---
layout: post
title:  mapedit - interactively edit spatial data in R
date:  "Jan 30, 2017"
comments: true
author: Tim Appelhans and Kenton Russell
categories: r
---

TOC

[DOWNLOADHERE]

The R ecosystem offers a powerful set of packages for geospatial analysis.  For a comprehensive list see the [CRAN Task View: Analysis of Spatial Data](https://cran.r-project.org/web/views/Spatial.html). Yet, many geospatial workflows require interactivity for smooth uninterrupted completion.  With new tools, such as htmlwidgets, shiny, and crosstalk, we can now inject this useful interactivity without leaving the R environment.  In the first phase of the [`mapedit`](https://github.com/r-spatial/mapedit) project, we have focused on experimenting and creating proof of concepts for the following three objectives:

1. drawing, editing, and deleting features,

2. selecting and querying of features and map regions,

3. editing attributes.

## Install mapedit

To run the code in the following discussion, please install with `devtools::install_github`.  Please be aware that the current functionality is strictly a proof of concept, and the API will change rapidly and dramatically.  Also `mapedit's` older sibling [`mapview`](https://github.com/r-spatial/maview) will greatly enhance our abilities, so we strongly recommend installing it even though `mapview` is not a requirement.  `mapedit` depends on [`leaflet.extras`](https://github.com/bhaskarvk/leaflet.extras), which is currently not on CRAN, so we will also need to install it.

```
devtools::install_github("r-spatial/mapedit")

# although not necessary for mapedit,
#  mapview will also be very helpful, and
#  and we will use throughout this post
devtools::install_github("r-spatial/mapview")

devtools::install_github("bhaskarvk/leaflet.extras")
```

## Drawing, Editing, Deleting Features

We would like to set up an easy process for CRUD (create, read, update, and delete) of map features.  The function `editMap` demonstrates a first step toward this goal.

### Proof of Concept 1 | Draw on Blank Map

To see how we might add some features, let's start with a blank map, and then feel free to draw, edit, and delete with the `Leaflet.Draw` toolbar on the map. Once finished drawing simply press "Done".

```
library(mapview)
library(mapedit)

what_we_created <- mapview() %>%
  editMap()
```

`editMap` returns a `list` with drawn, edited, deleted, and finished features as [simple features](https://github.com/edzer/sfr).  In this case, if we would like to see our finished creation we can focus on `what_we_created$finished`.  Since the return value is simple features, the easiest way to interactively explore what we just created will be to use `mapview`.

```
mapview(what_we_created$finished)
```

![screenshot of mapedit with blank leaflet map](images/edit_map_screenshot.gif)


### Proof of Concept 2 | Edit and Delete Existing Features

As an extension of the first proof of concept, we might like to edit and/or delete existing features.  Let's play Donald Trump for this exercise and use the border between Mexico and the United States for California and Arizona.  For the sake of the example, let's use a simplified polyline as our border.  As we have promised we want to build a wall, but if we could just move the border a little in some places, we might be able to ease construction.

```
library(sf)

# simplified border for purpose of exercise
border <- st_as_sfc(
"LINESTRING(-109.050197582692 31.3535554844322, -109.050197582692 31.3535554844322, -111.071681957692 31.3723176640684, -111.071681957692 31.3723176640684, -114.807033520192 32.509681296831, -114.807033520192 32.509681296831, -114.741115551442 32.750242384668, -114.741115551442 32.750242384668, -117.158107738942 32.5652527715121, -117.158107738942 32.5652527715121)"
) %>%
  st_set_crs(4326)

# plot quickly for visual inspection
plot(border)
```

Since we are Trump, we can do what we want, so let's edit the line to our liking.  We will use `mapview` for our interactive map since it by default gives us an OpenTopoMap layer.  With our new border and fence, we will avoid the difficult mountains and get a little extra beachfront.

```
library(mapview)
library(mapedit)

new_borders <- mapview(border) %>%
  editMap("border")
```

![screenshot of mapedit with existing features](images/edit_map_draw_new_borders.gif)

Now, we can quickly inspect our new borders and then send the coordinates to the wall construction company.

```
mapview(new_borders$drawn)
```

![screenshot of map with drawn and deleted features](images/edit_map_new_borders.png)

### Disclaimers

If you played enough with the border example, you might notice a couple of glitches and missing functionality.  This is a good time for a reminder that this is alpha and intended as a proof of concept.  Please provide feedback, so that we can insure a quality final product.  In this case, the older version of `Leaflet.Draw` in RStudio Viewer has some bugs, so clicking an existing point creates a new one rather than allowing editing of that point.  Also, the returned `list` from `editMap` has no knowledge of the provided features.

