Layer types are predefined types of map view layers that can render specific data in specific ways. Each layer type comes with its own UConfiguration that allows you to specify properties specific to that layer. Table 1 lists the settings available for all types of layers.
Layer types can be roughly classified into two groups: raster layers and vector layers. Raster layers display raster images (bitmaps), they usually take longer to load and they usually provide bitmaps for the whole shown map area. This also implies that placing a raster above other layers will usually hide the contents of layers below (except if the raster layer supports image transparency).
Layers of type vector layer display data using points, lines, polygons, symbols, icons and text. These layers can more easily be stacked above each other and are usually also rendered faster.
Vector layers can be further classified into Feature data layers and Miscellaneous data layers, Table 2 and table 3 describe the settings available for any layers of this classes.
Setting |
Description |
Visibility options |
|
Hide contents |
Advices the client to not show the contents of this layer by default. Client might however allow the user to make this layer visible. I.e. the contents of this layer will still be processed on the serer and sent to the client. |
Layer visible from |
This option is only available if Hide contents is not set. This defines the zoom level from which this layer will be visible. If this setting is empty the layer will always be visible Zoom levels 1-20, where 1 = whole world and 20 is most detailed zoom level. |
Layer visible to |
This option is only available if Layer visible from is set. This defines the zoom level till which the layer is visible. If this setting is empty the layer will be visible till zoom level 20 Note if layer from and to are set to the same value the layer will be visible only in that zoom level. |
Table 1: Configuration settings available for all types of layers
Feature data layers are vector layers, that are used to display feature data and observation data in various ways. These layers can be connected to features or views in order to define the data source.
Some feature data layer types can display features of any type as long as they have spatial information that can be transformed to the map view's spatial system, other layer types display data of specific feature types only or force you to select a feature type on which they operate.
Table 2 shows the settings common to all layer types of class feature data layer.
Setting |
Description |
Hide contents |
If selected the layer's contents will not be shown. However the layer's contents can still be used to define zoom extents. |
Defines zoom extent |
If selected the contents of this layer and all other layers with this flag set will be used to calculate the boundary for the initial zoom extent. |
Report layer |
Defines that the layer is used as a report layer. If the map view is used in a report that loops through features the features bound to this layer will be automatically exchanged. |
Feature limit |
The maximum number of features that will be drawn. Even if more features are connected, the map will never show more features than defined by this setting. Displaying many features on a map view might take a long time for getting and rendering the data. This setting should avoid long rendering time if you accidentally connect a huge number of feature (e.g. by connecting a view) |
Opacity |
Defines the opacity of all elements drawn in a specific layer. Valid values range from 0 to 255, where 255 is fully opaque. |
Table 2: Settings available in the Common group of the UConfiguration for Feature data layers.
There are other vector layer types that visualize data apart from Features and observations. Table 3 shows the settings common to all layer types of this class.
Setting |
Description |
Defines zoom extents |
If selected the contents of this layer and all other layers with this flag set will be used to calculate the boundary for zoom extents. |
Hide contents |
If selected the contents of the layer will not be shown. However the contents of the layer can still be used to define zoom extents. |
Table 3: Settings available in the Miscellaneous group of the UConfiguration for Feature data layers.
