Map Tools v.3.29.2023 – Dynamis COBRA Help Center

Collaboration Tools

March 29, 2023

Map Tools

The Map Tool gives the user the ability to see all map-based information in the incident. Some of the information displayed is Organization and Incident Type dependent, but the focus on this section will be on the active base map display, settings, source selection, and use of Sketches.

Navigation (2 ways)

Launch the Map Tool by accessing it from the Menu list (Menu > Collaboration > Map).
Launch the Map Tool by clicking on the Map Icon from the Top bar of buttons.

To Change the Map Display:

Zoom- Use the +/- buttons in the top left corner to zoom in/out from the center of the map.
Pan Map- The map can be panned up/down – left/right by clicking on the map and dragging the display to show the desired location.
Double-clicking on the map will center the display on that point and zoom in by one level.

Map Settings (Bottom Right of Map)

There are four (4) Map settings that users should be aware of before trying to utilize the tool.

Active Base Map- sets the type of map layer the user might want
Change Icon Size- will change the size of item on the map
Show Text on Map- will enable text to be shown on the map from incident input
Transparent Windows- allows inactive map tool windows to be seen through while staying visible in the background.

Active Base Map

COBRA uses several types of Map Data Sources to display different types of Maps. For example, when a user logs in, the default Map Display is Google Roads (see below). However there are 6 different map styles that a user may choose from.

Active Base Map Options:

1. Google Roads (Default)

2. Google Hybrid

3. Google Satellite

4. Open Street Maps

5. Light Grey

6. Dark Grey

Change Icon Size

1. Click on the ? (Question Mark) that represents the size text you as a user wish to use on the Map.

Show Text on Map

1. Click on the Button to show text on the Map from your incident, the button will turn green when on.

Transparent Windows

1. Click on the Button to make map tool boxes transparent when not actively working inside it. The button will turn green when on.

Go to Location - Expand/Contract - Save Map as Attachment

Continuing on from the bottom right of the screen we see three additional buttons. they include "go to location

Go to Location-

Expand/Contract-

Save Map as Attachment-

Background Map Layers

Clicking on the layer list icon will show the display options for all incident related items. The layer list can be used to select what mapped items are displayed on the User’s map.
Items that have a black checkbox next to it will be displayed.
Items can be hidden from the map by unchecking the box.
The checkbox will propagate to all child elements.
Individual sub-items can be turned on or off within a group.
The parent checkbox turns into a square to indicate partial elements displayed.
Double-clicking on a parent item will pan and zoom the map, so all child elements are within the display area. Double-clicking on a single item will bring a callout box pointing to the element on the map with the details of that item.
If too many items are listed in the Layer List, scroll indicators will automatically appear for the user to slide and show the complete list.

Map Sketching Tools

The Sketching tool lets the user “draw” on the map to share information that does not come from any specific COBRA tool with other users.
Unlike other COBRA tools that can be represented on the map, sketches can be published for others to see or exist only on the map that the user is operating.
These Unpublished Sketch items exist only for the user that created them and are not shown on other users’ map displays. Sketches can be point icons, lines, or polygons.

Point Icons- Adding Symbols

COBRA comes with the complete Homeland Security Symbiology Reference icon set.

Organization Administrators can add custom icons to the point sketch pallet.
Administrators can also change the icons that are shown in the Favorites section.
Icons can be searched by name using the Name Search feature. The dropdowns allow the user to categorize by Theme (damage/operational, incident, infrastructure, natural event, and operations by default) and by Category.
Once the intended icon is found, click on it once to activate the tool.
Then click on the map where the Icon needs to be placed. The display properties window then appears.
Stock icons will have a pre-defined name and description attributed to them. Both areas can be edited by the user.
The “Publish Sketch Item” checkbox determines if the icon is going to be visible on other incident members’ maps (checked) or visible only on the map the current user is editing (unchecked) after the Save button is pressed.
The “Styling” tab is not used for Point Icons.

Creating a Sketch with the MAP SKETCHING TOOLS

Use the Sketch tool to draw a line or linked line segment on the map. There are no pre-defined items to choose from.

a. Click on the Sketch tool button

b. Once selected the Map Sketching Tools Box opens.

c. From here the user should click on the map once where the line segment should start, then move their curser, and double click on its desired endpoint.

d. If the user should want to make multiple, connected lines they should only click the curser once and a new line point will emerge.

e. Finish the sketch by double-clicking on the same point.

f. When the user determines that the line is complete, and they double click on the map, the display property window then appears.

g. Add a name and description of the line that was drawn.

Export

If the user needs to share the COBRA incident map data with others who do not have a COBRA User account or need to use the map data in a different mapping program, the user can Export the map.

Please look at the “Export Map as KML” Page for guidance.

WMS & WFS Feeds

A feature of COBRA mapping that often gets overlooked is the ability to add WMS (Web Mapping Service) and WFS (Web Feature Service) feeds. There are two quickly added WMS feeds for COBRA that provides a visual representation of the current weather concerns. We are in the process of developing a comprehensive list of feeds. Once finished, we will post additional information to this site.

With one of the major updates to the COBRA map a few months ago, the tool now allows the Organization to add a live weather animation. By adding the NEXRAD National Weather Radar feed, the user can play the loop or pause it for a static view.

Another WMS feed allows the Organization to add the National Watches and Warning feeds. This feed displays all the declared warnings and watches across the U.S. Click on the individual county in question for current weather information. As a note, this feed is pulled from an external source without formatting. The pop-up information is in its raw form.

Follow the steps below to add these tools to the Organization. After they are added, click on the WMS/WFS feed button on the map, then click on the + button to add them from the drop-down.

Adding feeds to an Organization

Navigate to the Admin page.
Click on the Mapping button.
Click on the Available Map Services button.
Click on the Add Service button and enter the information below.

Name

NexRAD National Weather Radar

URL

https://mesonet.agron.iastate.edu/cgi-bin/wms/nexrad/n0r-t.cgi

Type

WMS

Name

NWS Watches & Warnings

URL

https://idpgis.ncep.noaa.gov/arcgis/services/NWS_Forecasts_Guidance_Warnings/watch_warn_adv/MapServer/WMSServer

Type

WMS

Once the site information is entered, click on the test connection
Then Click the Next button
Follow the directions on the following screens.
Make sure you add all layers recommended by the system.
Select the appropriate zoom levels desired.

Note on Zoom Levels

Cobra Techs have found that selecting 2 as the minimum zoom and 17 as the maximum zoom seems to work the best.

Click Next.
Click Disregard the Category Box and ensure that Private is selected. This will guarantee that they only appear in your Organization.
To finish, click Next.

If there are additional feeds that you feel could help the community, please feel free to comment on the article.