Filtering features
A filter limits which features of a layer are drawn on a map. For example, on a tree inventory you might show only trees with a trunk diameter over 10 cm, or only the species you care about. The underlying layer is untouched: filtering changes what the map shows, not the data itself.
Open a map, click Layers in the sidebar, click the gear icon on a layer, and open the Filter tab.
There are two kinds of filter on this tab:
- A map filter, saved on the map for everyone who opens it. Editors set this.
- A view filter, applied just for you in your current session. Anyone can use it, including read-only viewers.
Building a filter
A filter is made of conditions. Each condition picks a field, an operator, and a value, for example Diameter is greater than 10. Add a condition, then choose:
- The field to test.
- An operator. The available operators depend on the field type (see below).
- A value (or values) to compare against. Text fields suggest existing values as you type; dropdown and multi-select fields show a checklist of their options.
Combining conditions
- Conditions in the same group are joined with AND - a feature must match all of them.
- Click + Add OR group to start another group. A feature is shown if it matches any group. Use this for "either/or" logic, for example (species is Oak) OR (diameter is greater than 50).
As you edit, a live count shows "Showing N of M features" so you can see the effect before saving.
Operators by field type
| Field type | Operators |
|---|---|
| Text / Memo | equals, does not equal, contains, starts with, is one of, is empty, is not empty |
| Integer / Decimal | equals, does not equal, is less than, is at most, is greater than, is at least, is between, is one of, is empty, is not empty |
| Date | is on, is not on, is before, is after, is between, is empty, is not empty |
| Dropdown | equals, does not equal, is one of, is empty, is not empty |
| Multi-select | has any of, has all of, has none of, is empty, is not empty |
Multi-select fields use set operators because a feature can hold several values at once:
- has any of - the feature has at least one of the selected values.
- has all of - the feature has every selected value.
- has none of - the feature has none of the selected values.
A condition on a feature with no value for that field counts as not matching (except is empty, which matches it).
The map filter
The map filter is saved on the map and applies for everyone who opens it. The same feature layer can be filtered differently on different maps. Editors build it in the top section of the Filter tab; it saves when you click Save in the layer editor.
When a layer has a saved map filter, the Layers panel shows a short summary of it under the layer name with a funnel icon.
A map filter is a display filter, not access control
By default a map filter only changes what is drawn. It does not stop anyone from reaching the hidden features through other routes (the data download, the data API, or developer tools in the browser). Treat it as a way to focus a map, not as a way to hide sensitive data.
If a group of people must not see certain features at all, put those features in a separate layer and control access with group access. That is the real security boundary.
Enforce for public viewers
When a layer has a map filter, editors see an Enforce for public viewers checkbox. Turn it on to make the filter a genuine access boundary for public share links:
- Public viewers load only the features that match the filter - on the map, in any downloads, and through the data API.
- Signed-in members of your organization still see the whole layer.
This is the only filter setting that limits data access, and it applies to public links only. Clearing the map filter also clears enforcement.
Your view filter
The view filter at the bottom of the Filter tab is yours alone. It changes only what you see right now and is never saved or shared. It stacks on top of the map filter: you see features that match both.
Use it to explore - narrow to one species, then to one date range - without changing the map for anyone else. Click Clear to remove it, or leave the map to discard it automatically.
Broken filters
If a field used in a filter is later deleted from the layer's schema, the condition can no longer be evaluated and is treated as not matching. The layer row flags this with a "Filter needs attention" notice. Open the Filter tab and remove or repoint the affected condition to fix it.