Reusable Accessible Mapping Platform

The Basemap selector is used to modify the underlying basemap to provide a variety of geographical contexts.

Usage

From the dropdown, select the basemap of your choice and the map display will update.

Get Link is used to generate a shareable URL of the current map state with selected datasets.

Usage

Short link

Select this link to use Google's URL shortening service to generate a concise and easily shareable link to the current state of the RAMP map viewer.

Email

Select this link to open a new email in your default mail client, with the URL contained in the body for convenient sharing.

Full Screen is used to collapse the departmental headers and footers to provide larger screen space for mapping.

Usage

Click the Full Screen button in the toolbar to hide departmental header and footer information. Select the Full Screen button again to restore to default view.

The Datasets tab lists the layers available to display in the map. Feature layers also display in the data grid. The Datasets tab also serves as a map legend.

Usage

Layer Types

There are three types of layers that can reside in the Dataset tab.

• Feature layers represent data that can be interacted with on the map, and viewed in the data grid.
• Static layers provide additional geographical context against the basemap. They are not interactive and do not show in the data grid.
• WMS layers provide an overlay of data from a Web Map Service. They can support a click interaction on the map, and do not show in the data grid.

Layer Visibility

Select the "eye" icon next to a dataset name to toggle the layer on or off.

WMS Queries Toggle

When a user clicks on the map (and not on a feature), the results for any queryable WMS layer will be displayed for the location clicked. This behaviour may not be desired for certain layers. Clicking the WMS Query Enable/Disable icons on the right side of the layer selector will toggle this functionality for an individual layer. The global toggle at the top of the layer selector will enable or disable the function for all WMS layers. WMS layers that are not queryable will not have a toggle icon.

Layer Legends

Each layer has some symbology associated with it. For simple feature layers a single icon will be present next to the layer name. For complex feature layers (i.e. those with multiple symbols used per layer) the icon will show as a stack and maybe toggled on and off. When toggled on a section will expand beneath the layer name and show the full symbology for the layer. WMS layers may optionally have a graphical legend defined, if one is present it will be displayed in the same drop down manner.

Handling Layer Errors

If a layer fails to load correctly it will be identified by an error notice. Instead of the standard layer actions you can select to either reload the layer (this is particularly helpful if there is a temporary network connectivity issue) or remove the layer. If a layer is removed it will be taken out of the layer selector completely and if it is added back via "Add Dataset" it will lose any previous customizations.

Layer Reordering

Click and drag the 6 dots to the left of the dataset up or down to re-order the layers on the map interface.

While all layers can be re-ordered, WMS layers and Feature / Static layers may not be mixed together. When reordering layers, layers which cannot be mixed will be greyed out. Although layers can be reordered within their groups the grouping is static with feature and static layers always displaying over the WMS layer group.

Layer Metadata

Select the "Metadata" link to display relevant metadata for that source in a collapsible Info Panel.

Layer Settings

Select the "Settings" link to access additional options for the layer.

• The layer's opacity can be adjusted using the slider control.
• If the layer has a bounding box, its visibility can be toggled using the checkbox.
• If the layer is a feature layer, and is in on-demand mode, the option to Load All Features is available. On-demand mode means the layer will be downloaded in parts as needed. Clicking Load All Features will cause all layer data to be loaded in the browser at once, providing snappier response times once the download completes. This is called snapshot mode. Attempting this with very large datasets may cause the site to stall or the layer to crash. A layer in snapshot mode will have the Load All Features link disabled and a checkmark beside the link.

Zoom Scale Dependent Layers

Some layers may only be visible at certain zoom levels. If a layer is not visible at a given zoom level the layer selector will display a notice and have an action available to zoom to the closest zoom level at which the layer will be visible (this may involve either zooming in or zooming out).

Additional datasets can be added to the map viewer. Supported formats are: ESRI Feature Layer, WMS, GeoJSON, Shapefile, and CSV File. The '+' button at the top-left of the Layer Selector will launch the Add Dataset wizard.

Usage

Layer Types

Select the type of data source you would like to add: 'Service' to add a web-based map service; 'File' to upload a GeoJSON, CSV, or Shapefile.

Specifying the Dataset Location

Enter the location of the service URL or dataset file in the location box. If the dataset is a file on your file system, you must click the 'File' button and browse to the location.

A web based URL can be typed or pasted into the box.

RAMP will predict the dataset type, if it is incorrect, click the button that specifies the correct type.

Click the 'Connect' or 'Load' button to initiate the loading of the dataset.

Specifying the Specifics of the Dataset

Depending on the type of dataset being loaded, various parameters can be set in this phase.

A Feature Service allows the choice of a Primary Attribute, which determines the attribute used to identify a feature in the data grid and map tips. All other information is derived from the service's metadata.

A WMS Service allows the choice of the Layer Name, which determines the layer in the WMS to be used as the source for the dataset. All other information is derived from the service's metadata.

File based datasets allow the choice of the following: a Dataset Name, which will be displayed in the Layer Selector; a Primary Attribute, which acts the same as in the Feature Service; a Symbol Colour, which determines the colour of the points / lines / polygons on the map. CSV files also allow the specification of the columns that contain the Latitude and Longitude values, used to derive the point location on the map.

