Dynamic Maps Help

This page documents the Waqwaq dynamic mapping interface. For how to generate maps see MapWorkflow and for the technical background in the specific context of project Bernstein see GisSoftwareArchitecture.

This mapping application is called dynamic because any dataset can be supplied as input, as opposed to the static application where you can interact only with a given set of data.

Location markers

Marker size - The size of markers varies in function of the amount of records per location.
Marker color - Different colors represent different thematic classes.
Marker shape - Different shapes, like colors, represent themes.
Outline markers - Outline markers with transparent bodies show locations for which there are no records or an unknown quantity.

Location popup

Clicking on a location symbol generates an window giving additional information about the location, if available.

Title - Name of the location (normalized name, according to the Dalek georeferences file used in the Bernstein databases; see GisServices).
Regions - Names of the regions to which a location belongs, country name first, in official language/script and in English version, followed by the subregions and region id (region names for Europe are according the the NUTS standard, country names follow ISO standards, see the documentation of Dalek in GisServices).
Coordinates - Decimal coordinates of the location; for location that are regions (not localities) the coordinates are arbitrary chosen in the center of the region in order to be able to represent the location on the map
Placename variants - Variants of the placenames in the general purpose gazetteer (Geonames) and in the context of hand-printed book history (in CERL).
Info - Encyclopedic information on a given location from Wikipedia.
Records - Number of records in the mapped dataset for a given location.
Percentage - Percentage of the records in the given location out of all records currently displayed.

Top user interface line

Lat, Lon - Coordinates at mouse tip.
Help - Link to this page.
Full Screen - Opens the map in a new window the size of the computer screen.
Languages - Language choices from the user interface.

Map content

Provides a description of the data displayed on the map. Example: "Printing places in Europe in the 15th century".
Title - Map title.
Legend - Explicits the map themes - if more than one - represented with colors and shapes.
Abstract - Short map content description.
Search terms - If the map data is a subset, for example the result of a query in database, the search criteria are given here.
File created - Timestamp.

Quantities

Shows statistics about the records in the dataset and those displayed on the map.

Records available

In source datasets - Total number of records in the sources from which the data derives. E.g. 110.000 in databases POL, WILC, WZMA, NIKI culmulated.
Search matches - Numbers of records matching the search criteria leading to the data displayed on this map. E.g. 494 for a search with the word "cat".
Georeferenced - Number of records in the matches giving identifiable locations. E.g. 70 records from the above 494 are described in the source with locations that could be identified.

Records displayed

Total - Locations currently shown on the map. This value can change according to the options set by the user in the "Themes" section. E.g. 15 regions from 70 locations available.
Uncertains - Number of records with uncertainities about their localization. E.g. such expressions in the sources as "probably Germany" or "Italy?".
Multiplaces - Records attributed to more than one location. E.g. "Berlin and Rome" or "Berlin or Rome".

Places displayed

Locations - Number of distinct locations georeferenced in the sources and displayed on the map. This value and the following two can change according to the options set by the user in the 'Themes' section.
Localities - Number of localities in the dataset and on the map, such as cities and towns.
Regions - Number of regions in the dataset and on the map, such as countries and historical areas.

Intervals

A four bins histogram giving the absolute values and percentages in numerical and graphic form. As for the statistics above the values reference the displayed locations, which changes according to the settings in the "Themes" section.

Scale

Linear - A more intuitive classification than the logarithmic ones.
Logarithmic, reverse-logarithmic - Useful to represent values not uniformly distributed among ranges; emphasize small variations among values.

Example for values ranging from 0 to 1000 records per location.

Color classes - Color symbols depending on their quantities: red (high), orange (medium), green (low), gray (none, unknown).

Symbols

Localities:
Symbol - Graphic symbol marking locations, such as a circle or a cross.
Text - Locations are identified by their names.

Regions:
Symbol - It is suggested to select the text option to distinguish regions from localities since their spatial location precision is hugely different.
Text - Displayed in italics .

Varia:
Links - Draws a line between locations specified in the dataset, such as for records attributed to multiple places.
Transparency - Makes the body of symbols and text labels transparent. Useful when many location symbols overlap.
Colorblind-safe colormap - Intended for colorblind users. See the difference in MapSettings > Colormap.

Themes

Records:
All types - Shows all types of records.
Uncertains - Checking this option will show locations regardless whether they include uncertain localizations.
Multiplaces - Shows/hides records with multiple locations.

Places:
Localities - Display localities, such as cities or towns.
Regions - Display regions, such as countries or historical areas.

You might want to toggle these options to better differentiate between themes.

Density

This functionality generates a density map of point locations. It uses the ArcGIS Kernel density tool implemented as a webserver geoprocessor.

Without density map data in the current map:
URL of points dataset - Type the address of the file with the density map data. See MapWorkflow on how to construct such data.
Make map - Press the button to generate the density map.

Once the map is drawn:
Obfuscate - Turns the map off.
Show - Shows the map.
Transparent - Makes the map transparent or opaque.

Basemap

The Terrain basemaps show physical features, while Borders provide administrative boundaries.

Terrain:
Shaded relief - The location symbols are best visible with this uniform background map.
Physical world - Background on which the symbols are still well visible and which gives a good sense of the topography and natural environment such as mountains and forests.
Imagery world - More landuse detail is possible with the satellite map.
Road map - Emphasizes the contemporary cities distribution and road network; might be useful for historical data where historical continuity can be assumed.
None - No basemap is displayed; helps visualize location symbols in case they are obscured by the basemap.

Borders:
Borders - Administrative boundaries.
Labels - Region names in addition to boundaries.
None - Default.

Navigation

Reset extent - revert the initial map zoom level and panning position.
Click symbol - provides information of a specific location, see next section "Location information".
Mouse and keyboard behavior - Use the mouse and keyboard to zoom and pan the map.

• Drag to pan
• SHIFT + Click to recenter
• SHIFT + Drag to zoom in
• SHIFT + CTRL + Drag to zoom out
• Mouse Scroll Forward to zoom in
• Mouse Scroll Backward to zoom out
• Use Arrow keys to pan
• + key to zoom in a level
• - key to zoom out a level
• Double Click to Center and Zoom in

Downloads

Dataset - Download the dataset used to produce this map for further processing (see MapFileFormat for content description).
Density - Download the info geolocating a density map, the image of the map and the source points.