Getting Started

{% hint style="info" %} This article covers:

• SeaSketch project layout
  • Language selection
• Signing in
• Creating your profile and joining a project {% endhint %}

Project Page Layout

On any SeaSketch project homepage you'll see a layout like the one below. The map will look different depending on the project.

Landing page for the Blue Azores project

This interface is composed of the main menu on the left where you can navigate to the various tools and options the platform offers, and the map viewer on the right. These elements are described in detail in their respective guides.

The arrow at the top right of the menu will collapse the menu panel for a better view of the map. Clicking the SeaSketch icon in the bottom left will take you to the main SeaSketch homepage.

Language Selection

You can select a language to view the app in by clicking the menu item shown below. The options will be dependent on the project.

Signing In

In order to contribute to a project you have to be logged in. To do so, click 'Sign In' on the main menu. Here, you may enter your SeaSketch account credentials, sign in using Google, or create an account, as shown below.

SeaSketch sign in options

Creating Your Profile and Joining a Project

Once you've logged into your account, you can create a profile and join the project. Joining a project is necessary to participate in discussion forums and allows administrators to grant you access to protected data layers.

To create your profile start by clicking 'My Profile' on the main menu — this should appear as an option if you have successfully signed in to your account. That link will take you here:

From this page you can edit your profile. The only field required to join the project is your full name, but we encourage you to add a profile picture, nickname (username), email, and affiliations to better identify yourself in discussion forums.

Simply fill in your name, add any optional information, and click 'Join Project'. Once you've joined, you should be returned to the project homepage. You can edit your profile at any time by clicking the same 'My Profile' link.

Once you've joined the project, you can start exploring and contributing! The full suite of SeaSketch tools you can use to do so are outlined in the following pages.