Working with Layers and Layer Groups

The map legend displays layers and groups of layers, called layer groups. You can control the layers and layer groups in the following ways:

Display or hide layers or layer groups

Display or hide the list of layers in a layer group

Turn on or off all the layers in a layer group

Rebuild layers

Show or hide a list of styles for a layer

Show or hide a list of theme categories for a layer

In the following illustration, "Cities" is a layer group, and the other items are layers.

 
Displaying or Hiding Layers or Layer Groups

You can display or hide the features on a map layer by turning the layer on or off. This is useful for viewing exactly the features you want to see.

To turn on a layer or layer group

• Select the check box next to the layer or layer group's name in the legend.

To turn off a layer or layer group

• Clear that check box next to the layer or layer group's name in the legend.

Note If you select more than one layer or layer group, and then select or clear the check box, the display status of all the selected items will be the same.

 
Displaying or Hiding the List of Layers in a Layer Group

You can show or hide the list of layers in a layer group. Note that showing or hiding the list of layers does not turn the layers on or off; it simply displays the layer names in the legend.

To show the list of layers in a layer group

• Right-click the layer group and choose Expand from the popup menu, or simply double-click the layer group.

To hide the list of layers in a layer group

• Right-click the layer group and choose Collapse from the popup menu, or simply double-click the layer group.

To change the status of multiple layer groups

• Select multiple layer groups and then choose Expand or Collapse from the popup menu.

 
Turning On or Off All the Layers in a Layer Group

You can turn on or off all of the layers in a layer group with a single command.

To turn on all the layers in a layer group

• Right-click the layer group and choose Turn On All Layers from the popup menu.

To turn off all the layers in a layer group

• Right-click the layer group and choose Turn Off All Layers from the popup menu.

 
Rebuilding Layers

If a layer is not displaying properly, such as during a server error, you can rebuild it. If the map contains layer groups, you can rebuild all of the layers in the layer group. You can rebuild any layer except a buffer or redline layer.

The following illustration shows a layer that did not download correctly, indicated by the icon to the left of the layer name.

To rebuild layers

1. Select one or more layers or layer groups in the legend.
2. Right-click and choose Rebuild from the popup menu.

 
Showing or Hiding a List of Styles for a Layer

If a map layer has styles assigned to it, you can show or hide the list of styles for the layer.

To show the list of styles for a layer

1. Select one or more layers in the legend.
2. Right-click and choose Expand from the popup menu.

To hide the list of styles for a layer

1. Select one or more layers in the legend.
2. Right-click and choose Collapse from the popup menu.

 
Showing or Hiding a List of Theme Categories for a Layer

If the map author created a theme for a layer, the categories for that theme appear below the layer name in the legend. You can choose whether or not to display the names of these theme categories in the legend by expanding or collapsing the list.

To show or hide a layer's theme categories

• To expand a list, right-click the layer name in the legend and then choose Expand, or simply double-click the layer name.

  The theme categories for the layer appear below their names in the legend.

• To compress a list, right-click the layer name in the legend and then choose Collapse, or simply double-click the layer name.

  The theme categories for the layer disappear so that only the layer name is displayed in the legend. Note that although the list is collapsed, the theme categories are still active on the map.