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 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

Related links

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