Overlay Layers

Overlay Layers


Overlay Layers combines two or more layers into one layer. You can think of overlay as peering through a stack of maps and creating a single map containing all the information found in the stack. Overlay is more than a merging of line work; all the attributes of the features in the overlay are included in the final product. Overlay is used to answer one of the most basic questions of geography: What is on top of what?

The following are examples:

If Use current map extent is checked, only the features in the input and overlay layers that are visible within the current map extent will be overlaid. If it is not checked, all features in both the input layer and the overlay layer will be overlaid, even if they are outside the current map extent.

Choose input layer


The point, line, or area layer that will be overlaid.

In addition to choosing a layer from your map, you can select Choose Analysis Layer found at the bottom of the drop-down list. This option opens a gallery where you can browse to and select datasets from various sources to use in your analysis.

Choose overlay layer


The layer to be overlaid on the input layer.

Можна не тільки обирати шар на карті, а й обрати Вибрати шар аналізу внизу розкривного списку для огляду ваших ресурсів, які містяться у наборі даних спільного файлового сховища великих даних або у векторному шарі. Ви можете додатково застосувати фільтр на вашому вхідному шарі або застосувати вибір на розміщених на хості шарах, доданих до вашої карти. Фільтри та вибори застосовуються тільки для аналізу.

Choose overlay method


Specifies the overlay method that will combine the input layer and the overlay layer .

  • Intersect—Only those features or portions of features in the overlay layer that overlap with features in the input layer will be combined.
  • Erase—Features or portions of features in the overlay layer that do not overlap with the areas in the input layer will be combined.
  • Union—All features from both layers will be combined, creating a geometric union of the input layer and overlay layer. All features and their attributes will be written to the layer.
  • Identity—Features or portions of features in the input layer and overlay layer will be combined. Features or portions of features that overlap in both the input layer and overlay layer will be written to the output layer.
  • Symmetrical Difference—Features or portions of features of the input layer and the overlay layer that do not overlap will be combined.

Result layer name


The name of the layer that will be created in My Content and added to the map. It will have the same feature type (areas, lines, or points) as the input and overlay layers. The default name is based on the overlay method and the input layer name. If the layer already exists, you will be prompted to provide another name.

Using the Save result in drop-down box, you can specify the name of a folder in My Content where the result will be saved.