Customizing the visualization of a route: the RouteDesigner

Table of contents

• Using the "visualization" option in the basic data of a route, you can adjust the colors
  • Why would you do that? 
  • How can you customize this?
• What can you adjust
  • Layout items
  • Preferences
• Where does it have an effect?

The RouteDesigner permits you to change the default-color, opacity and thickness from your route in the RouteViewer and the related RouteViewerPlugin, and in the MapSearch and the related MapSearchPlugin. You can even set the color of the Mouseover action and a Selection. The background map and map layers can also be customized.

Using the "visualization" option in the basic data of a route, you can adjust the colors

Customizing the visualization of a route is an option available for Premium accounts and above.

Why would you do that? 

It is very useful in following circumstances:

• If in reality your route is connected with a color code and signs indicating the route (e.g. the "Red Loop", "the Green Path", "The Yellow road",...)
• If you wish to have your marketing color or website color printed on the route display
• If you wish to present a number of routes combined in one map. (You can make one line more transparent or thicker, the other a little thinner or less transparent, or give it a different color,...)
• If you want to make prints

How can you customize this?

You can only change the layout in your routes or routes you are co-author of. 

When you are logged in, you will see a "pencil"  at each of your routes.

• The "pencil" takes you to the route's edit menu.
• There you will see the option "Visualization" to adjust the visualization of your route.
  • You also get there via "Basic data" and then go to the item "Visualization"

What can you adjust

Layout items

You can customize the following 3 layout items

• Default color: this is the color that will be displayed on screen and in print
• Default thickness: this is the thickness of the line (if routes overlap it is useful to set different thicknesses per route for the visualisaton on a group printout) 
• Default transparency: this is how transparent the line is drawn (if routes overlap it is useful to set different transparencies per routefor the visualisaton on a group printout)

On top of that you can also change the icon

Example of a set of routes whose icon is colored red.

Preferences

Here you can set which layout you prefer for which item.

• Line: default : this is the layout of the line you will see in the default situations (the default visualization of a route and the default printout)
• Line: hovered (MouseOver action) : this is the layout of the line that you will see when you move your mouse over the line (hovering)
• Line: selected: this is the layout of the line seen when you click with your mouse on the line or select the route in a list
• Map: base layer: The background map on which the route is shown.
• Map: active overlays: The map layers shown on top of the background map. 

With the exception of 'line: default', all effects are shown only on screen and not when printing routes. 

Where does it have an effect?

That depends on which situation item you select (see above). Probably you are most interested in the item Line: Default. That layout affects

• the digital components
  • the RouteViewerand the related RouteViewerPlugin
  • the MapSearch and the related MapSearchPlugin.
  • the line on the map and in the height profile
• the printouts
  • the overview
  • the group print

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