PostLayer Object

The PostLayer object contains the properties and methods for a post map created in Surfer with the Shapes method, AddPostLayer or AddPostMap.

Derived from: Layer object, which is derived from Shape object(All methods and properties of Layer and Shape apply to this object.)

The following table provides the properties of the PostLayer object:

Property	Description
ActiveLabelSet	Returns/sets the active label set.
AngleCol	Returns/sets the column containing the symbol angle in degrees (0 if none).
DataFile	Returns/sets the name of the data file used to create the map.
FirstRow	Returns/sets the first row to use in the worksheet
HeightCol	Returns the worksheet column containing the heights for proportional scaling. It is a read-only property.
LabCol	Returns/sets the column containing the labels (0 if none).
LabelAngle	Returns/sets the label angle in degrees.
LabelFont	Returns the label font format object. It is a read-only property.
LabelFormat	Returns the label format object. It is a read-only property.
LabelLine	Returns the line format object for the label lines. It is a read-only property.
LabelLineLength	Returns/sets the label line length in page units.
LabelPlane	Returns/sets the label plane.
LabelPos	Returns/sets the label position method.
LabelXOffset	Returns/sets the label position offset in the X direction (page units).
LabelYOffset	Returns/sets the label position offset in the Y direction (page units).
LastRow	Returns/sets the last row to use in the worksheet.
NumLabelSets	Returns/sets the number of label sets.
Opacity	Returns/sets the opacity.
ScaleValue1	Returns the first proportional scaling value (height column units). It is a read-only property.
ScaleValue2	Returns the second proportional scaling value (height column units). It is a read-only property.
ShowLegend	Returns/sets a top level legend object with base layer data.
SymAngle	Returns/sets the symbol angle in degrees.
Symbol	Returns the symbol format object. It is a read-only property.
SymbolColorCol	Returns/sets the symbol color column.
SymbolColorMap	Returns the ColorMap object when using a symbol color column. It is a read-only property.
SymbolColorMethod	Returns/sets the symbol color method when using a symbol color column.
SymbolHeight1	Returns the symbol height when the data equals ScaleValue1 (page units). It is a read-only property.
SymbolHeight2	Returns the symbol height when the data equals ScaleValue2 (page units). It is a read-only property.
SymCol	Returns/sets the column containing the symbol type (0 if none).
SymFrequency	Returns/sets the symbol frequency.
SymSizeMethod	Returns the symbol scaling method. It is a read-only property.
xCol	Returns/sets the column containing the X coordinates (1-based).
yCol	Returns/sets the column containing the Y coordinates (1-based).

The following table provides the methods of the PostLayer object:

Method	Description
RemoveLabelSet	Removes a specified label set.
SetInputData	Sets the input data file and columns. The SetInputData2 method should be used instead of this method when the worksheet being loaded is an Excel file where the sheet name needs to be specified.
SetInputData2	Sets the input data file and columns. It can also be used to specify any data import options when loading a data file.
SetSymbolScaling	Sets the symbol scaling parameters.

Remarks

The SymCol is the symbol or glyph number as it appears in the Symbol Properties dialog. This is the 0-based offset of the symbol within the symbol set.

Post map data files can contain a column defining which symbol set and symbol index to use for each posted point. This information can be specified in one of three ways:

SymbolSet:Index	This form allows both the symbol set and the symbol index to be specified. SymbolSet specifies the face name of the desired symbol set. The colon character must appear between the symbol set and the index. If the specified face name is invalid, the default symbol set specified in the Post Map Properties dialog is used instead.
Index	If a single integer is specified, it is interpreted as a symbol index into the current symbol set. The current symbol set is the last specified symbol set or the default symbol set specified in the Post Map Properties dialog.
<Empty>	If the cell is empty, the last specified symbol set and default symbol index is used.

Example

The following script demonstrates how the PostLayer object is used in reference to the MapFrame object.

Sub Main

'Declares SurferApp as an object

Dim SurferApp As Object

'Creates an instance of the Surfer Application object and assigns it to

'the variable named "SurferApp"

Set SurferApp = CreateObject("Surfer.Application")

'Makes Surfer visible

SurferApp.Visible = True

'Declares Plot as an object

Dim Plot As Object

'Creates a plot document in Surfer and assigns it to the variable named

'"Plot"

Set Plot = SurferApp.Documents.Add(srfDocPlot)

'Declares Shapes as an object

Dim Shapes As Object

'Assigns the Shapes collection to the variable named "Shapes"

Set Shapes = Plot.Shapes

'Declares MapFrame as an object

Dim MapFrame As Object

'Creates a post map and assigns the map coordinate system to the

'variable named "MapFrame"

Set MapFrame = Shapes.AddPostMap(DataFileName:=SurferApp.Path+"\Samples\demogrid.dat")

'Declares PostLayer as an object

Dim PostLayer As Object

'Assigns the post map properties to the variable named "PostLayer"

Set PostLayer = MapFrame.Overlays(1)

End Sub