Setting up mapping configurations

You can configure how entities and links from iBase are to be plotted to a map by defining a mapping configuration. You can create many different mapping configurations to reflect the different ways you want to plot your data. Mapping configurations are stored with your iBase database.

About this task

Before you can send data to a map, you must select a mapping configuration. A mapping configuration defines how entities and links from iBase are to be plotted to a map. They define:

Some details of the map you are using, such as the units, and minimum and maximum coordinates.
How geocode data is provided. For more information, see Geocode data.
How map items are displayed (either as icons or points).
Whether labels are required and which labeling scheme to use.
Whether extra data is required by the mapping application.

Procedure

To set up a mapping configuration:

Select Format > Mapping Configurations.

On the General page, select the mapping application and enter details of the map.

From the Mapping application list, select the mapping application to which you want to send your data.

Define the coordinates of the map that you want to use:


Option	Description
Offset	An offset is the difference between the origin (0, 0) position of the x and y coordinates in your geocode data and the origin used by the map. For example, if your coordinates are based on an origin of Washington but the map uses an origin of New York, then the offset is the difference between Washington and New York. Offsets must be specified in the units that are used in your geocode data and are multiplied by the factor. The default offset is 0.
Factor	Where the units in your geocode data differ from the units that are used by the map a factor is applied to scale the x and y coordinates up or down. For example, if your coordinates are in kilometers but the map is in meters enter a factor of 1000. The default factor is 1.
Min.	The minimum x and y coordinates specify the minimum values for the x and y coordinates. Any entities or links with coordinates outside the minimum values are not sent to the map. The default minimum value for x and y coordinates is -999999999.
Max.	Similarly, the maximum x and y coordinates specify the maximum values for the x and y coordinates. Any entities or links with coordinates inside the maximum values are sent to the map. The default maximum value for x and y coordinates is 999999999.

To display item labels, turn on Display labels. The default is not to display labels. For more information about selecting a labeling scheme, see Changing the display of map items.

Define where coordinates are going to be stored:
- If coordinates are stored directly in a record, no further action is required.
- If coordinates are calculated by converting address details in the mapping application, turn on Send non-geocoded data.
- If coordinates are held in a separate database rather than as part of the record details, click the Geocoding tab to enter its details. See Storing coordinates in a geocoding database.
On the Entities tab, set the entity types that contain mapping information, and how to handle that information.
For more information, see Configuring how entities are plotted on maps.
On the Links as Points tab, set the link types that contain mapping information, and how to handle that information.
For more information, see Configuring how links are plotted on maps.
Click Save.