The Maps module provides the opportunity to create and manage maps, to allow you to visually showcase all the things happening in your city or council. Maps are created separately, so you can add them to any page on your site with a WYSIWYG Editor. The module comes pre-installed on main sites, Intranets, and subsites.
Please note that, by default, images on maps will display as usual when viewed on a desktop but not when viewed on a mobile device. This improves the user's experience when viewing your site and gives you more screen space to add the content that's important.
Maps use layers to display different points of interest. They sit on top of a map and your maps can have as many layers as you need to create a legend. Any OpenCities content type with a built-in location field can be added to a map layer. We also have the OC Location content type to show map pins for places that don't require a dedicated page. You can also use kml. or kmz. files to import more complicated layers, such as a shaded area to indicate a boundary or a continuous line to indicate road closures.
| A map | A map with a layer |
Some map ideas to inspire you
Maps can be used to display many different things, but here are some ideas to inspire you:
- The location of all the events in a city or council
- Planned road closures
- Zones that are affected by an emergency (with a kml. file)
- Ward boundaries (with a kml. file)
You need to have the OC Map Manager role before creating and managing maps. If you don't have this role, ask an OC Site Manager, OC System Administrator, or OC User Manager to assign it to you.
Where to start
- Set up Google Maps APIs
- Create or update a map
- Create or update a shared layer
- Create an OC Location page
- Manage your location settings
Best practices for using OpenCities maps and ESRI
If you're using maps on OpenCities and ESRI, the resource below will help your GIS and developer teams understand how the two tools can work together and when to use which tool.
Please remember this resource was compiled from tips and tricks from our staff and other users; we do not currently have an integration with ESRI, and so it will not be supported. Any troubleshooting will need to be done by your team.