This section defines the default styles for the presentation of data within OS MasterMap. This specifies the colours, fonts, symbols and line styles used for visual display and printing of OS MasterMap. The styles are defined using Scalable Vector Graphics (SVG) syntax.

See W3C SVG Working Group for information on SVG. The Cartographic styling section provides the required information to apply the styles of this section to features.

Style principles

These definitions cover data supplied to customers as part of OS MasterMap by Ordnance Survey.

A style is not provided for all of the information in OS MasterMap due to limitations of generic styling and cartographic information available for specific feature types.

Use of coordinates, stroke-widths and text sizes

All coordinates in this section are specified in eastings and northings in units of metres in the British National Grid.

Stroke widths and text sizes are also specified in units of metres on the ground.

Colour palette

Ordnance Survey has chosen to use colours that are consistent in the internet environment. The colours used are defined with both their RGB and hexadecimal values in the colour palette.

Text

The fonts selected by Ordnance Survey to display text are those that are commonly used with web browsers. A brief description as to how a font is used in SVG is given in the Fonts section.

Symbols

There are two different uses of symbols as defined in the following sections. A base symbol set is defined in Shared symbol geometry section; these may be aggregated to form compound symbols as defined in Compound symbols. Patterns formed from repeating symbols on a predefined grid are specified in Pattern definitions.

Point symbols

Point symbols are used to represent the position of particular features within the data, such as a telephone call box or bollard. The symbol represents the location and type of feature.

Point symbols are applied to the visual representation by translating them to the location of the feature they are representing and rotating them, if the orientation attribute is present, by a given amount.

Fill symbols

Fill symbols are used to represent some attribution of a polygon feature and are distributed as a pattern fill across the polygon. For example, the symbol may represent information about the topographic surface such as the vegetation type.

Because of the overheads of applying pattern fills in many current software systems, pattern fills are optional and depend on user requirements and system capabilities. For example, if a user does not require each mixed vegetation type to be identified graphically, the multiVegetationPattern (as defined in Pattern definitions) could be used to represent all mixed vegetation features.

Line styles

Line styles are used to allow a user to distinguish between different types of linear feature, for example, distinctions may be made to emphasise:

• Obstructing detail

• Non-obstructing detail

• Underground detail

• Overhead detail

• Building outlines

• Water limits and linear features

• Landform detail

• Narrow-gauge railways

• Statutory boundaries

• Polygon-closing features

Some lines, particularly those representing the road network, are drawn twice, using first a background style and then an overlay to achieve a multicoloured result. Styles have been defined in this way to produce effects like lines with outlines. This section defines the two components as separate styles. For example, a minor road is first drawn as a black background (carriagewayOutline) that is then overlain with a yellow foreground (minorRoadLine) as below:

The line styles are defined in Line styles.

Fonts

The gml2svg.xsl declares the use of the Arial font for Ordnance Survey’s standard depiction of text string. Within the XSL file, the text colour is dictated by the descriptiveGroup, as is the use of italics. The textRendering complex attribute for a CartographicText feature contains information on the placement, orientation and height for rendering the text.

Ordnance Survey has produced a Standard Styling Specification for OS MasterMap. This is a distinct set of fonts, colours, fill styles and symbols. The specification was developed using a combination of three descriptive attributes: descriptive group, descriptive term and make.

Providing a styling specification has allowed many software providers to develop their own styling (based and adapted from this specification) that can be applied when the data is initially translated so that the data can be displayed immediately with a coherent style.

This section of the specification relates to the product both before and after the descriptive terms upgrade in 2016.

Styling using a single attribute

Most geographic information systems (GIS) contain tools that allow customers to choose to make their data display in any preferred manner. Customers can apply their own colours, styles and symbols based on the same three attributes. Alternatively, they can use any of the attributes, either in isolation or in tandem (if their GIS permits), to render the data to their own specification. Attaining a coherent style depends on choosing the attributes carefully. There is little point in using the TOID, for example, as each feature would then need its own colour. You can, however, use the TOID version number to get an idea of how much change has occurred in one area compared to another. In the example below, the darker the red, the higher the version number, and therefore the greater the amount of surveyed change.

