Feature Classes in EarthRanger organize geographic elements such as points, lines, and polygons into structured groups based on real-world entities, like roads, rivers, or park boundaries. Grouping similar features (e.g., all roads or all water sources) under Feature Classes allows for precise control over their visual display, including adjustments to icons, colors, opacity, and line widths. This configuration ensures a clear distinction between map elements and enhances visualization and readability in the Map Window.

Feature Classes are especially helpful when you want to standardize how certain features appear on the map using icons, fill colors, line widths, and opacity settings. This enhances map readability, ensures operational clarity, and supports rapid field interpretation.

💡 Note: Unlike Feature Groups (used for internal logic like analyzers), Feature Classes directly control what users see under Map Layers in the EarthRanger interface.

To configure how specific feature icons appear, follow these steps:

1. Log into EarthRanger Admin
   Go to: https://<yourorganization>.pamdas.org/admin
2. Navigate to Feature Classes
   Go to Home > Map Layers > Feature Classes
3. Select a Feature Class
   Click the name of the Feature Class you want to configure (e.g., "Rivers", "Poaching Zones").
4. Customize Presentation Settings
   Under the Presentation section of the selected Feature Class, adjust the appearance of the features by geometry type:

For Polygons (e.g., Zones, Lakes)

• Fill Color: Sets the interior color of the polygon. Specify the color using a hex code. Example: {"fill": "#f4d442"}. Find hex color codes here.
• Stroke Color: Defines the boundary color of the polygon or line. Enter the hex code for the desired color. Example: {"stroke": "#000000"}.
• Opacity: Controls the transparency of the fill and stroke. Values range from 0 (completely transparent) to 1 (fully opaque). Example: {"fill-opacity": 0.2, "stroke-opacity": 0.7}. 

For Lines (e.g., Roads, Rivers)

• Use stroke and stroke-opacity as above.

For points, the following settings are customizable:

• Image: Specifies the URL of the custom icon to be used. Example: {"image": "/static/ranger_post_black.svg"}.
• Size: Set the size of the icon in pixels. Example: {"width": 20 and “height”: 20}. 

      5. Once you're done making changes, click Save to apply your customizations. 

This allows you to control the appearance of each feature on the map and ensures that users can easily interpret the information about your physical locality. 

Ensure that all geospatial features are correctly imported into the EarthRanger system before attempting to configure a Feature Class. You must have appropriate permissions in the EarthRanger Admin portal.

Currently Available feature icons on EarthRanger: 

Next in this series: Configure Feature Groups for Analyzer Logic in EarthRanger Admin