Map appearance
CIMS allows for extensive customization of your map's appearance. Change space colors, text sizes and colors, fonts, marker and burial colors, and much more.
Map appearance basics
The map appearance is controlled by the "Map settings" popup. Click on your username in the top-right corner of your screen, then click "Map settings". This will open a popup with several tabs along the left side.
Each tab has an on/off switch. If you don't want to see vaults, or markers, simply click the on/off switch of its tab to "off", then click "Save" in the lower-right corner of the popup.
| Tab name | Tab description |
|---|---|
| Map settings | Basic settings. Change the color of highlighted elements, show/hide flagged items, show/hide roads, etc. |
| Background | Choose to display a solid color, Google satellite image or orthophoto (drone photo) if your cemetery opted for a drone flight. Read Map background & drone photos for more information. |
| Section | Control the outline (width & color) and labelling of sections (font, bolding, size & color).
Label options: Alias or individual ID. The alias is usually the same as the ID, some cemeteries may have a custom alias. |
| Block | Control the outline (width & color) and labelling of blocks (font, bolding, size & color).
Label options: Alias, individual ID or full description. The alias is usually the same as the ID, some cemeteries may have a custom alias. The full description is a combination of the section and block id. |
| Lot | Your cemetery may not have lots. If it does, this tab lets you control the outline (width & color) and labelling of lots (font, bolding, size & color).
Label options: Alias, individual ID or full description. The alias is usually the same as the ID, some cemeteries may have a custom alias. The full description is a combination of the section, block and lot id. |
| Space | Control the outline (width & color) and labelling of spaces (font, bolding, size & color).
There are many label options. Read more below about changing space labelling & colors. |
| Burials | Control the outline (width & color), fill color and labelling of burials (font, bolding, size & color).
Label options: None, full name or last name. Some names may be long; we recommend checking the checkbox next to "Split label into multiple lines". |
| Markers | Control the outline (width & color) and fill color of markers.
If your cemetery uses memorial markers, you have options how to label them: None, full name or last name. You can also choose how those labels appear (font, bolding, size & color). Read more about memorial markers on the Markers page. |
| Vaults | Choose the color vaults appear on your map. |
| Map features | Choose which, if any, map features you want to display on your map.
Hiding a map feature does not remove it from the database. |
Examples of different map appearances
The default map settings will show veteran burials in blue and non-veteran burials in grey. Seen in the above cemetery is a tree to the left (in black), several headstones (in dark grey), and a few vaults (salmon rectangles in the bottom-right).
This is the same exact section of cemetery, only this user has chosen to hide map features (such as the tree). The space colors have been changed and the names of burials are larger and bold.
An extreme example of how dramatically we can change the appearance of the map. While we might not advise using this color scheme, you are absolutely free to do so!
Space colors & labels
Space colors
- Click on the "Space" tab on the left side of the map settings popup, just above the "Burials" tab.
- Your tab may actually be called "Plot", "Grave", "Plat", or another term, depending on how your cemetery is set up.
- Choose to color spaces by status or by type. The recommended setting is status.
- Click on the square of color next to each of your statuses. This will open a color picker, allowing you to change the color of the status.
- Remember to click "Save" when you are happy with your changes!
Space labels
There are many ways to label spaces! These labels will show on top of each space when you have the map sufficiently zoomed in. You can independently label the space ID and the owner names, and also choose to show the space status and cost. Each of these options will display on its own line, so choosing "Space ID" for your space ID label and "Owner/company" as your space name label will show the ID on one line, and owner name (if any) on the line below.
| Option name | Description |
|---|---|
| None | No space id shown. |
| Space ID | A concatenation of the space's section, block, lot and space name/number.
Examples: 8_B_30_A, Old section_4_East |
| Space | The space's name/number.
Example: A, 0012 |
| Alias | In most cemeteries, this is the same as the space name or number.
Example: J2, 12 |
Space name label
We have many options for space name labels. In addition to choosing whose name shows, you can choose the format names appear in and whether or not to include prefixes, middle names, and suffixes. There is also an option to split a name label into multiple lines and allow name labels to collide. Read more below about label collisions.
| Option name | Description |
|---|---|
| None | No name shown. |
| Owner/company | A concatenation of the primary owner's last name, first name and middle name.