## Selecting Regions

The newest version of `leaflet` provides [`crosstalk`](https://rstudio.github.io/crosstalk/) support, but support is currently limited to `addCircleMarkers`.  This functionality is enhanced by the `sf` use of list columns and integration with `dplyr` verbs.  Here is a quick example with the `breweries91` data from `leaflet`.

```
library(crosstalk)
library(mapview)
library(sf)
library(shiny)
library(dplyr)

# convert breweries91 from mapview into simple features
#  and add a Century column that we will use for selection
brew_sf <- st_as_sf(breweries91) %>%
  mutate(century = floor(founded/100)*100) %>%
  filter(!is.na(century)) %>%
  mutate(id=1:n())

pts <- SharedData$new(brew_sf, key = ~id, group = "grp1")

ui <- fluidPage(
  fluidRow(
    column(4, filter_slider(id="filterselect", label="Century Founded", sharedData=pts, column=~century, step=50)),
    column(6, leafletOutput("leaflet1"))
  ),
  h4("Selected points"),
  verbatimTextOutput("selectedpoints")
)

server <- function(input, output, session) {
  # unfortunatly create SharedData again for scope
  pts <- SharedData$new(brew_sf, key = ~id, group = "grp1")
  lf <- leaflet(pts) %>%
    addTiles() %>%
    addMarkers()
  
  not_rendered <- TRUE
  # hack to only draw leaflet once
  output$leaflet1 <- renderLeaflet({
    if(req(not_rendered,cancelOutput=TRUE)) {
      not_rendered <- FALSE
      lf
    }
  })
  
  output$selectedpoints <- renderPrint({
    df <- pts$data(withSelection = TRUE)
    cat(nrow(df), "observation(s) selected\n\n")
    str(dplyr::glimpse(df))
  })
}

shinyApp(ui, server)
```

![screenshot of mapedit with crosstalk select](images/select_crosstalk_mapedit.png)

With `mapedit`, we would like to enhance the geospatial `crosstalk` integration to extend beyond `leaflet::addCircleMarkers`.  In addition, we would like to provide an interactive interface to the geometric operations of `sf`, such as `st_intersects()`, `st_difference()`, and `st_contains()`.

### Proof of Concept 3

As a select/query proof of concept, assume we want to interactively select some US states for additional analysis.  We will build off Bhaskar Karambelkar's leaflet projection  [example](https://bhaskarvk.github.io/leaflet/examples/proj4Leaflet.html) using Bob Rudis [`albersusa`](https://github.com/hrbrmstr/albersusa) package.

```
# use @bhaskarvk USA Albers with leaflet code
#  https://bhaskarvk.github.io/leaflet/examples/proj4Leaflet.html
#devtools::install_github("hrbrmstr/albersusa")
library(albersusa)
library(sf)
library(leaflet)
library(mapedit)

spdf <- usa_composite() %>% st_as_sf()
pal <- colorNumeric(
  palette = "Blues",
  domain = spdf$pop_2014
)

bounds <- c(-125, 24 ,-75, 45)

(lf <- leaflet(
  options=
    leafletOptions(
      worldCopyJump = FALSE,
      crs=leafletCRS(
        crsClass="L.Proj.CRS",
        code='EPSG:2163',
        proj4def='+proj=laea +lat_0=45 +lon_0=-100 +x_0=0 +y_0=0 +a=6370997 +b=6370997 +units=m +no_defs',
        resolutions = c(65536, 32768, 16384, 8192, 4096, 2048,1024, 512, 256, 128)
      ))) %>%
  fitBounds(bounds[1], bounds[2], bounds[3], bounds[4]) %>%
  setMaxBounds(bounds[1], bounds[2], bounds[3], bounds[4]) %>%
  mapview::addFeatures(
    data=spdf, weight = 1, color = "#000000",
    # adding group necessary for identification
    layerId = ~iso_3166_2,
    fillColor=~pal(pop_2014),
    fillOpacity=0.7,
    label=~stringr::str_c(name,' ', format(pop_2014, big.mark=",")),
    labelOptions= labelOptions(direction = 'auto')#,
    #highlightOptions = highlightOptions(
    #  color='#00ff00', bringToFront = TRUE, sendToBack = TRUE)
  )
)


# test out selectMap with albers example
selectMap(
  lf,
  styleFalse = list(weight = 1),
  styleTrue = list(weight = 4)
)
```

![screenshot of mapedit selecting states](images/select_map_screenshot.gif)

The `selectMap()` function will return a `data.frame` with an `id`/group column and a `selected` column.  `selectMap()` will work with nearly all leaflet overlays and offers the ability to customize the styling of selected and unselected features.


## Editing Attributes

A common task in geospatial analysis involves editing or adding feature attributes.  While much of this can be accomplished in the R console, an interactive UI on a reference map can often help perform this task.  Mapbox's [`geojson.io`](https://geojson.io) provides a good reference point for some of the features we would like to provide in `mapedit`.

### Proof of Concept 4

As a proof of concept, we made a Shiny app that thinly wraps a slightly modified [`geojson.io`](https://github.com/timelyportfolio/geojson.io/tree/shiny).  Currently, we will have to pretend that there is a mechanism to load R feature data onto the map, since this functionality does not yet exist.


```
library(shiny)
edited_features <- runGitHub(
  "geojson.io", "timelyportfolio", ref="shiny"
)
```

![screenshot of geojson.io integrated in shiny](images/mapedit_attribute_edit.gif)


## Conclusion

`mapedit` hopes to add useful interactivity to your geospatial workflows by leveraging powerful new functionality in R with the interactivity of HTML, JavaScript, and CSS.  `mapedit` will be better with your feedback, requests, bug reports, use cases, and participation.  We will report on progress periodically with blog posts on this site, and we will develop openly on the `mapedit` Github [repo](https://github.com/r-spatial/mapedit).