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Visualization Options

Maps and Timelines​

Collections with time or place-based data may benefit from the ability to see records represented on an interactive map or timeline. Visualization options allow a user to plot, search and browse results in a variety of ways based on contextual metadata (i.e. dates, or coordinates). Settings are handled in a configuration file called visualization.conf. Currently there are two visualization plugins supported: Maps and Timelines.

Maps​

Multiple map visualizations can be created if the system has multiple geolocation fields. The name setting allows you to uniquely reference each one in the Visualization drop-down menu.

basic_map = {
             name = _("Map"),

Set data to the metadata element code where your location information is stored.

plugin = Map,
            sources = {
                    georef = {
                            data = ca_objects.georeference,

Set the formatting for the metadata that will display on each mapped coordinate. Enter as table_name.elementCode.

display = {
                                     title_template = <l>^ca_objects.preferred_labels.name</l>  (^ca_objects.idno),
                                     description_template = <div style='float:right; margin-left: 8px;'>^ca_object_representations.media.preview</div>^ca_objects.description

Set screen size options.

}
                }
        },

        options = {
                width = 100%,
                height = 100%

Timelines​

Just like with Maps, multiple timeline visualizations can be created if your system has multiple date fields. The name set here will appear in the visualization drop-down menu.

basic_timeline = {

             name = _("Timeline")

Set data to the metadata element code where your dates are stored. Must be a DateRange datatype field.

plugin = Timeline,
             sources = {
                     lifespan = {
                             data = ca_entities.lifespan,

Set the formatting for the metadata that will display on each entry of the timeline. Enter as table_name.elementCode. For containers, enter as table_name.containerElementCode.subElementCode.

display = {
                 title_template = ca_entities.preferred_labels.name,
                 description_template = ca_entities.biography

Set screen size options.

options = {

width = 100%, height = 100%

}

The appearance of the timeline can be customized. For example, to color code a certain time period to see which objects fall into a certain era:

     options = {
     width = 100 % ,
     height = 100 % ,
     highlightSpans = {
             confederation = {
                     label = Confederation,
                     range = 9 / 13 / 1759 to 7 / 1 / 1867,
                     startLabel = 1759,
                     endLabel = Confederation,
                     color = #FFC080
             }
     }
}
}