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08b: Mapping and visualisation

:::info Summary automatically generated on 11/25/2025 using the gpt-oss:120b model from the servers of Onyxia (INSEE) based on the complete document of the chapter. :::

📄 Ch 8b : Map & Visualization

1️⃣ Spatio‑temporal Map tab

Step Action 1 Click [Explorer]. 2 Run a search or use a [Saved Filter] to retrieve the records you want to map. 3 Select a record (any record that contains the required fields). 4 Click [Map].

Result: The interface splits into two synchronized panels – a map (top) and a timeline (bottom).

1.1 Prerequisites for a spatio‑temporal view

    At least one spatial field (coordinates, GeoJSON, etc.). At least one temporal field (date, date‑range, etc.).

    If one of these is missing the map/timeline will stay empty.

    1.2 Map panel

    Tool Description Legend • Result sets – show/hide points belonging to the current result set.
    • Map Documents – (see Publish section).
    • Base map – choose background (e.g., OpenStreetMap). Zoom/Dezoom Standard zoom controls (🔍). [full screen] Expand the map to full‑screen mode. Help Opens the contextual help window. [Bookmark] Add a temporary point you can later retrieve. [Search] Geocode a place name (searches OSM index). [Print] Print the current map view. [Publish map] Generates an iframe snippet to embed the map on another page, optionally with controls (legend, bookmark, geocoder, selector, print).
    • You can also export the map as KML for Google Earth. Clusterisation Points are automatically clustered; clusters recompute on zoom/dezoom.

    1.3 Publishing a map (iframe)

    Setting What it does Include – current query The iframe displays the map built from the query you just ran. Include – opened map documents (still under documentation – shows any additional map layers you have opened). Controls Choose which UI elements appear inside the iframe (legend, bookmark, geocoder, selector, print). Visible in legends Choose which legend items are shown (basemap, result set, map documents). Other settings Use current basemap, Allow modify symbology, Show map, Show timeline, Marker clusters. Popup template You can pick a custom HTML template for the pop‑ups (create a new template in the Templates section of Heurist). Copy code Two formats are offered: embed (standard <iframe …> ) and web‑safe (escaped for direct insertion in CMSs). Export to KML Generates a KML file that can be opened in Google Earth.

    1.4 Timeline (chronological strip)

      Synchronized with the map: moving the timeline brush filters the points shown on the map. Tools (bottom bar)
        Zoom / De‑zoom – change the temporal resolution. Reset – return to the full time span. Downloading – export the timeline data (CSV) – see Export section for details. Left / Right navigation – step forward or backward in time. Timeline options – label display (full, truncated, fixed width, hidden), label placement (inside / above bar), bar stacking, bar wrapping, and a “Filter map with current timeline range” checkbox.

        2️⃣ Network tab

        Step Action 1 Click [Explorer]. 2 Run a search or use a [Saved Filter] to collect the records you want in the network. 3 Select a record that will be the entry point of the network. 4 Click [Map] (the same button as for the spatio‑temporal view; the Network view appears).

        2.1 What you need

          Linked records (relationship fields) or record types that are already defined as linked. A query that returns all records you want to appear in the graph.

          2.2 Main controls (header)

          Control Function Node Control • Select mode – click‑drag a single node or draw a selection rectangle (right‑click + drag).
          • Gravity – toggle node‑to‑node attraction; turn on to let the layout settle, then off for a static view. Link Control • Links – show/hide empty links and expanded links (links that open to show nested relationships).
          • Node Size Formula – choose linear or logarithmic scaling of node size.
          • Fixed – set a fixed link thickness. Graph Control • Refresh Data – re‑load the graph if new records were added.
          • Open/Close Fullscreen – toggle full‑screen mode.
          • View Mode – Icon view, Basic info box, Full info box with link view.
          • Set Zoom – manual zoom slider.
          • Export – download the graph as GEXF (Gephi format).

          2.3 Tips for a readable network

            Turn Gravity on, let the layout settle, then turn it off. If the graph still looks tangled, click Refresh Data under Graph Control. Use the Select mode to isolate a subset of nodes and move them manually.

            3️⃣ Cross‑tabular (Pivot) View

            Step Action 1 Click [Explorer]. 2 Run a search or use a [Saved Filter]. 3 Select a record (any type). 4 Click [Cross‑tables] (also called Tableaux croisés).

            3.1 Building the table

              Choose the record type you want to analyse (right‑hand panel). Pick Variable 1 (dropdown Var 1) – the first field to cross. Pick Variable 2 (dropdown Var 2) – the second field (optional). Optionally add a Variable 3 (click the “+” icon). Click “Update results”.

              If only one variable is chosen, you obtain a simple frequency table; with two variables you get a cross‑tabulation.

              3.2 Assign / edit intervals (value grouping)

                Click the pencil icon (✏️) to open the Assign intervals dialog. Add Interval – press [Add Interval], select the values to merge, click the right‑arrow, then give the new interval a name. Remove Interval – select an interval and click the left‑arrow (or the blue “←” button). Reset – press [🔄Reset] to revert to the original value list.

                All changes are reflected instantly in the table.

                3.3 Table options

                Option What it does [save] Store the current table configuration for later reuse. Show – Values Show raw counts. Show – Totals Show row/column totals. Show – Row % / Column % Show percentages per row or column. Aggregates Counts Switch between sum, average, etc. Hide / Show – null values, empty rows/columns Clean up the display.

                3.4 Export & visualisation

                  Export – click the Export button (top‑right) to download CSV or PDF. Chart (pie) – when only one variable is selected, a pie chart button becomes active; it displays the distribution of that variable.

                  🚨 Warning: At least one variable must be selected before any result (table or chart) appears.

                  📊 Quick‑reference of Heurist visualisation tabs

                  Need Map + Timeline Network Cross‑tabular (pivot) Geographic + temporal exploration ✅ Relationship graph ✅ Quantitative cross‑tabulation ✅ Quick export (CSV / PDF) ✅ (via Publish or Download timeline) ✅ (GEXF) ✅ Embedding in external site ✅ (iframe) ✅ (iframe) – Custom pop‑ups / symbology ✅ (Popup template) – –

                  🔖 Key take‑aways

                    Map + Timeline requires both a spatial and a temporal field; otherwise the view stays empty. Use the Publish button to generate an embeddable iframe; you can customise which controls appear and even export a KML for Google Earth. In the Network view, turning Gravity on, letting the layout settle, then turning it off yields the cleanest static graph. The Cross‑tabular view is ideal for quick quantitative overviews; remember to assign intervals when you need to group raw values. All export actions (CSV, PDF, GEXF, KML, iframe) are reachable from the respective tab’s header toolbar.
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