The Layers Panel is accessed by clicking on the Layers Toggle in the Control Panel. This panel includes controls for any layer that has been loaded onto the map as well as layers that have been preconfigured. The types of controls available for any layer can vary depending on whether the layer is currently loaded on the map, whether the layer has raster or vector type data, and whether if it is a preconfigured layer or if it is either the Shapes or Points Layers (to be discussed further in a later topic).
Preconfigured layers may be arranged individually or in groups. If layer groups have been configured, there will be an expansion bar in the Layers Panel with the layer group name, which can be clicked to view all of the layers included in the group.
Layers are arranged in the Layers Panel in the following order: the Shapes and Points Layers (if loaded on the map) appear at the top, any layers that you have loaded onto the map appear next, and then all preconfigured layers and layer groups appear last. If no layers have been loaded on the map, and no layers have been preconfigured, there will be no layers in the Layers Panel.
Each layer is depicted in a box within the Layers Panel. In the top-left of the box is the layer name, which corresponds with the layer name in the Active Layer Selector if the layer is visible. Any metadata that has been configured with layer, including description, who provided the layer, source link, date acquired, and date uploaded, will appear below the layer name. In the bottom-left corner of the box will be an icon to indicate whether the layer contains vector or raster data, with for vector data and for raster data.
Each layer's information and controls are enclosed within individual frames within the Layers Panel. In the top-left of each frame is the layer name, which corresponds with the layer name in the Active Layer Selector, if the layer is visible. Any metadata that has been configured with the layer, including description, who provided the layer, source link, date acquired, and date uploaded, will appear below the layer name. In the bottom-left corner of each frame will be an icon to indicate whether the layer contains vector or raster data, with for vector data and for raster data.
The layer controls are found in the bottom-right of each layer frame. If the layer is currently not visible, the controls may be limited to one or two, but more will be available once the layer's visibility is changed. We will go through each control that is available, what layers it is available for, and how to use each. We will start with the control in the far bottom-right corner of each layer frame and address each control to the left:
Available for every layer, both when visible and hidden. In the far bottom-right corner of each layer frame is the Visibility Toggle checkbox, which toggles whether the layer is visible on the map. Checking this checkbox will show the layer on the map, and unchecking it will hide the layer. It is important to note that this checkbox simply toggles the visibility of a layer and does not affect the layer data.
Available for the Shapes and Points Layers and any layers that you have loaded onto the map, both when visible and hidden. Clicking this button will completely remove the layer, and all of its data, from the map. If this layer is the Shapes Layer, this means that all features included in that layer will be deleted. If this layer is the Points Layer, this means that all search results will be removed from the map and the Records Panel. Clicing this button cannot be undone.
Available for vector layers when visible. Clicking this will close the Layers Panel and open the Query Selector for the layer. The Query Selector allows you to select features within a given layer based on their attribute values and will be discussed further in a later topic.
Available for all layers, except the Shapes and Points Layers, when visible. Clicking this button will open and close the layer's symbology settings, where you can adjust how the layer is symbolized on the map. For vector layers, these settings include: border color, fill color, border width, point radius (for point features), and opacity. To adjust border color and fill color, simply click on the color indicator box next to each, and then select the color you would like from the color picker that opens. For raster layers, you can select one of the several predefined color scales for symbolizing raster data. All symbology adjustments made for any layer are immediately reflected on the map.
Available for all layers, except the Shapes and Points Layers, when visible. This will indicate, and allow you to adjust, the order in which the layer is located within the stack of layers currently visible on the map. As layers are added to the map, they are added over previously added layers and have incrementally higher order numbers in the stack of layers. Layers with lower order numbers apeear underneath layers of higher order numbers on the map. You can use this adjuster to either move a layer higher or lower within the layer stack, and therefore make it appear above or below other layers on the map.