*Maps

Owned by Tom Polman
Last updated: Sept 21, 2022
6 min read

Configuration Article | CA-20220330-MH-02

VDG Sense | Setup | Layouts

Introduction

The map panel is a panel that can be added to your layout from the Layout manager. With the map panel, you can get an overview of your surveillance system by uploading a floor plan or map image and using camera icons to indicate camera position and direction. A map panel can contain multiple map images which can be linked to create a hierarchy, so you can change from a wide perspective to a detailed perspective. For example, from a large security site to individual rooms.

The icons placed on a map can be customized and configured to change color under certain events.

*Note: This Knowledge Base article describes the map panel featured in version 2.4.21.

Map panel overview

TKH Security Office – Top floor example

Name
The name of the icon. The name can be used in the Macro engine

Icon
The image of the selected icon

Idle color
The default color of the icon

Disconnected color
The color if the device has no connection to the server

Highlight color 1 / 2 / 3
Highlight colors that can be used in the macro engine

Opacity
The opacity of the icon

Angle
The rotation of the icon

Location / Device
The current device that is linked to this icon

Target icons
Target icons are icons that are linked to other maps in the same map panel. Placing and editing the target icons is similar to the device icon.

When selected, the following properties will be visible in the Layout Manager.

Name
The name of the target. The name can be used in the Macro engine

Target
The linked image that the target should redirect towards

Idle color
The default color of the target

Highlight color 1 / 2 / 3
Highlight colors that can be used in the macro engine

Opacity
The opacity of the target

Angle
The rotation of the target

Polygons
Polygons can be used to mark zones on the map. Like the device icons, they can change color based on macro signals and activate macros by clicking on them.

A polygon is mainly used to mark areas in the map and link them to other maps. However, the polygon can be used for various functions since they communicate with the macro engine when clicked upon. For example, a polygon can be used to visualize dome presets and activate a specific preset when clicked upon.

Visualizing 2 dome presets using polygons

To place a polygon, select the polygon icon in the toolbar and click anywhere in the map to place a square shaped polygon on the map. To place multiple polygons, double click the polygon icon in the toolbar. Press ‘Escape’  or click the ‘Arrow cursor’ in the toolbar

Placing a new polygon on the map

Move the polygon anchors to change the size and shape of the polygon. Double click anywhere on the polygon borders to add additional anchors for more complex shapes. Double click existing anchors to remove them. Note that a polygon cannot have less than 3 anchors.

A polygon with multiple anchors

When selected, the following properties will be visible in the Layout Manager.

 

Name
The name of the polygon. The name can be used in the Macro engine

Text
The text that will be visible on the map. This field is optional

Font

Choose font, size and color of text in polygon

 

Macro
Link a macro to the click action of the polygon

Idle color
The default color of the polygon

Highlight color 1 / 2 / 3
Highlight colors that can be used in the macro engine

Opacity
The opacity of the polygon

Macros that are added to the polygon automatically have a click signal configured.

Using the Map Panel – Live mode

In Live mode, the map panel can be used to quickly switch to devices which are placed on the map. This can be done by simply double-clicking the icon. Like in setup mode, the map can also be zoomed in using the mouse scrollwheel and panning the image by holding the right-mouse button and dragging it into the desired direction.

If a Target panel is present in the (multi)layout, the selected device will appear in the target panel. If not, the device will be opened in fullscreen.

Layout example utilizing the Target and Map panel

Using Highlight colors

 All icons and polygons on the map have 3 customizable “highlight” colors that can be used for status visualization. By using the macro engine, any signal can be linked to one of the three colors of a map icon. The map icon can simply change color, or blink for several seconds. This section will explain how to configure your viewer macro to interact with the map icons placed on your map.

We will use the following setup:

Scenario 1

A camera with motion detection has been installed in the storage room. When motion has been detected by the camera, the camera icon should change into Highlight Color #1 for one second. 

The following macro action should be configured:

  1. (Optional) Select the correct monitor on which the layout is displayed

Viewer -> Select monitor -> [Monitor number]

  1. Switch to the layout with the map panel

Viewer -> Switch Layout -> [Your Map Layout]

  1. Select the map panel on the layout

Viewer -> Select Panel -> [Map panel]

  1. Select the map image in the map panel

Viewer -> Select Map image -> [Map image]

  1. Select the camera icon on the map image

Viewer -> Select Map item -> [Map item]

  1. Change the color of the icon to Highlight color 1

Viewer -> Map item change color -> HighlightColor1

  1. Hold further macro actions for set amount of time

Viewer -> Wait -> [time in seconds]

  1. Return the icon color to the default color.

Viewer -> Map item change color -> IdleColor

Scenario 2

The storage room has been outfitted with an intrusion detection alarm. If the alarm is triggered, the Storage polygon should blink red (Highlight color 3) indefinitely. The user can disable the blinking by clicking on the polygon.

The following macro action should be configured:

  1. Switch to the layout with the map panel

Viewer -> Switch Layout -> [Your Map Layout]

  1. Select the map panel on the layout

Viewer -> Select Panel -> [Map panel]

  1. Select the map image in the map panel

Viewer -> Select Map image -> [Map image]

  1. Select the polygon on the map image

Viewer -> Select Map item -> [Map item]

  1. Change the color of the icon to Highlight color 3

Viewer -> Map item blink -> HighlightColor3

If no “Viewer -> Map item blink duration -> [seconds]” has been set, the polygon or icon will blink indefinitely. A second macro needs to created to return to the idle color. In this scenario, we stated that this should be done by clicking on the polygon. In setup mode, select the polygon and click on the “Manage macro” button in the Layout manager.

Configure the following macro actions: 

  1. Select the polygon on the map image

Viewer -> Select Map item -> [Map item]

  1. Change the polygon to the IdleColor

Viewer -> Map item change color-> IdleColor

Note how in this case, you do not need to configure initial selectors to select the map item.

Using Counter panel value

If a counter panel is visible in the layout, this value can also be displayed in a polygon as text. This has to be configured in a Macro with the following structure:

Signals:

  1. Select the counter panel: Counter → [counter panel] (without value)

Actions:

  1. Switch to the layout with the map panel : Viewer -> Switch Layout -> [Your Map Layout]

  2. Select the map panel on the layout: Viewer -> Select Panel -> [Map panel]

  3. Select the map image in the map panel: Viewer -> Select Map image -> [Map image]

  4. Select the polygon on the map image: Viewer -> Select Map item -> [Map item]

  5. Set text of the polygon: Viewer -> Set text -> %EventExtraValue%