In this section, you'll find everything you need to effectively manage properties, floors, hotspots, and photos in Observv. From creating new properties and organizing floors to adding hotspots and managing photos, this guide will walk you through each step in a clear and straightforward way.
Property management overview
This section focuses on how to effectively create, edit, and organize the core elements that make up a project in Observv. Here's a quick overview:
Properties: The foundation of your data hierarchy. Each property can contain multiple floors, hotspots, and photos.
Floors: Subdivisions of a property, such as levels or sections, that help you organize visual and spatial data.
Hotspots: Specific points on a floor plan, marked by red dots, that serve as containers for 360° and still photos.
Photos: The visual assets associated with hotspots or properties.
What are Property Role levels?
Property Content Manager (Can manage content including properties, floors, hotspots, and photos. Managing Projects, Tours & Markers are optional)
Property Uploader (Can upload photos. Managing Floors and Hotspots are optional. Viewing photos marked as sensitive is optional)
Property Viewer (Can view photos. Viewing photos marked as sensitive is optional)
What is a Property?
A property in ObservV is a digital representation of a real-world location that is organized into Floors,Hotspots and Photos.
Why create a Property?
Organized management: Centralize all location-specific data like Floors, Photos, and Markers.
Controlled access: Define roles to manage user permissions.
Scalability: Easily expand with additional data or global markers.
Team collaboration: Enable shared workspaces while ensuring data security.
Data services
To create a Property, you need to subscribe to Data services'. Data services covers costs for bandwidth and storage which you need for uploading and viewing photos.
Free Accounts: These are available for free, without subscribing to Data services. You can upload photos to other organizations' accounts, but not to your own.
What is a Floor?
A Floor is a section of a Property. It can represent property levels, wings, sections, areas, or any other way you want to display and/or divide the Property. Use floor plans that are clean, clear, accurate, and ideally to scale with only black and white markings. Floors are the foundation of the user experience; crop them to eliminate redundant blank space or unnecessary information around the perimeter, often present in architectural drawings or fire plans.
Replacing floor plans can result in hotspots appearing in the wrong position if the new floor plan has a different aspect ratio. The hotspot's position is its relative position on the x-y axes. Preserve the ratio of the height to width of your new floor plan to maintain the hotspot position.
You can download floor images to edit them, reflecting changes to the layout, and re-upload for a seamless process.
The Floor image must be in JPEG, PNG, or GIF format, less than 4MB and under 4000px on both sides.
What is a Hotspot?
A Hotspot is a specific location represented by a (red) dot on a floor plan. All photos taken in the vicinity of the hotspot are stored in the hotspot. A Hotspot is where your 360 and 2D photos are stored.
How To
Create a property
Click the Properties icon
Select the Create property button.
Enter the mandatory fields:
- Property name: The name of the property.
- Search address: Begin typing the address and select from the dropdown list.
- The system will automatically fill Latitude and Longitude values, and a pin will appear on the map showing the location.
Adjust the pins position on the map if needed by dragging and dropping it.
Optionally, enter additional information in the Description field.
Click the Create property button to save the property.
Edit a property
Click the Properties icon.
Select the Property you want to edit.
Click the Edit icon.
Select Edit property and floors from the options.
Select the Property tab.
Update the necessary fields:
- Property name: Edit the name of the property.
- Description: Edit or add the description of the property.
- Address: If needed, click Edit address to modify the street address and location.
- Latitude and Longitude will be automatically filled based on the address, and you can adjust the marker’s position on the map by dragging and dropping it.
Click the Save button to apply the changes.
Trash the property by clicking the Trash property button.
Add a floor
Click the Properties icon.
Select the Property you want to add a floor to.
Click the Edit icon.
Select Edit property and floors from the options.
Select the Floors tab.
Click the Add floor button.
- The image must be in JPEG, PNG, or GIF format, less than 4MB and under 4000px on both sides.
Enter the necessary fields:
- Floor name: Enter the name of the floor.
Optionally:
- Select new image: Click to upload a new floor.
- Preview: Click to preview the floor before saving.
Click the Save button to save the floor.
Edit a floor
Click the Properties icon.
Select the Property containing the floor you want to edit.
Navigate to the Floor you want to edit.
Click the Edit icon.
Select Edit property and floors from the options.
Select the Floors tab.
Drag and drop the floors in the list to reorder them as needed.
Click the floor you want to edit from the list.
Update the necessary fields:
- Floor name: Edit the name of the floor if needed.
