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Shelby County, Alabama Portico Website Help

by The Sidwell Company

Welcome to the Help Documentation for the Shelby County Portico Website. This document provides

detailed information about the use of the Portico website.

Thank you for your interest in Shelby County, Alabama.

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Shelby County, AL Portico Quick Reference The following quick reference provides a snapshot of the main elements that make up the Shelby

County, AL Portico Website. More detailed information can be found within this help document.

Navigation Compass - Contains tools to zoom, pan, rotate and reset the maps orientation. For more

info, click here.

Main Toolbar - Contains array of tools for map analysis, printing, and help documentation. For more

info, click here.

Results - Displays data related to the selected or identified map feature(s) and provides tools for

buffering, saving, sharing and clearing the selected results. For more info, click here.

Scale Bar - Dynamically displays the scale of the current map extent.

Map View Window - Interactive display of the map contents. For more info, click here.

X, Y Coordinates - Displays the x, y coordinates of the curser's current location. Clicking the red button

next to the coordinates will allow you to change between Decimal Degrees and Native Coordinates.

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Navigation Compass Main Toolbar Results

Scale Bar Map View Window X,Y Coordinates

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Map Navigation There are several ways in which you can navigate the display of the map.

Mouse & Keyboard Navigation Controls

Full Screen Toggle

• Press F11 key to toggle the map view in/out of full screen mode.

Keyboard Pan

• Press the left, right, up, down arrow keys to pan the map a fixed interval in the direction of

the arrow key pressed.

Mouse Pan

NOTE: You must not have a tool active in order to use this functionality. Choosing the from

the main toolbar will deactivate any active tool.

• Left click + Hold, then drag the mouse to pan in any direction. Release the left mouse button

to end the pan function.

Keyboard Zoom

• Press the (+) key to zoom in or the (- ) key to zoom out by a fixed interval.

Mouse Zoom

• Double click the left mouse button to zoom in by a fixed interval.

• Roll mouse wheel up to zoom in or down to zoom out to desired extent.

• Press and Hold Shift, then Left click and drag the mouse to define an extent to zoom in.

Release the mouse button to zoom to defined area.

• Press and Hold Shift + Ctrl, then left click and drag the mouse to define a factor to zoom out.

Release the mouse button to zoom out.

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Using the Navigation Compass

Zoom Control – Clicking the (+) provides fixed zoom in and clicking the (-) provides fixed zoom out.

Moving the slider provides a variable zoom in, out. This is accomplished by clicking and holding the data

button and dragging the slider bar towards the + or -.

Direction Arrows – Clicking any of the direction arrows pans the map in the chosen arrow’s direction at

a fixed distance.

Rotation Control – Click + Hold any portion of the rotation control, then Drag the mouse to rotate the

map display.

Full Extent – Click the button to zoom the map back out the full extent.

Reset North – If you have rotated the map view, click this button to reset the maps orientation.

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Zoom Control

Direction Arrows

Reset North Full Extent

Rotation Control

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Map Analysis Tools The Portico website contains a wealth of information derived from Shelby County’s GIS databases. The

following topics provide a detailed description of the tools that help the user find and share the

information they are looking for.

The Main Toolbar

Almost all of the tools that you need to access the GIS data within the site are found on this single

toolbar.

Search

Selecting the search tool opens an entry box directly to the right of the search tool on the Main toolbar.

This allows the user to enter search criteria for a parcel number, owner name, address, or subdivision

name.

Note: The search text must be entered in the following format for proper search results.

Parcel Number format – 21 7 26 1 101 019.000

Owner Name format – JONES BILL (last name first)

1. Begin typing any part of a parcel number, owner name, address, or subdivision name into the

entry box. As you enter your criteria a drop-down list will appear that displays the top 100

matching records. To the right of each record it will show you what category of criteria the

record was found in.

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Search Advanced Search

Select Features

Select Features

and Buffer

Identify Zones

Zoom to Coordinates

Layers

Toggle Help Tips

On/Off

Identify

Measure

Bookmarks

Print

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2. Click on the desired record from the drop-down list to locate the record on the map and view

the available attribute data.

Note: It is possible that multiple parcels on the map may be associated with the search criteria

entered. In this situation the map will zoom to the extent of all the selected records and a list of

the records will display in the results window.

Advanced Search ( ) If applicable

The Advanced Search tool can be used to generate queries of the map for records based on Sale Price,

Sale Date and Acreage criteria. This utility also allows you to string multiple criteria together into a

compound query that will allow you to pinpoint very specific parcels or groups of parcels for analysis.

Query Topic – Select the topic that you wish to query from the drop-down list.

Query Operator – Select the desired operator for your query from the drop-down list.

