Drawing New Annotations

You can draw annotations to indicate features on an image or the map. There are several annotation tools you can choose from, including rectangles, polygons, polylines, text, grids, and symbols. You can also magnify areas of an image or the basemap.

You can also import annotations using a KML file import. For more information about importing annotations, see .

Opening the Map Annotations Tool

Annotations can be associated with a specific image or drawn anywhere on the map.

  • Do one of the following, depending whether or not you want to associate the annotation with an image.

    If you want to associate an annotation with an image, select the image you want to annotate from the Imagery panel. Annotations associated with imagery are always tied to that specific image.

    1. Select Imagery. The Imagery panel opens.

    2. From the Imagery Catalog drop-down, select an imagery catalog.

    3. On the image you want to annotate, select the Image Menu menu, three vertical dots, then select Annotate Image.

      The Map Annotations tool opens on the right side of the viewport.

      The Map Annotations tool, opened from the Imagery panel.

    If you do not want to associate an annotation with a specific image, you can create annotations anywhere on the map.

    1. Select Map Annotations.

      The Map Annotations tool opens on the right side of the viewport.

      The Map Annotations tool, opened when creating new annotations directly on the map.

    2. To add a new annotation, select , then select Start Annotating.

Creating an Annotation

After the Map Annotations tool opens, you can draw one or more annotations on your image.

  1. From the Tool drop-down, select the annotation tool you want to use. The cursor changes to an arrow with a trailing blue dot pointer with blue dot to indicate that the drawing tool is active.

    • Rectangle

    • Polygon

    • Polyline

    • Text

    • Grid

    • Magnify

    • Basic Symbol

    • Military Symbol

  2. Use the tool to draw an annotation.

    A rectangle annotation.

    1. On the map, select a starting point, then drag to draw a rectangle.

    2. When the rectangle covers your desired area, single-click to complete it.

    A polygon annotation.

    1. On the map, select a starting point, then select at least two additional vertices.

    2. To close the polygon, do one of the following:

      • Manually Close the Polygon Manually connect your last vertex to the starting point, closing the polygon. When your cursor is close to the starting point, MGP Pro will snap the cursor to the starting point so there are no gaps in the polygon.

      • Automatically Close the Polygon Double-click anywhere on the map to automatically draw a straight line to the starting point, closing the polygon.

    A polyline annotation.

    1. On the map, select a starting point, then select at least one additional vertex.

    2. To complete the polyline, double-click anywhere on the map.

    A text annotation.

    1. On the map, select the location where you want to add text. The text annotation dialog opens.

    2. In the dialog, enter your annotation text in the field.

    3. Select Save.

    A grid annotation.

    1. On the map, select a starting point, then drag to draw a rectangle.

    2. When the rectangle covers your desired area, single-click to complete it. A 10x10, alphanumerically numbered grid displays over your selected area.

    The grid annotation tool creates an alphanumeric grid over a small area. This is different from the Military Grid Reference System (MGRS) grid, which overlays a standardized coordinate grid over the entire map.

    For more information on the MGRS grid, see Toggling the Military Grid Reference System (MGRS) Grid Zones.

    Use a magnify annotation to add a "pop-out" magnification that zooms in on a specific area. Magnifications can be added directly to the map or to an image.

    A magnify annotation. This magnify annotation is associated with an image.

    1. On the map, select a starting point, then drag to draw a rectangle.

    2. When the rectangle covers your desired area, single-click to complete it.

      The magnify annotation displays, attached to the magnification rectangle. Drag the annotation to move it, then single-click to place it.

      When drawing or editing magnify annotations, the rectangle around the magnified area (not the magnification itself), cannot be moved or edited. Delete the annotation and draw it again.

      You can reposition the magnification; select it, then click and drag to move it.

      Magnified areas cannot be exceed 0.75 sq km.

      When drawing a magnification annotation, the current size of the magnified area displays in the center of the rectangle. The rectangle turns red if it exceeds the allowable size.

    Magnify annotations display different default base layers if they are drawn directly on the map or if they are associated with an image. This is because magnify annotations drawn directly on the map do not have imagery tied to them, so they can only magnify the basemap.

    In the screenshot below, both magnify annotations show the Maxar headquarters. However, the annotation on the left (outlined in teal) was added directly to the map and magnifies the basemap. The annotation on the right (outlined in purple) is associated with—and magnifies—the image in the viewport.

    To edit an annotation's base layer, select its properties. See Editing Annotations.

    The magnify annotation on the left (teal) was added directly to the map. The magnify annotation on the right (purple) is associated with an image.

    Use a basic symbol—a circle, diamond, square, or triangle—to indicate areas on an image or the map.

    Basic symbol annotations. In this example, all the symbols are squares.

    • In the viewport, select the location where you want to place a symbol. The symbol displays.

  3. (Optional) Draw additional annotations if desired. All annotations attached to the image form an annotation group. All of the annotations in the group display in the Map Annotations tool.

    There are currently three annotations in this group.

  4. Select Save. The annotations group closes automatically.

  5. The Map Annotations tool remains open so you can see all available annotation groups and make additional changes if necessary.

    To close the Map Annotations tool, select Map Annotations .

    In this example, there are two annotation groups available. Each group is associated with a different image or location on the map.

You can edit or delete individual annotations in an annotation group. See Editing Annotations and Removing Annotations.

Adding new Annotations to an Existing Annotation Group

If you have already created an annotation group, you can add new annotations to it at any time.

  1. Select Map Annotations . The Map Annotations tool opens and displays all available annotation groups.

  2. Select the annotation group that you want to add new annotations to. The annotation group opens.

  3. Use the annotation tools to add annotations to the group. See Creating an Annotation.

  4. Select Save. The annotations group closes automatically.

  5. To close the Map Annotations tool, select Map Annotations .

More About Drawing Annotations

  • Annotations can be associated with an image or drawn anywhere on the map.

    When you select an annotation group that is associated with an image, the Imagery panel locks and the image displays in the Imagery panel.

    If multiple annotation groups are available, the image displayed in the Imagery panel changes when you select different annotation groups.

  • When you select an annotation group, the viewport zooms to the extent of the annotations in the group.