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====== GIS_Editor_Lesson_4:_Styling_Your_Layers ======

[[Category:Tutorials]]
__FORCETOC__
= **Styling Your Layers** =

Styling your layers is a great way to appeal to your customers, or whatever use you decide to use your map for.  Our editor makes this easy to use and promotes a friendly user interface.  This lesson covers what the “Styler” is and how to use it. 


=====**What is the Styler**=====
The “Styler” is a tool we can use to edit colors, set scale ranges, and change transparencies.  To open the “Styler” double click on the colored box next to the layer of your choice.  Upon opening the “Styler”, you can see the option for fill, dash patterns, and visibility options.

{{wiki:Styler.png?480}}

To load a customized style all you need to do is select the “Load From Library” option at the top left of the “Styler.  The program also comes with preloaded styles such as farmland, water, etc.  All of those options are available under the “Load From Library” function.  

{{wiki:load.png?480}}
 
Another great feature is the ability to add styles such as value, class break, etc.  Each of these styles has a specific use.
  
•	Value style allows you to control how individual features are rendered by matching on a value in the attribute data. 

•	Class break style is great if you want to render data based on a range of values in your attribute page. 

•	Area Style allows you to define how area (polygon-based) features will be rendered on the map. Area styles offer numerous controls for fill and outline colors, dash patterns and many other properties.

•	Dot Density Style is used to fill polygons or area based features with dots based on an attribute feature.

•	Filter Style allows you to render only certain features from your feature layer that meet all of the filter conditions. A filter style can be configured to have one or more filter conditions.

For more videos and Information on these styles, please visit our [[Welcome to the Map Suite GIS Editor_Wiki|wiki]].

===== **Styling Our Layers** =====
In this lesson we are going to use our “Styler” to add style type to our existing layers.  To begin we want to open the style wizard for our layer “USStates”.  Feel free to choose a color that is most appealing to you by clicking the drop down box labeled “Fill”.  Here you can choose a color and set the opacity level.  

{{wiki:Opacity.png?480}}

Notice how as the opacity level decreases the fill becomes more transparent.  For our project we want to leave only the borders.  Therefore, set the opacity to zero.  At this point you should be able to see your borders as well as the interstates.


===== **Managing Zoom Levels** =====
The zoom level is how close or far you are zoomed in.  The zoom levels work on a range from 1-25, with 25 being closest and 1 the farthest.  You may not think that it is necessary to adjust these, but in this section we will explain why they are important.  Let us begin by opening the “Styler” for the “USInterstateHighways”.  From there navigate to the “Load Style From Library” then choose the folder labeled “Line Styles” underneath the “Style Library”, double click it, then locate the folder named “Highways”.  Within that folder, find and apply the style “Highway Style 1”.  

{{wiki:Zoom Level.png?480}}

After doing so zoom in and out and notice how up close they look fine, but as you zoom out they become very bulky.  This is why it is important to utilize zoom level.  To fix this problem, find the visibility range section at the bottom of the “Styler”.  Set the visibility from 8-15 for this style. This allows the user to select a specific range at where the layer is visible from.  

Another great tool is under each layer you can add multiple styles.  To do so locate the layer in our layer list and find the drop down arrow on the right side of the layer’s title.  This shows the currently applied styles to that specific Layer.  To add another style right click the layer, and select “Add Style” and click “Line”.

{{wiki:Adding Second Style.png?480}}  
 
Set the visibility range from 1-7 for this style.  Now notice how when you zoom in and out the line styles appear much sharper and appealing.

Continue to:<br/>
[[GIS Editor Lesson 5: Adding Labels]]

Or return to the [[Introduction to the Map Suite GIS Editor|index of all lessons]].
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