Core Concepts¶
This page introduces the fundamental concepts in ODIN.
Projects¶
A project is the top-level container for all your work. Each project is stored locally and contains layers, features, tile services, bookmarks, and settings. You can have multiple projects and switch between them.
Layers¶
Layers are the primary organisational unit. Each layer is a container that groups features (symbols, graphics, shapes) on the map.
- Thematic separation — Create layers for friendly forces, hostile forces, logistics, boundaries, etc.
- Visibility — Toggle layers on and off to control what is shown on the map
- Locking — Lock a layer to prevent accidental edits
- Sharing — Share individual layers with other ODIN users via Matrix
Features¶
A feature is any object placed on the map. Features belong to a layer and have:
- Geometry — The geographic shape (point, line, polygon)
- Properties — Attributes such as the symbol code (SIDC), name, and designator
- Style — Visual appearance (colours, line width, fill)
- Tags — Searchable labels for filtering and organisation
Feature Types¶
| Type | Description |
|---|---|
| Military symbols | MIL-STD-2525C point symbols (units, equipment, installations) |
| Tactical graphics | Standardised lines and areas (boundaries, phase lines, assembly areas) |
| Shapes | Custom lines, polygons, and text labels |
| Markers | Simple point markers |
Tags¶
Tags are free-form labels that can be attached to layers and features. Use them to categorise and filter your data. Tags are searchable from the sidebar.
Examples: #PRIORITY, #PHASE-1, #LOGISTICS, #ARTILLERY
Tile Services¶
Tile services provide background map imagery. ODIN supports:
- XYZ — Standard
{z}/{x}/{y}tile URLs - TileJSON — Single TileJSON endpoints
- TileJSON Discovery — Servers like mbtileserver that expose multiple tilesets
Tile services can also provide RGB-encoded elevation data for terrain analysis.
Bookmarks¶
Bookmarks save map view positions (centre, zoom, rotation) for quick navigation. Use them to jump between areas of interest on the map.
Links¶
Links attach external resources to layers or features. They can point to URLs or local files, allowing you to reference documents, briefings, or web resources directly from the map.