World Map Picture – Image Overlays on Maps

You can now add image overlays on your maps with ZeeMaps – think of the possibilities of world map pictures! This can be helpful, e.g., if you want to display a detailed campus map. Or, perhaps you have another image you would like to see referenced in your map. Follow the instructions below to get started.

How to Add Image Overlays (World Map Pictures)

To add an image overlay, use the Additions -> Add Image Overlay menu item on your map.

world map picture - add image overlay

Once you click on the menu item, a dialog on the map will give you four steps to follow to add your image overlay.

First, drag-and-drop the image that you want to add to the map. The picture you place on your map can be of anything! In the image below, we placed a mandala as an example.

Next, for Step 2 you will need to adjust the size and position of the image. You can re-position the image manually by using the handles on the rectangular boundary on the image. For Step 3 you will select an opacity. The smaller in number the opacity, the more transparent your image becomes.

world map picture opacity

The final Step 4 is to simply click Save.

Using a GeoTiff or Georeferened Image

If your image is a GeoTiff image, ZeeMaps will determine the coordinates of your image automatically and correctly position the image or picture on your world map. For a good overview of the various formats for storing geographical information, please see The Ultimate List of GIS Formats and Geospatial File Extensions.

Otherwise, you will have to manually adjust the size and position of your image, as shown in Step 2 above. Please note, images must be less than 10MB. To learn more about GeoTiff images, check out this site: https://www.gislounge.com/what-is-a-geotiff/

After you have added your GeoTiff, try adjusting the opacity as shown above.

Delete Image Overlay

Should you want to delete an image overlay, it is straightforward to do. From your map, navigate to the Deletions tab in the top menu. Then, click Delete Image Overlays. A dialog will give instructions on what to do next to delete the image or picture from your world map.

You will select the image overlays you wish to remove. Then, a red box will appear around the image as shown below.

To remove, hit ‘Done.’ However, if you wish to abort, simply select ‘Cancel’.

Create Your Own World Map Picture

1: Create your map

2: Share on social

3: Tag ZeeMaps #ZeeMaps #WeMapYourLists


We cannot wait to see what you create!


Map Type Tool – Change Map Style

You can now change the Map Type Style in ZeeMaps. A map’s style defines the colors used for showing different features on the map. For example, we are all used to seeing forests shown in green, and land masses shown in some variant of light yellow or white. In addition, the style defines what labels to show on the map for cities, roads and highways. The labels, fonts and spacing are critical for giving a pleasing look to maps.

Defining a map style that is consistent and easy on the eye is a very difficult job. The British Cartographic Society defines cartography as ‘the art, science and technology of mapmaking. Cartographers over the centuries have developed rules to create beautiful maps. With the transition from paper to digital maps, the discipline has an even wider scope. So as new technology evolves, the discipline of cartography evolves alongside it.

Most users of Google Maps are familiar with the standard map style type shown below. With this new addition to ZeeMaps, the possibilities are limitless! Follow the steps below to change the look and feel of your map by changing its style to one of our offered options, or create your own unique style.

Standard Map Style in ZeeMaps

Select a New Map Style

To change your map style, use the menu item ‘Map’ and then the option ‘Style.’

Menu item to change the Map Style in ZeeMaps

The resulting styling dialog offers seven choices of styles that you can pick. The first of these is the Standard Google Maps style type. The next five are pre-defined styles by Google’s cartographers that provide consistent look and feel with different color schemes, label fonts, spacing, etc. Here’s a quick overview:

  • Silver provides a minimalistic white and grey style that has no additional colors. Use this style as a background to make your map points and highlighted areas more prominent.
  • Retro is a mix of muted earth tones. Moreover, map colors such as orange, red, and bright yellow would look especially well with this style. As the name retro signifies, this style was quite popular with paper maps.
  • Dark uses a mix of dark grey and black. Additionally, any bright color map point or highlight will pop against this background.
  • Night is a mix of blues and greens, with a beige font. Therefore, any bright greens, oranges or yellows will look great on this base map.
  • Aubergine is a beautiful shade of eggplant purple with a light blue font. Moreover, bright greens, yellows, oranges or pinks are a fantastic choice for map markers and highlights.

In case none of these work for your requirements, you can design your own using the ‘Custom’ option. Read on to find out how.

Create a Custom Map Type Style

Use the following steps to create your own map style using Google Styles.

First, click the ‘Custom’ selection from ‘Style your map.’ Then, text will appear as shown below. Second, click the Style Editor link.

Create a Custom map style

The Style Editor link will take you to the following page. Here is the direct link: https://mapstyle.withgoogle.com/

Then, make sure that you click on the link that says: ‘No thanks, take me to the old style wizard.’

From there you can choose from fewer to more roads, landmarks and labels. Additionally, you can select between the different map type styles, and then start customizing the option.

Additionally, you can choose the ‘More Options’ link at the bottom to choose from more customizations, as shown below.

Custom Map Type
Choose colors, fonts for labels, etc. for your custom map style

A range of options will appear and you can select from a variety of custom features. Once you have customized your map style type, you will need to click the ‘Finish’ button.

