gvSIG-Desktop 1.10. User Manual

In gvSIG, this tool is used to quickly display available information when working with a view containing visible vector layers (including WFS layers, which are vector layers).

Quick Info is enabled if vector layers are visible in the current view.

Quick Info is disabled if no vector layers are visible in the current view.

With this tool you can select fields from vector layers visible in the current view. Information from these fields is displayed as you move the mouse cursor over the view. The tool works in combination with any other tools selected for the view.

You can access the Quick Info tool in two ways:

1. Via the menu: View → Query → Quick Info
2. Via the icon on the toolbar.

When the tool is selected a progress bar is displayed which shows the layers being loaded:

Progress bar for loading information

If there were no problems loading the information the Quick info field selection dialog is shown:

Dialog for the selection of fields

1. Drop-down list for selecting vector layers. Lists the layers in the order that they appear in the TOC of the active view. The following information is shown:

Level of the Layer in the TOC: displays icons and grouping nodes containing the layer. The last icon always represents the vector layer.

Name of the layer.

Type of geometry of the layer: five types of geometry layer are supported: point, line, polygon, multipoint, and multi (the latter may contain any of the above).

2. List of Fields. Contains three columns:
   • Selection box (checkbox): indicates whether or not to display the field information.
   • Field Type + Field Name: the field type is represented by an icon as shown in the following table:
     • The field type is simple.
     • The field type is complex.
   • Type of field: according to the SQL types.
3. Calculated fields. List of checkboxes to select which geometry fields to calculate. These vary depending on the geometry of the layer:
   • Point layer: point coordinates.
   • Line layer: length of the line.
   • Polygon layer: perimeter and area of ​​the polygon.
   • Multipoint layer: number of points.
   • Multi-geometry layer: any of the above; the information will vary according to the selection and the nature of the geometry.

The units of length and area are displayed using the measurement units of the View.

4. Selecting / de-selecting all the fields in the layer. Select or de-select all the fields in the layer.
5. Sort fields. Sort fields alphabetically in ascending or descending order, or according to the internal order of the layer (default).

After selecting the fields, click Ok to enable the tool in the current view. The Quick info tool works in combination with Quick info tools for other Views. Thus, when enabled, it combines with each active View to display information. The tool settings can be changed for each View and are linked to that View.

As the cursor is moved over the geometry of a layer, the information box showing the information is displayed and/or updated. This box disappears when the cursor no longer "points" to any geometry of the layer.

Example showing the display from the Quick info tool

If there is more than one geometry adjacent to the point indicated by the cursor then information is displayed about all of them, as distinguished by the unique internal identifier of the geometry.

Thus, the information is provided in the following order:

• Name of the layer.
• Information on the geometry (for each one):

• ID: unique identifier of the geometry in the data source layer (optional, only visible if you have information on more than one geometry).

• Selected fields: those fields selected to display layer information.

• Optional fields: those calculated fields selected from the geometries of the layer.

  It should be noted that currently gvSIG adds the area and perimeter of islands to the geometry containing them.