Legends

Although the main message of a thematic map should essentially be understandable without a legend, it is recommended to complete the map with legends and explanations (title, author, date etc.). Nowadays we distinguish whether the maps are intended for digital use or for print. For all printed maps the legends should be included on the map and therefore be inserted on the map. If the maps are only used digitally, one can do without the legends on the map and use the system legends.

Legend types

The legend should describe the map content completely and precisely. Depending on the type of analysis, different legend types are available that are independent of the legend layouts.

The content of the legend is mainly determined by the settings for the corresponding analysis, but can be adjusted manually.

The following legend types are available:

The boundary legend explains the meaning of the different line signatures in the map. Especially when different border layers are represented by different line signatures in the map, the border legend is necessary for understanding the map. The content of the boundary legend is mainly determined by the display properties of the respective boundary layers and can be further defined in the layer settings in the Contents control window.

Area Legends are a special kind of colour legend. As an alternative for area legends, you can also use the table object to obtain a clear list of the data for the respective area.

The color legend explains the meaning of the colors of the area areas, diagrams and symbols; it explains the meaning of the colors by documenting the relationship between data values and their representation by colors. The meaning of colors can be described by classes, by text, or both. The number of areas per class can also be displayed here.

The size legend is used to explain the relationship between chart or symbol sizes and data values. Please note that when using the automatic zoom function in the workbook and legend, the legend will adjust to the symbol sizes when zooming. When using clip mapping or reports, the display of the legend can therefore be larger than in the overall map.

The symbol legend is used in various analyses to explain the symbols, graphics or line styles used in the display.

The combined legend can be used for coupled analyses (symbols, accessibility, lines, relationships, texts). For example, it is used to explain a combination of symbol, symbol size and color as the result of a coupled symbol analysis.

You can change the legend type freely in the context menu of the legends. To do so, right-click on a legend, select the menu item Legend type and choose a Legend type . easymap will automatically try to suggest a reasonable solution.

Note: Please note that the legends are only visible by default if the corresponding analysis is also visible. However, you can also make the legends visible without simultaneously making the associated analysis visible. To do this, simply check the corresponding legend element in the Content control window.

Note: For the display of the workbook in the easymap explorer: Legends are created in the easymap explorer is shown differently. Read more in the section Discrepancies between easymap and easymap explorer.

Legend layout

You can decide not only which characteristic you want to display in the legend, but also how.

Choose from the following layouts:

in table view, the data values and their associated colors or symbols are displayed in tabular form.

The histogram shows the distribution of frequencies per class.

The color bar displays your classes as bars. You can also display color gradients.

The diagram is used to explain the relationship between diagram or symbol sizes and data values.

You can decide which legend layout you want to use directly during the setting. You also have the possibility to switch between the different layouts in the context menu. To do so, right-click on a legend, select the menu item Legend layout and choose a Legend layout . easymap will automatically try to suggest a reasonable solution.