Examples: Smith, Lorna Jones, Fr. Paul Jenkins III |
| Owner or permissions | Displays the owner name or, if present, any burial permissions. Learn more about burial permissions on the Burials page. |
| Owner or burial | Displays the owner name only if no burial present. If the space has a burial, will not display a name. |
Status
Choose to include the status of the space with the space label. Will display on its own line.
Cost
Display the cost of the space with the space label. Will display on its own line.
Label placement
Control the placement of the space label. There are nine options; top left will display the label in the top-left corner of the space, top-center in the top center, and so on.
Label offset
An offset is synonymous to a "shift", or "nudge"; move your labels slightly in one direction or the other. A negative offset X will shift your labels to the left, a positive X offset to the right. A negative Y offset will shift your labels up, and positive Y down. Read more below about label offsets below.
Label offsets
An offset is synonymous to a "shift", or "nudge"; offsets are a way to move your labels slightly in one direction or the other. A negative offset X will shift your labels to the left, a positive X offset to the right. A negative Y offset will shift your labels up, and positive Y down.
Offsets can be set for space and burial labels individually. To change the offset of space labels, click on the "Space" tab and scroll down to "Label Offset X" and "Label Offset Y". Manipulate those values, click "Save", then close the modal. You will see your changes immediately. To change the offset of burial labels, the process is the same; click on the "Burials" tab and scroll down to "Label Offset X" and "Label Offset Y", change your values, and save.
An alternative to using offsets for space labels is changing the label placement. Click on the "Space" tab and scroll down to the "Label placement" settings. There are nine options; top left will display the label in the top-left corner of the space, top-center in the top center, and so on. By default, labels show in the center-center.
We understand your cemetery may use a different term for its spaces, such as "plot", "grave", etc. In that case, in your map settings, the tab will use your cemetery's term for space.
Offsets shift your labels in different directions.
Without offsets and with space labels set to appear in the center of the space, space and burial labels may conflict.
With offsets, labels may be more legible.
Offsets for spaces are in the "Spaces" tab, and those for burials in the "Burials" tab. An alternative to using offsets for space labels is changing the label placement.
Label collisions
Labels are often in close proximity. If you want your labels to always show and sometimes overlap, click the check box "Allow label collision/overlap". This option exists for lot, space and burial labels.
Lot, space and burial labels exist independently; the collision settings of one will not affect the other. This means that sometimes these labels will appear on top of each other and be difficult to read. To read these labels, zoom your map in. You can also play around with the offset settings and the space label placement options.
With burial label collision turned off, not all burial labels will display. Zoom in to see the names of all burials. The same logic applies to lot and space label collisions.
With burial label collision turned off, all burial name labels display but can be difficult to read. Zoom in to read these labels. The same logic applies to lot and space label collisions.
To change your collision settings for space labels, click the "Space" tab and scroll down to "Allow label collision/overlap". Collisions settings for lot labels are found in the "Lot" tab.
To change your collision settings for burial labels, click the "Burials" tab and scroll down to "Allow label collision/overlap".
Veteran burials
You can choose to make veteran burials a different color from non-veteran burials. In the map settings popup, click on the "Burials" tab on the left side. Click the checkbox next to "Highlight veterans" so that it is checked. Next, choose the color you would like veteran burials to show as by clicking on the square next to "Veteran color". Remember to click save!
Map background & drone photos
You may want to change the background of your map. To do so, click on the "Background" tab. All cemeteries have the choice of "Solid color" or "Google Maps". If you choose "Solid color", you can specify the background color. If using Google Maps, you can specify the opacity of the map. Click the option you would like to use as the background, then click "Save".
If your cemetery chose to have a drone photograph your cemetery, you will have the option "orthophoto" (meaning drone photo). Drone photos will be more accurate than Google Maps imagery and more consistent, as Google does periodically update their images and you may find the season has changed, or your background images have shifted. Want to learn more about drone photos? Read our drone photography documentation.
Google maps satellite imagery will not be entirely accurate. Note how the columbaria, which the CIMS team mapped to their real-life latitude and longitudinal position, do not line up with the Google satellite images.
With drone imagery taken by the CIMS team, the columbaria are now in their accurate spatial position. Other objects, such as headstones, chapels, trees and more, will also line up correctly with your map in CIMS. The image itself is also sharper and colors more realistic.
