User Handbook
Guide to using all features of geo-image.eu
Table of Contents
1. The Interactive Map
Map Navigation
- Zoom: Use the mouse wheel or +/- buttons. On touch devices: pinch gesture.
- Pan: Click and drag with the mouse. On touch devices: swipe with one finger.
- My Location: Click "My Location" to jump to your current position (requires location permission).
Map Types
Choose between different map views:
- Topo: Topographic map with contour lines and terrain details
- Satellit: Aerial and satellite imagery
- Straße: Classic street map
- NatGeo: National Geographic style
- OSM: OpenStreetMap humanitarian style
POI Markers
Places are displayed as round markers:
- Markers with image: Show the main image of the place
- Red numbered circles: Multiple places grouped - click to zoom in
- Click on a marker to open a popup with details
- Multiple places at the same point are displayed side by side from zoom level 14
Right-Click Menu
Right-click on the map to copy coordinates or create a new place.
2. Customize Design
Light/Dark Mode
Click the sun/moon icon to switch between light and dark design.
Change Language
Select your language via the flag icons. Available: German, English, Swedish, French.
3. Discover Places
List View
Under "All Places" you will find all registered places and routes as a clear card gallery.
- Preview image
- Category badge (e.g. Nature, Restaurant, Sight)
- Name and short description
- Attributes like "Dogs allowed", "Accessible", etc.
Detail View
Click "Details" to see the full description, all images and GPX tracks.
4. Search and Filter
Text Search
Enter a search term to find places by name or description.
Category Filter
Filter by categories:
Attribute Filter
Enable advanced filters for specific requirements:
- Dogs allowed: Dog-friendly places
- Barrier-free: Wheelchair accessible
- Parking: Parking available
- Free entry: No entrance fee
5. User Account
Registration
To create places yourself, you need a user account. Click "Register".
- Username (3-50 characters)
- Valid email address
- Secure password (min. 12 characters)
After registration, you will receive a confirmation email.
Login
Log in with your email address or username and password.
Forgot Password?
Click "Forgot Password?" and enter your email address.
6. Create New Place
Note: You must be logged in to create new places.
Step by Step
- Choose Position: Click "+ New Place" or right-click on the map.
- Enter Basic Data: Enter name, description and category.
- Set Coordinates: Drag the marker to the exact position.
- Set Attributes: Enable applicable attributes (Dogs allowed, Accessible, etc.).
- Upload Images: Upload up to 10 images. The first image will be used as the main image.
- Save: Click "Save". The place will be published after moderation.
7. GPX Tracks and Routes
What are GPX Tracks?
GPX is a standard for GPS data. Hiking routes or bike tours can be uploaded as GPX files.
Upload GPX
When creating a place, you can upload GPX files. The route will be displayed on the map.
View GPX
Routes are automatically displayed on the map. You can also download the route.
8. Images and Copyright
Uploading copyrighted images without proper authorization is prohibited.
Image Rights for Uploads
When uploading images, you must confirm that you have the necessary rights. Only use your own photos or images for which you have a usage license.
- Only upload images that you have created yourself or for which you have an explicit usage license.
- You guarantee that you have all necessary rights to the uploaded content.
Report Images
If you discover an image that may be copyrighted or violates our terms of service, you can report it using the "Report" button. We carefully review every report.
Consequences of Violations
In case of copyright violations, the affected images will be removed immediately. Repeated violations may result in account suspension.
9. Member Area
In the dashboard, you manage your places, friends and shared content.
My Areas
As a member, you can create places in three different categories:
Public
These places are visible to all visitors and appear on the public map.
Shared
Places that you share with selected friends. You can also create a place as "Shared" and share it with someone later.
Private
Private places are only visible to you. If you later share a private place with a friend, it will automatically be converted to "Shared".
My Friends
Under "My Friends" you can see all people with whom you share places or who have shared places with you.
- Invite friends via email and select places to share
- Share more places with existing friends using the "Share More" button
- Set permissions: "View" or "Edit"
Note: When you share a private place with someone, it will automatically be changed to "Shared" so your friend can see it.
