Maps in Sonar

What are the benefits of Maps?

Maps offer several key capabilities in Sonar, notably:

• Users can ability to create new Maps and locate their Assets using real-world coordinates.
• Maps show the number of Assets clustered together. This brings ease and agility to both large-scale and high density deployments.
• Map Objects (Assets, Places, Gateways, and Stationary Assets) can be selected directly via the menu, making them easy to locate.
• Search and filtering capabilities are enhanced, giving Users more control than ever over their Map view.

What Map Types exist in Sonar?

Two Map Types exist in Sonar:

Static Map – A map that is not associated with a real-world location. Objects are located using coordinate values associated with the Map image.

Note: Unless upgraded, by an Admin, all Maps created prior to the 6.0.0 release will be Static.

Geospatial Map – A Map that is associated with a real-world location. Objects are located on Geospatial Maps using Addresses or Coordinate values.

Where can I view Maps in Sonar?

Static and Geospatial Maps can both be viewed in the Maps Tab, located on the left hand menu of Sonar.

How can I differentiate Static Maps and Geospatial Maps?

Geospatial Maps can be identified by the Globe Icon. The User can hover over the icon to see the help text explaining its meaning.

• The Globe Icon indicates a Geospatial Map.
• Static Maps have no associated icons.

For example, the Map “HQ Geo” is a Geospatial Map and has a Globe icon to indicate that while the Map “HQ Static” is a Static Map and does not have a globe icon.

How can I create a Map?

• Select the “Map” option under the “+” icon in the upper right hand corner of Sonar.
• You can select the Map Name, Description, Keywords, and upload a Map image. 
• To create a Geospatial Beta Map, select the Geospatial slider. 
• A “Location” search bar will appear, allowing you to define the real-world location of the Map.
• You can also now define the Floor of your Map, which will be fully utilized in future releases.

How do I edit a Map?

To edit a Map, select the Pencil icon to the right of the Map Name. You will then have the option to:

• Create new Map Objects
• Edit or delete existing Map objects
• Update your Map Image size and positioning. 
• To finalize your changes, click the Save icon (where the Pencil Icon had previously been located).

How do I add Stationary Assets?

One of the exciting enhancements in Maps is the ability to add Stationary Assets. As implied by the name, Stationary Assets do not move when placed on the Map. This can be ideal for monitoring large, stationary equipment, or condition-sensitive areas, such as temperature-controlled rooms.

To add a Stationary Asset to a Beta Map:

• Open the Map in Edit mode.
• Select the “Anchor” icon from the Maps table. It will display all existing Stationary Assets.
• Select the “Create New” + button.
• Using the Asset Search Bar, select the Asset you would like to add to the Map as a Stationary Asset. 
• Use the location pin icon to place the Stationary Asset at its location on the Map.
• Click Save. The Stationary Asset will now display on the Map.

How do I update a Geospatial Map image?

When creating a Geospatial Map, you may find that the Map image size and positioning don’t precisely correspond to the real-world location. Thankfully, Sonar makes it easy to fine-tune your Map size and placement. 

Note: We highly recommend correctly rotating and sizing the Map’s overlay image before adding any Places, Gateways, or Stationary Assets. This will ensure you avoid a large amount of manual adjustments.

• To update the Map image, edit the Beta Map.
• Navigate to the “Map” icon on the far left of the Beta Maps table.
• From there, you can click on your Map Image to rotate, resize, or move it.
• Once your Map image properly corresponds with its real-world likeness, click the Save icon. 

How can I adjust Maps Layers? 

Maps allow you to customize the Map Layers you view. A Map Layer refers to a category of Map Objects – Gateways, Beacons etc. 

• The icons in the lower right hand corner of Sonar allow the User to toggle Map Objects on and off.
• To switch between Map View and Satellite View, the User can click the Satellite icon.
• The User can toggle Assets, Places, Gateways, and Stationary Assets on and off by clicking their associated icons.

• To hide these icons from the Map, click on the leftmost icon in the row.

• Additionally, you can adjust the opacity of the Map image using the slider in the bottom right corner of the screen.

How do I view Objects in  Maps?

To prevent visual overload and optimize performance, Users now have greater control over which Map Objects they view.

• By default, Places, Gateways, and Stationary Assets load all results.
• Assets must be manually loaded by the User. Assets can be loaded either by searching for an Asset using the Search bar, or applying an Asset Filter.
• If you click on a Map Object in the table, the Map will recenter around that object, making it easy to locate objects on the Map.
• To go to the “Details” page for your selected Map Object, you can click the icon to the right of the Object Name.
• Additionally, clicking the “Show More” icon – three horizontal ellipses – will open a menu of additional details for the Map Object.