GENERAL MAP OPTIONS

In this tutorial we describe how to configure the general parameters of OWGIS for building new maps. These parameters are modified in the Java properties file at:
OWGIS_PATH/web/WEB-INF/conf/MapViewConfig.properties

The default MapViewConfig.properties file looks like this:

mapcenter=lat=0,lon=0
zoomLevels=18
zoom=1
zoomFactor=2
backgroundLayer=wms
availableBackgroundLayers=wms;osm;bingr;binga;bingh;google;googler
availableBackgroundNames=WMS;Open Street Map;Bing Road Map;Bing Aerial Map;Bing Hybrid Map;Google Earth;Google Roads
availableMaxResolution=0.12;20000;20000;20000;20000;20000;20000
maxResolution=0.12
defaultLanguage=EN
availableLanguages=EN;HI_IN;ES;ZH;DE
restrictedExtent=-180,-90,180,90
mapBounds=-180,-90,180,90
baseLayerMenuOrientation=vertical
menuDesign=topMenu
imageResolution=300

This default configuration center the map at 0,0, has an initial zoom where part of Africa and South America is visible, and does not have any restriction when panning the map (you can move around the whole world). It is going to show as the default background layer the one you set in your XML layer file. The following image its a screenshot of this WebGIS site.

The default template can be tested here.

Modifying default parameters

But what should we do if we are working only on a smaller region and we are located close to Japan. And even change the background map. In this case we can modify the maxResolution to 20000 (km) to restrict how far the map can be viewed; modify the center of the map so we are in Japan (lon=138.25,lat=35.91) and change the background layer to use Google roads map. We can also define Chinese as the default language of the website (we still don't have Japanese).

mapcenter=lat=39.91,lon=138.25
zoomLevels=10
zoom=2
zoomFactor=2
backgroundLayer=googler
availableBackgroundLayers=googler;osm;bingr;binga;bingh;google
availableBackgroundNames=Google Roads;Open Street Map;Bing Road Map;Bing Aerial Map;Bing Hybrid Map;Google Earth
availableMaxResolution=20000;20000;20000;20000;20000;20000;20000
maxResolution=20000
defaultLanguage=ZH
availableLanguages=EN;HI_IN;ES;ZH;DE
restrictedExtent=-180,-90,180,90
mapBounds=-180,-90,180,90
baseLayerMenuOrientation=vertical
menuDesign=topMenu

The new configuration can be tested here.

The next image is a screenshot of this new configuration.

More information about each of the Map parameters can be found directly in the properties file.

SUMMARY. The parameters in MapViewConfig.properties are normally modified only once for each new project. This file controls the basic positions and initial view of the map.