Making text larger
To make text larger, there are 2 places we need to change the text settings:
- Space tab
- Click on the "Space" tab. Scroll down and you will see options to control how spaces are labelled (common choices are "Owner last name" and "Space ID").
- Your tab may actually be called "Plot", "Grave", "Plat", or another term, depending on how your cemetery is set up.
- To make the text larger, find the "Size" dropdown and choose a larger size, such as 20px. You may also want to make the text bold by clicking the "B" next to the "Bold" label.
- Other options you can change include the text font and color.
- Click on the "Space" tab. Scroll down and you will see options to control how spaces are labelled (common choices are "Owner last name" and "Space ID").
- Burials tab
- Click on the "Burials" tab. Scroll down and you will see options to control how burials are labelled (clients often choose "Full name").
- Beneath the burial label are options to control the text appearance. To make the text larger, find the "Size" dropdown and choose a larger size.
- You can also change to the color, font, and text bolding, just like with spaces.
Click "Save", then close the map settings popup to see your map appearance changes.
Click on the "Space" tab and change the "Size" to make space labels larger
Click on the "Burials" tab and change the "Size" to make burial labels larger
Map features & GPR
You can choose to show or hide map features, including GPR points, from your map. To hide all map features, click the toggle next to the label "Map features" on the left side of the map settings popup so that it reads "off". To hide particular types of map features, make sure that toggle next to the label "Map features" is "on", and click that tab. A list of your cemetery's map feature types will appear. Map features with a checkbox next to them will show on your map, and unchecked will not show. Click "Save" in the lower-right corner of the popup.
GPR
To hide GPR map features, click on the "Map features" tab and uncheck your GPR map features. Click "Save" in the lower-right corner of the popup.
Your GPR map features may not be labelled exactly like this example, but will include the term "GPR".
To turn off all map features, click the toggle next to the label "Map features" so that it reads "off".
To hide individual map features, make sure the toggle next to the label "Map features" is "on". Click the tab, and uncheck the boxes next to any map features you don't want to see. In this case, we are hiding GPR map features.
Flagged objects
To learn about flagging objects such as spaces, burials, markers, etc., including changing their appearance, refer to the documentation on flagging.
Map templates
Each user of a cemetery has their own map settings. Map templates are an easy way to share your map settings with other users of your cemetery.
If you have multiple cemeteries, a template from one should appear in the list of templates of your others. If it does not, get in touch with us; we may need to manipulate your database.
Applying a template
To apply a template, click on "Template options" in the lower-left corner of the map settings popup. The template options popup will appear. If your cemetery has any available map templates, they will show as a list. Click on the name of the appropriate map template to apply it. This will close the template options popup. Your new settings are not automatically saved; if you like the new map appearance, click the green "Save" button in the lower-right corner of the map settings popup.
Saving a new template
First, set the settings you want to share, including space colors, label options, label placement, fonts and more, in the map settings popup. Then, click on "Template options" in the lower-left corner. In the smaller popup that appears, find the "Save new template" section, enter a name, and click "Save". When other users of your cemetery login and open the map settings popup, then open the template options popup, they will see the template you have just created as well as any others that might exist.
Editing & deleting templates
A template's settings cannot be edited. Apply the template, change the settings you want, then re-save as a new template.
You can change the name of a template you created by clicking the blue pencil-and-paper icon shown next to it.
To delete a template, click the red trash can icon next to its name.
You can only change the name or delete a template that you yourself have created. Anyone, however, can apply a template you have created to their settings.
To apply a template, click on its name from the list of templates. These settings will be applied to the map settings popup, but not saved. Click the green "Save" button in the lower-right corner of the map settings popup to save these settings.
To save a new map template, enter a name and click "Save".
The buttons to edit the name of a template or delete it entirely can be found to the right of the template's name.
You cannot edit the name of or delete a template that has been created by another user, but you can still apply its settings to your own map.
Resetting the map appearance
Did you really mess up your settings? Tired of trying to fix everything? We have an easy solution, just reset your map's appearance and start over. Open the map settings popup, then click the blue "Reset settings" button in the lower-left corner. This will immediately save and take effect, closing the map settings popup and refreshing your map to show the default colors and settings. To make further changes, re-open the map settings popup.