Basic concepts

Layers in a map window

Map window:

In a map window, you can display: one or more raster maps, polygon maps, segment maps and/or point maps. In a map window you can also display: three images of a map list as an interactive color composite, or all maps of a map list as a slide show. Maps displayed in a map window are called data layers.

Furthermore, you can add Annotation Text layers, and grid lines and/or graticules to a map window. All objects that are added to a map window are called layers.

Before a layer can be displayed in a map window, you need to specify the display options of the layer, i.e. settings that will determine how the layer will be displayed.

Layer Management pane in a map window:

All layers that are added to a map window will appear in the Layer Management pane of the map window. By default, this pane is located along the left-hand side of a map window.

The Layer Management pane allows you:

to inspect the meaning of the maps that were added to a map window: the legends of added maps will appear in the Layer Management pane;
to change the order of layers in a map window;
to show or hide a certain layer;
to inspect the properties of a map, such as the domain of a map, the representation used by the domain, the map's georeference and/or coordinate system;
to change the colors, line-widths etc. in user-defined representations as used by the domain of a map; etc.

For more information, see How to use layers in a map window.

Storing layers in a map view:

All layers as displayed in a map window can be saved as a map view. Map views are used to store and quickly re-display a set of maps and other layers in a map window, without the need of specifying display options. Furthermore, you will need map views later on to be able to print one or more map windows; you have to add map views to a layout where you can additionally add legends, north arrows, bitmaps and pictures, ticks and coordinates, etc.

For more information, see Basic concepts : map views and layouts.