On 30th November 2017, we released Beta versions of our new Roam mapping application for all Digimap Collections. Log in to Digimap and click on each Collection to find the link to each new Roam: The functionality of the new application remains the same, but we hope you agree that the updated look is easier […]
Category Archives: Environment Roam
Coming soon: New Roam for Digimap
As mentioned at Geoforum earlier this year, we’re currently working hard on a new version of Digimap Roam. The new-look application will bring Digimap Roam, the online mapping tool in the Digimap family, bang up to date with the latest web technologies available. Whilst the functionality will remain the same, the look and feel of the […]
Feature Information tool added to Environment Roam
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
Digimap Roam: Printing PDFs from Chrome
We are getting a few reports from users experiencing issues when printing PDF maps using Chrome web browser. Unfortunately, the map watermark and any semi-transparent annotations are being printed as solid filled features. We have discovered that this occurs when the PDF is viewed and printed from within the Chrome browser, using Chrome’s in built PDF plugin.
We have investigated this problem and discovered that the bug is with Chrome and occurs with all PDFs with semi-tranparent layers not just those created by Digimap. The problem only happens on Windows computers with versions of Chrome released since the end of April (Chrome 34.0.1847 onwards).
Digimap users with Chrome should see a warning when they open the Print… window, informing them about the problem.
As the alert message suggests you can disable the plug-in to prevent it from opening PDFs or you can use the following workaround.
- Create your printable map as normal it will appear at the bottom of your web browser.
- Don’t click the file name to open the PDF, click the little arrow and choose ‘Open with system viewer’.
- Providing it is installed on your machine, the map will open in Adobe Reader which will print the semi transparent layers correctly.
We hope that the issue is resolved by Google who develop the Chrome browser, it has been reported to them. Should you wish to disable the plug-in entirely then you can follow the instructions with the image below. You can also download the map as a file to your computer, and then open it directly with Adobe Reader, this is usually the best option anyway as it allows you to print the PDF multiple times or store it if you don’t want to print it just yet.
- Type Chrome://plugins into the web address bar in chrome, this opens a list of all the plug-ins you have installed for Chrome.
- Scroll down to the Chrome PDF Viewer on the Plug-ins page and click on the blue “Disable” link.
- You will no longer have the option to view PDFs in the web browser.
- Use this page to reactivate the plug-in if you want to reverse the change in the future.
If you need any assistance with opening your PDF map, please contact the EDINA helpdesk:
- Email: edina@ed.ac.uk
- Phone: 0131 650 3302
Environment Digimap Launched: Free till July 2014
EDINA and Jisc are pleased to announce the launch of a new Digimap Collection, Environment Digimap.
This new collection offers land cover map data from the Centre for Ecology & Hydrology (CEH). Environment Digimap is a subscription service; however, it will be available free of charge until 31 July 2014. After this period a subscription fee will apply per institution.
Environment Digimap offers two facilities: mapping through Environment Roam, and the ability to download data through Environment Download. The data available, CEH’s Land Cover Map products, provide a snapshot of land cover for each of the years 1990, 2000 and 2007. There are raster datasets available at 25m and 1km resolutions for each year and a vector version of the 2000 dataset. The data are in a range of formats depending on the year. More details are available in the Environment Digimap Help Pages: CEH Products Available
How to get access…
To use this service for free your institution needs to subscribe, this is free till the end of the 2013 – 14 academic year and can be arranged via the Jisc Collections website:
Jisc Collections: Environment Digimap
If your institution doesn’t subscribe the Environment Digimap button on the home page will be grey. Contact your Digimap site rep and they will be able to help arrange your institutions subscription: List of Digimap Site Reps
If you have any questions about Environment Digimap, please contact us:
- Email: edina@ed.ac.uk
- Tel: 0131 650 3302