Quick Start for Interactive Maps
The interactive map interface is quite intuitive. This listing shows the utilities on the main screen and its top tabs and bottom buttons from the upper left in a clockwise direction back to the mid-left and then to the bottom located around the Main Map.
1. At the top of the main screen are Indicator Tabs for the economic categories for both the Texas counties and cities. Clicking on a tab brings down that particular set of economic indicators, then selecting an indicator shows the county or city data on the Main Map and the Graph Panel.
2. In the Graph Panel, two-dimensional diagrams display indicator data for either counties for the state or census tracts for cities in various ways, from left to right:
A. Vertical bars
B. Horizontal bars
C. Line chart
D. Column line
E. Column mark
F. Scatter plot with correlation
G. Multiple indicators line chart
H. Stacked column
The county labels appear on the state maps; the census tract numbers are used for the cities so when the data are exported they can be easily tagged for geospatial analysis. The diagram is also associated with the Main Map. Rolling the cursor on the graph shows a pop-up of the indicator information for a county or census tract as well as highlights in green the county or census tract on the Main Map.
3. The Selection Panel (regions) on the upper right allows users to narrow the Main Map projection to a particular set of counties or census tracts. Simply click on the counties to be selected; then click on the wheel icon to dropdown specific actions. Select “create a custom region with selection.” To return to the full map, click on custom region and select all regions. Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSAs) for selected cities are preprogramed for the Cities Interactive Map.
4. The Main Map displays the economic indicator selected. At the upper left of the map are the + and – zoom keys. When the cursor is rolled over a county or census tract, a pop-up box displays the quantity for that area as well as its placement on the Graph Panel. At the bottom left is the legend in which the class intervals are defaulted to quintiles. Clicking on a class interval colored box turns the associated data on the Main Map off and on.
5. To the left of the Main Map is the Story Panel that has economic indicator bars for that particular tab at the top of the screen that change when the cursor is rolled over a county or census tract on the Main Map, allowing instant comparisons of economic indicators for the selected county or census tract.
6. At the bottom left are a series of buttons that undertake various utilities, from left to right.
A. The Time Slider allows users to observe indicator data change through
selected years. There are three ways to use the Time Slider:
1) the white arrow in the blue circle at the right end of the slider
launches the maps through the available years;
2) the double arrows at each end of the slider moves it forwards or
backwards;
3) clicking on a slider tick moves it to that map year, if available.
B. Copy and Share Link to Current Indicator (not functional)
C. Export maps and graphs to PNG or JPEG images or to the Internet via
SVG format and data to CSV and XLS files.
D. Turns off Story Panel.
E. Turns off Graph Panel.
F. Turns off Selection Panel (counties on state map).
G. Modifies Story Panel.
H. Turns off Main Map.
I. Table Panel (not functional)
J. Prints Main Map or Graph Panel.