MetaLocator Categories are the primary way to separate, filter, and organize data. A single record can belong to multiple categories. To view existing categories in the MetaLocator Control Panel, navigate to Data > Categories.
For more information on managing categories in multiple languages, see Managing Multiple Languages.
Uses of Categories
Categories can be used to:
Present a list of checkboxes on the search form to filter by category
Display categories in the results.
Filter the data in the interface to a specific category
Prioritize one group of records over another
Control the map marker icon of certain records
Display a legend of map marker icons
Creating and Editing Categories
To create a new category, click New in the toolbar.
To edit an existing category, click its name.
Both actions open the Category Editor, which uses a tabbed layout.
Basic Information
Name: Label for the category. Users will see this text. Supports multiple languages.
Color: Color class for the category, matching the Interface Builder Style & Color settings.
Icon: Icon representing the category.
Category Options
Ordering: Numeric order of the category; affects icon priority when a record belongs to multiple categories.
Group Name: Assign multiple categories to the same group to display them as collections on the search form.
Marker URL: Image used for map markers.
Prioritize In Search Results: Promotes records in this category above others in search results.
Show in Legend: Option to hide the category in the map legend.
Show in Front-end Location Form: Option to hide the category from the public data entry form.
Importing Categories
Categories can be imported in two formats:
Individual Categories: Enter categories as a comma-separated list in the header row, e.g.:
Category 1, Category 2, Category 3
Each value will be created as a separate category.
Category Groups: Enter multiple categories under a single header as a semi-colon delimited list to create a group, e.g.:
Products: Product A; Product B; Product C
This will assign all listed products to the Products category group in the interface.
For more guidance on importing data, see Introduction to Importing Data.