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
  • Split layers in new layers: for thematic or data discrimination analysis

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

• Considering 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 an external source (a table from a file, data server, data store, etc.)
  • "Embedded in the Map": when the Layer content is located inside the Map (SPM) file. You may note that this type of Layer is italicized in the list of the ribbon "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. It is particular case of "Embedded in the Map" Layers
• Considering its saving status (you can view this property in the "Properties" panel when you select a Layer)
  • "Saved": when the Layer content is currently saved
    • For "External Layers" that means that the Layer content is the same that the content in the external data source
    • For "Embedded in the Map" Layers that means that the Layer content is the same that the content in the Map (SPM) file
  • "Not saved": when the Layer content is not currently 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 content has been modified and it is not the same that the content in the external data source
    • For "Embedded in the Map" Layers that means that the Layer content has been modified it is not the same that the content in the Map (SPM) file
• Considering its editing status
  • "Not editable": when the Layer is an "External Layer" and has been loaded from a read-only data source. When you select a "Not editable" Layer you will see all the values grayed in the Data grid because these values can not be modified
  • "Editable": all the other Layers (all "Embedded in the Map" Layers and all "External" Layers loaded from a read and write data source)

File:LM-7.png

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 must 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), to load this table in the Map and then removing the original Layer
• To "Save" a "Not saved" Layer
  • For "External Layers": you must "Save features", by using this function or by "Saving" the Map
  • For "Embedded in the Map" Layers: you must "Save" the Map
• To convert a "Not editable" Layer to an "Editable" Layer: there is no way to do it but 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
• To "Save" a "New" Layer: you must "Save" the Map, to get an "Embedded in the Map" Layer, or you can "Export" the Features of the Layer to a external table (choosing the best Provider for you), to load this table in the Map and then removing the original Layer, to get an ·External 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
  • External
    • 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)
  • "Embedded in the Map" or "New" Layers
    • All the above (an "Embedded in the Map" or "New" Layer is an "Editable" Layer also), and
    • You can add a copy of the selected Features (if any) to the Layer
    • You can "Delete" or "Rename" Fields
• 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