[Maps] update data driven vector style docs #52432

nreese · 2019-12-06T20:24:43Z

Prior to 7.6, Elastic Maps used locally retrieved data to calculate symbolization bands for color ramps, icon size, and other data driven styling. Each data pull would re-calculate symbolization bands causing inconsistent symbolization as users panned, zoomed, and filtered their map. In the example below, notice how the color and size symbolization change for the document as the user zooms out.

Now, Elastic Maps uses an extended_stats aggregation to retrieve statistical metadata about styling fields. This statistical metadata is used to calculate symbolization bands. This way, symbolization is consistent as users pan, zoom, and filter their map. In the example below, notice how the color and size symbolization remain constant for the document as the user zooms out.

Using extended_stats has the added benefit of using the statistical properties of the data set to minimize outliers that can skew symbolization bands towards extremely large or extremely small values.

Users have the ability to configure the standard deviation bounds and disable this feature to go back to styling by locally retrieved data. All Elastic Map saved objects created prior to 7.6 will have this feature disabled by default so user’s maps will not change behavior while upgrading. All new Elastic Map saved objects created after 7.6 will have this feature turned on by default.