22.2.9. The Elevation Profile Item

The Elevation Profile item is used to display an elevation profile view in a layout. Use the elevationProfile Add Elevation Profile button, and follow items creation instructions to add a new elevation profile item that you can later manipulate the same way as demonstrated in Interacting with layout items.

A new elevation profile item has default settings that make it render an empty chart. You can customize its properties in the Item Properties panel. In addition to the common properties, this feature has the following functionalities:

The Elevation profile Item Properties panel embeds a top toolbar with the following functionalities:

  • refresh Update elevation profile to refresh the item rendering

  • copyProfileSettings Copy from elevation profile: a drop-down menu to select an elevation profile view from. The view settings are applied to the layout elevation profile item, and can be later modified.

22.2.9.1. Layers

Under the Layers group, check in the tree view the layers you would like to render in the profile item. Remember to properly configure the Elevation properties of the selected layers.

22.2.9.2. Profile curve

  • unchecked Controlled by atlas: the profile curve will be taken from the current atlas feature and the elevation profile view updated as you walk through the atlas features. This is currently supported for an active layout atlas or report, using a line geometry type coverage layer.

  • The Tolerance distance, which can be data-defined, helps you control how far a feature of the visible layers should be from the profile curve in order to display in the layout elevation view. Only point features are currently returned.

22.2.9.3. Chart ranges

A layout elevation profile item does not necessarily display the full extent of the elevation profile view it is based on. You can limit the area to render, providing:

  • on the X axis, the Minimum distance and Maximum distance from the profile curve starting point

  • On the Y axis, the Minimum elevation and Maximum elevation

22.2.9.4. Distance and elevation axes

The Distance axis and Elevation axis groups give options to tweak the grid over the elevation profile item, respectively on the X and Y axes:

  • the distance display Unit, allowing to override the map canvas unit

  • the graduation on the axis with both a Major interval and Minor interval

  • the line symbols to apply to the corresponding Major grid lines and Minor grid lines

  • how regular the graduation items should be labeled (Label interval) as well as their Label format and Label font

  • the Distance labels: configures whether the distance unit symbol should be placed next to Every value, First value, Last value, First and last values, or skipped (None)

22.2.9.5. Chart area

Under Chart area, you can configure the rendering of the area in which the elevation profile plot is actually displayed:

  • a Background fill symbol

  • a Border line symbol

  • the margins from the elevation profile item border