}
  
The map setting can be changed by clicking the "map" button on top right corner of Pathfinder. This opens side bar with following options:
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* Pay attention to the filters you use. Depending on the community you are in, information on anomalies in [[System security#Known space|known space]] is rarely useful and just adds unnecessary noise. On the other hand, in wormhole space, the information on anomalies can be very important.
* Settings - Only available for the map maintainer.
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* Go back to the Pathfinder window and {{button|CTRL}} + {{button|V}} to add the info on signatures. Now you will easily see if any of the old signatures are still present in the system. There is no need to scan those again, so you can scan faster by taking advantage of the old scanning information in Pathfinder.
* Grid snapping - Snaps systems into grid when you move them.
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* Once you have scanned all signatures you can add the scanned data in Pathfinder the same way. Select signatures with {{button|CTRL}} + {{button|A}}, copy them with {{button|CTRL}} + {{button|C}} and paste them in Pathfinder with {{button|CTRL}} + {{button|V}}.
* Magnetizing - Causes systems to push at each other to prevent them from overlapping.
 
* Signatures - Shows signature info of the wormhole connections on map.
 
* Compact - Hide/show pilot names on the map.
 
  
The panels below map can be  rearranged by dragged them from their corners.
+
In this example, you find a wormhole in the system. You, being a good explorer, will of course map it:
  
In addition, the mapper can look up the shortest routes to your favourite locations from a selected system. Use Routes/settings to add and save these connections (see screenshot).
+
* Warp to the wormhole at a distance so you are not immediately uncloaked.
 +
* Once you are on grid with the wormhole you will be able to see the type of the wormhole on your overview. All wormholes have not very useful "K162" on their "out" end and a more useful name on the "in" end. As such, the "K162" can be present for any [[Wormhole space#Statics|class of wormhole]]. Other types are usually associated with specific classes and wormhole sizes.
 +
* In this example the "in" end is in this system. Add this information to the Pathfinder for the specific signature that you warped to.
 +
* In the signatures panel click the red "unknown" text in the "type" column of the wormhole. Write in the name of the wormhole.
 +
* With the exception of the "K162" wormhole types, knowing the type of the wormhole will reveal the ship size limit, mass limit, and what kind of system is on the "out" end of the wormhole.
 +
* To map the connection to the specific system, you jump through the wormhole. If you have tracking enabled in Pathfinder the destination system is added and connected in the map automatically. If the tracking is not enabled you can right-click the system you were in and select "add system" to add a system.
 +
* Add a bookmark for the wormhole connection in the respective community bookmark location. Some communities may require a specific scheme for naming bookmarks.
 +
* Now connect the previous signature to the wormhole. Make sure your now previous system is still selected, then click the "leads to" attribute of the wormhole in the signatures panel. The drop-down menu will already contain the newly connected system for you to select. This information is useful later when the signature has gone away. When the next person comes and removes the signature that is no longer mapped the wormhole connection is also deleted without extra input.
  
[[File:Mapper-Routes-settings-screenshot.png|400px|Mapper screenshot]]
+
Some mapping schemes may also require you to add a name for the connected wormhole system. This is based on the bookmarking procedure that is used by the respective community to make it easier to follow bookmark trails without the need to look at the mapper in every system on the path. Double click a system in the mapper to open the dialog where you can add or update the name to include the name from the bookmark (e.g. "2 B1 Aldrat").
  
 
[[Category:Wormholes]]
 
[[Category:Wormholes]]
 
[[Category:Exploration]]
 
[[Category:Exploration]]
 
[[Category:Applications]]
 
[[Category:Applications]]
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[[Category:EVE University Services]]

Latest revision as of 12:18, 8 March 2024

This article should be cleaned up or improved.
The reason is: Needs to be updated to current Main and Wormhole Community information as well as general cleanup
Crimson Harvest Spooky Eagle Logo.png This page is specific to EVE University. Other corporations or groups in the game may operate differently.
For a summary of EVE University's rules and code of conduct, see EVE University Rules.


Pathfinder is a free and open-source wormhole mapping tool. This tool allows groups of players to share mapped wormhole connections, intel, and cosmic signature information.

