Report Map Tool

The Report Map tool enables the user to create a map image from the Alteryx workflow. The tool accepts multiple spatial inputs, allows for layering these inputs, and supports thematic map creation. Other cartographic features can be included such as a legend, scale and reference layers.

To include a header or footer to your Map, add a Report Text Tool directly below the Map tool, select Attach Text to Existing Field, and select Map. All maps are drawn in Spherical Mercator projection.

Configure the tool

The Report Map tool has many configurable options. The interface for the tool is organized into two main sections: Map Preview and Map Configuration

Map Preview

As layer styles are applied, the Preview (Click to enlarge) window displays the map with configured styles. The preview uses sample data before runtime. Simply run the workflow to see actual data and an accurate representation of what the resulting map looks like.

Refresh: Load newly configured map styles without having to re-run the workflow.
Click the preview image to launch a larger window with the map contents. In the larger window, additional navigation is available: Zoom In and Zoom Out (with scroll bars for map navigation), Actual size and Fit to Window.

Certain changes such as enabling grouping, applying a thematic, or changing the zoom require a re-run of the workflow or a refresh of the preview window to see the changes.

Map Configuration

Map configuration support

For more information about colors support, see Map Colors.

For more information about Map files, see Mapfile Reference Document.

The Settings tab includes the general specifications for the resulting map image.

Configure Settings tab

Map Size: Specify the map size in inches, default size is 8 inches wide x 6 inches high. The specified size includes the legend, if a map legend is specified. The rendered Map Size may differ slightly from this Map Size to fit on the outputted report, based on the Render tool specifications.

Map size and memory

Map size is limited to 30,000,000 pixels. Any size map that approaches this limit may cause Designer to run out of memory.

If Default Distance Units is set to kilometers, this field is calculated in millimeters. See Localization.

Resolution: Specify the image resolution. Lower resolution creates a smaller file and is best for viewing on a monitor. Higher resolution creates a larger file with much better print quality.

Scale: Specify the units of measurement for the scalebar. The scalebar appears in the lower left corner of the map image.

None: No scalebar will appear on the map image.
Feet: The scalebar will display in units of feet.
Meters: The scalebar will display in units of meters.
Miles: The scalebar will display in units of Miles.
Kilometers: The scalebar will display in units of Kilometers.

Reference Base Map: Drop down list to specify which set of reference layers to include within the map image. The list includes all mapfile/layersets currently installed.

Set the default data set by going to Options > User Settings > Edit User Settings and selecting the Dataset Defaults tab. See User Settings.

Background Color: Color picker that controls the background color of the map image. Default is a slight off-white to differentiate the image extent from the page.

Add Drop Shadow: Drop down list to specify if the map gets styled with a drop shadow.

Expand extent 10% w/ a Minimum Width of 0.5 Miles: Defaults of 10% and .5 Miles can be adjusted. Expand or Contract the zoom level by entering in the number (representing a percentage: i.e. increase zoom level by 10 percent) to expand or contract by.

Positive numbers increase the zoom level (zoom-out), while negative numbers decrease the zoom level (zoom-in).
The values entered should be integers and the values may range from -99 to 100.

The Data tab includes specifications for handling the streams of data coming into the Map tool.

Configure Data tab

There are 2 panes on this tab. The left side displays the incoming data connection. The right side displays the options for the selected data connection. To configure an incoming data connection,

Click on the connection name to highlight the layer on the left and then edit the properties for that layer on the right. There are two types of connections:

Incoming Connection: A connection stream feeding into the Map tool from another Alteryx tool.
File Connection: An external file that Alteryx will use to display the spatial objects in the resulting map image.

Connections can be managed by using the buttons located above the left side pane:

adds a data connection to the Map tool. You can add data connections from an existing connection or from a file. To add a connection, select the connection type and click the Add button.
deletes the selected data connection from the layer control.

For each data connection, configure the following options:

Data Connection Name: The data connection name defaults to the connection name or the file name being used.
Spatial Field: Drop down list to specify which spatial objects to include in the map image. All spatial object fields in the connection stream will display in this list. All Spatial Objects is selected by default.
Grouping Field: Optional setting. When specified, a map image will be made for each group of records resulting in multiple map images.

Grouping in the Map tool behaves slightly different than in other Alteryx tools. All fields that are used for grouping must have the exact same field type, i.e. you cannot mix Int16 and Int32. Null and Empty values are treated the same - they will be in the same group.

Thematic Field: Optional setting. When specified, the layers' map objects will be styled based on record data. Thematic styling is done on the Layers tab.
Label Field: Specify which data field to label on the map. All data fields will be available in the drop down list including None for no label.

The Layers tab contains the connections streamed into the Report Map tool organized by how the incoming data appears on the map. You can manipulate the map objects.

Configure Layers tab

The connections streaming into the Map tool are organized into layers. Layers are located in the left pane. The layers are listed by the Data Connection Name from the Data tab. The layers draw on the map in the same order as the list, meaning the map objects of the top item in the list appear on top of the resulting map.

