The Layers window displays the list of layers in the open Map window or in all Map windows depending on what your Layer Control options are set to. It indicates whether each layer displays, is editable, selectable, or zoom layered. Layers include data tables, thematic maps and the Cosmetic layer. Layers are stacked in a Map window. The order of layers in the Layers window is the order of the layers in the Map window. For instance, when boundary layers are placed below point layers, the points remain visible. The Cosmetic layer is always the topmost layer. When there are more layers than can be displayed in the dialog box at one time, a scroll bar appears on the right.
To open the Explorer window, on the HOME tab, in the Windows group, click Tool Windows, and click Explorer from the list.
See Also:
Adjust Labeling Priorities Dialog Box
Layer Control Options Dialog Box
Setting Different Styles for Different Zoom Levels
Layers Window Settings
Each row represents a layer on the map. You can select the following for each layer:
|
|
Visible Indicates whether the layer is visible. Check to display the layer. The Cosmetic layer display is always on. When zoom labeling is in effect and the layer is outside of its zoom range, then the layer name is dimmed and there is an asterisk (*) beside the Visible On/Off check box. Zoom labeling specifies the layer displays only within a certain zoom range. |
|
|
Editable Indicates whether the layer is editable. Click for the layer you want to make editable. Only one layer per map can be editable. Objects in an editable layer can be edited (moved, colored, deleted, reshaped, etc.). Objects are also drawn or pasted to the editable layer. Neither thematic nor raster layers can be edited. A layer must be displayed to be made editable |
|
|
Selectable Indicates whether the layer is selectable. Click to make selectable. Layers must be selectable if you want to choose or label objects or use the Info command. A layer must be displayed to be made selectable. More than one layer may be selectable at the same time. You may, however, only select from one layer at a time. |
|
|
Automatic Labeling Indicates whether the layer should be labeled automatically. Click to view labels on the map. Labels come from the table column designated in the Layer Properties Dialog Box, by selecting from the Label with list in the Label Display tab. When zoom labeling is in effect and the layer is outside of its zoom range, then the layer name is dimmed and there is an asterisk (*) beside the Automatic Labeling icon. |
Visual Indicators
Visual indicators in the Layer list provide more information about a layer:
- When a layer is outside of its zoom range, the layer name is dimmed and there is an asterisk (*) beside the Visible On/Off check box.
- Selecting an object, such as a point or line, in the Map window causes the layer name to appear in bold.
- When you select a layer, it is highlighted in the list. You can select multiple layers by using the Ctrl and Shift keys when making your selections.
Layer Types
The Layer Type indicate the types of items in the layer, such as points, lines, regions, theme, or raster images. If the layer has a style override, then the icon indicates the style. You can show or hide layer type icons by setting the preference in the Layer Control Options dialog box on the PRO tab, select Options, and click Layers. Layer Type icons include:
Clicking the Layer Type icon lets you edit style properties for the items in the layer.
- For points, lines, and regions, click the icon to open the corresponding style dialog box and edit style properties for the layer.
See also Stacking Display Styles to Create a Custom Look.
points
lines
regions - A layer with a theme shows a thematic icon. For more about thematic layers, see Working with Thematic Layers.
Range Theme
Bar Chart Theme
Pie Chart Theme
Graduated Symbol Theme
Dot Density Theme
Individual Theme
Grid Theme - A map tile server layer or a raster layer shows the following icon.
Raster or Tile Server Layer - A group layer icon indicates a group of layers. You can drag to move layers in to or out of the group.
Group LayerNote: Group layers are not preserved when you do a Save Workspace As to a .MWS file.
Layers Window Buttons
The following buttons in the Layers window help you to control how the map displays layers:
|
|
Add |
Click to open the Add Layer dialog box and add one or more layers to the map. Select from the list of open tables. Your additions display in the Layer list. The Add Layers button enables when there is an active Map window; the layers you add are for the active Map window. Before clicking the Add Layers button, make a map active (bring it to the front) by clicking on the map title in the layer list. |
|
|
Remove |
Click to remove selected layers from the Layer list. To select multiple layers, press the Shift or Ctrl key while selecting layers. Note: The Remove Layers button displays a confirmation dialog box. If you would rather not see these confirmation prompts, set the preference in the PRO tab, click Options, and Layers. Clear the Confirm Removal of Layers check box in the Layer Control Options dialog box.