Mapping is essential to coordinate EVE University communities' scanning and exploration and is vital for Wormhole Community to ensure they have full knowledge of nearby wormholes. EVE University hosts a private Pathfinder for its members and was introduced in November 2019 as a replacement for our old EVE-Wspace tool.

Accessing the mapper

  1. Go to https://pathfinder.eveuniversity.org/
  2. Use SSO login and login EVE Online account.
  3. Select required map. Usually a community map, but personal or shared maps can be created.

Reading the map

The map is made of systems of any security level, and the connections between them. The map will show some of their information in compact form. To see the complete set of information about the system, select it on the map and look at the adjacent panels.

On the system bubble you can quickly see the basic information of that system

Connections

Connections between systems will change shape and color depending on their properties. These are user-defined and rely upon capsuleers to specify this information by right-clicking on the connection on the map.

  • Wormhole size limit is indicated by a letter on the wormhole
    • Small and medium wormholes have dashed lines
  • Gate Connections are straight with blue cores
  • Reduced and critical mass wormholes have yellow and red cores
  • End-of-life (EOL) wormhole connections have purple outlines
  • If Signature Overlay is enabled the wormhole will show its type at its ends
  • Bubbled holes have large clear circles over the end of the connection

Managing information

Adding Systems

There are two ways to add systems.

  1. Automatically by Pathfinder as they are jumped into
  2. Manually create systems by right-clicking on the map

To move a system on the map, left-click and hold while the mouse is over where the class of the wormhole (or security status of the system) is specified, and subsequently re-position the system to where you wish. Clicking and dragging on any other part of the box will attempt to create a connection to another system, and that will be visible by the underlying animation.

Adding Connections

After a system has had another system added to it with a wormhole connection this can be linked to a signature in that system. Simply click the "leads to " attribute on the WH signature and select the corresponding system once the new system is present. Setting this will automatically add mass and size limit info on the connection if the wormhole was not K162.

Wormhole connection health should be subsequently verified and set by right-clicking the wormhole connection. This way you can set the mass criticality and end of the lifetime of the connection. EOL connections are automatically deleted 4h 15m after the status is set. The "preserve mass" option is for informing other map users to not waste the mass of this wormhole.

Adding Signatures

First, make sure the correct system selected in Pathfinder. Signatures can be added imported in bulk or individually. It is recommended to import them in bulk as it is much faster and easier to keep the system up-to-date. Pasting signatures directly into the signatures window will update signatures immediately. Use the signature reader to check updates before applying them.

To quickly bulk import signatures:

  • Make sure the correct system is selected in Pathfinder
  • Copy all signatures (CTRL + A then CTRL + C) from the in-game scan window
  • Paste the signatures (CTRL + V) into the signature pane

Using the signature reader:

  • Make sure the correct system is selected in Pathfinder
  • Open the signature reader from the top right of the signatures pane
  • Copy all signatures (CTRL + A then CTRL + C) from the in-game scan window
  • Paste the signatures (CTRL + V) into the signature reader
  • New signatures are highlighted in green, updated signatures in yellow, and expired signatures are not highlighted
  • Selecting "Lazy Delete" from the top left of the reader will highlight expired signatures to be deleted in red
  • Press "Update Signatures" to process all signature updates

To add a single signature manually:

  • Make sure you have the correct system selected
  • Click the "+" button in the top right corner of the signatures panel
  • Add the full Signature ID (ex. ABC-123 with hyphen) shown in the signatures list
  • Add signature group, type, and description
  • Press the "+" button on this row of information

If a signature already existed in the system, the "Last Updated" timer will reset when the signature is updated. A signature that was not copied (i.e. it has expired) will not have its timer updated.

The "Undo" icon above the list of signatures allows for rolling back to a previous record of signatures. Useful if a signature is accidentally deleted or the wrong system's signatures are imported.

Preexisting signatures can also be edited or deleted in the signatures panel. Simply click the attribute you want to change.

Adding Structures

Structures can be added to Pathfinder in two ways: manually one at a time or bulk imported from D-Scan. Importing via D-Scan allows for existing structure intel to be updated. Only Upwell Structures should be added. If a POS is notable (i.e. has a warp-in trap) it should be noted in the system panel notes.

