Adding an image layer

With an image layer, you can configure your map chart to use images in combination with both geographical and non-geographical data. For example, you can add a background image and position markers on top of the image, instead of using a map background.

About this task

Procedure

Follow the steps in Adding layers.

Tip: You can reuse the settings of an already existing layer instead of adding a completely new layer. See Duplicating a layer for detailed instructions.
From the list, click Image layer.
The image layer is added to the Map chart layer list, and the layer is with its default settings is added to the map chart.
In the visualization properties for the image layer, locate the section where you select your image and click Browse.
In the visualization properties dialog of the installed client, this is done from the Data page. In the visualization properties popover of the web client, it is in the Image section.
Navigate to the image you want to use, and add it to your map chart.
The image is loaded.
Note: Sometimes the image you have selected does not contain geographical metadata. In those cases a dialog might be shown, informing you that the coordinate reference system must be 'None' in all parts of the map chart visualization if you are going to use the image as a background. Click Yes if you want to use the image as a backgound. The coordinate reference system will then be set to 'None' right away. Click No if the image should not be used as a background image. See Moving and resizing images and Positioning markers on an image background for examples where non-geographical images are not used as backgrounds in maps.
Optionally, move the layer to a new position.

Results

The image layer is added to the map chart.

In the visualization properties, you can also determine whether to ignore this layer in auto-zoom operations, or to always see the entire extent of the image, even if filtering of a data layer hides data points on a part of the image. The latter is obtained by selecting Include in auto-zoom.

You can also define whether to make sure that the entire image in this layer is visible when you select reset navigation in the map chart with the Include in reset view extent setting. For more information, see Navigation in the map chart.

Image layer examples

Using an image works similarly to the map with markers, but with the difference that you do not need to have map data in a data table to configure it. If you use a GeoTIFF image, where geographical information is included as metadata in the image file, then the image will automatically be positioned correctly. The example below shows a GeoTIFF image that is projected onto a map layer, and the markers are placed on top of the image layer.

Note that for the GeoTIFF image to be placed correctly on the map, the image must include projection metadata, and that some projections are not supported.

With other types of image files, the data table must contain X and Y coordinates for the markers to be placed correctly in geographical positions.

A map chart can also be used to show non-geographical data. The example below shows a map chart where the background is an image illustrating the three weather types sunny, partly cloudy, and rainy. The markers placed on top of the image show how many days in the month of August that were sunny, partly cloudy, and rainy respectively.

See Positioning markers on an image background to learn more about this example.

You can choose how you want the image to be presented when it is scaled up compared to its original size and resolution. In the Appearance section on the visualization properties, select if you want to preserve sharp (pixelated) edges, and avoid smoothing, when scaling up the image.

The example below shows the difference between the two options in an upscaled image.