Chart Browsing Overview

Chart browsing is an essential core technology in modern navigation. It provides users with navigation support, route planning, and object query services through the Electronic Chart Display and Information System (ECDIS). As a fundamental function of electronic navigation, chart browsing requires precise, efficient, and intuitive display effects.

The International Hydrographic Organization (IHO) established the S-52 standard. This standard specifies requirements for chart symbol design, color usage, and depth representation, enabling navigators to quickly and accurately obtain critical information. It ensures that electronic charts maintain the following characteristics across different systems:

  • Symbol consistency: Symbol meanings remain unchanged across all devices.
  • Depth safety: Different depth areas are clearly marked with colors and depth contours to ensure navigation safety.

SuperMap iDesktopX follows this standard, providing accurate and intuitive chart display effects through standardized point, line, area, and text styles. Additionally, SuperMap offers various property settings functions, allowing flexible adjustment of display styles to meet diverse application scenarios such as ship navigation, route planning, and object query.

SuperMap iDesktopX supports browsing chart data compliant with S-57, CJ-57, IENC standards and the S100 series standards.

This chapter covers the following content:

  • Chart Loading and Display: Explains how to load and display chart data imported into the workspace on the map.

  • Open Neighbor: Describes how to quickly identify, locate, and open adjacent chart sheets in the map window.

  • Show Settings: Explains how to configure chart display effects in nautical chart properties.

  • Depth Settings: Details how to set depth display effects in nautical chart properties, including colors, units, depth contours, and safe depth.

  • Filter Settings: Introduces how to control the visibility of different features on the map through nautical chart properties.

  • Element Settings: Guides how to manage the visibility and selectability of different chart features in nautical chart properties.

  • Data Filtering: Demonstrates three methods (by data scale, category, and feature) to control the visibility of chart data.

  • Land-Sea Integration: Presents integrated land-sea data storage, display, and publishing, with practical examples for overlaying marine and terrestrial data.