SMapper uses a custom and easy-to-adapt tabular file in CSV format. This format allows simple updating of the underlying database for map generation by simple addition of new rows (for new features) and new columns (for new sampling sites).

The first nine rows of the input table are reserved for the specification of database entries. All remaining rows contain data to be visualized. Data are specified by absolute counts. Thus, prevalence (or frequency) value specification requires counts of observation for the particular feature as well as the total sample size per site.

Sites are exclusively assigned by name to polygons present in the used map data (see below); no assignment is done by geographic coordinates. Relevant for a region's polygon assignment are the rows "Polygon" (row no. 6), "Sub-country" (row no. 4) and "Country" (row no. 3). All other rows are ignored for this purpose.

If SMapper detects an entry in "Polygon", it will use it for the region's assignment. Otherwise, it will turn to "Sub-country" and, if there is no entry in this row, subsequently to "Country".

The name of a region must adhere to the nomenclature of the underlying polygon database. If a region's name is not contained in this database, the entry is flagged red once the datafile has been uploaded. The user can interactively select a name from a pop-up list that contains all valid polygon names. It is often helpful to search the internet, prominently Wikipedia, for appropriate names.

Please note that not all administrative sub-units of every single country is contained in the polygon database. Corrected datafiles can be downloaded from the web site for future use.

SMapper requires the regions to be visualized to follow the nomenclature of the underlying polygon database. Before a map is created, the datafile can be edited accordingly. The corrected file can then be downloaded for future use.

Please note that the map construction may take a few or even dozens of minutes. You will be provided with a link from where to download the graphics file once it is ready. This link will be valid for 24 hours.

SMapper uses a custom tabular file in CSV format. See LINK for a format description and an example file.

You may download the example file below and edit it according to your needs.

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Statistical Genetics and Bioinformatics Group

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