This example displays the areas where the greatest amount of change is occurring in the landscape. Having so many attributes allows this to be done without any additional work on the data itself. If a customer’s

own attributes are added to OS MasterMap Topography Layer, these can also be used as the basis for the styling.

Using OS MasterMap Topography Layer with other data

Having such flexibility to customise the data presents an opportunity to derive additional value from

OS MasterMap Topography Layer. For example, where there is a necessity to have a clear display of what features look like from a real-world point of view, styling schemes based on this style specification work well. If customers need to view their own data alongside OS MasterMap Topography Layer, they could consider toning down or removing colour from the features so that their data is more contrasted, and therefore has bigger visual impact.

In the example below, a customer has derived a set of grassed areas, coloured and hatched in green, which is displayed over OS MasterMap Topography Layer, with only the buildings highlighted in grey to give some additional definition to the data and to help viewers of the data orientate themselves within the landscape.

The customer’s own data catches the eye first and is the focus of attention. Some systems allow different views of the data, so that one type of styling can be seen by one set of viewers and an entirely different type by another.

Styling on certain features

OS MasterMap Topography Layer may also be styled just by the line or point features to replicate the engineering style of drawing commonly used in computer-aided design (CAD) systems. The data can even be rendered in black and white to save on printer ink if the printed map is going through various drafts before a final full colour version is produced, or for use in presentations and documents that are only going to be printed in black and white.

Summary

In this section, we have discussed how, by adapting the flexibility of OS MasterMap Topography Layer in terms of how it can be displayed, customers can:

• Visualise the attributes in thematic maps and derive information from maps in a visual way.

• Customise maps to best suit their purpose.

• Produce clear, high-quality maps for use in documents, presentations or as hard copies for when it is not possible to access the data through a screen.

This section is an addendum to cartographic style definitions, containing guides to applying tables for Topography Layer features hat have been enriched with additional descriptive terms. Only features with new descriptive terms have been provided.

boulderFillSymbol

boulderFillSymbol example style rule, geometry, and visual representation.

bushFillSymbol

bushFillSymbol example style rule, geometry, and visual representation.

coniferousTreeFillSymbol

coniferousTreeFillSymbol example style rule, geometry, and visual representation.

coppiceFillSymbol

coppiceFillSymbol example style rule, geometry, and visual representation.

foreshoreFillSymbol

foreshoreFillSymbol example style rule, geometry, and visual representation.

healthFillSymbol

heathFillSymbol example style rule, geometry, and visual representation.

manmadeLandformFillSymbol

manmadeLandformFillSymbol example style rule, geometry, and visual representation.

marshFillSymbol

marshFillSymbol example style rule, geometry, and visual representation.

multiVegetationFillSymbol

multiVegetationFillSymbol example style rule, geometry, and visual representation.

naturalLandFormFillSymbol

naturalLandformFillSymbol example style rule, geometry, and visual representation.

nonconiferousTreeFillSymbol

nonconiferousTreeFillSymbol example style rule, geometry, and visual representation.

orchardFillSymbol

orchardFillSymbol example style rule, geometry, and visual representation.

rockFillSymbol

rockFillSymbol example style rule, geometry, and visual representation.

roughGrassFillSymbol

roughGrassFillSymbol example style rule, geometry, and visual representation.

screeFillSymbol

screeFillSymbol example style rule, geometry, and visual representation.

smallBoulderFillSymbol

smallBoulderFillSymbol example style rule, geometry, and visual representation.

smallBushFillSymbol

smallBushFillSymbol example style rule, geometry, and visual representation.

smallConiferousTreeFillSymbol

smallConiferousTreeFillSymbol example style rule, geometry, and visual representation.

smallNonconiferousTreeFillSymbol

smallNonconiferousTreeFillSymbol example style rule, geometry, and visual representation.

smallRockFillSymbol

smallRockFillSymbol example style rule, geometry, and visual representation.

TopographicArea mapping table for new descriptive terms.

Default

Default line style table.

Default dashed

Default dashed line style table.

Building

Building line style table.

Building overhead

Building overhead line style table.

Water bold

Water bold line style table.

Water

Water line style table.

Underground

Default underground line style table.

Structure overhead

Structure overhead line style table.

Landform bold

Landform bold line style table.

Landform

Landform line style table.

