Spatial Manager Desktop™ - FAQs: Layer management
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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
- 'Saved': when the Layer contents it is currently saved
- 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 change the type or the status of a Layer in Spatial Manager Desktop™?
There are several ways to change the type or the status of a Layer in Spatial Manager Desktop™
- To convert an 'External Layer' to an 'Embedded in the Map' Layer: you can use the 'Disconnect' function to disconnect one Layer or the 'Disconnect all' function to disconnect all the Layers in a Map. You can not undo this operations so you should avoid saving the original Map. It is recommended to save the modified Map using another name or into another location
- To convert an 'Embedded in the Map' Layer to an 'External Layer': there is not a direct way to do it but you can 'Export' the Features of the Layer to a external table (choosing the best Provider for you), loading this table in the Map and then deleting the original Layer
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
