Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Why is the error message “Flex Projector is damaged and can't be opened. You should move it to the Trash” displayed when starting Flex Projector on Mac OS X?
To solve this problem, do the following:

Open System Preferences and the “Security & Privacy” options
Click the padlock at the bottom if it is locked
Set “Allow applications downloaded from:” to “Anywhere”.
Keep the System Preferences open, but go back to the Finder window
Open Flex Projector. It should work this time ...although you still get: “Flex Projector is an application downloaded from the Internet. Are you sure you want to open it?” Click “Open”
Now set “Allow applications downloaded from:” back to the default "Mac App Store and identified developers"

You won't need to do this every time you run the app. It should open fine after doing this once.

When resetting the projection: why are some projection names followed by “(approximated)”?
When resetting the projection to a preexisting one, some of the available projections are followed by “(approximated)”. This indicates that the preexisting projection cannot be exactly simulated by Flex Projector. Flex Projector will do its best to get as close as possible, but an exact match will not be possible. To visualize the difference between the approximated and the preexisting projection, first reset the projection and then select the preexisting projection as the second projection for display in the background as the second projection. Note that the approximation can often be improved at poles when manually adjusting the direction of meridians at poles.

Why is the Mercator projection not in the list of projections to reset?
Mercator’s projection has an unlimited extension in vertical direction (i.e. the north and south poles “are placed at infinite distance”). It is therefore not possible for Flex Projeciton to reset to the Mercator projection.

Can I use Flex Projector to project my own data?
Yes, Flex Projector can project external data, though Flex Projector is not a general purpose projection engine. Its main objective is the design of new projections. You can project your data with a projection that you define, or you can first reset the projection to a preexisting projection and then apply it to your data. However, note that not all projections can be simulated exactly (see above) and that Flex Projector only supports projections suitable for small-scale world maps (i.e. cylindrical, pseudocylindrical and pseudoconic projections).

Why is Flex Projector not showing my external data that I projected?
In the current version of Flex Projector external data are projected and then exported to a file, but do not appear in the display window. After exporting your projected data from Flex Projector, you may build your final maps in other applications.

What about conic and azimuthal projections?
Conic and azimuthal projections are not suited for small-scale world maps, as they can only show a section of the globe, or excessively distort areas not in the center of the projection. These projections are not supported, as Flex Projector is a tool for designing projections for world maps.

Is it possible to create interrupted projections using Flex Projector?
Interrupted projections are not currently supported by Flex Projector and we don't have plans to add this feature in the near future.

Is it possible to create oblique projections (projections not showing the poles at the top and the bottom)?
Oblique projections are not currently supported by Flex Projector.