Organize layers (Map Viewer)

In Map Viewer (formerly a separate beta installation but now included with the portal automatically), layers are drawn on the map in the same order in which they appear in the layers list, with layers that are higher in the list drawing on top of layers that are lower in the list. This means that some layers may cover other layers, preventing them from being visible on the map. You can correct this by changing the order of the layers. You can also rename layers and remove unnecessary layers to add meaning to a map and make it easier to explore.

If the map includes multiple related layers, you can use group layers to organize them. For example, you can organize the layers in a utilities map according to theme, such as water, storm, and sanitation. Organizing layers into group layers helps you and others find, explore, and manage layers in a map. You can use group layers to organize a large number of layers or to simplify the experience of exploring data.

Tip:

You can use keyboard shortcuts to quickly complete common workflows in Map Viewer. To view the full list of keyboard shortcuts in Map Viewer, press Alt+? on Microsoft Windows or Option+? on Mac.

Manage and organize layers

In Map Viewer, you manage and organize layers in a map in the Layers pane.

1. Confirm that you are signed in and, if you want to save your changes, that you have privileges to create content.
2. In Map Viewer, open the map containing the layers you want to organize or add layers to a new map.
3. On the Contents (dark) toolbar, click Layers if the Layers pane is not open.
4. In the Layers pane, organize the layers in the map by doing any of the following:
   • Click Options on the layer and click Rename. Type a new name for the layer and click OK.
   • Click Options on the layer and click Remove to remove it.

     Caution:

     This action cannot be undone.

   • Drag a layer to a new location in the layers list.
5. On the Contents toolbar, click Save and open and click Save to save your changes.

   Tip:

   To turn the visibility of layers in the map on and off, point to the layer in the Layers pane and turn the layer visibility toggle button on or off. Layers that are visible on the map display a Hide layer button , while hidden layers display a Show layer button .

Create and manage group layers

To organize related layers in a map, you can create group layers in the Layers pane. Once a group layer is created, you can name the group, move layers into and out of the group, and manage the group layer and the layers in the group the same way you manage individual layers in the layers list.

To create and manage group layers, do the following:

1. Confirm that you are signed in and, if you want to save your changes, that you have privileges to create content.
2. In Map Viewer, open the map containing the layers you want to organize into group layers or add the layers to a new map.
3. On the Contents (dark) toolbar, click Layers if the Layers pane is not open.
4. In the Layers pane, create a group layer as follows:
   1. On one of the layers you want to include in the group layer, click Options and click Group.

      A new group appears at the top of the layers list. If you expand the group, you see the layer you added to the group.

   2. To add another layer to the group, click Options on the layer, click Move, click the name of the group, and click OK.

      Tip:

      You can also add a layer to a group by expanding the group layer and dragging the layer into the group.

   3. Repeat the previous step for each layer you want to add to the group layer.
5. Click Options on the group layer and click Rename to name the group layer. Type a name in the text box and click OK.
6. Manage and organize the group layers by doing any of the following:
   • Expand the group layer that contains the layer, click Options on the layer, and click Move. Click the name of the group to which you want to move the layer and click OK.

     Tip:

     You can also move the layer by dragging it into the expanded group layer.

   • Expand the group layer, click Options on the layer, and click Move. Click No group and click OK.

     The layer is now a stand-alone layer in the map. If you removed the only remaining layer from a group layer, an empty group layer remains in the layers list. You can add layers to the empty group layer or remove the group layer from the layers list, as described in the next option.

     Tip:

     You can also remove a layer from a group layer by expanding the group layer and dragging the layer out of the group layer into the layer list.

   • Click Options on the group layer and click Remove.

     The group layer and all of the layers in the group are removed from the map. To remove specific layers in a group layer from the map, click Options and click Remove for each layer you want to remove.

     Caution:

     This action cannot be undone.

   • Expand the group layer and drag individual layers to a new location in the group. To change the order of the entire group layer, drag the group layer to a new location in the layers list.
   • On the group layer, click Options and click Ungroup.

     The layers in the group layer all become stand-alone layers in the map, and the group layer is removed from the map.

7. On the Contents toolbar, click Save and open and click Save to save your changes.

   Tip:

   To turn the visibility of layers in the map on and off, point to the layer in the Layers pane and turn the layer visibility toggle button on or off. Layers that are visible on the map display a Hide layer button , while hidden layers display a Show layer button .

   You can also turn the visibility of an entire group layer in the map on and off in the Layers pane using the layer visibility toggle button. Layers that are visible on the map display a Hide layer button when you point to them, while hidden layers display a Show layer button . If you hide an entire group layer, all layers in the group layer are hidden in the map. You can make individual layers in a group layer visible by turning on the layer visibility toggle button on each layer.