Overview
The Styles Editor is a dedicated application for creating and editing visual styles used in maps. It is intended for broadcast designers and advanced users who define how maps look — not for those who compose individual maps. Styles created here are consumed by the Map Editor and governed by the Styles Manager. The Styles Editor focuses on definition, not distribution.
Note: The individual assets you create in the Styles Editor — locator styles, map themes, color palettes, typefaces, safe titles, hillshade settings, and project defaults — are referred to as style arts. In the Styles Manager, one or more style arts are bundled into a named Map Style, which is the unit assigned to projects.
Accessing the Styles Editor
Navigate to the Styles Editor via the main navigation bar. Administrator or designer-level permissions are required. The Styles Editor opens in a dedicated workspace separate from the Map Editor.
Locator Styles tool
Overview
The Locator Styles tool in the Styles Editor allows designers to create fully customized locator styles that define the complete visual appearance of locators used in the Map Editor. Each locator style is built from five independently configurable sections — Text Label, Target Marker, Backplate, Callout Pointer, and Shadow — all of which can be enabled, disabled, and fine-tuned independently.
Each locator style is created and managed as a standalone art. Use the toolbar at the top of the editor to create, rename, duplicate, and delete locator styles.
Managing Locator Styles
The toolbar at the top of the Locator Style editor provides the following management actions:
| Property | Description |
|---|---|
| + (Create New) | Create a new blank locator style. |
| Edit (pencil) | Rename the locator style. |
| Duplicate | Create a copy of the current style as a starting point for a variant. |
| Delete | Permanently remove the current locator style. |
Text Label
The Text Label section controls the appearance of the text displayed alongside the locator marker on the map canvas.
| Property | Description |
| Placeholder Text | Default label text shown in the locator before the operator enters a value in the Map Editor. |
| Font Family | The typeface applied to the label text. Options are limited to fonts uploaded via the Typefaces tool. |
| Font Size | Size of the label text in points. Entered as a numeric value. |
| Text Color | Fill color of the label text. Defaults to white (#FFFFFF). |
| Enable/Disable Stroke Effect | Toggle to add an outline stroke around the text characters. Improves legibility over complex or high-detail map backgrounds. |
| Stroke Color | Color of the text outline stroke. Defaults to black (#000000). |
| Stroke Width | Thickness of the text stroke on a scale of 0–5. Default is 1. |
Target Marker
The Target Marker is the primary visual symbol placed at the precise geographic location on the map. It can be enabled or disabled independently using the section toggle in the top-right corner of the panel.
| Property | Description |
| Shape Type | The geometric shape of the marker. Available default options include Circle, Triangle, Square, Star, Circle Outline and Cross. |
| Placement | How the marker is positioned relative to the callout (e.g. 'Over Callout' places the marker on top of the callout pointer for a layered appearance). |
| Fill Color | The interior color of the marker shape. |
| Opacity | Transparency of the marker on a scale of 0–100. Default is 100 (fully opaque). |
| Size | Diameter of the marker shape, ranging from 8 to 32. Default is 16. |
| Enable/Disable Border | Toggle to add a visible border outline around the marker shape. |
| Border Color | Color of the marker border outline. |
| Border Style | Line style of the border (Solid, Dashed, Dotted). |
| Border Width | Thickness of the marker border on a scale of 0–10. Default is 1. |
Backplate
The Backplate is the background panel that sits behind the text label, giving the locator visual presence and ensuring legibility against complex map content. It can be enabled or disabled via the section toggle.
