Note: To add a heatmap base layer, you must be logged-in to a Pro account. To learn how to upgrade, visit this link: How to upgrade to a Pro account

 

For the current page's article, the estimated time required to complete the procedure is 1 hour.

Add a heatmap base layer at marker locations

• (Step 1)
  Read the introductory descriptions
   
• (Step 2)
  Create a heatmap from the markers grouped in a folder

  Regular ranking system

  
  
   
   
   
• (Step 3)
  Create a heatmap from the markers in the sample spreadsheet data

  Regular ranking system

  OR

  A column's numeric data affects the ranking system

(Step 1) - Read the introductory descriptions

Heatmap

A heatmap is a base layer surrounding the location of each specified marker.

Aggregate heatmap

• Size is increased.
• Transparency is decreased.
• Spectral color position is increased to display the colors to the right in the spectrum bar.
  For example: "Red" in the image above.

Note: The spectrum bar is in the Base Layers window located at the bottom of the Layers Panel.

Regular ranking system

The regular ranking system is based on marker density (how many + how close).

• Largest.
• Least transparent.
• Colored to display the maximum spectral position.
  For example: "Red" in the image above.

• Smallest.
• Most transparent.
• Colored to display the minimum spectral position.
  For example: "Blue" in the image above.

(Step 2) - Create a heatmap from the markers grouped in a folder

Choose the base map: Google > Terrain.

Note: For your map, you can choose any base map. For this example, we're choosing this light colored base map to contrast with the dark colors of the heatmap base layer we'll add in later steps.

1. If you aren't logged-in to Scribble Maps already, login to your account at:
   https://www.scribblemaps.com/create 
   (Optional) To learn how to login, visit this link:
   How to login / register
    
2. In the bottom-right corner of the Map View, you will see the base map selector displays thumbnail image(s).
    
3. (Optional) If the flyout doesn't display Google's thumbnail images, there are two options for this step.

   Option 1
   If "Google" isn't selected, click the currently selected name of the map provider or category. In the flyout list, click to select: "Google".

   OR

   Option 2
   If "Google" is selected, click thumbnail image.

    
4. In the flyout, click to select: "TERRAIN".

Create 4 markers, and stack 3 markers

1. In the Map View, create 4 markers.

   To learn how to create a marker, visit this link: Create a marker - (Marker Tool)

    
2. In the top toolbar, select the Edit Measure Tool.

   Or you can press the "Q" button on your keyboard.

    
3. In the Map View, click-and-drag 2 of the markers to totally cover a third marker.

   Note: In later steps, the stack of 3 markers will produce the cluster for an aggregate heatmap.

Add the markers to a folder

1. (Optional) If the "LAYERS" Panel isn't open on the right-side of the browser window, click the vertical bar. 
    
2. In the top of the Layers Panel, click the Folder Icon displaying the tooltip: "Add Group".
   You will see the folder added to the Layers Panel.
    
3. Click-and-drag each marker’s row into the folder.

   Note: The folder now holds a set of overlays, so the folder is considered a Group. To learn about grouping overlays, visit this link: Add an overlay to a group/folder

Configure the heatmap

1. On the folder’s row, click the Three Dot Icon on the right-side of the Layers Panel.
    
2. In the flyout, click to select: "Add Heatmap".
   You will see the editor window titled: "ADD/EDIT HEATMAP".
    
3. Under the heading, "Select Folder", click the button.
    
4. Click to select the folder you created.
    
5. (Optional) Under the "Color" heading, click on the spectrum bar.

   In the flyout, click to select 1 of the 4 types of spectrum bars.

    
6. (Optional) Under the "Size" heading, you can type-in a new value for the size of the individual heatmap circle located at each marker.
   You can also change the size value by clicking on the up/down buttons.

    

   • The default size is 30.
   • The maximum size is 100.

    

    
7. (Optional) Under the "Opacity" heading, you can type-in a new value for the overall non-transparency of the heatmaps.
   You can also change the opacity value by clicking on the up/down buttons.

   The default opacity percentage is 95%.

    

   • 0% is invisible.
   • 50% is see-through.
   • 100% is the solid color.

    

Create the heatmap

1. At the bottom of the editor window, click the button: "CREATE HEAT MAP".
   You will see the pop-up: "Heatmap Layer Added".
    
2. Click the "Ok" button.
    
3. In the top-right corner of the editor window, click the "X" button.
   In the Map View, the heatmap base layer will display at the location of each specified marker. The stack of markers will produce a cluster.

    

   At the bottom of the Layers Panel, you will see the Base Layers window displays the spectrum bar. There you will see the:

   • The number "0" at the left-side of the spectrum bar. 

     0 represents the minimum possible quantity of markers.

   • A number located at the right-side of the spectrum bar. 

     The number represents the current maximum quantity of markers in a cluster. For example: 3.

    
4. (Optional) In the Base Layers window, you can toggle the display of the Map View’s heatmap base layer.
   Click the Eye Icon on the left-side of the spectrum bar’s row.
   To prepare for the next steps, click the Eye Icon again to display the Map View's heatmap base layer.

Adjust and edit the heatmap base layer

In the top-right corner of the Map View, keep clicking on the (-) button until the map zooms-out to the magnification-level you want to see.

