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 (beta) provides a number of different styles that you can use in your MapLibre GL JS 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.

Use dark colors for code blocks
const accessToken = "YOUR_ACCESS_TOKEN";
const basemapEnum = "arcgis/outdoor";
const map = new maplibregl.Map({
  container: "map", // the id of the div element
  style: `https://basemapstyles-api.arcgis.com/arcgis/rest/services/styles/v2/styles/${basemapEnum}?token=${accessToken}`,
  zoom: 12, // starting zoom
  center: [-118.805, 34.027] // starting location [longitude, latitude]
});

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.

Add a language selector

Add a menu that allows users to change the display language of your map. MapLibre does not have a built-in selector widget, so you will create an HTML <select> element.

In the <body> element, add a select element that contains an enumeration for each language available through the static basemap tiles service.

Use dark colors for code blocks
<body>
  <div id="map"></div>

  <div id="language-wrapper">
    <select id="language">
      <option value="en">English</option>
      <option value="nl">Dutch</option>
      <option value="da">Danish</option>
      <option value="fi">Finnish</option>
      <option value="fr">French</option>
      <option value="de">German</option>
      <option value="nb">Norwegian</option>
    </select>
  </div>

</body>

In the <head> tag, add CSS that will position the <select> menu element and its wrapper in the upper right corner and provide styling.

Use dark colors for code blocks
    <style>
    body {
      margin: 0;
      padding: 0;
    }

    html,
    body,
    #map {
      height: 100%;
    }

    #language-wrapper {
      position: absolute;
      top: 20px;
      right: 20px;
      background: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);
    }

    #language {
      font-size: 16px;
      padding: 4px 8px;
    }

  </style>

Update the map's viewpoint

Change the map's center to [8.90, 47.14] and zoom level to 6. This will focus the map on Switzerland.

Use dark colors for code blocks
    const map = new maplibregl.Map({
      container: 'map',

      zoom: 6,
      center: [8.90, 47.14], // Switzerland

    });

Set the basemap

When the page loads, initialize the app to display the static basemap tiles in French.

Change the basemapEnum to beta/arcgis/outdoor. This will be the default basemap.

Expand
Use dark colors for code blocks
  <script>
    const accessToken = "YOUR_ACCESS_TOKEN";

    const basemapEnum = "beta/arcgis/outdoor";

    const map = new maplibregl.Map({
      container: 'map',

      zoom: 6,
      center: [8.90, 47.14], // Switzerland

    });

  </script>
Expand

Create a function called url that takes a language as a parameter. This will create the URL of the static basemap tiles for that specified language.

Expand
Use dark colors for code blocks
  <script>
    const accessToken = "YOUR_ACCESS_TOKEN";

    const basemapEnum = "beta/arcgis/outdoor";

    const baseUrl = `https://static-map-tiles-api.arcgis.com/arcgis/rest/services/static-basemap-tiles-service`;
    const url = (language) => `${baseUrl}/${basemapEnum}/static/tile/{z}/{y}/{x}?token=${accessToken}&language=${language}`;

    const map = new maplibregl.Map({
      container: 'map',

      zoom: 6,
      center: [8.90, 47.14], // Switzerland

    });

  </script>
Expand

Create a defaultLanguage variable for the basemap, which is fr for French.

Expand
Use dark colors for code blocks
  <script>
    const accessToken = "YOUR_ACCESS_TOKEN";

    const basemapEnum = "beta/arcgis/outdoor";

    const baseUrl = `https://static-map-tiles-api.arcgis.com/arcgis/rest/services/static-basemap-tiles-service`;
    const url = (language) => `${baseUrl}/${basemapEnum}/static/tile/{z}/{y}/{x}?token=${accessToken}&language=${language}`;

    const defaultLanguage = "fr";

    const map = new maplibregl.Map({
      container: 'map',

      zoom: 6,
      center: [8.90, 47.14], // Switzerland

    });

  </script>
Expand

Set the style of the map to include a source with an id of raster-tiles and a layer with an id of simple-tiles. Pass defaultLanguage inside the tiles attribute as the default basemap language.

Expand
Use dark colors for code blocks
  <script>
    const accessToken = "YOUR_ACCESS_TOKEN";

    const basemapEnum = "beta/arcgis/outdoor";

    const baseUrl = `https://static-map-tiles-api.arcgis.com/arcgis/rest/services/static-basemap-tiles-service`;
    const url = (language) => `${baseUrl}/${basemapEnum}/static/tile/{z}/{y}/{x}?token=${accessToken}&language=${language}`;

    const defaultLanguage = "fr";

    const map = new maplibregl.Map({
      container: 'map',

      style: {
        'version': 8,
        'sources': {
          'raster-tiles': {
            'type': 'raster',
            'tiles': [
              url(defaultLanguage)
            ],
            'tileSize': 512,
          },
        },
        'layers': [
          {
            'id': 'simple-tiles',
            'type': 'raster',
            'source': 'raster-tiles',
            'minzoom': 0,
            'maxzoom': 22
          },
        ]
      },

      zoom: 6,
      center: [8.90, 47.14], // Switzerland

    });

  </script>
Expand

Run the code to ensure the map displays the default static basemap tiles in French and that the <select> element contains different language enumerations.

Add an event listener

Use an event listener to register a language change in the <select> element and to update the map.

Retrieve the select element by storing it in a languageSelectElement variable.

Expand
Use dark colors for code blocks
    const languageSelectElement = document.querySelector("#language");

Expand

Add an event listener to store the selected basemap.

Expand
Use dark colors for code blocks
    const languageSelectElement = document.querySelector("#language");

    languageSelectElement.addEventListener("change", (e) => {
      const language = e.target.value;

    });
Expand

Update the map's raster-tiles with the new language.

Expand
Use dark colors for code blocks
    const languageSelectElement = document.querySelector("#language");

    languageSelectElement.addEventListener("change", (e) => {
      const language = e.target.value;

      const tilesUrl = url(language);
      map.getSource('raster-tiles').setTiles([tilesUrl]);

    });
Expand

Update attribution

You will update the attribution text for basemap styles service from the previous tutorial to the attribution for static basemap tiles service. You retrieve the data attribution manually from the service URL and display it in the map's attribution control. You also prepend Powered by Esri in the attribution string.

Fetch the copyrightText from the service URL. Then, display it and prepend Powered by Esri string in the map's attribution control.

Expand
Use dark colors for code blocks
    // Add Esri and data attribution
    // Learn more in https://esriurl.com/attribution
    fetch(`${baseUrl}/${basemapEnum}/static?token=${accessToken}`)
      .then(response => response.json())
      .then(data => {
        map._controls[0]._innerContainer.innerText += " | Powered by Esri | " + data.copyrightText;
     });
Expand

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).