Then, a dialog will ask you to either copy the JSON style file, or use a link for a static map. Make sure you click on the ‘Copy JSON’ link. This will copy the style to your computer’s clipboard.

Copy the custom style in your clipboard to paste in ZeeMaps

Then, you will go back to your map, and paste the copied text into the prompt text box, shown in the custom dialog above.

Congratulations, you have now created your own map type style! We would love to see what you come up with. Please share your maps on social media and tag us using the hashtag #ZeeMaps – we can’t wait to see your creations!

Free maps are changing

When ZeeMaps started out in August of 2005, we wanted to keep things free of charge as much as possible. We’ve done pretty well with this, but the time has come where we have no choice but to make some changes. We have grown and there are thousands of maps being created each day. Whilst this is great news, it makes it impractical for us to keep offering a free service when we have to pay for the maps on a per-visit basis. That’s why we are changing the way in which our free maps can be viewed.

100 views on free maps

Therefore, as of 1st April 2018, ZeeMaps will limit the number of views on free maps to 100. (Free maps means maps that are not owned by an active paid plan). When you reach 100 views, your map will ‘freeze’ and it can only be unfrozen by upgrading to a paid subscription plan.

How to upgrade your account 

If you are currently on the Basic (free) plan and want uninterrupted service, please upgrade to a paid plan before April 1st. To upgrade your account, first click the ‘Sign-In’ link on the top right of the homepage and enter your login information. Next, click on your name/email in the top right-hand corner and select ‘Account’.

Free Maps Account Management
Free Maps Account Management

 
The tabs at the top of your account page allow you to manage and upgrade your subscriptions; manage users; and manage the cards you use to pay – among other things.
If you created a free map without registering, you’ll have to Sign-Up in order to upgrade your account. Select the ‘Sign-Up’ link on the top right of the homepage to get started, then follow the instructions from there.
Contact us if you have any questions or need any assistance – we’re always happy to help. And thanks for your patience and understanding.

Location Map: Change multiple markers at once

ZeeMaps allows you to add simple or detailed markers to a location map. You can do this individually, or in bulk by uploading a list of locations from a spreadsheet or table. One of our newest features allows you to change multiple markers at once, which makes editing multiple locations much quicker. And do you want to know the best bit? You don’t need a paid subscription to access this feature. That’s right – it’s free!

Select Markers on your Location Map

It’s simple to change multiple markers at the same time on your location map. Select ‘Bulk Edits’ then ‘Change Some Markers’ from your map menu. A dialog box will ask you to select a set of markers (including regions) by dragging your mouse over the map. This allows you to draw a box around your markers. You can reposition the box until you’re happy you’ve included all the markers you want.

Select a set of markers on your location Map
Select a set of markers on your location map

Change multiple markers on your location map

Once you have selected your markers, you can edit them all in one place. The dialog box allows you to change the marker color from the dropdown list. You can also choose to add a description, an email address, a phone number or a website to all the selected markers. If you don’t want any information included, just leave the dialogue boxes empty here. Make sure you hit ‘Submit’ to see the changes appear on your map.

Change some markers
Change some markers

Time is money

Not only  this feature mean you can keep your map entries consistent, it also allows users to work far more quickly and effectively. We’ve had some feedback that it’s really useful for people organising garage sales, yard sales or even estate sales. It saves people so much time. We hope you will find it useful too.

Traffic Map: Overlay Google Traffic on your maps

If you are a paid user, ZeeMaps allows you to create a traffic map with real-time overlay of Google traffic information. So This means you can access all the functionality you need in one place and makes plotting your or your team’s routes even easier.
(To get up to speed with using Google Maps on your computer, phone or tablet, read this useful support article).

Traffic Map Setting

To access this feature, go to ‘Map’ then ‘Settings’ in your map menu. Select ‘Map Display’ from the tabs on the left-hand side of the page. Check the box that says ‘Overlay real-time traffic’ and save changes.

Overlay real-time traffic map settings
Overlay real-time traffic settings

Real-time traffic information

Your map will now show real-time traffic as a colored overlay. Green represents a normal speed of traffic, yellow represents slower than normal traffic, red indicates congestion, and dark red indicates stop and go traffic. You will also see construction works, accidents and road closures marked on the map. As you can see, central London is not moving very quickly…

Central London traffic map shows heavy traffic
Central London traffic map

Once you have checked the ‘Overlay real-time traffic’ box and saved changes, as above, you can easily switch the traffic information on and off by clicking on the car icon on the top right-hand side of your map.

Traffic Map: Toggle Switch
Traffic Map: Toggle Switch
Car icon
Car Icon

The easiest way to plot locations

A lot of companies use ZeeMaps to plot locations for their staff members on a daily basis – pizza delivery companies and glass repair companies are just two examples. And then our users requested this traffic map management add-on, so we added the feature. We really do listen to your comments and feedback! We want to ensure that ZeeMaps is as user-friendly as possible and has all the functionality users need.
Now, a pizza delivery company can mark locations for each driver and check the traffic along the way. They can find an alternative route to avoid heavy traffic, and give customers a realistic delivery time slot.