Click on a Layer name in the list on the left to reveal the following basic display options for the selected layer:

Layer Name: Specify the name for the layer to be displayed in the legend. If nothing is specified, the connection string name will be used. The Layer name will appear on the left panel in the layer control list.
Data Connection: Refers to the Data connection the layer is coming from. Dropdown list contains the Data Connection Names set on the Data tab.
Show in Legend: When checked the layer is included in the map legend.
Zoom Map to Layer: When checked the map is zoomed to the extent of the layer to ensure all objects are displayed in the resulting map.
Disable: When checked, this layer does display on the final map.

Click on the + to the left of the layer name to reveal the style parameters. Click on the individual parameters (Style, Label, Theme) to set them. Default styles are set for polygons, lines and points.

Style settings are editable. Base layers can be styled by clicking on the layer name and checking "Override Style" to reveal a "Style option" below the layer. The available settings vary by layer type. All styles can be Reset the Defaults by clicking on the link in the upper right corner.

Configure label styles

Angle: Specify the angle to draw the label 0, 45, 90, 180 degrees or AUTO to allow the software to compute the angle, AUTO is valid for LINE layers only. FOLLOW tells the map component engine to compute a curved label for appropriate linear features.

Background Color: Specify the color to draw a background rectangle (i.e. billboard) around the labels. Off by default.

Background Shadow Color: Specify the color to draw a background rectangle shadow (i.e. billboard) around the labels. Off by default.

Background Shadow Size: Specify how far the background shadow should be offset. Default is 1.

Buffer : Specify the padding, in pixels, around labels. This setting is useful for maintaining spacing around text to enhance readability. Default is 0.

Color: The color of the text of the labels.

Font: The font type/name to display the labels in.

Font Size: The size of the font to display the labels in.

Force: Forces labels on, regardless of overlapping label test. Default is false.

Min Distance: Specify in pixels the minimum distance between duplicate labels.

Min Feature Size: Specify in pixels the minimum size a feature must be to be labeled. For line data the overall length of the displayed line is used, for polygons features the smallest dimension of the bounding box is used.

Outline Color: The color to draw an outline around the text.

Outline Size: The outline size in pixels to draw around the label text.

Position: Specify the position of the label relative to the labeling point. Auto calculates a label position that will not interfere with other labels. If all positions cause a conflict, then the label is not drawn (Unless the label's FORCE a parameter is set to "yes").

Priority: Controls which label shows when labels from multiple layers overlap. The layer with the highest priority displays. The maximum priority value is 10.

Shadow Color: The color of drop shadow for the labels.

Shadow Offset: The drop shadow offset in pixels.

Wrap Character: The character that represents an end-of-line condition in label text, thus resulting in a multi-line label.

Each layer where a Thematic Field was chosen on the Data tab has a Theme that can be styled.

Configure theme styles

Thematic styles override object styles, so there is no need to specify an object style if there is a map theme on a layer. The user may, however, choose to label the map layer you are theming on.

Tile Method: Specify which Tile Method to use Smart Tile, Equal Tile Count, Equal Tile size or Unique value. Depending on the Tile method chosen, the following settings are available.

Smart Tile: Creates tiles based on the Standard Deviation of the values in the specified field. The tiles assigned indicate whether the record's value falls within the average range (=0), above the average (1) or below the average (-1), etc.
Equal Ranges: The minimum and maximum values of the tile field are determined. The range is split into equal sized sub-ranges and records are assigned to tiles based on these ranges.
Equal Records: Input records are sorted by the Thematic field and then divided into the specified amount of tiles so that each tile is assigned the same amount of records. This is based solely on the record's position in the input stream after it is sorted by the Thematic Field. The number of records in the input may not be equally divisible by the number of tiles you specify.
Unique Value: For every unique value in a specified field or fields, a unique tile is assigned.
Manual Tile: The user can specify the Cutoff Values for the tiles by typing the lower value for each range on a separate line.

Entering 2, 4, 6, and 8 on different lines results in 5 tiles: below 2, 2-4, 4-6, 6-8, and 8 and above.

Use the management buttons to control layer order and appearance.

reorders the selected layer up one position for each click.
reorders the selected layer down one position for each click.
adds a layer from an available connection. This is useful for stacking a duplicate layer on top of itself for styling purposes.

Points Layer: Displays available connections and will add a Points layer for the chosen connection.
Lines Layer: Displays available connections and will add a Lines layer for the chosen connection.
Polygons Layer: Displays available connections and will add a Polygons layer for the chosen connection.

deletes the selected layer from the layer control.
exposes multiple options to quickly reorder the selected layer.

Move to Top: Moves the selected layer to the first position of the layer list.
Move to Bottom: Moves the selected layer to the last position of the layer list.
Move to Top of Group: Moves the selected layer to the first position of its group.
Move to Bottom of Group: Moves the selected layer to the last position of its group.

Groups are defined as Layer types (Points Lines and Polygons) and whether they are user layers or reference base map layers. The fundamental order of groups is this:

User points
Base layer points
User lines
Base layer lines
User polygons
Base layer polygons

Legend gives the user many configurable options to customize the legend that accompanies the map image.

Because this tool includes an expression editor, an additional input anchor displays when the tool is used in an app or macro workflow. Use the Interface tools to connect to a Question anchor. See Interface Tools.