Database Icons

Several types of Icons can be displayed:

• Icons are JPEG, PNG, BMP, or GIF files stored in the x:\MapData\Icons directory. This directory should have only your "favorite" icons.   When used with a database file and the Plot from DB field option or the KML export, the icons can also be in the same directory as the database.
• For KML,  use GIF or PNG icons.
• Icons can be transparent.

Icons can be displayed:

• Plotting Options, either from a field in the database, or one icon for all plotted records.  This limits your options for export to KML.

Icons can be added to the database, which provides the greatest flexibility for KML export:

• Add icons with the "Edit, Add Icons" menu choice on the database table display window to put icons into a database.  This will insure that the "ICON" field is present, and then add a selected icon name to all the records.  You can filter the database, and use this option to add a variety of symbols.
• Double click on field name and pick "Fill field", and type in the name of the icon.

If you have True Type fonts with Icons, you can use the Military icon generator to turn symbols into an Icon graphic.  You can also plot Proportional symbols/Icons:  (True Type fonts)  symbols directly.

To get an icon, edit an image in Paint.  Cut out just the part you want. Use Stretch option, on Image menu, to make a smaller version of the image.  The icons should be moderate in size. Save as a GIF and a PNG. You should not see the white background around the icon.  You can adjust icon transparency.

	You can create multiple icons, with the field names all starting with ICN_, and select the one to use when you pick display options or do a deliberate KML export.
	Icons in the database, and used as the KML export symbology.

Icon sources:

• You do not want SVG graphics, unless you do a screen capture
• Download bitmap image to c:\mapdata\icons
• http://grasswiki.osgeo.org/wiki/IconSymbols (individual icons)
• http://osm-icons.org/wiki/Icons (do a screen capture/snip to capture bitmaps instead of SVG files)
• https://www.nps.gov/hfc/carto/map-symbols.cfm  (do a snip or screen capture in the PDF)

Last revision 1/8/2017