| Property | Description |
| Backplate Color | Fill color of the background panel. |
| Corner Radius | Rounds the corners of the backplate panel. Range 0–20; default 5. |
| Opacity | Transparency of the backplate on a scale of 0–100. Default is 100. |
| Horizontal Padding | Space between the label text and the left/right edges of the backplate. Range 4–50; default 30. |
| Vertical Padding | Space between the label text and the top/bottom edges of the backplate. Range 4–30; default 10. |
| Enable/Disable Border | Toggle to add a border outline around the backplate panel. |
| Border Color | Color of the backplate border. |
| Border Style | Line style of the border (Solid, Dashed, Dotted). |
| Border Width | Thickness of the backplate border on a scale of 0–10. Default is 1. |
Callout Pointer
The Callout Pointer is the visual connector — typically a triangular point — that links the backplate label to the target marker on the map, making clear which location the locator refers to. It can be enabled or disabled via the section toggle.
| Property | Description |
| Pointer Color | Fill color of the callout pointer shape. |
| Width | Horizontal width of the pointer. Range 16–48; default 24. |
| Opacity | Transparency of the pointer on a scale of 0–100. Default is 100. |
| Offset Y | Vertical offset of the pointer relative to the backplate. Range 0–50; default 15. Adjusting this value moves the pointer up or down to align with the target marker at different sizes. |
| Enable/Disable Border | Toggle to add a border outline around the pointer shape. |
| Border Color | Color of the pointer border. |
| Border Style | Line style of the border (Solid, Dashed, Dotted). |
| Border Width | Thickness of the pointer border on a scale of 0–10. Default is 1. |
Shadow
The Shadow section adds a drop shadow behind the entire locator composite — backplate, callout pointer, and target marker — providing depth and visual separation from the map background. The shadow is disabled by default and must be toggled on to take effect.
| Property | Description |
| Shadow Color | The color of the drop shadow. |
| Blur | The softness of the shadow edge. Range 0–6; default 2. Higher values produce a softer, more diffuse shadow; lower values produce a sharper, harder edge. |
| Opacity | Transparency of the shadow on a scale of 0–100. Default is 50. A value below 100 allows the map to show through the shadow for a more natural result. |
| Offset X | Horizontal displacement of the shadow relative to the locator composite. Range –10 to +10; default 0. Positive values move the shadow right; negative values move it left. |
| Offset Y | Vertical displacement of the shadow relative to the locator composite. Range –10 to +10; default 2. Positive values drop the shadow downward, simulating light from above. |
Note: Shadow is a finishing effect and should be one of the last properties configured. Review the locator against both dark and light map themes before finalising shadow values, as the effect behaves very differently across theme types.
Typefaces tool
The Typefaces tool provides a centralized way to upload, manage, and maintain custom fonts used in map graphics. This allows organizations to enforce typography standards across all maps. Uploaded fonts can be deleted from the Typefaces list; there is no rename or duplicate action for typefaces.
To upload a typeface:
- Click Typefaces in the Styles Editor toolbar.
- Click + Upload Font.
- Select the font file (supported formats: OTF, TTF, WOFF, WOFF2).
- Enter the font family name and variant (Regular, Bold, Italic, etc.).
- Click Upload. The font is now available in locator style and label configurations.
Map Themes Editor
The Theme Editor is the tool within the Styles Editor where designers define the visual appearance of the base map itself. It controls how every geographic layer is rendered — land, water, roads, labels, buildings, and more — through a structured set of color, line, and label properties.
Themes created here are bundled into Map Styles via the Styles Manager and appear as selectable themes in the Map Editor. Multiple themes (example: Dark News, Clean Light, Election Night) can be created and managed independently in this tool.
Each theme is created and managed as a standalone art. Use the toolbar at the top of the editor to create, rename, duplicate, and delete themes.
Managing Themes
The toolbar at the top of the Theme Editor provides the following management actions:
| Property | Description |
|---|---|
| Theme name | The name of the currently active theme (e.g. 'Default'). Select from the dropdown to switch between available themes. |
| + (New) | Create a new blank theme. |
| Duplicate | Create a copy of the currently active theme. Use this to quickly create variants (example: a dark and a light version of the same theme). |
| Edit (pencil) | Rename the theme style. |
| Delete | Permanently remove the theme. |
Layer Categories
The Theme Editor organizes all map layers into 19 named categories, with 113 individual layers available for styling. Each category groups related geographic features together — for example, all road-related layers sit within the Roads category, tunnel-road layers within Roads – Tunnels, and bridge-road layers within Roads – Bridges.