Query Value – Enter desired value(s) for the query. Depending on the topic being used, query

values may also be entered by using Value Slider or Date Selection Form.

Date Selection Form – Click to access a calendar to choose the desired date.

Delete Query – If you have connected multiple queries, this button will remove an individual

expression from the list of connected queries.

Query Value Slider – Use mouse to adjust Query values. Move slider right to increase value and

left to decrease it.

AND/OR – Use to string multiple expressions together into one query.

AND – Results must meet both expression criteria

OR – Results must meet the criteria of at least one of the expressions.

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Get Results – Click to run query and view resulting records.

Clear Search – Clears current query expressions from Advanced Query window.

The selected features will be shaded in blue and the associated records will appear in the results

window.

Select Features

This tool allows you to graphically select parcels on the map with your mouse from a specific year.

1. Click the tool to activate it.

2. If necessary, select the desired year of parcels from the drop down list.

3. Move your mouse over the map and left click + hold + drag to draw a graphic across the map.

4. Release the mouse button when satisfied with the drawn graphic to initiate the selection of

parcels.

The selected parcels will be shaded in blue and the associated records will appear in the results window.

Additional functionality:

• Hold shift + left click hold and drag mouse over map features to add/remove parcels to and

from current selection set.

Select Features and Buffer

This tool is used to create a selection of parcels based on a user defined buffer.

1. Click on Buffer tool.

2. Enter desired buffer distance.

3. If necessary, select desired units buffer will use from drop-down menu.

4. If necessary, select desired year of parcel data from second drop-down menu.

5. Move your mouse to the specific location on the map from which the buffer should be applied

and left click.

The buffer will be displayed on the map as a red shaded region. The selected parcels will be

shaded in blue and the associated records will appear in the results window.

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Identify

The Identify tool allows you to display the information for a single feature in a specific location.

1. Select the Identify tool.

2. Move your mouse to the desired map location and left click.

The identified feature will be shaded in blue and the associated record will appear in the results

window. By default the currently displayed parcel boundary will be returned, but you have the

ability to cycle through the different features found at that location in the results window.

Identify Zones

The Identify Zones tool displays zone information for a specific x, y location in the map window.

1. Select the Identify Zones tool.

2. Left Click on desired location in the map to identify zones.

After clicking on the desired location, the Zone Identification window will open showing all

zones that overlap the chosen x, y location.

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Measure

The Measure tool can be used to graphically measure distance and acreage on the map.

1. Click the measure tool to activate it.

2. If necessary, use the drop-down menu to set the units of measurement.

3. Left click a point on the map to start your measurement.

4. Move the mouse to the next end point of your first linear measurement and left click again.

As you move to the second point, the linear measurement will automatically appear in feet.

5. Move the mouse to your next point and left click to establish another anchor point.

6. Double-click the left mouse button at any time to end the measurement.

When you begin to measure the second linear distance, the area measurement of the

boundary you are establishing will automatically appear and the shape will be shaded.

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Zoom To Coordinates

This tool allows you to place and zoom to specific x,y coordinates measured in Decimal Degrees or State

Plane.

Entry boxes for known x (top box) and y (bottom box) coordinates.

Add Point button for known x, y location. This button will zoom the map to the x, y coordinates

listed in the X, Y Entry boxes and place a red dot on the map.

The Remove Points button is used to erase any x, y points that have been placed on the map.

Coordinate System Selection Menu. You can select either Decimal Degrees or State Plane from

this drop-down menu.

The Add Manually button is used to place a point on the map using your mouse.

A placed coordinate point on the map.

Display box of the x, y coordinates of a placed point on the map.

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Zoom to a known coordinate

1. Enter x and y coordinate values into the X, Y entry boxes.

2. If necessary, change the value of the Coordinate System Selection drop-down menu.

3. Click the Add Point button.

Place a point manually

1. Click the Add manually button.

2. Move mouse to desired location on the map and left click.

Display coordinates of a placed point

Hover mouse over a placed point and the coordinates will appear in a display box.

Erase points from map

Click the Remove points button.

Bookmarks

This tool is used to create and save bookmarks which allow you to quickly return to desired locations on

the map. The bookmarks are stored on a per user basis using the web browser cookies.

Placing a new bookmark

1. Zoom to the desired location on the map.

2. Click the Bookmark tool to open it.

3. Enter a name into the text box at the top of the tool.

4. Click the '+' button to create the bookmark.

Renaming a bookmark

1. Click the Bookmark tool to open it.

2. Left click slowly 2x on the name of a stored book mark.

3. Type in the new name.

Using a bookmark

1. Click the Bookmark tool to open it.

2. Click on the space to the far right of desired bookmark from the list you have created. The

map will zoom to the location.

