Layer Categories

Layer Categories, or "super layers", are simply collections of similar layers. Categories are designed to simply help you better manage a long list of layers. A complex map consisting of 50+ layers, for example, can be collapsed into just 5 or 10 categories making it easier to find the layer you want. You can choose to display or hide the contents of each category significantly reducing the amount of information on the screen at one time.

You can group your layers by any scheme you choose or not group them at all. Layer Categories only affect the appearance of the Layer Settings screens. No other functionality within Think GIS is effected by how you group your layers.

To create a category

1. Open the Layer Settings screen.
2. Right click on any uncategorized layer and select "Categorize Layer" from the popup menu.
3. Type the name of the category you want to create.
4. You can then drag and drop other layers into your new category.

To move layers into or out of categories

Layers can be added to categories, removed from categories, or moved from one category to another by dragging and dropping them into the appropriate position as indicated by the blue drop line as you move the mouse. Simply click and hold down the left mouse button while over the gray box at the beginning of a row and drag it up or down to a new position in the list and then let go of the mouse button.
An indented blue drop line indicates that the drop point is within the category
Categories as a whole can also be moved just like an individual layer. Categories cannot be dropped, or nested, inside of other categories.

Notes

Any commands or settings that use layer names as parameters work exactly the same for categorized layers as for uncategorized layers. For example, a Parcels layer is still simply referred to as "Parcels" even if it is grouped into a "Land" category. For this reason it is still important to keep all layer names unique even when they are in different categories.
To remove a category simply drag all layers out of the category and the category will disappear.