Two categories are currently work in progress and not yet available for styling: Boundaries (available in Map Editor) and 3D Buildings. These will be unlocked in a future releases.
Click a category header to expand it and reveal its individual layers. Each layer can be expanded further to access its specific style properties.
Note: All 113 layers are available to style. Layers that are not explicitly styled inherit values from the base map data defaults. You only need to configure layers whose appearance you want to override.
| Category | Contains |
| Earth | Base land fill and outline — the fundamental background layer beneath all other map content. |
| Land Cover | Surface classification fills – (example: grassland, glacier, farmland) |
| Land Use | Human-defined land use areas — residential, commercial, industrial, agricultural zones. |
| Parks | Park fills, nature reserve areas, recreational green space, and protected land boundaries. |
| Water | Oceans, seas, lakes, rivers, reservoirs, and other water body fills and outlines. |
| Buildings | Building footprint fill layers for urban context at high zoom levels. |
| Satellite Imagery | Raster satellite imagery layer used as a base for the Satellite view type. |
| Boundaries ⚠ WIP | National, regional, and administrative boundary line layers. Work in progress — available for styling in Map Editor |
| Aeroway Runway | Airport runway and taxiway area fills and outlines. |
| Roads | All road network layers organized by road class (motorway, primary, secondary, local streets, paths). |
| Ferries | Ferry route line layers showing maritime passenger connections between ports. |
| Railways | Rail network line layers including mainline, metro, light rail, and tram routes. |
| Roads – Tunnels | Road layers rendered within tunnel sections, including casing and line gap width controls for visual differentiation. |
| Roads – Bridges | Road layers rendered on bridge sections, with casing and styling distinct from standard road layers. |
| Labels – Water | Text labels for named water bodies — oceans, seas, lakes, rivers, and bays. |
| Labels – Roads | Text labels and symbols for road names, including motorway shields and street name signs. |
| Labels – Places | Text labels for populated places — countries, cities, towns, villages, and neighborhoods. |
| Labels – Points of Interest | Text labels and symbols for points of interest — airports, landmarks, amenities, and facilities. |
| 3D Buildings ⚠ WIP | 3D extruded building layers using height data for urban perspective views. Work in progress — not yet available for styling. |
Zoom-based Values
Every property in the Theme Editor — whether a color, a line width, or an opacity — supports zoom-based interpolation. This means a property can have different values at different zoom levels, with the map smoothly transitioning between them as the operator zooms in or out.
Zoom levels range from (fully zoomed out — global view) to (fully zoomed in — street level).
- Single zoom level: Enter one value at zoom 0. That value is applied uniformly at all zoom levels.
- Multiple zoom levels: Add zoom stops using the + Add Zoom Level button. Values interpolate smoothly between defined stops as the operator zooms in or out.
Example: Set a color to #1E40AF at zoom 0, #3B82F6 at zoom 12, and #93C5FD at zoom 24. As the map is zoomed in, the color transitions gradually through all three values.
Tip: Use zoom-based color transitions on water and land layers to create a more dynamic, cinematic feel. A deeper blue at zoom 0 transitioning to a softer teal at zoom 12 gives the map depth as operators zoom into story locations.
Fill properties
Fill properties control the solid interior appearance of polygon layers — areas of land, water, parks, buildings, and any other closed geographic shape. They are the most common property type in the Theme Editor and appear on all area-based layers.
