Community Maps
Admin
Builder Dashboard → Locations → Select Community → Map
Community Map creation is an included service as part of the Higharc platform. If you would like to provide your own map or personalize the graphics beyond the Higharc standard design these guidelines will help you ensure that your custom map is operable in Higharc.
Below are some general notes as well as specific guidelines and templates if your artist is using either Adobe Illustrator or Figma.
General Notes
Creating Community Maps
Create a Map in vector software like Adobe Illustrator or Figma
To create a custom map, download the relevant template file to make sure your SVG file uses the same layer hierarchy and layer naming that the system requires.
Export an SVG file of your Map.
Make sure you outline Text in export settings.
Make sure to enable “layer id” attributes/layer name in SVG export settings.
Upload your SVG to the Map Tab.
Manage the status of your lots from the Lot List Tab.
Community Map Tips and Best Practices
Create your SVG files in vector software like Adobe Illustrator or Figma.
Make sure all your vectors are closed shapes.
Use the same naming and layer order as the template files – otherwise the map uploader won’t accept the SVG file.
How to Structure and label your SVG file groups correctly
There must be a top level layer in your file with the desired dimensions of your map frame (980x980px recommended)
There must be a secondary group inside of the map frame group named “Lots” with individual lot groups inside of it for each lot
Lot names must be formatted like this: “LotX_BlockY_PhaseZ” – with no spaces in between the lot and the lot number
If you don’t have multiple blocks and phases, don’t write down any number, like this:
Lot1_Block_Phase
Each lot group must contain 2 entities in this order:
A group with the name “Badge” in it (For the Lot Badge) This group must have 2 entities inside of it:
Outlined text for the Lot Number
A closed shape with the word “Circle” in the name
A closed vector path (for the Lot outline)
Custom Hierarchy (Divisions, Communities, and Phases) Support
If you want to include lots from a sub-location in the same map, you can prefix the lot name as such: “CommunityID_LotX_BlockY_PhaseZ”
The “ID” portion of the location would be the Higharc ID, which you can grab from the URL (a string that will look something like
NB4jKAO2NO3lgd1wafter the/locationspart of the URL pathThe use case for this is to create a “composite” map that contains all of the phases belonging to the community.
The
Phaseportion of the lot name would typically be omitted in this method, but is technically allowed in case you’re using Custom Hierarchy but still have legacy Phase fields defined in your lot list.Maps cannot be created at the Division layer, only Communities and their Phases.
When viewing the Community map from a child Phase, lots belonging to other locations within the Community will be greyed out so that only lots from the Phase itself are selectable.
Example SVG File Structure and Naming
SVG Uploader Errors
Uploader errors will prevent you from uploading an SVG until it’s corrected. Make sure to correct these errors to ensure your map is accurate and interactive.
“File missing top level group element”
This means that your file is missing a top level group for the Map frame.
“Bad name formatting for the following lots”
This means that one of your lot group names isn’t named correctly. Make sure to name it in this format: “Lot#” with no spaces between “Lot” and the lot number.
“File missing ‘Badge’ group for the following lots”
This means that some of your lots don’t contain a “Badge” Group, or your “Badge” group isn’t in the correct order inside the Lot group layer. Add a “Badge” group to those lots in the right order to correct this error. Correct lot group hierarchy.
Illustrator Template
Download the Illustrator Template from the resource library.
Drag and drop your plan file to use as a reference
Put it above all the layers.
Scale it to fit the document size.
Adjust opacity to 50%.
Lock the layer.
Draw the streets with the pen tool (strokes only)
Then select all streets > go to Object > Expand > select strokes.
Select your shape > press shift + M > merge your shapes.
Rename your shape to Street.
Bevel corners.
Draw your site shape
Subtract the street shape (shift + M).
Continue drawing and subtracting shapes until you have everything separate (Lot blobs, Streets, Sidewalks, Paths, Water Features, and Parks).
Rename each shape accordingly and group them in this order:
Get the settings of all shapes matching the template (colors, stroke width)
Now start dividing your lot blobs into actual lots with the scissor or knife tool
Note: It's advised not using rectangles to create lot shapes
If you do use rectangles to create the lot shapes, you must bevel all the corners a little, otherwise, the lots won’t be recognized correctly upon upload.
Once you have all of your lots:
Make sure every lot is a closed shape.
Copy the number grouped with the circle behind, and rename it accordingly
You need to make sure all lots have a circle behind the number with its matching colors.
Group
Name the streets, turn on the background
To export go to File > Export as > Choose SVG and make sure you have these settings:
