How to create a representation
A representation stores the manner in which the classes of a map with a class domain, a group domain or a picture domain, or the values of a map with a value domain or the Image domain should be represented on the screen and on a printer.
A representation is a service object for a domain.
To create a representation:
A representation class can be created for raster, polygon, segment and point maps with a class, group or picture domain and for attribute columns with such a domain.
A representation value or a representation gradual can be created for raster, polygon, and segment maps with a value domain and for attribute columns with a value domain.
You can create a representation in the following manners:
- in a Display Options dialog box of a map with a class, group or value domain, click the little create button
next to the Representation list box,
- in the Properties sheet of a map with a class, group or value domain, go to the Map tab, right-click the domain, and select Create Representation from the context-sensitive menu,
- in the Domain Properties sheet of a class, group or value domain, go to the Domain tab, and click the little create button
next to the Representation list box,
- from the File menu of the Main window, choose Create Representation,
- in the Catalog, right-click a class, group or value domain and choose Create Representation from the context-sensitive menu,
- in the Operation-tree, open the Create item, and double-click the New Representation item, or
- in the Operation-list, double-click the New Representation item.
The Create Representation dialog box will appear.
Depending on the domain (of the map or the attribute column), a representation class, value or gradual will be created.
For more information on symbols for point maps, on colors for maps with a Bit, Bool, ID or the Color domain, or on obtaining a Display Options dialog box, a Map Properties sheet, or a Domain Properties sheet, see the Additional Information below.
Representation types:
For more information on representation types, see ILWIS objects : representations.
Representation Class editor:
In the Representation Class editor, you can for each class in the domain:
- select or create a color (Edit Item - Raster dialog box);
- select or create a color and select a hatching type or a pattern (Edit Item - Polygon dialog box);
- select or create a color, select a line type (e.g. single, double, triple, dot, dash dot, blocked), specify line width, have an optional support line, etc., or a symbol font and a symbol which will be used to draw lines (Edit Item - Segment dialog box);
- select or create a color, select a simple symbol or a symbol from any installed symbol font, specify symbol size, etc. (Edit Item - Point dialog box).
Furthermore, when you select multiple classes in the representation Class editor, you can assign a single color or a smooth range of colors to all selected classes (Edit Multiple Items dialog box).
Representation Value/Gradual editor:
In the Representation Value/Gradual editor, you can:
- insert and/or edit limits, i.e. boundary values for a representation value, or boundary percentages for a representation gradual (Insert Limit and Edit Limit dialog boxes),
- choose or create a color for each limit (Insert Limit and Edit Limit dialog boxes),
- indicate whether to stretch colors between the limits or to use the color of the upper or the lower boundary,
- when you stretch in between limits, you can specify the number of stretch steps (Stretch Steps dialog box).
You can also insert multiple limits/boundary values and colors at a time by using the Insert Multiple Limits dialog box.
Mind:
- To create a representation value, working in values, for a map which uses system domain Value, you need to clear the Use Percentages check box in the Create Representation dialog box.
- It is advised to create a user-defined value domain when values in a map or column have a specific meaning, are in a specific range and should be represented by specific colors or ranges of colors. To convert a map which uses system domain Value to a map with a user-defined value domain, see How to change the domain of a map.
Additional information
Symbols for point maps:
- For point maps with a class domain, you can use Single Symbols or create a representation class as described above. In the Edit Item (point) dialog box in the Representation Class editor, you then define symbol type, point size and colors for the points.
- For point maps with a value domain, you can click the Symbols button in the Display Options - Point Map dialog box. In the Symbol dialog box, you can then define symbol type, point sizes, colors, etc.
- For point maps with an ID domain and which have a linked attribute table, you can use the options Single Symbol, Symbols by Attributes, Symbols as Arrows, Symbols as Graphs as available in the Display Options - Point Map dialog box.
To store the display settings of point maps with a value or an ID domain, you can save the map window as a map view.
Colors for maps with a Bool, Bit, ID, or the Color domain:
Maps with a Bool, the Bit, an ID, or the Color domain do not have a stored representation on disk.
- For maps with a Bool domain or the Bit domain, you can interactively select colors in the Display Options dialog box of the map each time you display the map. You can save the display settings by saving the map window as a map view.
- Maps with an ID domain can be shown in 7, 15, or 31 colors to inspect the map itself. In most cases however, you will display an ID map by one of its attributes as stored in the map's attribute table; to do so, select the Attribute check box in the Display Options dialog box of the ID map and select an attribute column.
- Raster maps with the Color domain store colors in each pixel, so no representation is needed.
To obtain a Display Options dialog box:
- in the Catalog, double-click a map which uses a class, group, value, or picture domain, or
- from the File menu in the Main window, choose Open, and select a map which uses a class, group, value, or picture domain.
A Display Options dialog box will appear.
To obtain a Properties sheet of a map:
- from the Edit menu in the Main window, choose Properties and select a map, or
- in the Catalog, click a raster, polygon, segment or point map with a class, group, value, or picture domain with the right mouse button, and select Properties from the context-sensitive menu.
The Raster Map Properties, the Polygon Map Properties, the Segment Map Properties, or the Point Map Properties sheet will appear.
To obtain a Domain Properties sheet:
- from the Edit menu in the Main window, choose Properties and select a class, group, value, or picture domain, or
- in the Catalog, click a class, group, value, or picture domain with the right mouse button, and select Properties from the context-sensitive menu.
The Domain Properties sheet will appear.
See also:
Create a representation (dialog box)
How to edit representations
ILWIS objects : representations
Representation Class editor : functionality
Representation Value/Gradual editor : functionality
How to view and edit the properties of an object