Deleting bookmark list

1. Click the Bookmark tool to open it.

2. Click the Clear button.

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Layers

The Layers tools are used to control aspects of how the GIS data is viewed on the map.

Transparency Slider – Left click + hold and move slider bar up to make layer solid or down to

make transparent.

Historical Slider - Left click + hold and move slider bar left to display current data for chosen

layer or right to display historical layer data.

Map Tips Toggle - Left click inside box to toggle Map Tips on (checked) or off (unchecked).

Using Map Tips - When map tips are turned on, hovering your mouse over a parcel boundary

will display some basic information about the property.

Legend Toggle - Left click inside box to toggle the Legend on (checked) or off (unchecked).

Note: Pop-up windows like the Legend can be collapsed to save screen space by clicking the

arrow button in the top right corner of the window.

Print

This tool allows you to choose from 4 options of print formats.

Scaled PDF printing

Scaled printing generates a fixed scale pdf print based on the scale chosen.

1. Click on the Print tool to access the printing options.

2. Click on the desired scale.

After a few moments, a fixed scale pdf map will open in a separate browser tab. You may then

print the page using the pdf print options or your browser's print options.

Dynamic Printing

Dynamic printing allows the user to define the map scale to meet his/her needs.

1. Click on the Print tool to access the printing options.

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2. Click Dynamic Print Page.

A separate browser will open displaying the formatted map. This map, however, is dynamic

so you can still pan and/or zoom the image to fit it better to the page. There are several

additional print options at the top of the dynamic print page.

Legend Toggle - Left click inside box to toggle Legend on (checked) or off (unchecked).

Parcel Info Toggle - Left click inside box to toggle Parcel Info on (checked) or off (unchecked).

Page Size - Left click the arrow and select the desired page size from the drop-down menu.

Print Now - Left click to open your computer's print utility.

Generate PDF - Left click to generate a pdf of the map using the current settings.

Toggle Help Tips

Turns on/off help tips and provides access to additional help resources.

Click the tool to activate Help Tips and access additional help resources.

What are help tips?

When help tips are turned on, hovering your mouse over any tool in Portico will cause a pop-up

window to appear displaying brief information about what the tool is.

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Additional help resources

Map Navigation Help – Click the tool to access Map Navigation reference window.

Feature Selections Help – Click the tool to access Feature Selections reference window.

Website Help – Click the tool to access this help document.

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Results Window The Results window displays information about the currently selected feature(s) on the map. The data

returned could range from Owner, Site, Assessment and/or legal documents. Furthermore, the Results

window contains tools to help export and share the queried information.

To view information in the results window you must first select or identify a feature(s) on the map.

Multiple Selections

When multiple features have been selected on the map the Results window will initiall appear as a list of

the records with some basic information about each displayed.

Viewing a single record from selected set

1. Hovering your mouse over a record in the Results window will cause its corresponding

boundary to appear in bold on the map.

2. Left click on the desired record within the Results window to view the detail information on

it.

Return to selected set

Click the Return to List button in the top left corner of the results window.

Note: Once another selection is made the list of originally selected parcels is lost and this

tool will not appear.

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Viewing a single record

When a single feature is selected the results window displays detailed information about the

record.

Source Layer

This drop down menu displays and defines the source feature whose information is displaying in the

results window.

NOTE: This menu will only appear when the selection is made using the Identify tool.

Click the arrow to access a drop-down list of other features that exist at the location from

which the selection was made.

Data Window

This portion of the window displays all available data related to the selected feature.

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Buffer

This tool is used to create a selection of parcels around the currently selected parcel based on a user

defined distance.

Buffer Distance

Buffer Distance Units

Run Buffer

Close

Creating a buffer

1. Click the Buffer tool to access the tool options.

2. Enter the desired buffer distance.

3. If necessary, select the desired units from the Buffer Distance Units drop-down menu.

4. Click Run Buffer button.

A buffer will be drawn of the specified distance and units from the boundary of the selected

parcel. The buffer will appear be displayed on the map as a red shaded region. The selected

parcels will be shaded in blue and the associated records will appear in the results window.

5. Close the buffer tool options by clicking the Close button.

Export

Generates a CSV file of the selected record(s) detail information.

1. Click the Export button.

2. Choose a location and name for the csv file.

3. Click Save.

Email

Opens a new email that contains a URL for the current map location and selection.

• Click the Email button.

NOTE: Your email must be running and your security set to allow your browser permission to

access it in order to use this feature.

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Clear

Clears the currently selected feature(s) in the results window and the map.

•Click the Clear button.

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