Zoom Grid Reference

Zoom Grid Reference searches for an area of a map based on National Grid coordinates or any item property. It allows you to type in a Grid Reference and pan the map window to that location.

Select Home > Zoom > Zoom Grid Reference.

The dialog box remembers previously used grid references.

TIP: See Querying data in the map window - Finding grid references for a full explanation.

About National Grid references

The National Grid referencing system is based upon the division of Great Britain into 100km squares each assigned a two-letter code, e.g., TQ, SS, NY, etc.

References to positions within any square may be made by means of the eastings and northings in metres from the bottom left hand corner of the square.

For example, SS 78382 87596 refers to a point 78382 metres east and 87596 metres north of the bottom left of the SS square.

When using National Grid references, the reference you give not only specifies a position but also the extent of the map to be displayed (the precision).

Precision of National Grid references

The number of digits in the easting and northing give the precision.

The position used in the example above (SS 78382 87596) could be approximated to the nearest kilometre as: SS 78 88.

Alternatively it could be specified to the nearest millimetre by adding three further digits: SS 78382452 87596584

SS             78  382  452   87   596   584
100km square   km   m    mm   km    m    mm

Precision of National Grid references:

SS	zooms to show a 100km square
SS 7 8	zooms to show a 10km square
SS 78 88	zooms to show a 1km square
SS 784 876	zooms to show a 100m square
SS 7838 8760	zooms to show a 10m square
SS 78382 87596	zooms to show a 1m square

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