Clicking the 'Add Dataset' button will insert the layer into the map.

The Summary Grid lists basic information for all the features that is visible in the current map extent.

Usage

Sorting

Select the Sort link at the top of the data grid to sort by field name, descending. Select the Sort link again to switch the sort to ascending mode.

Details

Select the Details link next to each data row to display its information in an Info Panel. This function replicates clicking directly on a map feature.

Zoom To

Every row on the data grid has an option to quickly zoom the map view to that data point. If the "Zoom To" link is clicked, the map and the data grid will dynamically zoom to that specific point.

Zoom Back

After the "Zoom To" link is clicked, the link will be replaced by a "Zoom Back" link. Clicking on the "Zoom Back" link will bring the user back to the extent of the map before the "Zoom To" link was clicked.

Pagination

Use the far left and right arrows to jump to the first or last page, respectively, of the information in the data grid. Use the inner left and right buttons to move back or forward one page at a time. Selecting the Page link will permit you to quickly jump to any page in the data grid listing.

There is also a record count next to the pagination buttons, which indicates the number of features currently in the map extent versus the total number of features in the map.

The Extended Grid lists detailed information about all the features that in the current map extent.

Usage

Full Data Button

Select the "Full Data" button at the top right corner of the Summary Grid to show the Extended Grid.

Data Summary Button

Select the "Data Summary" button at the top right corner of the Extended Grid to go back to the Summary Grid view.

Sorting

For any column, selecting the upward arrow will sort the extended grid in ascending order by that column, selecting the downward arrow will sort the grid in descending order by that column.

Details

Select the Details link next to each data row to display its information in an Info Panel.

Pagination

Use the far left and right arrows to jump to the first or last page, respectively, of the information in the data grid. Use the inner left and right buttons to move back or forward one page at a time. Selecting the Page link will permit you to quickly jump to any page in the data grid listing.

There is also a record count next to the pagination buttons, which indicates the number of features currently in the map extent versus the total number of features in the map.

The Info Panel displays data associated with a selected feature.

Usage

Select a feature on the map interface, or select the Details link in the Data Grid. The Info Panel will display information related to the selected feature. Clicking away from the feature or clicking the arrow in the top left corner of the panel will hide the display.

Map Export is used to convert the contents of the map into an image that can be downloaded by the user.

Usage

Click the Map Export button in the toolbar to initiate the image generation. The Map Export window will open. A "Loading" message will display, and the image preview will appear once it is generated. Click the Download Image button to save the image. Click the X to close the Map Export window.

Limitations

Currently Map Export will only capture layers that are hosted on a public internet service. Layers hosted privately (e.g. on an intranet) or added from file-based sources will not appear in the resultant image file. Images are currently only available in PNG format.

This page is WCAG 2.0 AA compliant.

Keyboard Accessibility

Keyboard functionality is provided as an alternative for users who are unable to use a mouse. Use the Tab key to navigate forward to links and controls on the page. Press Shift+Tab to go back one step. Use the Enter or Spacebar keys to activate links and controls.

Navigation Controls

Zoom Slider: With the Zoom Slider highlighted, use the Up arrow key to zoom in and the Down arrow key to zoom out.

Datasets/Data Tabs

With either the Datasets or Data tab highlighted, use the Left and Right arrow keys to switch between them.

Datasets Tab

Within the Datasets tab, use the Up and Down arrow keys to navigate to different layers. With the layer handle (6 dots icon) highlighted, use Enter or Spacebar to grab the layer. Grabbed layers are indicated with a dark blue background. With the layer grabbed, use the Up or Down arrow keys to re-order the layers on the map interface. Press Enter or Spacebar again to release the layer.

The advanced toolbar provides utilities that can break accessibility, usually due to their dependence on a mouse-driven input.

Usage

Opening the Toolbar

Select the Tools button on the main toolbar to open the advanced toolbar. Selecting the button a second time will close the advanced toolbar and de-activate any active tools.

Tool Activation

Any tool can be activated by clicking the appropriate button on the advanced toolbar. Clicking a second time will de-activate the tool, as will closing the advanced toolbar, or selecting a new tool.

Population Tool

Select the Population button to activate the population tool. Draw a polygon on the map and release the mouse. The population of people inside the polygon will be displayed in the results window. The Clear button will erase an existing result from the map.

Buffer Tool

Select the Buffer button to activate the buffer tool. Enter a desired buffer size in kilometers in the tool input. Draw a polygon on the map and release the mouse. A buffer of the desired size will be applied to the polygon and displayed.

Area Tool

Select the Area button to activate the tool. Draw a polygon on the map and release the mouse. The area and the circumference of the polygon will be displayed in the results window.

Distance Tool

Select the Distance button to activate the tool. Draw a line on the map and release the mouse. The distance of the line will be displayed in the results window.

Load times may vary based on network location and bandwidth availability, and unanticipated behaviour may occur if any map interactions occur before data is fully loaded. Please allow the webpage to load completely before triggering any map functions.