Markups and User Layers

MetroMap offers useful markup and labelling tools to perform accurate measurements and add rich information to your projects. These markups / labels can be saved as layers for future viewing and exporting.

• Line Tool: this tool allows you to draw and measure straight line distances
• Polygon Tool: this tool allows you to draw polygons and measure edge lengths, perimeter, and area
• Circle Tool (Enterprise Plan): this tool allows you to draw circles and measure area as well as radius and circumference length
• Marker Tool: this tool allows you to drop a point at any location on the map and obtain its coordinates
• Label Tool: this tool allows you to add text labels to any point on your map; once the tool is activated simply click, type, and save any label you wish to add

How can you draw lines, polygons & circles?
Draw lines, polygons and circles by setting the first point on the map using a single click of the left mouse key and moving in the direction you wish to draw your markup. For lines and polygons, add subsequent points by clicking the left mouse key each time, then end your markup by double clicking the left mouse key. For circles, a second click will finalise the radius and circle.

How can you edit lines, polygons & circles?
Lines, polygons and circles can be edited after drawing and before you have saved them as a layer. To edit a line or polygon, first activate the markup by clicking it anywhere (when active, vertices shall be highlighted with a white stroke around them). Once active, you can move the markup by holding down the left mouse key and dragging any of the edges. You can modify an existing vertex by holding down the left mouse key and dragging any of the points. For circles, selecting and moving a vertex will resize the circle based on the radius to that point.

How can you save markups as layers?
Each of the 5 markups explained above can be saved as user-created layers. Once the markup has been drawn, you can name the layer and hit the “Add Layer” button at the top for the markup to be saved in your layers section (on the left panel).

How can you view and modify saved layers?
Once saved, you can zoom to a layer by double clicking (left mouse key) on it in the layers panel or by using the “Zoom to Layer” button within the layer’s menu (accessed via the 3 dots icon). The layer’s menu also allows you to:

• Rename the layer
• Edit some aspects of the layer (line colour, fill colour etc.)
• Set a watchpoint
• Create a buffer of the layer (Enterprise Plan)

How can you upload external layers to MetroMap?
You can upload pre-created layers to MetroMap and access them along with imagery as well as layers created within the web app. This can be done via the “Upload File” button within the Layers panel on the left. The layer formats supported include GeoJSON, KML, KMZ (geometry) and Shapefile (zipped).

How can you export saved layers from MetroMap?
All saved layers can exported to KML by selecting the 'Export' button in the selected layer's menu. Buffers applied to saved layers will also be included in exports.