Frequently Asked Questions - How To Make A Map


This quick guide assumes you are a registered Green Mapmaker and are already at the Open Green Map section of the website.

1. Login on the upper right, using the same username and password as at GreenMap.org (or, simply login if you are a Team Leader)
2. On the top menu, hover over My OGM and click My maps’. Then click the Open Green Map you want to add to, then click ‘Add site’. (see below to Add a new map)
3. Enter information
4. Submit – before you click submit nothing will be saved!

A basic guide created by Rockland Green Map for all Mapmakers is available as a PDF document in the link at the bottom of this page.

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Open Green Map How-To.pdf51.21 KB

You can manage all your Open Green Maps in the ‘My OGM’ link located at the top of the screen.

Under roles on the Open Green Map platform, Mapmakers are called Team Leaders. When logged in, each map's map Team Member list is accessed from a tab over the map. Later, more team organization tools will be added here.

The Mapmaker can invite a Coordinator(s) or Team Members to help create and manage each OGM map. Both can add new sites that will appear instantly, with their username on the bottom of each site.

The Coordinator has additional permissions so they can help manage the project. Coordinators can edit any of the sites on the map, invite team members and make widgets.

If you seek help, on the Map form, enable requests under Building Your Map Team (access by clicking Edit above your map).

Only Registered Mapmakers (Team Leaders) can create a new Green Map. Log in and on the top right side of the screen under My OGM click ‘Create content’, then select ‘Green Map’. Fill in the information in the fields provided. You can edit and change this information later.

Remember: Click Submit to save your new Green Map!

First you need to search for the Open Green Map that you want to contribute. Click the Add a Site tab, located on top of every map. Then, fill out some basic information about the site (* = mandatory)...

Name of site *: Provide the name of your Green Site (sites can have the same name).

Primary Icon *: You have to pick an icon. This icon will be the one showing up on the map, so pick the one most true to your site.

Secondary Icon (Optional): The icon will show up inside the info-window, when someone clicks on the site icon. A maximum of 6 icons is allowed (with 6 icons it may look a little cluttered – it is up to you to judge).

Details *: The information entered here will show up in the second large info-window (shown when the user clicks on the plus sign in the first small info-window). You can put any text in here - description of the site, opening hours, etc. Remember that the first 100 words are the most important, so avoid lengthy descriptions, or break it up in paragraphs!

Maps: This is an important step to remember! If your Mapmaking team has more than one Green Map on the OGM, they will be listed here. Regardless of having one or more maps, you will need to check the box to which map the site should belong (or both or all, if applicable). You also need to decide whether this site should be public yet or not. If your Open Green Map is not yet public, you may as well check ‘Public’ and the site will only be public when the map goes public.

Private map: Check this box when your map is under construction or you don’t want the map to be public yet.

There are three ways of adding the location:

Option 1. Type in the street address, city, state, and/or country and when you submit the site it will automatically find the location for you (you should check this after you submit the site to make sure the site is in the right place).
Note: The address you type here will also show up in the information about the site, in the info-window (under the site name, above the tabs and details).

Option 2. Latitude and longitude. Usually you do not need to enter the latitude and longitude. Google will try and calculate these for you based on the address.

Option 3. Set the location using the Google Map. If there is no address for the site, or Google calculates the wrong location, you can use the map to set the location. Here is how: use either Map, Satellite, or Hybrid in the Map settings (upper right corner) and click in the general location of your Green Site (without zooming in) and the map will position the marker and zoom in one step. Then continue to click at the right location to get closer and closer and eventually in the correct spot (the platform will zoom in for every click you make and increase the map details). It is important to zoom in all the way in to make sure the green site will be in the right spot.

Save your Green Site and add it to your Green Map by clicking SUBMIT.

This text can be formatted with simple HTML code. Click the link provided: ‘More information for formatting options’. The simplest things are in bold, in italics, numbered or bulleted text.

Some Suggestions...
- If you want to keep your Green Site information formatted and typed the same way, be sure to note how you did it for the first site. Then it is simple to follow your style for each site you list (see more below under ‘Details’).

- It will look nice if you keep the format consistent for all sites of a certain icon. For example, all detail fields for farmer’s markets have Location, When, Season and contact information listed.

- To minimize aggravations of lost data, you can collect your Green Site information in another format (text document, database, table, etc.).

- What is important is to enter at least the required data and then save by clicking Submit on the bottom of the page.

This is very important because the opening view of your map should be set up so viewers can find the site. Set the map to what view you want others to see when they visit your Green Site. Choose between Map, Satellite, Hybrid, or Terrain views. Also be sure to zoom in and center your site so it can be can easily recognized by viewers.

Note: You can try something and submit changes to see how it looks and if, after viewing it, you want to make changes, you can edit it!

Advanced Details: Optional but very useful. The information you enter here (for web address, email, and telephone) will show up under the site name in the second info-window, above the tabs and details.

Web Address – http:// etc.

E-mail – Make sure you enter a valid email address and that it is appropriate to share this online. An info[at]sitename[dot]org is generally better than personal.name[at]site[dot]org.

Telephone – Same thing here, a general switchboard number is better than a personal one if possible. If a personal number is the only choice, make sure you check with the person. They may get a lot of calls.

If you want, you may check any of these boxes: Children welcome, Accessible, Appointment needed, Accessible by public transport (this information will show on the bottom left of the expanded info-window, with icons to represent each feature: Directions, which will show up under the Connections tab, and Free Entry or Entry costs)

Videos and photos: Images and links to videos will really make your site information more exciting. No image or video data is stored on the OGM; the photos and videos are embedded into the OGM from other websites.

For information on how to add pictures or videos to your site click this link in the FAQ.

The link (to your Green Map profile on GreenMap.org) you want to put in here, is the link that any user would see in the browser if they went to the GreenMap.org website and clicked on your ‘leaf’ on the map showing all the world’s Green Maps. You can, for example, add your own website URL in the subtitle field.

Choose which Green Map® Icons can be used on this Green Map. These are the icons that will only appear on your map and its legend. You can always go back and add more or take out the ones you did not use. The fewer icons you use, the fewer will be listed in the legend.

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