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StoryMaps


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Subject Guide

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Danielle Kane
Contact:
Computational Research Librarian Geographic Information Systems (GIS)
Office: Science Library 226
Phone: 949-824-2024
EMail: kaned@uci.edu

Making Maps

Express Maps, Sidecars, and Guided Tours (run time: 8 min)

Making a Map

From the block palette, choose Map, and you'll see this:

The map browser serves up cards representing all the maps you've saved to your ArcGIS Online account. You can opt, via the controls just below the title, to see the maps you've added to your favorites; you can click Shared with Me to look at the maps shared within your ArcGIS organization or to groups you are a part of; and you can access maps on Esri's Living Atlas of the World. You can search for maps as well.

The New express map button allows you to easily make clear and simple maps that might show a single location, a series of locations (with pop-ups), or even routes and areas. You can also add labels and arrows to maps.

Express Maps

Open the express map designer and use the search function to pan and zoom to the location and scale that you want. When you click Done to put the map in your story, it will save your chosen map (and any other items you've added to it).

Play around by drawing a bunch of features on the map. A tip on lines and areas: double-click to finish the drawing. To delete a feature, highlight it and drag it to the trash can that appears near the bottom of the map.

You'll notice that when you draw a point, line, or area, it gets added to the drawn features panel. Click on an item in the drawn features panel to add pop-up content. You can add an image, a title, and a description, and adjust its visual style; then click Done. You can also create feature groups in the map designer to help organize your drawn features; your customized groupings will be reflected in the map's legend.

Drawing Tools

Just above your map is a selection of simple drawing tools. Here's what they do:

  1. Select single or multiple items
  2. Undo
  3. Redo
  4. Add regular or numbered points
  5. Draw point-by-point or freehand lines
  6. Draw point-by-point or freehand areas, circles, or squares
  7. Add annotations
  8. Draw single or double headed arrows.

Changing Colors

The color of the drawn features in your express map starts out matching the accent color dictated by the design theme of your story by default. You can change the accent color of a custom theme but you can also change the color of any individual drawn feature or a whole group of features at once. Choose from a couple of additional, preset theme-based colors or use the color picker to come up with your own particular shade. For non-numbered points, you can also select from three different sizing options and even opt to bring in your own symbol.

Base Maps

The gear icon in the layers panel gives access to the map settings there are three recommended basemaps and a catalog of standard basemaps. You also have the option to use a web map, including those offered by the Living Atlas. 

Also in the settings panel you can opt to do without a map legend (the default setting). This is recommend for simple maps. Another option, disabling map navigation (the ability to pan and zoom) can keep the focus on the map content you've chosen.

If you're looking for more information:

Up Next: Immersive Features

For the next section:

  • Determine photo's that can be used in slideshows and swipe.