Delete markers inside the highest-density cluster to improve visibility of individual markers or the lowest-density cluster.

 

To delete a marker, select the Delete Tool in the top toolbar. Then click the marker in the Map View.

(Step 3) - Create a heatmap from the markers in the sample spreadsheet data

Note:
You can only make a column's numeric data affect the ranking system if you use the "Import Spreadsheet" feature. To make this instruction simple, we recommend you use our sample data.

 

After completing this instruction, you can learn how to import your own spreadsheet data. Visit the link, "Import spreadsheet data...", located in the "See also" section at the bottom of the current article.

Create a new map

1. In the top toolbar, click the "MENU" button.
    
2. Under the heading, "Scribble Maps", click the button: "New Map".
    
3. Click: "Yes".
    
4. Click: "Ok".
    
5. In the top-right corner of the menu window, click the "X" button.
    
6. In the Map View, you will see the new map.

Load the sample data into the table

1. In the top of the Layers Panel, click the Spreadsheet Icon displaying the tooltip: "Import Spreadsheet".
   This window will appear: "IMPORT LIST (SPREADSHEET)".
    
2. Click the tab: "1. Import Data".
   You will see a field displaying our sample data.
    
3. Click the tab: "2. Map".
   You will see our sample data for 9 cities displayed in a table.
   Each row displays a city's data.
   In later steps, each city's data will be represented by a marker in the Map View.

Definitions for the types of data

• Top-headings.
• Lower-headings.

Each top-heading displays a definable heading. 

Note: When you use your own spreadsheet data, the definable headings are the data in the column heading cells from your spreadsheet.

Each lower-heading is the preset heading that’s currently selected in the drop-down list.

Note: You'll learn about each preset heading in the article: "Import spreadsheet data..." 

Below the two column headings, you will see the rest of the cells, each called a: value cell. This is the data from the regular cells (not column headings) in your spreadsheet.

Configure the heatmap

1. At the top of the column containing the numeric data, you will see the upper and lower headings.
   The lower heading is the drop-down list displaying the preset heading that's currently selected. For this example: "Description".
2. Click the drop-down list, then select the preset heading: "Attribute".

   To produce a heatmap where a column's numeric data affects the ranking system, the column's preset heading must be changed to: "Attribute".

3. At the bottom-left of the data table, click the checkbox labeled: "Create Heatmap".
   The heatmap options section will appear.
    
4. Under the "Value" heading, click the drop-down list.
   You will see the list displays each column's definable heading. 

   Note:
   If you want the heatmap to display the regular ranking system, you can select: "None".

    

   This example will show you how make a column's numeric data affect the ranking system. So the column's value cells must be numbers.

5. Under the "Value" heading, click the drop-down list. Then select: "Description" - (referencing the definable heading of the column containing the numbers for the city populations).
   In later steps, each marker's heatmap will be ranked by the number for each city's population.

   The ranking system will use transparency and spectral position to represent each population.

    

   The marker's heatmap representing the highest population will:

   • Be the least transparent.
   • Display the color of the maximum spectral position.

    

   The marker's heatmap representing the lowest population will:

   • Be the most transparent.
   • Display the color of the minimum spectral position.

    

    
6. (Optional) To learn how to configure the heatmap's "Color", "Size", and "Opacity", see the previous section:
   "(Step 2) - Create a heatmap from the markers grouped in a folder" > Configure the heatmap

Create the heatmap

1. At the bottom of the "IMPORT LIST" window, click the button: "MAP LIST".
   You will see the pop-up: "9 points added to map".
    
2. Click: "Ok".
    
3. In the Map View, you will see the heatmap displayed under the markers located at Mexico City and New York.
    
   In the Base Layers window, you will see the:
   • Lowest number at the left-side of the spectrum bar.

     For this example: "1,953,252" - the population of Vancouver.

   • Highest number at the right-side of the spectrum bar.

     For this example: "19,982,000" - the population of Mexico City.

Edit the heatmap base layer

In the example heatmap, you will see the heatmap is only visible for Mexico City and New York, because these populations are much higher. You can delete these 2 outliers to make the rest of the heatmap visible.

 

To delete the 2 outlier markers, select the Delete Tool in the top toolbar. In the Map View, click on the markers located at: Mexico City, and New York.

An exceptional case for the ranking system

• Largest.
• Least transparent.
• Colored to display the maximum spectral position.
  For example: "Red" in the image above.

• Smallest.
• Most transparent.
• Colored to display the minimum spectral position.
  For example: "Blue" in the image above.

However, contrary to the regular ranking system, individual markers (for example, Vancouver) will remain unchanged. The individual markers will retain the originally set:

• Size.
• Transparency.
• Spectral position.

 

See also

To learn how to import your own spreadsheet data, visit this link: Import spreadsheet data to produce markers on a map - (MS Excel/Google Sheets/etc.)

You can filter which marker overlays are displayed by considering attributes. To learn how, visit this link:
Create a filter to segment which overlays are displayed

Reorder the stack of base layers

Add a crop as a base layer

Add a mask as a base layer - Display sections of a second map

Add a TMS URL to produce a base layer

Add a WMS URL to produce a base layer