- Select new image: Click to upload a new floor.
- Download: Click to download the floor.
- Preview: Click to preview the floor before saving.
-Trash: Click to trash the floor.
Click the Save button to apply the changes.
Add a hotspot
Click the Properties icon.
Select the Property you want to add a hotspot to.
Navigate to the Floor you want to add a hotspot to.
Click the Edit icon.
- A green highlight over the icon indicates 'hotspot mode' is ON.
- No green highlight means hotspot mode is OFF.
Select Activate hotspot mode from the options.
Click anywhere on the floor to add a hotspot.
Enter the hotspot Name.
Click the Save button to save the hotspot.
Click anywhere on the floor and repeat the process to add more hotspots.
Click the Edit icon to turn off 'hotspot mode' once you have finished adding hotspots.
Edit a hotspot
Click the Properties icon.
Select the Property containing the hotspot you want to edit.
Navigate to the Floor containing the hotspot you want to edit.
Click the Edit icon.
- A green highlight over the icon indicates Hotspot mode is ON.
- No green highlight means 'hotspot mode' is OFF.
Select Activate hotspot mode from the options.
Click on the hotspot you want to edit. You will see several options:
- Edit: Click the pencil icon to rename the hotspot. Enter the new name in the Hotspot name field and click the Save button to apply changes.
- Trash: Click the trash icon to trash the hotspot.
- Upload a photo: Click the upload icon to upload a photo to the hotspot.
- Move hotspot: To move the hotspot, click and drag it to a new location on the floor.
Click the Edit icon to turn off 'hotspot mode' once you have finished making changes.
Upload a photo to a hotspot
There are 2 ways to upload a photo to a hotspot :
Method 1
Click the Properties icon.
Select the Property containing the hotspot you want to upload a photo to.
Navigate to the 'Floor' containing the hotspot you want to upload a photo to.
Click the Edit icon.
- A green highlight over the icon indicates Hotspot mode is ON.
- No green highlight means hotspot mode is OFF.
Select Activate hotspot mode from the options.
Select the hotspot you want to upload a photo to.
You will see several options. Select the upload icon to upload a photo to the hotspot.
Select the photo(s) from your gallery. We recommend using a 360 photo.
In the popup window, input:
- Photo name: Enter the photo's name.
- Description: Optionally, add a description of the photo.
- Comments: Optionally, add comments, with @mentions where beneficial.
Click the Upload button to save the photo(s).
When asked "Do you want to upload another photo?", select Yes or No as appropriate.
Click the Edit icon to turn off Hotspot mode once you have finished uploading photos.
Method 2
Click the Properties icon.
Select the Property containing the hotspot you want to upload a photo to.
Navigate to the Hotspot you want to upload a photo to.
Click the Upload button within the hotspot.
Select the photo(s) from your gallery. We recommend using a 360 photo.
Fill out the photo(s) details in the pop-up window:
- Photo name: Enter the photo's name.
- Description: Optionally, add a description of the photo.
- Comments: Optionally, add comments, with @mentions where beneficial.
Click the Upload button to save the photo(s).
When asked "Do you want to upload another photo?", select Yes or No as appropriate.
Edit a photo
Click the Properties icon.
Select the Property containing the photo you want to edit.
Select the Photo you wish to edit.
Click the Edit icon.
Edit details:
- Photo sensitivity: Indicate whether the photo contains sensitive data by selecting Yes or No.
- Comment: Add or edit any relevant notes or information about the photo in the comment field.
- Photo Name: Edit the name of the photo.
- 360 photo: If applicable, ensure the 360 photo option is checked to indicate it is a 360° photo.
Click the Save button to apply the changes.
Upload attached photos
There are two ways to upload attached photos:
Method 1
Click the Properties icon.
Open the Property containing the photo you want to attach photos to.
Open the Photo you want to attach photos to.
Click the Attach photos icon on the photo.
- A green highlight over the icon indicates Attach mode is ON.
- No green highlight means Attach mode is OFF.
Click anywhere on the photo where you'd like to attach the photo.
Select the photo(s) from your gallery. We recommend using a 2D photo.
In the popup window, input:
- Photo name: Enter the photo's name.
- Description: Optionally, add a description of the photo.
- Comments: Optionally, add comments, with @mentions where beneficial.
Click the Upload button to save the photo(s).
NOTE: Once a photo has photos attached to it, it is known as a Parent photo.
When asked, "Do you want to upload another photo?", select Yes or No as appropriate.
