We have added the Feature Information tool to Environment Roam.  This allows you to select points on the map to identify what the land use is at that location. Some of the colours used on the maps are very similar, which, while necessary with so many different categories, makes the maps more difficult to interpret.  When the opacity slider is used to see the base map through the colours there can be even less distinction. The feature information tool helps to overcome this difficulty.  The tool is also vital for those with a colour vision deficiency,

To identify the land use category for a particular point, click on the i button in the bar above the map:

You will notice there is now a little question mark next to your mouse pointer, now click on a location to identify the land use at that point.  A small red pin will appear on the map along with a box containing the information about the location clicked on:

This feature has been a part of the Historic, Geology and Marine Roam interfaces for some time.  However, it took much longer to develop this tool for Environment Roam because the data is very different. Rather than querying a database about the location we use colour matching technology to find the corresponding legend entry for the location clicked on.  For this reason, we can’t operate the Feature Information tool on the 1930s Dudley Stamp maps.  These maps were hand coloured, often by different people using different equipment, therefore the digital versions of  the colours are inconsistent. Since the Dudley Stamp maps have fewer land use categories there is less confusion in identifying the appropriate colours in the legend, but we recognise that there may still be difficulties for those with colour vision deficiency.

Feature Information Tool – results window