|
|
|
Move Layers Up |
Click to reorganize one or more layers in the list. To select multiple layers, press the Shift or Ctrl key while selecting layers. |
|
|
Move Layers Down |
Click to reorganize one or more layers in the list. To select multiple layers, press the Shift or Ctrl key while selecting layers. The order determines which layers obscure the contents of the other layers; the bottom layer in the list is the most obscured. |
|
|
Layer Properties |
Click to open the Layer Properties Dialog Box and set display attributes, including label display and labeling rules, for selected layers. The Layer Properties button enables after selecting a single layer or multiple layers of the same type. If you select two different layer types, such as the Cosmetic layer and a raster layer, then this button does not enable. |
|
|
Modify Theme |
Click to open the Modify Thematic Map dialog box and set display attributes for a thematic layer. This button is only active after selecting a thematic layer. |
|
|
Hotlink Options |
Click to open the Hotlink Options dialog box where you can specify filename expression, file locations, what activates HotLink, and saving options to table metadata. The Hotlink Options button enables only after selecting a single layer. |
|
|
Adjust Labeling Priorities |
Click to open the Adjust Labeling Priorities dialog box where you can move layers up and down in the list to adjust layer priority when Automatic Labeling is turned on for layers. The Adjust Labeling Priorities button is enabled when the active map has at least two layers that can be labeled (this does not include raster, theme, or cosmetic layers). |
|
|
Selectable Labels |
Click To control whether you can select labels when you click on the map. By default, labels are selectable. You might make labels unselectable if you find that you are accidentally selecting labels on the map when you were trying to select points or lines. This is a per map setting, so each Map window has its own setting. Each map's Selectable Labels setting is preserved when you save a workspace. |
|
|
Automatic Map Drawing |
Click to allow map redraw or to turn off map display as changes are made to layers. Select to suspend automatic redraw when there are many layers that slow the redraw process. |
|
|
Layer Control Options |
Click to open the Layer Control Options dialog box and set which maps show in the Layer list, enable confirmation when removing a layer, disable tooltips in the Layers window, and show or hide icons in the Layers window. |
Layer Level Context Menu
Right-click on a layer in the Layers window to view a pop-up menu with the following options:
- Browse Table - Select this option to open a Browser window containing the table data for a layer.
- View Entire Layer - Select this option to view the entire layer, not just part of it, in the Map window. You do not have to go through a dialog box when selecting this option.
- Extents of Selected Objects - Zoom to the extents of the selected objects on the map.
- Zoom to Nearest Tile Server Level - Select this option to change the zoom of a tile server layer so that the images in a tile server will be displayed at an optimal zoom level. Based on the tile server and current screen resolution, the optimal zoom will be calculated.
- Layer Properties - Select to open the Layer Properties dialog box and customize the display for a layer. For information about the Layer Properties dialog box, see Changing How a Layer Displays on the Map. For more about changing the look of data on your layers, see Changing a Map's Style.
- Rename - Select to assign a friendly name to the selected layer. To restore the default layer name for a renamed layer, select this option again to display the
icon on the far right of the selection. Click to delete the friendly name.
Note: You can only rename layers when the Show Friendly Names preference is enabled. On the PRO tab, click Options, and Layers. Select the Show Friendly Names check box. - Label Font - Select this option to open the Text Style dialog box and set the font style for the labels in a layer. For information about the Text Style dialog, see Text Style Dialog Box.
- Clear Custom Labels - Remove custom labels from the layer. This resets any custom labels in the layers you have selected.
- Add a Display Override - Select this option to change (override) the display style when zooming the map to make it easier to view information. For more information, see Setting Different Styles for Different Zoom Levels.
- Add a Label Override - Select this option to change (override) the label style when zooming the map to make it easier to view information. For more information, see Setting Different Label Styles for Different Zoom Levels.
- Select All - Selects all the rows in this table displayed in this layer.
- Make Other Layers Non-Selectable - Select this option to make a layer selectable in the Map window and all other layers in the Layers window non-selectable. This is useful when editing data on the map to ensure that you are updating data in only a single layer.
- Set Map Projection from Layer - Select this option to set your map coordinate system to the coordinate system of a table/layer. You can also quickly change the map projection using the status bar for a map window. It shows you map's coordinate system. Double-click projection name in the status bar displays the coordinate system picker.
- View/Edit Metadata - Select this option to view the metadata of a managed table.
- Add to Library - Select this option to create a metadata record for the layer in the MapInfo Manager Library. You can perform this operation only after selecting the Catalogs and Library Mode preference for library services and while at least one unmanaged native table is open. For more information, see the Catalog Browser Help System.
To set a library service preference, on the PRO tab, click Options, and Web Services, and then click the Library Services tab.