Selecting Yes will upload any subsequent photos to the area on the photo previously selected.
Select No if you want to add photos to a different location on the photo.
Click the Attach photos icon to turn off Attach mode once you've finished uploading photos.
Method 2
Click the Properties icon.
Open the Property containing the photo you want to attach photos to.
Open the Photo you want to attach photos to.
Click the Edit icon.
Select the Attached photos tab from the edit panel.
Click Upload from device select the photo(s) from your gallery.
In the popup window, input:
- Photo name: Enter the photo's name.
- Description: Optionally, add a description of the photo.
- Comments: Optionally, add comments, with @mentions where beneficial.
Click the Upload button to save the photo(s).
NOTE: Once a photo has photos attached to it, it is known as a Parent photo.
When asked, "Do you want to upload another photo?", select Yes or No as appropriate.
Attach existing photos
Click the Properties icon.
Open the Property containing the photo you want to attach photos to.
Open the Photo you want to attach photos to.
Click the Edit icon.
Select the Attached photos tab from the edit panel.
Click Attach existing photos.
A gallery will open displaying Hotspot photos (photos in the hotspot that are not parents or attached).
Select the photo(s) you want to attach.
Click Save to attach the selected photo(s) to the photo.
NOTE: Once a photo has photos attached to it, it is known as a Parent photo.
Redact a photo
Click the Properties icon.
Select the Property containing the photo you want to redact.
Select the Photo you want to redact.
Click the Edit icon.
There are two ways the redaction process can proceed:
Scenario 1: If the photo has no prior redactions:
In the edit panel, select Redact from the Actions section.
In the viewer, follow these steps to complete your redactions:
- View mode: Choose Real view or Editing view to adjust how the photo is displayed while you work.
- Paint mode: Select Paint to start redacting areas of the photo.
- Brush settings: Adjust the Brush size and select a Colour for the redaction.
- Actions: Use Undo,Redo, or Clear to adjust your redaction work.
Once you’ve completed your redactions, click the Save button to apply your changes.
Scenario 2: If the photo already has redactions:
In the edit panel, select Manage redactions from the Actions section.
In the viewer, use the following steps for redaction:
- View mode: Choose Real view or Editing view to adjust how the photo is displayed while you work.
- Paint mode: Select 'Paint' to start redacting areas of the photo.
-Brush settings: Adjust the Brush size and select a Colour for the redaction.
- Actions: Use Undo, Redo, or Clear to adjust your redaction work.
Remove Redactions:
- If redactions have previously been saved, the Remove redactions button will be available. Only Content Managers and above can perform this action.
- Clicking Remove redactions will open a side-by-side view of the original photo and the redacted photo.
- You will have the option to remove all redactions, restoring the original photo.
- This button is not available for redactions that haven’t been saved yet.
Delete Original:
- When a photo is redacted, a copy of the original, unredacted version is saved.
- If you no longer want the original unredacted version, you can permanently delete it by selecting Delete original.
- When you click Delete original, it opens a side-by-side view of the redacted photo and the original photo. You will be prompted to confirm the deletion of the original.
- Once deleted, the original unredacted photo cannot be recovered.
- Delete original helps to free up storage, but ensure you no longer need the unredacted version before proceeding.
Once you’ve completed your redactions, click the Save button to apply your changes.
Set the opening view of a photo
Click the Properties icon.
Select the Property containing the photo you want to edit.
Select the Photo you want to set the opening view for.
Click the Edit icon.
In the edit panel, select Set opening view from the Actions section.
In the viewer, adjust the opening view by moving the image to your preferred orientation.
Optionally:
- Show advanced settings: Select to manually enter specific Opening latitude and Opening longitude coordinates if needed.
- Reset to last saved opening view: Select to revert to the previous opening view
Click the Save button to apply the changes.
Make photo adjustments
Click the Properties icon.
Select the Property containing the photo you want to edit.
Select the Photo you want to adjust.
Click the Edit icon.
In the edit panel, select Photo adjustments from the Actions section.
In the viewer, adjust the horizon of the 360° image by entering values for:
- Heading: Adjust the direction the photo is facing.
- Pitch/Tilt: Adjust the tilt of the image.
- Roll: Adjust the rotation of the image to straighten it.
Optionally:
- Reset to camera XMP: Select this to restore the photo to its original camera settings.
- Reset to last saved: Select to revert to the last saved settings.
Click the Save button to apply the changes.
Move a photo to a different hotspot
Click the Properties icon.
