opensearch-docs-cn/_dashboards/visualize/maps.md

---
layout: default
title: Using maps
nav_order: 15
parent: Visualization types
grand_parent: Visualize
redirect_from:
  - /dashboards/maps/
---

# Maps

With OpenSearch Dashboards, you can create maps to visualize your geographical data. OpenSearch lets you construct map visualizations with multiple layers, combining data across different indexes. You can build each layer from a different index pattern. Additionally, you can configure maps to show specific data at different zoom levels. OpenSearch maps are powered by the OpenSearch maps service, which uses vector tiles to render maps. 

## Getting started

To get started, perform the following steps:

1. On the top menu bar, go to **OpenSearch Plugins > Maps**.
1. Select the **Create map** button. You can now see the default OpenSearch basemap.
1. To examine the **Default map** layer configuration, in the **Layers** panel on the upper left of the map, select **Default map**, as shown in the following image.

<img src="{{site.url}}{{site.baseurl}}/images/maps/maps-default.png" alt="Default map" width="900">

To hide the **Layers** panel, select the collapse (arrow) icon in the panel's upper-right corner.
{: .tip}

## Layer settings

To change the default map settings, select **Default map** in the **Layers** panel. Under **Layer settings**, you can change the layer name and description and configure zoom levels and opacity for your layer:

- **Zoom levels**: By default, a layer is visible at all zoom levels. If you want to make a layer visible only for a certain range of zoom levels, you can specify the zoom levels either by entering them in the text boxes or by sliding the range slider to the desired values.

- **Opacity**: If your map contains multiple layers, one layer can obscure another one. In this case, you may want to reduce the opacity of the top layer so you can see both layers at the same time.

## Adding layers

To add a layer to the map, in the **Layers** panel, select the **Add layer** button. The **Add layer** dialog is shown in the following image.

<img src="{{site.url}}{{site.baseurl}}/images/maps/add-layer.png" alt="Add layer" width="450">

You can add **base layers** or **data layers** to the map:

- A **base layer** serves as a basemap. To use your own or a third-party map as a base layer, [add it as a **Custom map**](#adding-a-custom-map).

- **Data layers** let you visualize data from various data sources. 

## Adding a custom map

OpenSearch supports Web Map Service (WMS) or Tile Map Service (TMS) custom maps. To add a TMS custom map, perform the following steps:

1. In the **Layers** panel, select the **Add layer** button.
1. From the **Add layer** dialog, select **Base layer > Custom map**.
    Follow the next steps in the **New layer** dialog, which is shown in the following image.

    <img src="{{site.url}}{{site.baseurl}}/images/maps/custom-map.png" alt="Add custom map">

1. In the **Custom type** dropdown list, select **Tile Map Service (TMS)**. 
1. Enter the TMS URL.
1. (Optional) In **TMS attribution**, enter a TMS attribution for the basemap. For example, if you're using a custom basemap, enter the custom map name. This name will be displayed in the lower-right corner of the map.
1. Select the **Settings** tab to edit the layer settings.
1. Enter the layer name in **Name**.
1. (Optional) Enter the layer description in **Description**.
1. (Optional) Select the zoom levels and opacity for this layer.
1. Select the **Update** button.

## Adding a document layer

Adding document layers lets you visualize your data. You can add one index pattern per document layer. To view multiple index patterns, create multiple layers.

Document layers can display geopoint and geoshape document fields.
{: .note}

The following example assumes that you have the `opensearch_dashboards_sample_data_flights` dataset installed. If you don't have this dataset installed, perform the following steps:

1. On the top left, select the home icon.
1. Select **Add sample data**.
1. In the **Sample flight data** panel, select the **Add data** button.