Narrow-gauge railway alignment

Narrow-gauge railway alignment line style table.

Standard-gauge rail

Standard-gauge rail line style table.

Parish

Parish line style table.

Electoral

Electoral line style table.

County

County line style table.

Parliamentary

Parliamentary line style table.

District

District line style table.

Closing

Closing line style table.

TopographicPoint mapping table for new descriptive terms.

boulderGeometry

boulderGeometry example geometry and visual representation.

circleFillGeometry

circelFillGeometry example geometry and visual representation.

circleGeometry

circleGeometry example geometry and visual representation.

coniferousTreeGeometry

coniferousTreeGeometry example geometry and visual representation.

crossGeometry

crossGeometry example geometry and visual representation.

nonconiferousTreeGeometry

nonconiferousTreeGeometry example geometry and visual representation.

airHeightSymbol

airHeightSymbol example style rule, geometry, and visual representation.

benchMarkSymbol

benchMarkSymbol example style rule, geometry, and visual representation.

boundaryMereingChangeSymbol

boundaryMereingChangeSymbol example style rule, geometry, and visual representation.

boundaryPostSymbol

boundaryPostSymbol example style rule, geometry, and visual representation.

culvertSymbol

culvertSymbol example style rule, geometry, and visual representation.

flowArrowSymbol

flowArrowSymbol example style rule, geometry, and visual representation.

heritageSiteOfSymbol

heritageSiteOfSymbol example style rule, geometry, and visual representation.

landformDisusedSymbol

LandformDisusedSymbol example style rule, geometry, and visual representation.

pointSymbol

pointSymbol example style rule, geometry, and visual representation.

positionedBoulderSymbol

positionedBoulderSymbol example style rule, geometry, and visual representation.

positionedConiferousTreeSymbol

positionedConiferousTreeSymbol example style rule, geometry, and visual representation.

positionedNonconiferousTreeSymbol

positionedNonconiferousTreeSymbol example style rule, geometry, and visual representation.

railwaySwitchSymbol

railwaySwitchSymbol example style rule, geometry, and visual representation.

roadFlowSymbol

roadFlowSymbol example style rule, geometry, and visual representation.

spotHeightSymbol

spotHeightSymbol example style rule, geometry, and visual representation.

triangulationStationSymbol

triangulationStationSymbol example style rule, geometry, and visual representation.

waterPointSymbol

waterPointSymbol example style rule, geometry, and visual representation.

Creating a pattern

The symbols defined in Symbols and Compound symbols that end with the term FillSymbol are all used for pattern fills. The name of the pattern is taken from the symbol name by replacing FillSymbol with the term Pattern.

The exceptions to this principle are:

• scatteredBouldersPattern uses smallBoulderFillSymbol

• scatteredRocksPattern uses smallRockFillSymbol

• scatteredConiferousTreesPattern uses smallConiferousTreeFillSymbol

• scatteredNonconiferousTreesPattern uses smallNonconiferousTreeFillSymbol

To produce a particular pattern, the appropriate fill symbol is distributed on a grid that is repeated to cover the polygon being drawn. The sections below detail the grids that are currently in use.

Landform grid

Landform grid table

Small regular grid

Small regular grid table.

Regular grid

Regular grid table.

Natural environment grid

Natural environment grid table.

Example grid pattern

In this example, heathAndScrubPattern uses the natural environment grid to produce the pattern below:

This is then applied as a polygon fill:

This section defines the default styles for the presentation of new descriptive terms within OS MasterMap. This specifies the colours, symbols and line styles used for visual display and printing of OS MasterMap. The styles are defined using the Scalable Vector Graphics (SVG) syntax.

Colour palette

Ordnance Survey has chosen to use colours that are consistent in the internet environment. The particular colours used are defined with both their RGB and hexadecimal values in colour palette.

The colour palette for the new descriptive terms is listed in the table below

Point symbols

Point symbols are used to represent the position of particular features within the data, such as a telephone call box or bollard. The symbol represents the location and type of feature.

Point symbols are applied to the visual representation by translating them to the location of the feature they are representing and rotating them, if the orientation attribute is present, by a given amount.

The additional point symbols for the new descriptive terms are listed below:

Fill symbols

Fill symbols are used to represent some attribution of a polygon feature and are distributed as a pattern fill across the polygon. For example, the symbol may represent information about the topographic surface such as the vegetation type.