Each fill layer can be toggled on or off during the styling. When disabled, the layer is hidden temporarily from the preview.
| Property | Description |
| Fill Color | The solid fill color of the polygon area. Supports zoom-based transitions. Enter a hex value or use the color picker. |
| Fill Opacity | The transparency of the fill color on a scale of 0–1. A value of 1 is fully opaque; 0 is fully transparent. Supports zoom-based transitions. Useful for layering semi-transparent fills over base data. |
| Fill Outline Color | The color of the polygon's outer edge line. Drawn at 1px width and cannot be thickened — use a Line layer for heavier borders. Supports zoom-based transitions. |
| + Add Zoom Level | Button present on each property. Click to add a new zoom stop, enabling the property value to change at that specific zoom level. |
Note: Fill Outline Color renders at 1 pixel regardless of zoom. If a heavier or styled border is needed around a region, a corresponding Line layer should be used alongside the Fill layer.
Line properties
Line properties control the appearance of linear geographic features — roads, borders, rivers, railway lines, tunnels, bridges, and any other path or stroke-based layer. Each line layer can be enabled or disabled via its toggle.
Line layers have a broader set of properties than fill layers, reflecting the complexity of rendering roads and paths at different zoom levels and in different geographic contexts (e.g. tunnels vs. bridges vs. open road).
| Property | Description |
| Line Color | The color of the line stroke. Supports zoom-based transitions. |
| Line Opacity | The transparency of the line on a scale of 0–1. Supports zoom-based transitions. Useful for de-emphasizing secondary road layers at lower zoom levels. |
| Line Width | The pixel width of the line stroke. Supports zoom-based transitions. Typically increases at higher zoom levels to maintain visual weight as the map scales. |
| Line Gap Width | The width of a gap drawn at the center of the line, creating a casing effect (an outline with a hollow center). Used on tunnel and bridge layers to distinguish them visually from open roads. Supports zoom-based transitions. Example: gap of 0 at zoom 14, widening to 7 at zoom 20. |
| + Add Zoom Level | Button present on each property. Click to add a new zoom stop for that property. |
Tip: Line Gap Width is the key property for distinguishing tunnel and bridge road layers from standard roads. Setting a gap on the tunnel casing layer while keeping the main road layer solid creates a visual depth effect that immediately communicates infrastructure type to broadcast audiences.
Label / Symbol properties
Label and symbol layers control how text and icons are rendered on the map — road names, place names, country labels, motorway shields, and other geographic identifiers.
| Property | Description |
| Text Color | The fill color of the label text characters. Supports zoom-based transitions. Default is typically black (#000000) for legibility against light map themes. |
| Text Opacity | The transparency of the label text on a scale of 0–1. Supports zoom-based transitions. Fading labels at low zoom levels reduces clutter on wide-view maps. |
| Text Halo Color | The color of the halo (glow) drawn around each text character. Halos improve legibility by creating contrast between the label and the map background. Default is typically white (#ffffff). Supports zoom-based transitions. |
| Text Halo Width | The width of the halo in pixels. A value of 0 disables the halo. Increasing this value increases the contrast and readability of labels, particularly on complex or dark map backgrounds. |
| Text Font | The typeface applied to the label. Select from fonts available in the project's Typefaces library. Supports zoom-based font switching — different fonts can be applied at different zoom levels. Default: Noto Sans Regular. |
| + Add Zoom Level | Button present on each property. Click to add a new zoom stop for that property. |
Note: Text Font selection is limited to typefaces that have been uploaded to the project via the Typefaces tool in the Styles Editor. If a required font is not listed, ask your administrator to upload it before proceeding with theme design.
Tip: For broadcast maps, set Text Halo Width to at least 1–2 pixels on all label layers. This ensures label legibility regardless of whether the map is using a light or dark theme, and prevents labels from disappearing against matching-color map areas.
Recommended Design Workflow
When creating a new theme, the following order is recommended to build efficiently and avoid redundant rework:
- Start with Earth and Water — these two categories define the overall color palette of the map. Get this right before touching anything else.
