Appearance
Layer Configuration
Layer Configuration controls how individual spatial data layers behave and appear to users in InsightMaps. Proper configuration ensures usability and discoverability of your GIS data.
Overview
Layer Configuration Capabilities:
- Display properties: Title, description, visibility, opacity
- Popup toggle: Enable or disable popups per layer
- Label toggle: Show or hide labels per layer
- Keywords: Add searchable tags for discoverability
- More Info URL: Link to external documentation or data sources
- Organization: Assign ownership for multi-tenant environments
- Category assignment: Organize layers into major and minor categories
- Bulk operations: Assign categories, set visibility, and delete multiple layers
Access Layer Configuration
Location: InsightMaps Console → Data Sources → Layers tab
How to Open:
- Log in to console.insightmaps.app
- Navigate to Data Sources in left sidebar
- Click Layers tab
- Click layer name or Edit button
- Layer edit dialog opens
Layer Properties
Title
Purpose: User-facing layer name shown in the map interface
Best Practices:
- Keep concise (under 40 characters)
- Use title case
- Avoid technical codes or abbreviations
Examples:
| Good | Poor |
|---|---|
| Property Boundaries | NSW_CADASTRE_V2_LYR |
| Zoning 2024 | Layer 3 |
| Road Network | old_backup_parcels |
Description
Purpose: Explanation shown in the layer info panel (supports up to 2000 characters)
What to Include:
- Data source and authority
- Update frequency
- Coverage area
- Key attributes or use cases
Example: "Official zoning designations from City Planning Department. Updated quarterly. Covers entire local government area."
Default Visibility
Purpose: Control whether the layer loads visible or hidden when users open the map
- Visible: Layer loads turned on (default for important layers)
- Hidden: User must manually enable (default for heavy layers)
When to Use Hidden:
- Large feature count layers
- Specialized or overlay layers
- Layers users only need occasionally
Opacity
Purpose: Set default transparency level
Range: 0 (invisible) to 1 (fully opaque), controlled via a slider
Recommended Settings:
- Basemaps: 1.0 (opaque)
- Overlays: 0.5–0.7 (see basemap through layer)
- Imagery: 0.7–0.9 (semi-transparent)
Note: Users can adjust opacity dynamically in the map interface.
Labels Visible
Purpose: Toggle whether labels are shown for this layer
- On: Labels display on the map using the layer's configured label field
- Off: Labels hidden
Popup Enabled
Purpose: Toggle whether clicking a feature shows a popup with attributes
- On: Popups display when users click features
- Off: No popup interaction for this layer
Note: The popup displays all visible fields from the service. Per-field visibility, aliases, and custom popup templates are not configurable in the console.
Keywords
Purpose: Improve layer discoverability when users search
Best Practices:
- Use common search terms
- Include synonyms
- Add location names
- Maximum 50 keywords, each up to 100 characters
Example Keywords for "Property Boundaries":
- parcel, cadastre, lot, allotment
- property, land, ownership
How to Edit:
- Open layer edit dialog
- Edit Keywords field (tag-style input)
- Save changes
More Info URL
Purpose: Link to external resource for detailed information
Use Cases:
- Link to council property portal
- Official data source page
- Data dictionary or metadata
How to Configure:
- Open layer edit dialog
- Enter a valid URL in the More Info URL field
- Save changes
- A "More Info" link appears in the layer info panel
Category Assignment
Purpose: Organize layer for user navigation
How to Edit:
- Open layer edit dialog
- Select Major Category from dropdown
- Select Minor Category from dropdown (filtered by major)
- Save changes
- Layer moves to the new category
Organization
Purpose: Assign ownership for multi-tenant environments
How to Edit:
- Open layer edit dialog
- Select Organization from dropdown
- Save changes
Layer List
Browsing Layers
The Layers tab provides a full layer listing with:
- Virtual scrolling: Handles large lists (thousands of layers) without performance issues
- Search: Filter by layer name or title
- Geometry type icons: Visual indicator for point, line, polygon, or raster layers
- Keyword badges: Display assigned keywords with aggregation
Filtering Layers
Available Filters:
| Filter | Options |
|---|---|
| Visibility | Visible / Hidden / All |
| Organization | Filter by assigned organization |
| Category | Filter by major or minor category |
| Geometry Type | Point, Line, Polygon, Raster |
| Keywords | Filter by specific keyword tags |
| Australian State | Filter by state (for Australian services) |
Sorting Layers
Sortable Columns:
- Name / Title
- Organization
- Category
- Geometry Type
Click column header to sort. Click again to reverse order.
Layer Reordering
Layers within a category can be reordered using drag-and-drop in the Layer List Manager (available when editing a category's layer assignments).
Bulk Layer Operations
Bulk Assign to Category
How:
- Navigate to Layers tab
- Select multiple layers using checkboxes
- Click Bulk Actions → Assign to Category
- Select target category
- Confirm action
Bulk Set Visibility
How:
- Select layers or use "All" option
- Click Set All Visible or Set All Hidden
- All selected layers update
Delete All Layers
Caution: Removes all layer records!
How:
- Click Delete All Layers action
- Confirmation dialog appears
- Confirm deletion
Troubleshooting
"Layer not appearing for users"
Causes:
- Layer not in a published category
- Default visibility set to hidden
Solutions:
- Check that the layer is assigned to a published category
- Verify default visibility setting
"Popup not showing"
Causes:
- Popup disabled for this layer
- Layer service does not support popups
Solutions:
- Toggle Popup Enabled to on in layer edit dialog
- Check that the source service supports identify/query operations
"Layer loading slowly"
Causes:
- Large feature count
- Service performance issues
Solutions:
- Set default visibility to hidden (users opt in when needed)
- Contact the service administrator about performance
Integration with Other Console Features
Works With
Service Discovery:
- Layers are created when services are discovered
- Sync updates layer metadata from the source service
Categories:
- Assign layers to categories for user navigation
- Reorder layers within categories
Audit Logs:
- Track layer configuration changes
- Review who modified what
Summary
Layer Configuration controls data presentation:
- Properties: Title, description, keywords, More Info URL
- Display: Default visibility, opacity, labels, popups
- Organization: Category assignment, organization ownership
- Bulk Operations: Assign categories, set visibility, delete
- Filtering: By name, category, geometry type, keywords, organization
- Virtual Scrolling: Handles large layer lists efficiently
Key Points:
- Use clear, user-friendly titles
- Set heavy layers to hidden by default
- Add keywords to improve search discoverability
- Assign layers to appropriate categories for user navigation