To add a structure manually:

  • Make sure the correct system is selected in Pathfinder
  • Click the "+" button in the top right of the structures panel
  • Add the Name and Owner exactly as they appear in-game
  • Select the structure type
  • Add Owner to the notes section if not able to select in Owner search
  • Save the structure

To bulk import structures:

  • Make sure the correct system is selected in Pathfinder
  • Click the "D-Scan Reader" icon in the top right of the structures panel
  • Copy everything (CTRL + A then CTRL + C) from the in-game D-Scan window
  • Paste (CTRL + V) into the D-Scan reader
  • Press "Update Intel" to update structure intel

Due to the browser based nature of Pathfinder, multiple bulk imports can occasionally be needed to add all structures on D-Scan. Repeat bulk imports of the same D-Scan will add missing structures from previous imports.

Keeping content updated

Even after systems in an area of interest have been mapped and their information added into Pathfinder, it is important to keep it continuously updated.

Signature updates

System signatures should be updated every time a system is entered and frequently when undocked.

Signatures should be updated even if they have not been scanned down. Bulk imports from the in-game scan window allow for quick updates to all of a systems signatures. Existing signatures will keep all signature information with only the 'last updated' column refreshed. Expired signatures can be removed automatically if Lazy Delete is selected. New unscanned signatures will appear as unknown in Pathfinder when bulk imported allowing for quick identification of what needs to be scanned down.

Connection health

Pay attention to the lifetime of wormhole connections each time you travel through them. When you notice that the connection is approaching the end of the line due to its visual differences / descriptive text of the wormhole, go into Pathfinder and mark the connection between the respective systems as "EOL". When doing this, the connection will turn purple on the map, and the connection will be automatically removed from Pathfinder once a 4-hour timer expires.

When considering jumping through a wormhole that is already marked EOL, look at the last update time of the particular connection. You can do this by hovering your mouse over the "ship" icon in the top right corner of the map grid. When you do this, tooltips will appear over every wormhole connection, which will tell you when the connection was first created (the first line) and when the connection was last updated (the second line). If the last update time is 2 to 4 hours of a connection already marked EOL, give additional consideration to whether you jump through and how long you decide to stay. This information can also be seen by hovering over the hourglass next to the ship icon.

When verifying the EOL status of a wormhole while on grid, you should check to see if the mass criticality has changed since it was first observed and entered into Pathfinder. This may be the case due to the number of players entering and exiting the wormhole, but also due to players specifically trying to roll the wormhole.

Available tools and intelligence

One of the core features of Pathfinder is that it provides a variety of intelligence about the local environment in a readily available manner. More specifically, when inspecting any given system, you are provided with basic information such as the number of Jumps, Ship & Pod kills, and NPC kills. There are also links to DOTLAN and EVE Eye located below the map directly to the specific system. Likewise, a truncated version of the killboard showcasing the five ship skills for that system is displayed alongside the other panels.

The current status of Thera connections is pulled in as a separate panel and used as an important input for the systems of interest in the route panel. As players update the systems on the map, and as Thera connections come and go, the route panel will be continuously updated showing the most effective ways to those destinations. You can manually refresh the routes with the refresh button in the top right corner.

Lastly, the current structures and stations that exist in the system are displayed as panels as well, providing a quick way to understand who might be living in the system or at least has a stake in others' presence.

Shortcuts

  • Space + mouse allows dragging the map.
  • Holding CTRL allows you to select multiple systems or connections on the map.

Personalizing

You can change certain aspects of how information is presented or handled on the mapper. These settings will only apply to you.

The map setting can be changed by clicking the "map" button on the top right corner of Pathfinder. This opens sidebar with the following options:

  • Settings - Only available for the map maintainer.
  • Grid snapping - Snaps systems into the grid when you move them.
  • Magnetizing - Causes systems to push at each other to prevent them from overlapping.
  • Signatures - Shows signature info of the wormhole connections on the map.
  • Compact - Hide/show pilot names on the map.

The panels below the map can be rearranged by dragging them from their corners.

