Representation Class editor
Functionality
With the representation class editor, you can change the representation as used by a class domain, a group domain, or a picture domain. In the representation class editor, you see all the class names of the domain to which this representation is linked, and the way in which these classes will be represented on the screen and on a printer.
For each class as available in the domain, you can edit:
- colors (for mapping units in raster maps);
- colors, hatching or patterns (for mapping units in polygon maps);
- colors, line types, line widths, etc. or use equally spaced symbols (for segments);
- colors, symbol types, symbol sizes, etc. (for points).
The Representation Class editor consists of an editor window with the class names and their colors, a menu bar, a toolbar, and Red, Green and Blue color slide bars at the bottom of the window.
To start the Representation Class editor, see How to create a representation and How to edit a representation.
Tip:
You can always create a number of representations for a certain domain, for instance by clicking the create button
next to the Representation list box in the Display Options dialog box of a map. Then, to display a map with a certain representation, in the map's Display Options dialog box, select the representation you want to use.
General working of the Representation Class editor:
- Select a map type:
- Click one of the tabs in the toolbar:
for Raster, Polygon, Segment, or Point respectively, or
- Open the View menu and select either Raster, Polygon, Segment or Point.
Keep in mind that when changing a color of a class in one 'mode' (e.g. Polygon), then the color of this class will also change for all other modes (e.g. Raster, Segment).
- Select a single class in the editor window and subsequently edit the color and optionally other representation attributes of this class:
- Double-click a class or its color box in the editor window, or
- Select a class or its color box and choose Edit Item from the Edit menu, or
- Select a class or its color box and press the Enter key on the keyboard.
The Edit Repr Item (raster), Edit Repr Item (polygon), Edit Repr Item (segment) or the Edit Repr Item (point) dialog box will appear.
Depending on whether you selected to edit the raster form, polygon form, segment form or point form of the representation, the Edit Repr. Item dialog box will allow you to edit:
- for raster: colors
- for polygon: fill colors, hatchings or patterns;
- for segment: colors, line types (e.g. single, double, triple, dot, dash dot, blocked), line widths, optional support lines, or a symbol font and a symbol which will be used to draw lines;
- for point: simple symbols or symbols from any installed symbol font, symbol sizes, colors, etc.
Furthermore, you can use the Red, Green and Blue color slide bars at the bottom of the editor window to edit the colors of a single selected class.
- Select multiple classes in the editor window and subsequently assign a single color to all selected classes or assign a smooth range of colors to the selected classes.
- Select multiple classes in the editor window by using the Shift and/or Ctrl key, and
- Open the Edit menu and choose Edit Multiple Items, or press the Enter key on the keyboard.
The Edit Multiple Items dialog box will appear.
Assigning a range of colors can be used:
- to obtain smooth color changes between multiple classes, for instance from yellow to red, through orange, or
- to obtain similar colors for related classes in a domain, e.g. various forest types in similar shades of green, etc.
When assigning a color range, the order of the classes in the domain will be used. For more information, see the Edit Multiple Items dialog box.
To interactively change colors of maps:
- For any raster, polygon, segment or point map with a class or group domain:
- Display the map in a map window and make sure that the Info check box in the map's Display Options dialog box is marked;
- Open the Layers menu in the map window and choose the Double-Click Action command; in the appearing dialog box, select the Edit Representation option;
- Then, double-click the pixels, polygons, segments or points in the map: each time a Edit Repr Item dialog box will appear in which you can directly change colors, polygon patterns, segment line types, line widths, point symbols, etc.
- The map window will directly show the map in the changed representation.
- Continue double-clicking units in the map and editing the representation of that class until satisfied.
For more information, see Map window : advanced functionality.
- For any raster, polygon, segment or point map with a class, group or value domain:
- Display the map in a map window;
- Open the Edit menu in the map window and choose the Representation command;
- Depending on the type of representation that the domain of this map is using, the representation class editor as described above, or the representation value/gradual editor is opened;
- In the appearing representation editor window, edit one or more colors, etc;
- To see the changes in the map window, press the Redraw
button in the map window;
- Continue editing colors in the representation editor and redrawing the map window until satisfied.
In this way, you can work with a representation editor and a map window simultaneously.
Tip:
Advanced users may wish to edit a representation class in table form; click a representation class with the right mouse button in the Catalog, and choose Open As Table from the context-sensitive menu.
See also:
Representation Class editor : menu commands
Representation Class editor : toolbar
ILWIS objects : representations
How to create a representation
How to edit a representation