- Set Borders and Boundaries — national and regional borders establish the geographic structure that all other layers are built around.
- Configure Roads — work from highest road class (motorway) to lowest (local streets). Use zoom-based line widths to ensure roads remain readable at all zoom levels.
- Add Labels — configure place name and road label layers last, once the background colors are finalized. This ensures text contrast can be properly evaluated.
- Review against safe title overlays — before saving, toggle on the safe title overlay in the Map Editor preview to verify that labels do not fall within restricted broadcast zones.
- Test against both flat and Globe view — ensure the theme renders correctly in both projection modes.
- Save and assign via Styles Manager — once satisfied, save the theme, then use the Styles Manager to include it in a Map Style for distribution.
Safe Titles tool
The Safe Titles tool allows users to upload, manage, and preview safe title overlay images. Safe titles are overlays that show broadcast-safe areas — typically action-safe and title-safe zones. Safe titles can be renamed, downloaded, and deleted from the toolbar; there is no duplicate action for safe titles.
To upload a safe title:
- Click Safe Titles in the Styles Editor toolbar.
- Click + Upload Safe Title.
- Select a PNG file (transparent background required).
- Click Upload. The safe title is now available in the Map Editor overlay controls.
Note: Safe title files can be up to 10 MB. Use the highest resolution safe title available for your broadcast format to ensure accurate placement verification.
Color Palette tool
The Color Palette tool allows users to create, edit, and organize custom color sets that appear in the color picker throughout AXIS Maps. Organizations can have multiple palettes for different shows, events, or branding needs.
Creating a color palette
- In the Styles Editor, click Color Palettes in the left toolbar.
- Click + New Palette.
- Enter a name for the palette (e.g. 'Election Night 2026', 'Breaking News').
- Click + Add Color to add colors to the palette.
- Enter hex values or use the color picker to define each color.
- Arrange colors in logical order (e.g. primary, secondary, accent).
- Click Save.
Note: Palette changes affect all maps that reference the palette. Review usage before modifying existing palettes.
Hillshade Settings tool
The Hillshade Settings tool defines how terrain relief is shaded on the map, controlling the direction, height, and intensity of the simulated light source used to render hills, valleys, and mountainous terrain. A hillshade art is applied in the Map Editor alongside elevation data to give maps a more realistic, three-dimensional sense of landscape.
Each hillshade is created and managed as a standalone art. Use the toolbar at the top of the editor to create, rename, duplicate, and delete hillshade settings.
Managing Hillshade settings
| Property | Description |
|---|---|
| + (Create New) | Create a new hillshade art. |
| Edit (pencil) | Rename the hillshade art. |
| Duplicate | Create a copy of the current hillshade as a starting point for a variant. |
| Delete | Permanently remove the hillshade art. |
Hillshade properties
The Hillshade Settings panel can be enabled or disabled using the section toggle in the top-right corner. When enabled, the following properties control the appearance of the terrain shading:
| Property | Description |
|---|---|
| Shading intensity | The strength of the shading effect on a scale of 0–1. Higher values produce deeper, more pronounced relief; lower values give a subtler effect. Default is 0.30. |
| Light direction | The compass direction of the simulated light source, in degrees (0–360°). Determines which slopes are lit and which fall into shadow. Default is 180°. |
| Light height | The elevation angle of the light source above the horizon, in degrees (0–90°). Lower angles produce longer, more dramatic shadows; higher angles flatten the relief. Default is 30°. |
| Hillshade method | The algorithm used to calculate the shading. Options are Standard, Basic, Combined, and Igor. Each method renders terrain relief with a slightly different character. |
| Dark side color | The color applied to slopes facing away from the light source (in shadow). Defaults to black. |
| Light side color | The color applied to slopes facing toward the light source (illuminated). Defaults to white. |
Tip: Adjust Light direction and Light height together to match the mood of a story — a low light height with a side light direction produces dramatic, cinematic terrain, while a higher light height keeps relief legible without heavy shadows.
