How to implement better/more useful map component(s)?

[DenoBeno]

As of today, it seems that we have a working map component, so it's time to think about the possible improvements. Here are some I can think of, for discussion:

• 1. avoid resetting after taking a screenshot.
  Implemented, see Map zooms & pans after screenshot is taken #58

• 1b. avoid resetting after changing a preset.
  This is currently the case (03/02/2020), see Map should not reset after changing a "preset" #83

• 2. Show the active layer title and/or add it to the screenshot description.
  We used to have some information automatically added to screenshot description, that's gone now.

• 3. Show two maps instead of one for a side to side comparison.
  These maps should have same zoom & pan, but different layers and the screenshot should show them both. Possibly even a third one with a diff? Or one map for each preset?

• 4. show information for a grid cell
  E.g. next to a map show a data for a grid cell on click, so that a screenshot can be taken. The active cell should be somehow highlighted on the map. Alternatively, user could choose several cells and a summary for them is shown (total, average, min/max)

• 5. allow user to overlay several layers and decide how to colour-code each
  Claudia has proposed this as a way to rapidly get an idea of where the main issues in the project area are. See CSIS Demo for European Week of Regions and Cities csis#105 (comment)

WDYT?

PS: This are just some ideas that I wanted to write down before forgetting them, feel free to add more.
PPS: Somewhat obvious, but we should do easy & useful things first, not waste time with tricky ones.
PPPS: who should we include in discussion?

[DenoBeno]

related to clarity-h2020/csis#105 (comment), I will add the wish number 5 to the list: a possibility to show several layers on a map and colour-code them differently.

As noted on clarity-h2020/csis#105 (comment), this could also be done server-side by calculating one layer from several input layers, but that requires more effort up-front and leaves less options for the user later. It's basically a difference between designing a tool for experts (e.g. consultants) and DAO users in my opinion.

[DenoBeno]

My recent testing has clearly shown that the colour coding (e.g. for the hazard layers is not ideal. Basically, I wasn't able to say by how much the data changed in different scenarios. Was it 50 summer days, 70 or 90?

What can we do about this?

[DenoBeno]

Concerning the number five "allow user to overlay several layers and decide how to colour-code each", we could/should at least allow user to choose more than one layer. Then it's up to the which ones they want to mix... This should be simple to do, no?

[claudiahahn]

My recent testing has clearly shown that the colour coding (e.g. for the hazard layers is not ideal. Basically, I wasn't able to say by how much the data changed in different scenarios. Was it 50 summer days, 70 or 90?
What can we do about this?

It would be possible to display a change layer instead of the actual climate index for the future periods and different scenarios. One could then display the baseline and next to it display the change layer (% change) In that case we would need to add additional resources of course

[p-a-s-c-a-l]

I've implemented support for synchronised maps and enabled it for the HC-LE Step (currently just for testing purposes):

[DenoBeno]

I bumped into this today, while testing if the EMIKAT calculations work. It's really nice and seems to work well. What would be even nicer is if I could compare the same indice for two different scenarios.

[DenoBeno]

The http://services.clarity-h2020.eu:8080/geoserver/clarity/wms?service=WMS&version=1.1.0&request=GetMap&layers=clarity%3Acity&bbox=1969465.0%2C996016.875%2C7168551.0%2C4677889.0&width=768&height=543&srs=EPSG%3A3035&styles=hw_availability&format=text%2Fhtml%3B%20subtype%3Dopenlayers#toggle reminded me of the wish to see the value of the data field when clicking on a map somewhere.

As it is, I really can't say how many days is each of the fields on the screenshot below.

Or even what the two maps are showing. :-(
For the record, it's summer days (left) and tropical nights (right).

• Currently selected Study scenario: worst case, yearly
• Time Period: 2071 to 2100
• Emissions Scenario: RCP 8.5 (business as usual)
• Event Frequency: Frequent (yearly)
• Study Variant: no Adaptation Options

So, how many tropical nights is it, would you say? Around 30? or around 70?

When I zoom out, I can see that it's not around 72, but still - this is quite difficult to interpret. :-(

[p-a-s-c-a-l]

@therter This information could be obtained by a getFeatureInfo request, if the server supports it, right?
But what, if more than one layer is selected as it is usually the case in the map component?

[therter]

@therter This information could be obtained by a getFeatureInfo request, if the server supports it, right?

Yes, this is right. But this is an optional operation, so not every wms supports this.

[p-a-s-c-a-l]

• 1b. avoid resetting after changing a preset: wontfix: iFrame has to be reloaded
• 2. Show the active layer title and/or add it to the screenshot description: layer title now shown in the legend
• see the value of the data field when clicking on a map somewhere: there are a lot of different values in each layer and when several layers are active, it's not clear what shall be shown to whom for which purpose.