10. Sharing, Recommending and Referrals
Share interesting places with friends and family through various channels.
Der Weiterempfehlen-Button
In der Detailansicht eines Ortes finden Sie den "Weiterempfehlen"-Button. Klicken Sie darauf, um die verfügbaren Teilen-Optionen zu sehen.
Teilen-Optionen
- E-Mail: Öffnet Ihr E-Mail-Programm mit einem vorausgefüllten Link zum Ort.
- WhatsApp: Teilen Sie den Ort direkt über WhatsApp.
- Telegram: Senden Sie den Link über Telegram.
- Signal: Teilen Sie über den sicheren Signal Messenger.
- Threema: Versenden Sie den Link über Threema.
- Facebook: Teilen Sie den Ort auf Facebook.
- X (Twitter): Posten Sie den Ort auf X.
- Link kopieren: Kopiert den direkten Link in Ihre Zwischenablage zum manuellen Einfügen.
Orte mit Freunden teilen
Neben dem externen Teilen können Sie Orte auch direkt mit anderen Mitgliedern der Plattform teilen. Gehen Sie dazu in den Mitgliedsbereich und nutzen Sie die Freunde-Funktion.
Tip: Public places can be shared by anyone. Private or shared places are only visible to the respective members and can only be shared by them.
11. Reporting Content
If you encounter problematic content, you can report it to our moderation team. We take all reports seriously and review them carefully.
Reporting Images
In the detail view of a location, you can report individual images:
- Open the detail view of a location
- Click the flag icon below the image
- Select a reason for the report from the dropdown menu
- Optional: Provide additional details about the report
- Click "Submit Report"
Reasons for Image Reports
- Copyright violation: The image was used without permission from the copyright holder
- Inappropriate content: The image contains offensive, violent, or illegal content
- Spam or advertising: The image contains unwanted advertising or spam
- Other: Other violations of the terms of service
Reporting Locations
You can also report entire locations if they are problematic:
- Open the detail view of the location
- Click "Report Abuse" (flag icon)
- Select a reason for the report
- Describe the issue (optional)
- Submit the report
Reasons for Location Reports
- Spam or advertising: The location serves only advertising purposes
- Inappropriate content: Offensive or illegal content
- Incorrect information: The information about the location is false or misleading
- Copyright violation: The content violates copyrights
- Other: Other violations
Processing of Reports
Our moderation team reviews all incoming reports. Depending on the severity of the violation, the following measures are taken:
- Marking as "Under Review" during processing
- Warning to the creator for minor violations
- Removal of content for confirmed violations
- Account suspension for severe or repeated violations
Privacy: Your report will be treated confidentially. The creator of the reported content will not know who submitted the report.
For Moderators: Report Management
Moderators and administrators can manage all reports in the admin area:
- Image Reports: View and process all reported images under "Moderation > Image Reports"
- Location Reports: Manage all reported locations under "Moderation > Location Reports"
- Change Status: Mark reports as "Under Review", "Resolved", or "Rejected"
- Add Notes: Internal moderator notes for documentation
- Remove Content: Directly delete images or locations for confirmed violations
- Edit Content: Reported content can be edited directly to fix issues
Email Notification
When a report has been processed, the reporter receives an email notification about the status (Resolved or Rejected).
Archive
Resolved and rejected reports can be moved to the archive:
- Archive: Move all completed reports to the archive with one click
- Export: Download the archive as CSV file for documentation and reporting
- Delete: Remove archived reports individually or completely
12. Moderators
Note: The moderator area is accessible to users with moderator or administrator rights.
Access Moderator Area
Moderators can access the moderation area via the shield icon in the menu.
Moderator Dashboard
The moderator dashboard shows an overview of pending tasks and quick actions.
Pending Approvals
Moderators can review new POIs and approve or reject them:
- Access via Moderation > Pending Approvals in the menu
- Review the POI name, description, category and images
- Click "Approve" to publish the POI
- Click "Reject" and provide a reason to reject the POI
- The creator will be notified by email about the decision
Moderation
In the moderation area you can review, lock or delete locations. All actions are logged in the audit log.
