A survey with map questions needs at least a basemap. On top of that, you can add your own layers, set where the map opens and edit the legend.
Add maps to your questionnaire
How you set up a map depends on the format you chose when you created the survey. In a Classic survey, you set it up on a map page. In a Scrollable survey, you add a Map element and set it up from the card. If you are not sure which format you have, see Create a new survey (Quick guide).
Classic
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Add a map page: click Add page and choose Map background.
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Choose a basemap
Open the Page settings above the page:
- Page background should say Map or GIS image.
- Under Basemaps, browse the map library and pick one to use as the background. You can select multiple and drag and drop them in the list to the order you want. Respondents can choose between them from the legend.
What types of maps can be used as basemaps?
The map library includes MapTiler maps (Streets, Satellite, Outdoor, Bright, Topo and Toner) and Mapbox maps (Satellite, Standard, Outdoor, Dark and Monochrome).
If you have your own basemap you'd like to use, such as a WMS/WMTS, Mapbox or Esri Vector Tile Service map, click New to add it or if it has already been uploaded, select it from the drop-down. The maps you bring to Maptionnaire are stored in Materials, so you can use them in any survey you create.
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Add map overlays (optional)
Overlays are your own data shown on top of the basemap, such as borders, routes or planned sites. Under Map overlays, click Add Layer or Image and choose from your Materials, or click New to upload a file, for example a shapefile or GeoJSON, or to create a layer from scratch.
You can also layer plan images on the map: georeference the image in Maptionnaire, or upload it as a GeoTIFF.
Open the three-dot menu next to a layer and choose Edit to:
- style the layer (you can also visualize features differently based on attributes)
- add labels and style them
- add pop-ups with information about different locations
Choose Hide by default in the same menu to hide a layer from the initial view. Respondents can still turn it on from the map.
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Select the unit for scale line.
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Set the starting view
The starting view is where the map opens for respondents. Always set it, otherwise the map may open too zoomed out to be useful. This happens often with AI drafts.
Move and zoom the map until it shows the area you want. Click the target icon above the page to open Default view and click Set. You can also type the Latitude, Longitude and Zoom level yourself. Use Go to to jump back to the saved view and Clear to remove it.
If the survey is about a large area (e.g. a city or state), consider adding zoom shortcuts to help respondents navigate.
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Edit the legend
The legend shows respondents what the layers on the map mean. To edit it, click Edit legend in the top right corner of the editor. In the survey, respondents see the legend in the same place. See Edit the map legend.
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Use the same map on other pages
Open the three-dot menu next to a basemap or layer in Page settings and choose Add to all pages. Use Remove from all pages to undo it.
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Preview
Click the eye icon above the page to preview it. Remember to also check what the survey looks like on a phone.
Repetitive map work? Ask Edit with AI (the sparkle icon, top right) to do it, for example: Add the layer @Planned playground sites to every map page. Type @ to pick maps and images from your Materials. Edit with AI is available while your survey is in draft.
Scrollable
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Add a Map element
Click Add element to open the Element Library, and add the Map element (under Content).
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Choose a basemap
Under Basemaps, browse the map library and pick one to use as the background. You can select multiple and drag and drop them in the list to the order you want. Respondents can choose between them from the legend.
What types of maps can be used as basemaps?
The map library includes MapTiler maps (Streets, Satellite, Outdoor, Bright, Topo and Toner) and Mapbox maps (Satellite, Standard, Outdoor, Dark and Monochrome).
If you have your own basemap you'd like to use, such as a WMS/WMTS, Mapbox or Esri Vector Tile Service map, click New to add it or if it has already been uploaded, select it from the drop-down. The maps you bring to Maptionnaire are stored in Materials, so you can use them in any survey you create.
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Add map overlays (optional)
Overlays are your own data shown on top of the basemap, such as borders, routes or planned sites.
Under Map overlays, select a map file or georeferenced image from your Materials, or click New to upload a file, for example a shapefile or GeoJSON, or to create a layer from scratch. You can also layer plan images on the map.
To edit a layer you add, click the three dots next to its name and choose Edit. E.g. add labels or add pop-ups with information about different locations.
Choose Hide by default in the same menu to hide a layer from the initial view. Respondents can still turn it on from the map.
To limit where respondents can mark on the map, see Limit where users can mark on a map (Masking layer).
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Set the starting view
The starting view is where the map opens for respondents when the card comes into view. Always set it, otherwise the map may open too zoomed out to be useful. Move and zoom on the map until you find the ideal starting view and click Set under Default zoom location.
If the survey is about a large area (for example a city or state), consider adding zoom shortcuts to help respondents navigate. To add a "Show the map" button, see Add a button to display the map.
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If you want, each card on the map can have a different map view.
You can set the map view and layers that should be visible with the specific card by clicking the map icon on its top right corner. For example of what this can look like, scroll through the first map in this demo survey.
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Edit the legend
The legend shows respondents what the layers on the map mean. To edit it, click Edit legend in the top right corner of the map. See Edit the map legend.
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Preview
Click Preview at the top of the editor, and scroll through the survey to check how the map changes from card to card. Remember to also check what the survey looks like on a phone.