Places

Below, you can find out how to enter new places and how to use the map.

Create a new place

To start entering a new Place click the Place button in the menu. Then use the + Place button to get to the respective form. The following information can be entered:

• Choose a descriptive Name; as in all other forms, a name is required to save data

• If a place has several designations or is also known by other names, note them under Alias. Please keep in mind: Place names in other languages can be covered by using Geonames as a Reference System

• Select a fitting Type from the list. If none can be found, you can add new types (depending on your user group). You can find more information on types and how to add new ones here

• Add an administrative unit or historical place and/or link the place to an Reference System (see a tutorial here)

• You can also add a Date and a free text Description

How to use the map

The Map has multiple functionalities:

• You can zoom in and out by using the + and - button or make the map full screen

• Use the magnifying glass to search for places. Type a place name in the search field, press enter and choose the correct place from the list. The map will zoom to the chosen location and a pop-up will be shown. You can choose from the following options:

  • Import ID will import the related Geonames ID into your form

  • Import Coordinates will import the related coordinates and show a marker on the map

  • Import ID and Coordinates

• The map on which the visualization is based can be changed by hovering over the layer button. “Landscape”, “Street Map” or “Satellite” views are available. In addition, various settings for the maps can be made, e.g. whether clusters or markers are to be displayed

• The map can also be used to set your own markers for locations. Four different modes are available for this:

  • Centerpoint: Sets a point at the position a physical thing is located at

  • Linestring: A line can be drawn to show the location of e.g. a border, a street, or an old river bed. Double-click on the last drawn point to end the drawing mode

  • Shape (rectangular symbol): You can use the this to draw any shape that represents the location - use this if the exact location of a physical thing is known such as the outline of a certain building with or the exact shape of a grave in a georeferenced burial ground plot. To close the polygon click on the first drawn point; please note: drawing doughnut shapes with holes is not possible.

  • Area: You can use the polygon to mark an area where the physical thing is/was located, but whose exact location is unknown. Please note: Select the area big enough to be 100% sure that the object is/was located in it. To close the polygon click on the first drawn point; please note: drawing doughnut shapes with holes is not possible.

  • After the marker/polygon has been drawn/set, further information can be entered into the pop-up, such as a name or a description as free text. This is optional but useful in case you draw multiple geometries for one entry. In addition, data about the polygon and coordinates can be copied from the corresponding field of the pop-up window

  • By clicking on the drawn shape or marker, these can be edited and/or deleted

  • All the entered information is saved when pressing the Insert button

Reference Systems - GeoNames

You can also link your data to GeoNames without using the map. To do so, add the respective GeoNames identifier in the dedicated field and choose if it is an exact match or close match. Please note: As for all references systems, information can not be saved without stating which kind of match it is.

By clicking the Insert or Insert and continue button you can save the information