Advanced map functionality
Map comparison mode
Using the "Compare Raster Layers" button in the toolbar, you can compare two different layers (or one layer at different times) on the the map. When you click the button, another button will appear below it, indicating which is the currently active half of the map. You can press this button to switch between the left and right part of the map being active, and the active part map will briefly flash to indicate the current selection. Any changes in layer of timestamp choice at this point will only apply to the active half of the map. You can also move the map splitter horizontally by dragging it with your mouse.
Visually confirming land change over time
This provides a convenient way to compare specific parameters of your land at different times.
Visually check for correlation in the data
Additionally, being able to view two different layers at adjacent (or different) points in time, allows for visual inspection of any apparent correlation between two different indicators.
Performace impact
The Map Comparison Mode feature loads twice as much data compared to when it is turned off. Additionally, dragging the comparison handle may be glitchy on older or less capable hardware. However, it should perform well on a newer-generation standard office computer.
Map legend autoscaling
Our map legends are carefully tuned to provide the best possible visual differentiation while covering the entire distribution of the underlying data. However, when viewing data at a local level, you will occasionaly find scenes where the default legends provide insufficient contrast for the map to be insightful. In these cases, you can coerce the map legends to automatically rescale to the local data distribution (defined by the current extent of the map).
Performace impact
The Auto Scale feature consumes significantly more resources, in terms of network, memory and processing, which may cause panning and zooming on the map to be less smooth. If you find the map difficult to use and do not need this feature, consider turning it off. Disabling Auto Scale will reduce bandwidth usage and utilize a dedicated memory cache, resulting in smoother zooming and panning animations.