Project Defaults
Project Defaults is a configuration art within the Styles Editor that defines the baseline behavior a project inherits — the camera positions a new map opens at, whether operators may use custom colors, and which boundaries are available to them in the Map Editor. Like the other arts, a Project Defaults set is created and managed independently, then bundled into a Map Style in the Styles Manager.
Each Project Defaults set is created and managed as a standalone art. Use the toolbar at the top of the editor to create, rename, duplicate, and delete Project Defaults.
Managing project defaults
| Property | Description |
|---|---|
| + (Create New) | Create a new Project Defaults art (e.g. 'Create New Project Defaults'). |
| Edit (pencil) | Rename the Project Defaults art. |
| Duplicate | Create a copy of the current Project Defaults as a starting point for a variant. |
| Delete | Permanently remove the Project Defaults art. |
Map Initial Position
Map Initial Position establishes the camera state a new map opens at. Use Set current map position to capture the current view, or enter the values directly. When a user creates a new map that inherits these defaults, the map opens at this position.
| Setting | Description |
|---|---|
| Set current map position | Captures the current map view (center, zoom, pitch, and bearing) and applies it as the default position. |
| Latitude / Longitude | The geographic coordinate the map centers on when opened. Can be entered directly or set with Set current map position. |
| Default center point | Search for a location to set the center point by name instead of by coordinate. |
| Zoom level default value | The initial zoom level, on a scale of 0 (global view) to 24 (street level). |
| Bearing default value | The initial rotation of the map, from −179° to 180°. A value of 0° places north at the top. |
| Pitch default value | The initial tilt of the map view, from 0° (flat, top-down) to 60° (tilted perspective). |
Map Editor settings
Map Editor settings control which editing capabilities are exposed to operators working on maps that inherit these defaults.
| Setting | Description |
|---|---|
| Allow custom colors | When enabled, Map Editor users have access to the full color picker. When disabled, users can only select from the preselected color palettes assigned to the project — the full color picker is hidden. Use this to enforce brand-compliant color use. |
| Default render resolution | Sets a default render resolution (HD, FHD, 2K, 4K, or none) so a project opens in the Maps app at the intended resolution automatically. Existing projects are unaffected and keep their current behavior. |
| Default road shield size | Range sliders set the default road shield icon and text size for the project. Existing projects keep their current icon size unless changed. |
Boundaries
The Boundaries setting lets administrators preselect which boundary sets are available to operators in the Map Editor. Only the boundaries chosen here appear in the Map Editor for maps that inherit these defaults, keeping the boundary options focused on what each project actually needs.
| Control | Description |
|---|---|
| Available boundaries | Select which boundary sets to make available — for example, All boundaries or an individual region such as World. The selected set expands to show its levels (e.g. World › Admin 1). |
| Visibility (eye) | Toggle whether an individual boundary level is shown to Map Editor users. |
| Delete (trash) | Remove a boundary level from the available set for this project. |
Note: Boundaries preselected here define what operators can choose from in the Map Editor. If an expected boundary is missing in the Map Editor, verify that it has been added to the available boundaries in the project's Project Defaults.
Configuring project defaults
Project Defaults are configured in the Styles Editor by a designer or administrator:
- Open the Styles Editor and select Project Defaults from the art sections.
- Create a new Project Defaults art, or open an existing one to edit.
- Set the Map Initial Position — either capture the current view or enter the coordinates, zoom, bearing, and pitch.
- Under Map Editor Settings, choose whether to Allow custom colors, and set the default render resolution and road shield size.
- Under Boundaries, select the boundary sets to make available to Map Editor users.
- Save the Project Defaults art. It can then be included in a Map Style and assigned via the Styles Manager.
Note: Project Defaults define the starting configuration new maps inherit. Existing maps retain their own saved states; changing a Project Defaults art does not alter maps that were already created.