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How to import overlays and MilX layers

This chapter shows how you can import your MilX layers. Or you can import your own layers from vector or bitmap graphics.

Overview

The following types of data layers can be imported into map.army :

MilX Layers

Files with the extension .milxlyz were exported from the generator for military situations. These can be imported again, displayed and further processed.

If you have already created layers on your map, the imported layers are always added. Existing layers are not changed.

Vector Layers

You can import vector graphics as layers and display them in the situation map. The following graphic formats are possible:

KML import notes

KML files often reference custom icons via href attributes inside placemarks. map.army does not preserve those icon references on import — each feature renders with a generic base symbol. KML files of moderate size import reliably; very large vector inputs may exceed per-symbol point limits — split into smaller files if needed.

After import, a vector layer can be converted to a MilX layer via the layer settings dialog. The resulting MilX layer accepts the full tactical-graphics editor and exports as .milxlyz. Once converted, the base symbol assigned during conversion cannot currently be changed inside the application — see the FAQ entry on changing the symbol of an imported feature for the project-workflow alternative.

Style and colour preservation

map.army parses geometry and standard style properties from vector imports, but per-feature colour and styling attributes from third-party tools may not be preserved:

• GPX does not have a standardised colour property in the core schema. Some tools (Garmin, Scribblemaps) write a non-standard topografix:color extension that map.army does not parse — imported features fall back to the default style.
• JSON / GeoJSON likewise have no schema-mandated style attribute; styles vary by producer and most extensions are not parsed.
• KML styles (<Style> with <LineStyle> colour, <IconStyle> href) are partially honoured for geometry but the href icons are not preserved (see KML import notes above).

If colour is important, edit the resulting vector or MilX layer in map.army after import, or generate the source file with standard-compliant style declarations only.

Image Layers

You can import raster graphics as a layer and display them in the situation map. The following graphic formats are possible:

How to add an image layer

1. Open Map Overlays → Add Layer → Image.
2. The button label varies by browser and OS: in Chrome / Edge on desktop it often reads Select Working Directory (folder picker), while on Safari and mobile browsers it reads Select File (single-file picker). Both lead to the same result.
3. Pick the image file. For georeferenced placement, also include the matching world file (.pgw for PNG, .jgw for JPG — see Export as Georeferenced Image).
4. Position the image with the drag / zoom / rotate handles until it sits where you want it.
5. Click the green Add Layer button to commit the layer to the map. Until you press Add Layer the layer is staged in the import dialog but not yet visible — this final confirmation step is the most commonly missed and is the cause of “imported image layer is not showing” reports.

Image overlays and the .milxlyz format

Image-layer placement coordinates are written to a config.json sidecar next to the image file. To preserve an image overlay across sessions, keep the image file and the JSON pair together — when you re-open the image picker and select the same directory, map.army restores the original placement automatically.

Image layers are not embedded inside .milxlyz exports. When you share or save your work as MilX, the image-overlay content is left behind. To share a map that includes an image overlay, either share the image file separately, or use an online-source image layer — see Share Online-Source Layers.

Image overlays for custom graphics and fictional maps

Image overlays are the supported workaround for any use case that needs non-standard graphics on the map:

• Scanned campaign maps or historical maps as a background.
• Fictional-nation maps for wargaming or roleplaying scenarios.
• Custom emblems, unit crests, or other artwork on top of the MIL-STD-2525 symbols.

These graphics ride on a separate image layer; they are not embedded into individual military symbols (the MIL-STD-2525 / JC3IEDM exchange format cannot carry arbitrary images on symbols). For amplifying icons that do attach to a symbol, use the Icon Extension Modifier in Extended Work Mode — see Symbols → Symbol Editor.

Image overlays in the desktop PWA — additional behaviour

When running map.army as a Progressive Web App (installed to the desktop), image overlays behave slightly differently than in the browser tab:

A second PWA-specific quirk affects load order: if you open a .milxlyz first and then add an image layer in the same session, the image layer may not be picked up automatically on the next session reload. The reliable workflow is to add the image layer first, position it, then load any MilX layers on top. If you hit a state where the image layer does not return on reload, re-add it manually from the saved image + config.json pair.

Image overlay vs. base-map switching

Importing an image overlay is supported in the public web app and is the right tool for adding a custom backdrop to a map.

Switching the base map itself to a private WMTS / WMS provider (so the underlying map tiles change) is a separate capability, available only in the professional / closed-network deployment. See the FAQ entry on the professional version.