In addition, the mapper can look up the shortest routes to your favourite locations from a selected system. Use Routes/settings to add and save these connections (see screenshot).

Mapper screenshot

Creating maps

Pilots can host private maps in addition to the preexisting corporation maps. To create a map click the "add +" button on the row above the map. Private maps can be shared with a limited number of other players.

Map Options

Scope

The types of systems automatically added to the map can be limited by the map maintainer.

  • All - Every connection jumped will be automatically added
  • Wormholes - Only wormhole connections are added
  • Stargates - Only stargate connections are added
  • None - No connections are automatically added, but systems and connections can be added manually

Pilot tracking has its flaws; Jump cloning, getting podded, or just opening a different map may add non-existing connections to the map.

Practical example

Here is a practical example of how to add scan data to Pathfinder:

  • You arrive at the system of Octanneve. After making sure you are safe you start to scan the system. The first mapper-related thing you should do is to check if the mapper contains up-to-date information on cosmic signatures. If you are lucky, all the signatures are already mapped and you don't need to scan. To do this, select the system in which you are and look at the "Signatures" panel below the map.
Pathfinder signature quick import.png
Old scan data of the system. You can see the age of the scan information on the right side of the table. In this example, it has been 2 days and 4 hours since someone scanned the system. You will need to completely re-scan the system.
  • Start by enabling the "lazy 'delete' signatures" option at the top right corner. With this option enabled you can paste new full signature data of the system and all the signatures that are not present anymore will be deleted from Pathfinder. Note that this option will automatically disable itself after every scan so you will need to re-enable it every time you need it.
  • Open the probe scan window in-game.
Probe scan window
Select the probe scanner window, select all signatures with CTRL + A and copy them with CTRL + C.
  • Pay attention to the filters you use. Depending on the community you are in, information on anomalies in known space is rarely useful and just adds unnecessary noise. On the other hand, in wormhole space, the information on anomalies can be very important.
  • Go back to the Pathfinder window and CTRL + V to add the info on signatures. Now you will easily see if any of the old signatures are still present in the system. There is no need to scan those again, so you can scan faster by taking advantage of the old scanning information in Pathfinder.
  • Once you have scanned all signatures you can add the scanned data in Pathfinder the same way. Select signatures with CTRL + A, copy them with CTRL + C and paste them in Pathfinder with CTRL + V.

In this example, you find a wormhole in the system. You, being a good explorer, will of course map it:

  • Warp to the wormhole at a distance so you are not immediately uncloaked.
  • Once you are on grid with the wormhole you will be able to see the type of the wormhole on your overview. All wormholes have not very useful "K162" on their "out" end and a more useful name on the "in" end. As such, the "K162" can be present for any class of wormhole. Other types are usually associated with specific classes and wormhole sizes.
  • In this example the "in" end is in this system. Add this information to the Pathfinder for the specific signature that you warped to.
  • In the signatures panel click the red "unknown" text in the "type" column of the wormhole. Write in the name of the wormhole.
  • With the exception of the "K162" wormhole types, knowing the type of the wormhole will reveal the ship size limit, mass limit, and what kind of system is on the "out" end of the wormhole.
  • To map the connection to the specific system, you jump through the wormhole. If you have tracking enabled in Pathfinder the destination system is added and connected in the map automatically. If the tracking is not enabled you can right-click the system you were in and select "add system" to add a system.
  • Add a bookmark for the wormhole connection in the respective community bookmark location. Some communities may require a specific scheme for naming bookmarks.
  • Now connect the previous signature to the wormhole. Make sure your now previous system is still selected, then click the "leads to" attribute of the wormhole in the signatures panel. The drop-down menu will already contain the newly connected system for you to select. This information is useful later when the signature has gone away. When the next person comes and removes the signature that is no longer mapped the wormhole connection is also deleted without extra input.

Some mapping schemes may also require you to add a name for the connected wormhole system. This is based on the bookmarking procedure that is used by the respective community to make it easier to follow bookmark trails without the need to look at the mapper in every system on the path. Double click a system in the mapper to open the dialog where you can add or update the name to include the name from the bookmark (e.g. "2 B1 Aldrat").