Templates allow you to make a thematic map based on values and settings. In our default types, you can alter these settings and/or save them as a new template you can use again. When you first create a thematic map, you select a template that you can modify to suit your requirements. You cannot create a theme without using an existing theme template.
In the Create Thematic Map - Step 1 of 3 dialog box:
- Template Sort by Name - Displays available templates in alphabetical order according to their name.
- Template Sort by Time - Displays available templates according to the time they were created or last modified.
- Preview Legend Sample (Template Type) - Displays a sample legend for the template type.
- Use Customized Legend Text - Displays customized text for the legend. If enabled, the template has custom titles or range labels. Check to use the custom text.
- Cancel Button - Cancels the options dialog box and returns to the map.
- Next Button - Continue to next step.
There are over 40 templates to choose from and they are grouped by theme type:
- Range Template - Displays your data according to the ranges you set. Ranges are shaded with colors and/or patterns. Choose from templates displayed as shaded lines, points or regions. Ranged thematic maps allow you to illustrate data values across points, lines and regions. They are used to show a relationship between the data values and geographical area (e.g. sales figures, household income) or to present ratio information such as population density (population divided by area). Ratio information can be shown in other types of thematic maps when you choose Expression in Step 2.
For more information, see About Ranged Maps.
- Bar Chart Template - Displays a bar chart of your thematic variables for each record in your table. Use bar charts to analyze multiple variables per record on the map. Make comparisons between the size of the bars in each chart to obtain information about a record in the table set, or compare one bar in all the bar charts to draw conclusions about a variable across all of the records, or compare the height of the bar charts to obtain information about the entire table. To indicate a negative value in a bar chart, bars extend in the direction opposite to the charts orientation. Negative values do not display in stacked bar charts.
For more information, see About Bar Chart Maps.
- Pie Chart Template - Displays a pie chart of your thematic variables for each record in your table. Pie charts are multi-variable. Use pie charts on the map to analyze more than one variable at a time. You can compare the size of the pie wedges in each chart to obtain information about a record in the table, or compare one pie wedge in all of the pie charts to draw conclusions about a variable across all the records, or compare the diameter of the pie charts to obtain information about the entire data set.
For more information, see About Pie Chart Maps.
- Graduated Template - Displays a symbol for each record in your table, the size of which is directly proportional to your data values. A graduated symbol map shows data points with specific numerical values. It is useful for illustrating quantitative information, such as high-to-low rankings. The size of the symbols is proportional to the data values of the points. Points that have larger data values appear larger, and points that have smaller data values appear smaller.
For more information, see About Graduated Symbols Map.
- Dot Density Template - Displays the data values as dots on your map, where each dot is equal to a number, and the total number of dots in a region is proportional to the data value for that region. A dot density map allows you to examine raw counts of data (e.g. population). Each dot represents a number of units. That number, multiplied by the total number of dots in the region, equals the data value for that region.
For more information, see About Dot Density Maps.
- Individual Values Template - Shades records according to individual data values. Individual value templates are multi-variable. Choose from shaded lines, points or regions. A thematic map that draws map objects according to individual values is useful when you want to emphasize categorical differences in the data rather than show quantitative information (e.g. types of stores in a given area, zoning classifications in a given area etc.).
For more information, see About Individual Values Maps.
- Grid Template - Grid mapping displays data as continuous color gradations across the map. This type of thematic is produced by an interpolation of point data from the source table. A grid file is generated from the data interpolation and displayed as a raster image in a Map window.
For more information, see About Grid Surface Maps.