MapChart 2.2
Software for the graphical presentation of linkage maps and QTLs
Features
- imports map files from JoinMap ® 3.0
- highly customizable: colors, fonts, fill styles, line styles, page layout, etc.
- linkage maps, QTL intervals, QTL charts (LOD-scores, % explained variation, etc.)
- automatic highlighting of homologous loci
- charts can be exported to (and edited in) MS-Word ®, MS-Powerpoint ®, etc.
- formatting easily carried over from one map to another
- HTML manual
- easy-to-use InstallShield ® installer
- free license (see the download page)
MapChart 2.2 is available for the MS-Windows ® (95/98/ME/NT4.0/2000/XP) platform only.
A great charting tool for genetic linkage studies
MapChart is a computer package for the MS-Windows ® platform that produces charts of genetic linkage maps and QTL data. These charts are composed of a sequence of vertical bars representing the linkage groups or chromosomes. On these bars the positions of loci are indicated, and next to the bars QTL intervals and QTL graphs can be shown. MapChart reads the linkage information (i.e. the locus and QTL names and their positions) from text files. This information has to be calculated beforehand, usually with genetic mapping software such as JoinMap ® and MapQTL ®.
MapChart comes with many options to generate charts for different purposes. The charts can be imported by and edited with other software. MapChart 2.2 offers extended functionality over version 2.0. The most important new features include the possibility to show homology between loci, the ability to read MapQTL output without editing, chart titles, the automatic vertical alignment of linkage groups to show that they belong to the same chromosome, and page footers with page number, date and/or file name. An overview of all improvements can be found here.
A description of MapChart appears in the following publication: Voorrips, R.E., 2002. MapChart: Software for the graphical presentation of linkage maps and QTLs. The Journal of Heredity 93 (1): 77-78.