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The Geometry ExplorerLocate this document in the navigation structure

Use

The Geometry Explorer is the means to display maps and layers. The Maps & Layers and Search features constitute the backbone of the Geo Explorer. You must first set up all your basemaps, reference layers and business layers in your profile in the SAP back end system before you can successfully use the Geometry Explorer in a meaningful way.

The Geometry Explorer has three main areas:

  • The menu/title bar has the Maps & Layers button in the top left corner and the search bar and legends panel in the top right.

  • The left side panel expands or collapses when the Maps & Layers button is toggled. All the basemaps, reference layers and business layers that have been added to your UI profile will be displayed here.

  • The middle section displays the basemaps, the different layers and geometries.

Maps & Layers

This panel contains all the basemaps, reference layers and business layers for your UI profile as defined in the Customizing in the back end system.

If you need to work with additional basemaps, reference layers or business layers, log in to your SAP back end system and define them under Start of the navigation path Cross-Application Components Next navigation step Processes and Tools for Enterprise Applications Next navigation step SAP Geographical Enablement Framework Next navigation step Configure the Map User Interface End of the navigation path.

Basemaps

SAP Geographical Enablement Framework includes OpenStreetMap as part of the standard basemap Customizing delivery. Reference layers and business layers are displayed on top of a basemap where the reference layers are supplied by an external GIS provider (customized services) and business layers containing geo objects are provided by SAP.

For example, a utility company in the United States wants to install transformers. It uses an ArcGIS topography map as basemap, and displays information about salt corrosion severity on a reference layer from an external GIS provider in the United States. This helps the utility company decide what would be the most suitable transformers and insulators to install in the desired locations.

You can do the following on the basemap:

  • Grab and move the basemap

  • Zoom in or out using the “+” and “-” buttons on the map

  • Print the map with its current extent and all displayed layers

Reference Layers

Reference layers are provided by external GIS systems, including Enterprise GIS or cloud based services,and geometries can be presented using different symbol schemas. For example, the home owner occupancy rate in the United States of America can be represented by different colors (symbols) to represent different occupancy rates. In this example, red represents 21% or more, blue represents 7% or less and so on. The Geo Explorer renders these symbols as provided by the source system.

You can do the following on a reference layer:

  • Toggle an external reference layer on and off to see the geometries on that layer. For example, you can toggle the Land Parcel layer to see all the related geometries. You can also toggle off an external reference layer if you no longer need to see the related geometries.

    Similarly, you can also toggle a group of reference layers on or off.

  • Adjust the transparency of an external reference layer on the map UI

  • Zoom to a specific geometry to take a closer look at it by using the “+” (plus sign) icon

  • Click on the object to display related information about the object, if provided by the layer source

You can display the name of the group, for example, “Boundaries of the United States of America”, for each reference layer group.

Business Layers

These layers contain objects comprised of SAP business data. The objects you can access depend on your industry and level of authorization and can be opened on the business layer. For example, an employee in a utility company primarily works on the business partner object Persons and doesn’t require authorization or access to other objects.

As an end user, you are able to see all the groups of business layers. If a group has subgroups, you are able to see all the subgroups of the selected group as well.

You can do the following on a business layer:

  • Toggle a business layer on and off to see or hide the geometries on that layer. For example, you can toggle the Persons layer to see all the related geometries. You can also toggle off a business layer if you no longer need to see the related geometries.

    Similarly, you can also toggle a group of business layers on or off.

  • Expand groups to see all the subgroups or layers

  • See the legends of the symbols displayed on a business layer

  • Adjust the transparency of a business layer on the map UI.

  • Zoom to a specific geometry to take a closer look at it by clicking on the eye icon

  • Click on the object to display related information about the object as defined in the Customizing activity in the back end system.

  • Perform actions for the selected object on the Business layer, for example Display Business Partner associated to this geometry

You can display the name of the group (for example, Enterprise Asset Management, Orders) for each business layer group.

Search

The search feature in the Geometry Explorer utilizes SAP Enterprise Search and helps you find specific objects. For example, you can run a search to find all objects of the same type on the map. Additionally, if a search returns too many objects of the same type, but you need to locate a specific object, for example, a person, you can run a more refined search for that person using the first and last names.

Legends

Objects on a reference or business layer are identified by legends. Different types of legends correspond to the different attributes of that object. For example, persons between the ages of 18 and 24 may be identified by a red human icon, persons between the ages of 25 and 35 by an orange human icon and so on.

The transparency of the business layer containing the legends on the map UI can be adjusted as well as toggled to display or hide the legends.

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