Add a document layer as follows:

1. In the **Layers** panel, select the **Add layer** button.
1. From the **Add layer** dialog, select **Data layer > Documents**.
1. In **Data source**, select `opensearch_dashboards_sample_data_flights`. Alternatively, you can enter another index pattern to visualize.
1. In **Geospatial field**, select a geospatial field (geopoint or geoshape) to be displayed in the visualization. In this example, select `DestLocation`.
1. (Optional) Select the **Style** tab to change the fill color, border color, border thickness, or marker size.
1. Select the **Settings** tab to edit layer settings.
1. Enter `Flight destination` in **Name**.
1. Select the **Update** button.
1. To see more data, in the upper-right corner select the calendar icon dropdown list, then under **Quick select**, choose **Last 15 days** and select the **Apply** button. 

You should see the flight destination data, as in the following image.

<img src="{{site.url}}{{site.baseurl}}/images/maps/new-layer.png" alt="Flight destination map">

## Filtering data

To show a subset of the data in the index, filter the data. The following example filters the flight destination data to display only United States destinations:

1. In the **Layers** panel, select **Flight destination**.
1. Select **Filters**.
1. Select **Add filter**.
1. In **Edit filter**, select **DestCountry** in **Field**.
1. In **Operator**, select **is**.
1. In **Value**, select **US**.
1. Select the **Save** button.
1. Select the **Update** button.

For large datasets, you may want to avoid loading data for the whole map. To load data only for the part of the map that is currently visible, select the **Only request data around map extent** checkbox.
{: .tip}

## Using tooltips to visualize additional data

Document layers show geopoint and geoshape document fields as locations on the map. To add more information to the locations, you can use tooltips. For example, you may want to to show flight delay, destination weather, and destination country information in the **Flight destination** layer. Perform the following steps to configure tooltips to show additional data:

1. In the **Layers** panel, select **Flight destination**.
1. Select **Tooltips**. 
1. Select the **Show tooltips** checkbox.
1. In the **Tooltip fields** dropdown list, select the fields that you'd like to display. In this example, select `FlightDelay`, `DestWeather`, and `DestCountry`.
1. Select the **Update** button.

To view tooltips, hover over the geographical point you're interested in. One tooltip can display many data points. For example, in the **Flight destination** layer there are multiple flights for a single destination city. To paginate over the flights, select the city you're interested in and use the arrows in the tooltip, as shown in the following image.

<img src="{{site.url}}{{site.baseurl}}/images/maps/tooltip.png" alt="Flight destination tooltip" width="450">

If a point on the map contains data from multiple layers, one tooltip can display data from multiple layers. To see all layers, select **All layers**. To choose a particular layer, select the layer name in the tooltip layer selection panel, as shown in the following image.

<img src="{{site.url}}{{site.baseurl}}/images/maps/layer-selection-panel.png" alt="Tooltip with a layer selection panel" width="450">

## Reordering, hiding, and deleting layers

The **Layers** panel lets you reorder, hide, and delete layers:

- Layers on a map are stacked on top of each other. To reorder layers, use the handlebar (two horizontal lines) icon next to the layer name to drag the layer to the desired position. 

- If you'd like to hide a layer, select the show/hide (eye) icon next to the layer name. Toggle the show/hide icon to show the layer again.

- To delete a layer, select the delete (trash can) icon next to the layer name.

## Refreshing data for a real-time dataset

If you want to visualize a real-time dataset, after adding layers to the map, perform the following steps to set the refresh interval:

1. Select the calendar icon in the upper-right corner.
1. Under **Refresh every**, select or enter the refresh interval (for example, 1 second).
1. Select the **Start** button.

<img src="{{site.url}}{{site.baseurl}}/images/maps/refresh.png" alt="Refreshing a map" width="450">

## Saving a map

To save a map with all the layers that you set up, perform the following steps:

1. Select the **Save** button in the upper-right corner.
1. In the **Save map** dialog, enter the map name in the **Title** text box.
1. (Optional) In the **Description** text box, enter the map description.
1. Select the **Save** button.

To open your saved map, select **Maps** in the upper-left corner. The list of saved maps is displayed.