Adding renderers and symbols

Related Topics
Using Renderer Elements

About renderers and symbols

Renderers provide the framework for a layer's symbology. Every symbol must be inside a renderer.

Renderers and symbols are included in each layer. In the following example, a SIMPLEPOLYGONSYMBOL is used to symbolize the countries. The symbol is inside a SIMPLERENDERER.

Many, but not all, renderers and symbols are available in Author. The following table lists all the renderers, which attributes are supported in Author, which attributes are not accessible, and which attributes are partially accessible.

The following table summarizes which renderers are available in Author and which ones must be added in a text or XML editor. If an attribute is partially supported, Author adds it to the map configuration file, but you do not have full access to all attribute values in Author.

Renderer Attributes fully supported in Author Attributes not supported in Author Attributes partially supported in Author

EXACT for unique symbols maps. All attributes are supported

GROUPRENDERER: required when two or more renderers are used to describe a layer. Fully supported (no attributes)

OTHER for features and labels that do not fit in any RANGE or EXACT category. Element not supported

RANGE for graduated symbol maps. label, lower, upper equality

RASTER_RENDERER: Classifies pixel values in a raster layer. Element not supported

SCALEDEPENDENTRENDERER: allows you to change the symbology of a layer when a specified scale is met. All attributes are supported

SIMPLELABELRENDERER: labels the features in a layer using data from a specified field in the database. field featureweight, labelbufferratio, labelweight howmanylabels, labelpriorities, linelabelposition, rotationalangles

SIMPLERENDERER: provides the framework for drawing features in a layer using one symbol. Fully supported (no attributes)

VALUEMAPLABELRENDERER: applies label formats based on different classifications in a specified field in the database. Supports only SHIELDSYMBOL

VALUEMAPRENDERER: classifies features in a layer according to values in a specified field in the database. All attributes are supported

Renderer	Attributes fully supported in Author	Attributes not supported in Author	Attributes partially supported in Author
EXACT for unique symbols maps.	All attributes are supported
GROUPRENDERER: required when two or more renderers are used to describe a layer.	Fully supported (no attributes)
OTHER for features and labels that do not fit in any RANGE or EXACT category.		Element not supported
RANGE for graduated symbol maps.	label, lower, upper	equality
RASTER_RENDERER: Classifies pixel values in a raster layer.		Element not supported
SCALEDEPENDENTRENDERER: allows you to change the symbology of a layer when a specified scale is met.	All attributes are supported
SIMPLELABELRENDERER: labels the features in a layer using data from a specified field in the database.	field	featureweight, labelbufferratio, labelweight	howmanylabels, labelpriorities, linelabelposition, rotationalangles
SIMPLERENDERER: provides the framework for drawing features in a layer using one symbol.	Fully supported (no attributes)
VALUEMAPLABELRENDERER: applies label formats based on different classifications in a specified field in the database.			Supports only SHIELDSYMBOL
VALUEMAPRENDERER: classifies features in a layer according to values in a specified field in the database.	All attributes are supported

As with renderers, most symbols are available when using Author, some are available with some limitations, and some are not available at all. The following table provides a summary of which symbols are available or partially available when using Author and which ones must be added or modified in a text or XML editor.

Symbol Attributes fully supported in Author Attributes not supported in Author Attributes partially supported in Author

HASHLINESYMBOL: a symbol used to denote railroads. color antialiasing, interval, overlap, transparency, type, width linethickness, tickthickness

RASTERFILLSYMBOL: a symbol for filling polygons using an image. image, url antialiasing, overlap, transparency

RASTERMARKERSYMBOL: a symbol for denoting points using an image. image, url antialiasing, hotspot, overlap, shadow, size, transparency, usecentroid

SHIELDSYMBOL: a symbol for denoting highway numbers. font, fontcolor, fontsize, shadow, type antialiasing, labelmode, midsize fontstyle

SIMPLELINESYMBOL: a symbol for denoting a line. color, type, width antialiasing, jointype, overlap captype, transparency

SIMPLEMARKERSYMBOL: a symbol for denoting a point. color, type, width antialiasing, outline, overlap, shadow, usecentroid transparency

SIMPLEPOLYGONSYMBOL: a symbol for filling a polygon. boundary, boundarycolor, boundarytype, boundarywidth, fillcolor, filltype antialiasing, boundaryjointype, fillinterval, overlap boundarycaptype, boundarytransparency, filltransparency, transparency

TEXTSYMBOL: a label used for text. antialiasing, blockout, font, fontcolor, fontsize, glowing, shadow interval, outline, printmode fontstyle

Symbol	Attributes fully supported in Author	Attributes not supported in Author	Attributes partially supported in Author
HASHLINESYMBOL: a symbol used to denote railroads.	color	antialiasing, interval, overlap, transparency, type, width	linethickness, tickthickness
RASTERFILLSYMBOL: a symbol for filling polygons using an image.	image, url	antialiasing, overlap, transparency
RASTERMARKERSYMBOL: a symbol for denoting points using an image.	image, url	antialiasing, hotspot, overlap, shadow, size, transparency, usecentroid
SHIELDSYMBOL: a symbol for denoting highway numbers.	font, fontcolor, fontsize, shadow, type	antialiasing, labelmode, midsize	fontstyle
SIMPLELINESYMBOL: a symbol for denoting a line.	color, type, width	antialiasing, jointype, overlap	captype, transparency
SIMPLEMARKERSYMBOL: a symbol for denoting a point.	color, type, width	antialiasing, outline, overlap, shadow, usecentroid	transparency
SIMPLEPOLYGONSYMBOL: a symbol for filling a polygon.	boundary, boundarycolor, boundarytype, boundarywidth, fillcolor, filltype	antialiasing, boundaryjointype, fillinterval, overlap	boundarycaptype, boundarytransparency, filltransparency, transparency
TEXTSYMBOL: a label used for text.	antialiasing, blockout, font, fontcolor, fontsize, glowing, shadow	interval, outline, printmode	fontstyle

Several symbols and labels are not available in Author, but you can add them in a text or XML editor.

CALLOUTMARKERSYMBOL: a label that adds a callout box around the text.
CHARTSYMBOL and CHARTVALUE: a label for displaying bar and pie charts.
GRADIENTFILLSYMBOL: a symbol for filling polygons with a gradient from one color to a second color.
RASTERSHIELDSYMBOL: a symbol for adding custom shield images in place of using SHIELDSYMBOL.
TRUETYPEMARKERSYMBOL: a symbol for using truetype fonts to denote a point.

For more information on renderers and symbols, see Using Renderer Elements, which gives an explanation and examples of each renderer, including how to create complex symbols and labels.

How to add renderers and symbols

Adding or modifying renderers and symbols

Open your map configuration file in a text or XML editor.

If the layer already exists, you can replace existing renderers and symbols with new ones. Make sure the symbol is appropriate for the layer type. For example, you cannot use a polygon fill symbol on a point layer.

If you are adding a new layer:

Make sure the layer id is unique within the map configuration file. Each layer must have a unique ID, or the service will not start.
Make sure the DATASET workspace is correct.

The following example uses VALUEMAPRENDERER. For more examples, see Using Renderer Elements.

Save your changes to the map configuration file.

You can continue to open and save map configuration files in Author after adding or modifying renderers and symbols. The exception is when using RASTER_RENDERER. Once you have added this element, you should not open or save your map configuration file in Author. Your edits will be removed.

Search code: @config_renderers