The additional fill symbols for the new descriptive terms are listed below:

Pattern definition

Creating a pattern

To produce a particular pattern, the appropriate fill symbol is distributed on a grid that is repeated to cover the polygon being drawn.

You can use the following grids with the new descriptive terms:

Small regular grid

Landform grid table for new descriptive terms.

Natural environment grid

Natural environment grid table for new descriptive terms.

Line styles

Line styles are used to allow a user to distinguish between different types of linear feature, for example, distinctions may be made to emphasise:

• Obstructing detail

• Non-obstructing detail

• Underground detail

• Overhead detail

• Building outlines

• Water limits and linear features

• Landform detail

• Narrow-gauge railways

• Statutory boundaries.

• Polygon-closing features

The additional lines style for the new descriptive terms are listed below:

Groyne

Groyne (sea defence) line style table for the new descriptive terms.

Line of Posts, Line of Mooring Posts

Post line style table for the new descriptive terms.

The symbols defined in the Fill symbols section may be combined to form aggregated symbols. To do this, the coordinates of the original symbols are translated by a specified offset. Compound symbols may be used as components to make up other compound symbols.

For example, to define the scrub fill symbol, we combine the bushFillSymbol and smallBushFillSymbol using the following translations:

Compound scrubFillSymbol example.

To define the mixed vegetation type of scrub and rough grass, the scrubFillSymbol created in the previous example is used in conjunction with roughGrassFillSymbol:

Compound roughGrassAndScrubFillSymbol example.

Transformation 1 definitions

Offset:

• Symbol 1 – translate(-1 0.3)

• Symbol 2 – translate(1.75 -1)

Transformation 1 compound symbol definitions table.

Transformation 2 definitions

Offset:

• Symbol 1 – translate(-0.8 1)

• Symbol 2 – translate(1.2 –1.2)

Transformation 2 compound symbol definitions table.

Transformation 3 definitions

Offset:

• Symbol 1 – translate(-1 -1)

• Symbol 2 – translate(1 1)

Transformation 3 compound symbol definitions table.

Transformation 4 definitions

Offset:

• Symbol 1 – translate(-2 -2)

• Symbol 2 – translate(-0.5 0.5)

• Symbol 3 – translate(2 2)

Transformation 4 compound symbol definitions table.

Transformation 5 definitions

Offset:

• Symbol 1 – translate(0 -1)

• Symbol 2 – translate(-2 1)

• Symbol 3 – translate(2 1)

Transformation 5 compound symbol definitions table.

TopographicLine mapping table for new descriptive terms.

This section provides a guide to applying Cartographic style definitions to Topography Layer features.

Styles are not provided for every feature; this means that some features are not drawn when the default styling is applied. This may be for one of several reasons for this, including:

• The information is already rendered by another feature.

• The information is not easily positioned or styled.

• If drawn, the information would be cluttered or confusing.

• The information is structural in the data but adds little value for the user by its cartographic depiction.

TopographicArea

Mapping table (no or single descriptiveTerm)

Property application logic (no or single descriptiveTerm)

This section defines the overall logic for applying the style. The order of the property in the condition list below is the order that it is applied; once applied the condition loop is exited.

This example below shows the notation for filtering using the descriptiveGroup and descriptiveTerm attributes; features with multiple descriptiveTerm attributes are discussed in the next section.

Property application logic (multiple descriptiveTerm)

This section deals with the techniques for styling features with the descriptiveGroup value of “Natural Environment” that have multiple descriptiveTerm attributes. This section only provides a selection of combinations that were prominent in a study of descriptiveTerm occurrences on natural environment features. The patterns and symbols used are all defined in the pattern definitions section. The logic to apply is as follows:

Property application logic (multiple descriptiveTerm) example:

Table 5: Property application logic (multiple descriptiveTerm).

TopographicLine and BoundaryLine

mapping table.

Property application logic

This section defines the overall logic for applying the style. The order of the property in the condition list below is the order that it is applied; once applied the condition loop is exited.

TopographicLine and BoundaryLine property application table.

TopographicPoint mapping table.

CartographicText mapping table

CartographicSymbol mapping table