Select the Property containing the photo that you want to move to a different hotspot.
Select the Photo that you want to move.
Click the Edit icon.
In the edit panel, select Move photo to different hotspot from the Actions section.
Select the new hotspot from the list of hotspots on the current floor in the pop-up window.
- You can also use the search bar at the top to quickly find the hotspot you want.
NOTE - If the photo you are moving is a parent photo, any attached photos will not move with it. These photos will become hotspot photos, meaning they will no longer be associated with any parent photo until reattached. Additionally, if you want to move a photo to a different floor, you must move it to the bucket first, and from there, move it to the new floor and hotspot.
Move a photo to the bucket
Click the Properties icon.
Select the Property containing the photo that you want to move to the bucket.
Select the Photo that you want to move.
Click the Edit icon.
In the edit panel, select Move photo to bucket from the Actions section.
A confirmation pop-up will appear asking, "Are you sure you want to move this photo to bucket?"
- Click OK to confirm and move the photo to the bucket.
NOTE: If the photo you are moving is a parent photo, any attached photos will not move with it. These photos will become hotspot photos, meaning they will no longer be associated with any parent photo until reattached. The purpose of moving a photo to the bucket is to allow you to move it to a different floor.
Trash a photo
Click the Properties icon.
Select the Property containing the photo that you want to trash.
Select the Photo that you want to trash.
Click the Edit icon.
In the edit panel, select Trash photo from the Actions section.
A confirmation pop-up will appear asking if you are sure you want to trash the photo.
- Click Trash to confirm.
- Click Cancel if you do not want to proceed.
The photo will not be deleted. It will be moved to Trash, where it can be permanently deleted or restored.
NOTE - If the photo you are moving is a parent photo, any attached photos will not move with it. These photos will become hotspot photos, meaning they will no longer be associated with any parent photo until reattached.
Upload photos to bucket
Click the Properties icon.
Select the Property where you want to upload photos to the bucket.
Click the Bucket icon.
Click the Upload button.
Select the photo(s) from your gallery.
In the popup window, input:
- Photo name: Enter the photo's name.
- Description: Optionally, add a description of the photo.
- Comments: Optionally, add comments, with @mentions where beneficial.
Click the Upload button to save the photo(s).
When asked, "Do you want to upload another photo?", select Yes or No as appropriate.
Move photo from bucket to hotspot
Click the Properties icon.
Select the Property containing the photos in the bucket that you want to move.
Click the Bucket icon.
Select the photo(s) you want to move from the bucket by clicking on them.
Click the Select hotspot button.
Select the floor that contains the hotspot in the pop-up window.
Once the floor is selected, select the hotspot.
- You can use the search bar at the top to quickly find the floor or hotspot you want.
Click Move to apply the changes.
View redacted photos, remove redactions and delete originals
Click the Properties icon.
Select the Property with the redacted photos you want to view/remove.
Click the Redacted icon.
Select the photo from the list of redacted photos.
Once selected, you will see a side-by-side comparison of the Original photo and Redacted photo.
From here, you have several options:
- Delete original: Permanently delete the original version of the photo.
- When asked, "Are you sure you want to delete the original?", select Delete or Cancel as appropriate.
- Remove redactions: This option removes all redactions, restoring the original photo.
- When asked, "Are you sure you want to remove the redactions?", select Remove or Cancel as appropriate.
- Edit photo: Choose this to open the edit panel of the photo, where you can further redact.
Click Save to apply any changes made.
Delete or restore floors, hotspots, and photos in trash
Click the Properties icon.
Select the property you want to manage.
Click the Trash icon.
Delete all: Clicking this will permanently delete all items in Trash, including floors, hotspots, and photos.
To manage a floor, hotspot, or photo, click on it directly or use the three-dot menu next to the item.
Available options
View: Preview the item before restoring or deleting.
Restore: Restores the individual item (floor, hotspot, or photo) to its original location.
Delete: Permanently deletes the item from the system.
Restore all: If you select Restore all on a floor, it restores the floor along with all associated hotspots and photos. If you select Restore all on a hotspot, it restores the hotspot along with all associated photos.
NOTE: Restore hierarchy
Restoring a photo that was part of a trashed hotspot or floor automatically restores the associated hotspot or floor.
Restoring a trashed hotspot that was part of a trashed floor will also restore the floor automatically.
NOTE: Hotspot status
Red hotspots: Fully trashed hotspots.
Green hotspots: Hotspots that have one or more trashed photos, but the hotspot itself is still active.