Creating and Saving User Maps and Workspaces

This section is valid for all product flavors.

Registered and logged in users can save their own map compositions and workspaces. Workspaces and maps are stored in a user profile and are immediately available after user log on, but they also can be saved to a file. The user profile data is stored on the server where Geospatial Portal is installed and instantiated. A map is a single composition of several layers that may come from different data sources; a workspace can be understood as a container for several maps. The User Maps feature is used to save maps and workspaces within a configuration.

To add a Workspace or Map:

1. Click User Maps on the Tools tab. The User maps window opens.
2. In the User Map window, you can add and manage single maps and workspaces (a collection of maps).

   You can add maps and workspaces as follows:

   1. Add from the map window:

      To add a map or workspace from a map window: From the User maps dialog box, Maps/Workspaces menu, select Add > From map. This method lets you save the state of all displayed layers and the extents for all map variants.

      Save credentials of connected data sources option - If enabled, saves all credentials for authorized services used in a created map or workspace. If the option Save credentials of connected data sources was enabled while creating the workspace or map, Portal will try to load and initialize all services with the credentials saved and used earlier. If the provided credentials fail, an attempt to initialize services as an anonymous user will be made.

      When another map is added to the existing workspace with the Save credentials of connected data sources option, the credentials will be saved for the whole workspace (even if previous maps have been added to the workspace without credentials).

   2. Add from an exported file:

      To add from an earlier exported file: From the User maps dialog box, Maps/Workspaces menu, select Add > From gpm/gpw file.

      A map file has the .gpm extension, and a workspace has the .gpw extension.

      The Add command is not available in the context menu for single maps within a created workspace or for single maps in the Maps group.

3. The workspace within a map(s) or a single map is saved and kept in the logged Geospatial Portal user profile.
   • User maps and workspaces can be created for both 2D and 3D map views. Specific 3D view properties, such as yaw, pitch, roll, and height, are held in GPW/GPM files.
   • The backward compatibility for handling GPW/GPM files is provided; however, the map view mode is not reflected if a GPW/GPM file from a previous version is used. For example, if the user, being in 3D view, displays a GPW/GPM file created in a previous Geospatial Portal version (GPW/GPM without saved information about the map mode), the map view will not be changed to the 2D view, but the data will be displayed in the 3D view.

User Maps and Workspace Functions and Commands:

Maps and workspaces have a menu with the following functions and commands:

• Display – Displays selected maps or workspaces.

  When displaying the workspace, the default (first) map will be shown in the map window and Map Content, but the map selector (drop-down list or buttons depending on the Geospatial Portal configuration) will be populated with all maps from a given workspace.

• Public – Activates the Link function and makes the map public so that it is possible to share it among other portal users.

  Always make your workspace or map public if you intend to use them in the starting configuration.

• Link – Gives you a direct link to a map that can be forwarded to another user. Also returns the workspace or map ID that can be used in the Administration Console while preparing the starting configuration for Geospatial Portal.
• Download - Saves the workspace or map to a file.
• Rename – Changes the name of a map or workspace.
• Remove – Removes a map or workspace.
• Properties – Sets such properties as Map ranges, Predefined scales, Scale bands, and Scale ranges
  • Map ranges – Map ranges (bounding box) for common coordinate systems are used by the Fit all function. When you display the map and click Fit all, the map area is adjusted to the extent specified in the fields [X min], [Y min], [X max], and [Y max].
  • Predefined scales – Lets you add predefined scales for saved maps. When you display a map with predefined scales, a predefined list appears in the field for changing the scale. You can also give any value of the denominator of the scale in the box.

    To add predefined scales, select Properties for the map. On the Predefined scales tab, click Add and type a scale denominator. Click Save. Next display the map (by selecting the Display command). A drop-down list with predefined scale options is provided.

    

  • Scale bands – Lets you specify the scale in which different layers of the map will be displayed. To add a scale band, click Add and provide a name for the scale band and scale denominator. You can decide which layers should be displayed in which scale bands. To do this, run the tool for the scale band settings in the Tools toolbar. See Scale Bands Settings for more information.
  • Scale range – Lets you specify a range of scales in which the entire displayed map is available, regardless of scale band settings for single layers. Data can only be shown on scales containing values between the minimum and maximum scale that you specify.

For a workspace, the Properties command allows you to add/remove the Coordinate Reference System and to define such parameters as axes direction and whether the given CRS is geographic or not.

The CRS list in the Coordinate reference system tab corresponds to the coordinate system list on the Settings tab. You can add a CRS or remove a CRS from the Coordinate reference system list by using the Add and Remove buttons. The Add button opens a Spatial Reference System where you can find and add coordinate systems to the list. See Changing the Coordinate System for more information.

Once the CRS is added for the workspace, the appropriate entries (CRS) appear in the properties for all child maps for the given workspace in the Map ranges tab. Displaying the workspace using the Display command automatically adds the CRS, defined for this workspace, to the Coordinate System list visible on the Settings tab in the Sidebar.

Passwords stored in GPW and GPM files are secured with the AES Rijndael algorithm. The backward compatibility is maintained, and the use of older GPW files containing unencrypted passwords is also allowed.

It is possible to save (and load) selection in user maps and workspaces. Loading the user map with stored selection (or workspace with such a map) sets selection on those features. In order to save selection, the value of saveSelection parameter in Portal’s Web.config must be set to true. See Save Selections in User Maps topic in Geospatial Portal Administrator Guide or contact with your Geospatial Portal administrator for more details.