Tutorial: Change language labels for static basemap tiles

Learn how to change language labels using the static basemap tiles service (beta).

The static basemap tiles service provides a number of different styles that you can use in your Esri Leaflet applications. Each style accepts a language parameter, which allows you to localize place labels. There are currently more than 5 different languages available.

In this tutorial, you use a <select> dropdown menu to toggle between a number of different language labels for the static basemap tiles.

Prerequisites

This tutorial requires an ArcGIS Location Platform account.

Steps

Create a new pen

To get started, you can complete the Display a map tutorial or use the .

Get an access token

You need an access token with the correct privileges to access the resources used in this tutorial.

Go to the Create an API key tutorial and create an API key with the following privilege(s):
- Privileges
  - Location services > Basemaps
Copy the API key access token to your clipboard when prompted.

In CodePen, update the accessToken variable to use your access token.

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      const map = L.map("map", {
        minZoom: 2
      })

      map.setView([34.02, -118.805], 13);

      const accessToken = "YOUR_ACCESS_TOKEN";

      const basemapEnum = "arcgis/streets";

      L.esri.Vector.vectorBasemapLayer(basemapEnum, {
        token: accessToken
      }).addTo(map);

Run the code to ensure the basemap is displayed in the map.

To learn about the other types of authentication available, go to Types of authentication.

Update script references

The map will use static basemap tiles as its basemap layer. Therefore, you remove references to the esri-leaflet-vector plugin and the vector basemap layer. Then, you reference the staticBasemapTileLayer plugin.

Remove the script references to esri-leaflet-vector plugin.

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  <head>
    <meta charset="utf-8" />
    <meta name="viewport" content="initial-scale=1,maximum-scale=1,user-scalable=no" />
    <title>Esri Leaflet Tutorials: Display a map</title>

    <!-- Load Leaflet from CDN -->
    <link rel="stylesheet" href="https://unpkg.com/leaflet@1.9.4/dist/leaflet.css" crossorigin="" />
    <script src="https://unpkg.com/leaflet@1.9.4/dist/leaflet.js" crossorigin=""></script>

    <!-- Load Esri Leaflet from CDN -->
    <script src="https://unpkg.com/esri-leaflet@3.0.10/dist/esri-leaflet.js"></script>

    <script src="https://unpkg.com/esri-leaflet-vector@4.2.5/dist/esri-leaflet-vector.js"></script>

Remove the basemapEnum and vectorBasemapLayer references.

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      const map = L.map("map", {
        minZoom: 2
      })

      map.setView([34.02, -118.805], 13);

      const accessToken = "YOUR_ACCESS_TOKEN";

      const basemapEnum = "arcgis/streets";

      L.esri.Vector.vectorBasemapLayer(basemapEnum, {
        token: accessToken
      }).addTo(map);

Add <script> tag to reference the library.

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  <!-- Load Leaflet from CDN -->
  <link rel="stylesheet" href="https://unpkg.com/leaflet@1.9.4/dist/leaflet.css" crossorigin="" />
  <script src="https://unpkg.com/leaflet@1.9.4/dist/leaflet.js" crossorigin=""></script>

  <!-- Load Esri Leaflet from CDN -->
  <script src="https://unpkg.com/esri-leaflet@3.0.10/dist/esri-leaflet.js"></script>

  <script src="https://unpkg.com/esri-leaflet-static-basemap-tile@1.0.0-beta.1/dist/esri-leaflet-static-basemap-tile.js"></script>
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Update the map's viewpoint

Change the map's center to [47.14, 8.90] and zoom level to 7. This will focus the map on Switzerland.

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    const accessToken = "YOUR_ACCESS_TOKEN";

    const map = L.map("map", {
      minZoom: 2
    })

    map.setView([47.14, 8.90], 7);

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Add the language labels

You will get all the available languages for your selected basemap style and create a menu that allows users to change the display language of your map.

Create a basemapStyle variable that stores the default basemap style, beta/arcgis/navigation.

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    const accessToken = "YOUR_ACCESS_TOKEN";

    const map = L.map("map", {
      minZoom: 2
    })

    map.setView([47.14, 8.90], 7);

    const basemapStyle = 'beta/arcgis/navigation';

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Use the getSelf method from L.esri.Static.Util to make a request to the static basemap tiles service that returns all available basemap styles and their metadata.

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    const accessToken = "YOUR_ACCESS_TOKEN";

    const map = L.map("map", {
      minZoom: 2
    })

    map.setView([47.14, 8.90], 7);

    const basemapStyle = 'beta/arcgis/navigation';

    L.esri.Static.Util.getSelf(accessToken).then((data) => {

    })
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Create a languages object to store all the returned languages available for beta/arcgis/navigation.

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    L.esri.Static.Util.getSelf(accessToken).then((data) => {

      const languages = {};

    })
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Iterate through each language and create an L.esri.Static.staticBasemapTileLayer, passing the language code to the language property. Store it inside the languages object.

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    L.esri.Static.Util.getSelf(accessToken).then((data) => {

      const languages = {};

      data.languages.forEach(language => {
        languages[language.name] = L.esri.Static.staticBasemapTileLayer(basemapStyle, {
          token: accessToken,
          language: language.code
        })
      })

    })
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Create a Layers control that references languages and add it to your map.

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    L.esri.Static.Util.getSelf(accessToken).then((data) => {

      const languages = {};

      data.languages.forEach(language => {
        languages[language.name] = L.esri.Static.staticBasemapTileLayer(basemapStyle, {
          token: accessToken,
          language: language.code
        })
      })

      L.control.layers(languages, null, { collapsed: false }).addTo(map);

    })
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Append addTo to the French entry so that it is the default language when the application loads.

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    L.esri.Static.Util.getSelf(accessToken).then((data) => {

      const languages = {};

      data.languages.forEach(language => {
        languages[language.name] = L.esri.Static.staticBasemapTileLayer(basemapStyle, {
          token: accessToken,
          language: language.code
        })
      })

      L.control.layers(languages, null, { collapsed: false }).addTo(map);

      languages['French'].addTo(map);

    })
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Run the app

In CodePen, run your code to display the map.

The map should be displayed in French and you should be able to use the controls to switch between language labels.

What's next?

Learn how to use additional ArcGIS location services in these tutorials:

Change the static basemap tiles style

Change the basemap style in a map using the static basemap tiles service (beta).