Add XY points to a map in Surfer

Updated

Adding point data to a map is almost obligatory. Point data can be used to identify points of interest, survey locations, and more. In Surfer, XY points are displayed in post layers, classed post layers, or base layers. The best layer type depends on the data you have (e.g. if you have a DAT, CSV, TXT or Excel file, or no file) and your display needs.

Topics covered in this article

Add points as a post map

Add points as a classed post map

Add points as a base from data map

Add points without a data file

Add points as a post map

Post maps are the simplest method for displaying XY point data from a worksheet in Surfer. A single symbol is used to display each point and the locations of each point are fixed based on the XY coordinates in the selected data file.

example_post_map.png

How to create a post map (step-by-step)

To create a new map:

  1. Click File | Open or click Home | New Map | Post.
  2. Select the data file and click Open.
  3. In the Properties window, ensure the correct columns are assigned in the X coordinates and Y coordinates fields.

 

To add a post layer to your current map:

  1. Select your map and click Home | Add to Map | Layer | Post.
  2. Select your data file and click Open.
  3. If your XY coordinates are not in columns A and B:
    1. Click No in the Surfer warning dialog.
    2. Click the Post layer in the Contents window to select it.
    3. On the General tab of the Properties window, click in the X coordinates field and select the correct data column.
    4. Click No in the Surfer Warning dialog.
    5. Click in the Y coordinates field and select the correct data column.

Add points as a classed post map

Classed post maps have all the same features of a post map plus one major addition; they allow you to classify your points based on a third column of numeric data. For example, you could assign different colors based on the safety level of contaminant concentrations.

example_classed_post_map.png

How to create a classed post map (step-by-step)

To create a new map:

  1. Click Home | New Map | Post | Classed Post.
  2. Select your data file and click Open.
  3. In the Properties window, ensure the correct columns are assigned in the X coordinates, Y coordinates and Z coordinates fields.
  4. Click Edit Classes in the Classes tab in the Properties window to define your classes and the symbol properties for each class.
  5. Click Map Tools | Add to Map | Legend to add a legend illustrating each class

 

To add a classed post layer to your current map:

  1. Select your map and click Home | Add to Map | Layer | Classed Post.
  2. Select your data file and click Open.
  3. If your XY coordinates are not in columns A and B:
    1. Click No in the Surfer warning dialog.
    2. Click the Post layer in the Contents window to select it.
    3. On the General tab of the Properties window, click in the X coordinates field and select the correct data column.
    4. Click No in the Surfer Warning dialog.
    5. Click in the Y coordinates field and select the correct data column.
  4. Click Edit Classes in the Classes tab in the Properties window to define your classes and the symbol properties for each class.
  5. Click Map Tools | Add to Map | Legend to add a legend illustrating each class

Add points as a base from data map

Base maps are the most flexible layer type for displaying XY point data because the XY point locations can be edited directly in the map and the symbol for each point can be set individually. Base layers also support classification based on both text and numeric data.

Base layers are not recommended if you are working with a very large data file (10k points or more) because they require more processing power to draw than post layers.

example_base_data_map.png

How to create a base map from data (step-by-step)

To create a new map:

  1. Click Home | New Map | Base | Base from Data.
  2. Select your data file and click Open.
  3. In the Base from XY Data dialog, adjust the Data Rows and Data Columns as needed and click OK.
  4. On the General tab in the Properties window adjust the Symbol properties as desired or click Edit Symbology to define your classes and the symbol properties for each class.
  5. Click Map Tools | Add to Map | Legend to add a legend illustrating each class.

 

To add a base layer to your current map:

  1. Select your map and click Home | Add to Map | Layer | Base from data.
  2. Select your data file and click Open.
  3. In the Base from XY Data dialog, adjust the Data Rows and Data Columns as needed and click OK.
  4. On the General tab in the Properties window adjust the Symbol properties as desired or click Edit Symbology to define your classes and the symbol properties for each class.
  5. Click Map Tools | Add to Map | Legend to add a legend illustrating each class.

Add points without a data file

If you do not already have your points defined in a worksheet but you can identify where they should be based on context in another map layer such as an image, you can draw them in a base layer.

How to draw points in an empty base layer (step-by-step)
  1. Select your current map and click Home | Add to Map| Layer | Empty Base.
  2. Click the new Base(vector) layer in the Contents window to select it.
  3. Click Home | Insert | Point
  4. Click on each location in the map where a point should be drawn.
  5. If desired, adjust the position of a drawn point by selecting the point in the Contents window and adjusting the X and Y values in the Coordinates tab of the Properties window. Alternatively, each point can be clicked and dragged after exiting drawing mode.
  6. Press ESC to stop drawing.
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Comments

2 comments
Date Votes
  • Avatar
    Andrew Sayce

    How is this done in scripter ?

    0
  • Avatar
    Jennifer Woodson
    (Edited )

    @Sayce,

    You can add a post layer to a map using the AddPostLayer method. You can read more in the help: AddPostLayer. You may also want to review the sample script that comes with Surfer, PostMap.bas. By default, this script is located at C:\Program Files\Golden Software\Surfer 13\Samples\Scripts\PostMap.bas.

    Thanks,

    Jennifer

    0

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