Spatial Manager Desktop™ - FAQs: Layer management

Introduction

• Objective of this section
  • To handle new or existing layers and to manage layer storage. To review application automation systems and to try to locate sources not found for map layers

• Topics in this section
  • Making of layers: new layer from a features selection and editing the structure of the data table
  • Adding features to layers: over new layers
  • Exporting new layers: definition of the target and its parameters
  • Saving modified layers: manually or by closing maps or the application
  • Automating source locations: changing data source locations of a map
  • Data sources properties: differential icons and properties

Which are the types of Layers I can find in a Map of Spatial Manager Desktop™?

In a Map of Spatial Manager Desktop™ you can find these types of Layer

• Grouped by its source (you can view this property in the 'Properties' panel when you select a Layer)
  • 'External Layer': when it is a Layer loaded from a external source (a table from a file, data server, data store, etc.)
  • 'Embedded in the Map': when the Layer contents it is located inside the Map (SPM) file. You may note that this type of Layer is italicized in the list of the ribbon 'Layers'
• Grouped by its saving status (you can view this property in the 'Properties' panel when you select a Layer)
  • 'Saved': when the Layer contents it is currently saved
    • For 'External Layers' that means that the Layer contents it is the same that the contents in the external data source
    • For 'Embedded in the Map' Layers that means that the Layer contents it is the same that the contents in the Map (SPM) file
  • 'Not saved'. You may note that, for this type of Layer, the Layer name is preceded by an asterisk in the list of the ribbon 'Layers'
    • For 'External Layers' that means that the Layer contents has been modified and it is not the same that the contents in the external data source
    • For 'Embedded in the Map' Layers that means that the Layer contents has been modified it is the same that the contents in the Map (SPM) file
• Grouped by its editing status
  • 'Not editable': when the Layer is an 'External Layer' and its data source it is a read-only data source
  • 'Editable': all the other Layers
• 'New' Layer: when it is a Layer created in the Map, always by copying Features from other Layers, and the Map has not been saved after it is created

How can I edit a Layer, or Features in a Layer, in Spatial Manager Desktop™?

You can edit Features or Layers in Spatial Manager Desktop™ as follow:

• In 'editable' Layers
  • You can 'Delete' selected Features
  • You can modify values in any field, directly or using:
    • 'Find and replace' function, to find and replace values in the Data grid for a Layer
    • 'Multiple Edition' function, to modify the value for a Field only for a Layer. This function may be applied to all Features in the Layer or only to selected Features (if any)
• In 'new' Layers
  • All the above (because a 'new' Layer is an 'editable' Layer also), and
  • You can 'Delete' or 'Rename' Fields
  • You can add a copy of the selected Features (if any) to the Layer
• In 'not editable' Layers
  • There is no way to edit a 'not editable Layer' or his Features. You can 'Disconnect' a 'not editable' Layer from his read-only source, or you can select all Features in the Layer and 'Make' a new Layer including a copy of the selected objects

Related links

• Separate thematic Layers from GIS Tables
• Editing ‘not editable’ Layers