Configure Dynamic Tables

This is the third of a series of activities relating to field map reporting configuration.

Warning: This topic is intended for Studio Mapper system administrators. You should not attempt any of the following procedures unless you are confident to do so, and are familiar with the concepts described.

You can, if you want, add a data table that will be used to show summary map data on your output report. This table will automatically update to show the properties of the map selected for the PDF report.

When a new map is created, a "Properties.dm" file is generated in the corresponding database map folder. This occurs every time a map is created in Studio Mapper.

You can also add a similar table to display channel sample data to your plot template.

To add this tabular data (for any map) to your output PDF report, you need to store a file in your current database's Templates folder that matches the format of the channel samples being used. The following activity prepares your database with the relevant template files. These will be referenced in a later activity to add a table plot item to a plot template.

Warning: updating the system configuration file will affect all Studio Mapper projects with which it is associated. Changes should only be made if you are familiar with the XML format, and changes should be tested in an appropriate environment before rolling out to a live system.

To prepare a Map Properties dynamic table:

  1. Load or create a Studio Mapper project with at least one map.

  2. Enable the Map Properties panel.

  3. Check that the properties displayed are expected. If not, ask your system implementer to adjust the system configuration file so that the expected attributes are displayed.

  4. Use your operating system's file browser to navigate to your connected database's top-level folder.

  5. Navigate your database's folder structure (mine, area, map) until you see the top level map folder. This will contain, amongst other folders and files, a file called "properties.dm". Leave this window open.

  6. Open another file browser, but this time navigate to your database folder's Templates folder, e.g., C:\Database\MyLocalDatabase\Templates.

  7. Copy the "properties.dm" folder into your Templates folder.

  8. Rename your Templates folder copy of the file to "map_properties.dm". The new name, including case-sensitivity, is important.

An example "map_properties.dm" file is also installed with your application. You can locate it here (assuming a standard installation path was selected):

C:\Program Files\Datamine\StudioMapper\Templates

To prepare a Channel Samples Properties dynamic table:

  1. Load or create a Studio Mapper project with at least one map containing channel samples.

  2. Enable the Channel Samples panel.

  3. Check the channel samples table properties displayed are expected. If not, ask your system implementer to adjust the system configuration file so that the expected attributes are displayed.

  4. Use your operating system's file browser to navigate to your connected database's top-level folder.

  5. Navigate your database's folder structure (mine, area, map, channel samples) until you see the contents of the target map's channel samples folder. This will contain, amongst other folders and files, a file called "channelsamples.dm". Leave this window open.

  6. Open another file browser, but this time navigate to your database folder's Templates folder, e.g., C:\Database\MyLocalDatabase\Templates.

  7. Copy the "channelsamples.dm" folder into your Templates folder.

  8. Rename your Templates folder copy of the file to "map_channelsamples.dm". The new name, including case-sensitivity, is important.

An example "map_channelsamples.dm" file is installed with your application. You can locate it here (assuming a standard installation path was selected):

C:\Program Files\Datamine\StudioMapper\Templates

Next, see Configure Reference Objects.