Location Management
View and manage all locations on the platform. Edit details or remove inappropriate entries.
Process Reports
Moderators can review and process reported content:
- Image Reports: View and process all reported images under "Moderation > Image Reports"
- Location Reports: Manage all reported locations under "Moderation > Location Reports"
- Change Status: Mark reports as "Under Review", "Resolved", or "Rejected"
- Add Notes: Internal moderator notes for documentation
- Remove Content: Directly delete images or locations for confirmed violations
- Edit Content: Reported content can be edited directly to fix issues
Audit Log
All moderation actions are logged in the audit log. Here you can track which moderator performed which action and when.
Geo Layers (Map Overlays)
Geo layers are geographic data overlays displayed on the map as areas, lines or points. They can be used to visualise nature reserves, hiking areas, boundaries and more.
Viewing Geo Layers on the Map
Active geo layers are displayed automatically on the map. You can recognise them by the coloured areas, lines or points overlaid on the base map.
- The map legend lists all visible layers with their name and colour.
- Some layers display labels directly on the map, e.g. the name of a nature reserve.
Managing Geo Layers (Moderators/Admins)
Note: The following functions are only available to moderators and administrators.
Uploading a Layer
In the admin area under "Geo Layers" you can upload new layers:
- Click "Upload Layer"
- Select a GeoJSON file (.geojson, .json) or a Shapefile (.zip containing .shp, .shx, .dbf)
- Enter a name and choose a category
- Set the visibility (public or internal)
- Click "Upload" – the file will be processed automatically
Supported File Formats
- GeoJSON (.geojson, .json): Standard format for geographic data
- Shapefile (.zip): Packaged as a ZIP file containing .shp, .shx and .dbf
Maximum file size: 50 MB
Categories
Layers can be assigned to the following categories:
Customising Appearance
You can individually customise the appearance of each layer:
- Fill colour: Colour and transparency for areas
- Stroke colour: Colour and transparency of outlines
- Stroke width: Thickness of outlines (0.5 to 10 pixels)
Labels
Layers can be annotated with text labels displayed directly on the map:
- Enable labels: Turn labelling on or off
- Text field: Choose which property is displayed as the label (e.g. name, type or the layer name)
- Position: Centre, Top, Bottom, Left or Right relative to the feature
- Font: Configure font family, size, colour and bold
- Background: Optionally show a background colour behind the text
- Border: Optionally show a border around the label
Status and Visibility
- Active/Inactive: Inactive layers are not shown on the map
- Public/Internal: Internal layers are only visible to moderators
- In legend: Controls whether the layer appears in the map legend
- Order (Z-Index): Determines the stacking order of multiple layers
13. Administrators
Note: The admin area is only accessible to users with administrator rights.
Access Admin Area
As an administrator, you can access the admin area through the menu. There you have access to all management functions.
Admin Dashboard
The dashboard shows an overview with statistics and quick access to important functions:
User Management
In user management, you can view all registered users, change roles or block users.
Invite Users
Invite new users via email. The invited user receives a link to create their account:
Settings
In settings, you can configure various system options:
Email Configuration
Configure SMTP settings for email delivery (host, port, encryption, credentials, sender).
Feature Settings
Enable or disable features such as public user registration.
Enable/Disable User Registration
When disabled, new users cannot register themselves. New users can then only be added by invitation.
Session Settings
Set the session timeout duration (5 to 1440 minutes). After this period of inactivity, users are automatically logged out.
Delete Geo-Layers
Only administrators can delete layers. Deleting a layer permanently removes all associated features.
14. Contact and Support
If you have questions, problems or suggestions, the following contact options are available:
Contact Form
For general questions and short messages
Project Inquiry
For detailed inquiries and collaboration
Direct Contact
Sören Padel
info@alitero.eu
+49 157 3004 1651
+46 7676 954 15