Custom symbols

If standard military symbols are not sufficient for your needs, you can create custom unit symbols using images and SVGs.

Adding custom symbols

To create a custom unit symbol go to the Settings -> Custom unit symbols:

Click the Add button to open the Add custom symbol form:

Name Enter a descriptive name for your custom symbol

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URL/URI Provide a URL or Data URL for the symbol image. Supported input formats:

• Data URLs (base64-encoded images or SVGs, e.g., data:image/png;base64,...)
• Regular URLs to image files (e.g., https://example.com/symbol.png). Subject to CORS restrictions.

INFO

Data URLs are a way to embed small files directly within web pages or applications by encoding the file’s data in base64 format and placing it inline as a string. Data URIs typically start with a scheme like data:image/png;base64, followed by the encoded content. For more details, see the MDN documentation on Data URLs.

Custom symbols added using Data URLs are stored directly in the scenario file, making them portable and self-contained. However, be aware that large Data URLs can increase the size of your scenario file significantly.

Supported image formats:

• PNG
• SVG
• JPEG/JPG
• and other formats supported by web browsers

The recommended image formats are SVG and PNG with transparent backgrounds. SVG images can be scaled to any size without loss of quality and are usually smaller than raster images.

WARNING

When using external URLs, make sure you have permission to use the image and that the server hosting the image allows cross-origin requests. Hotlinking images from other websites without permission may violate their terms of service.

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Corresponding SIDC. The Symbol Identification Code (SIDC) that corresponds to your custom symbol. This value is used for filtering and selecting units. It may also be used when exporting data to formats that support SIDCs.

After you have added your custom symbol, it will appear in the list of available custom symbols:

You can edit or delete custom symbols using the "Edit symbols" button. You can also double click on a row in the custom symbols list to open the edit form.

Using custom symbols

To use a custom symbol open the symbol picker by clicking the symbol icon in the unit details panel:

In the symbol picker, switch to the Custom symbol tab to see your custom symbols:

You can go back to a standard military symbol by switching to the Browse tab and selecting a symbol from a symbol set.

Where to find symbol icons

Here are a few starting points:

• Iconify.design A large collection of open-source icon sets.
• Icônes Icon explorer with instant searching, powered by Iconify.
• Icon Archive A large collection of icon sets in various styles and formats.

A few tips :

• Look for icons in SVG format for the best scalability and quality.
• Ensure the icons have transparent backgrounds (especially for PNGs) to blend well on different map backgrounds.
• Check the licensing terms to ensure you have the right to use the icons in your project.
• Avoid using large images.
• If you use ordinary URLs, ensure the hosting server allows cross-origin requests (CORS).
• Check the readability of the icons on different backgrounds and at various sizes. Adding a subtle outline or shadow can help improve visibility.

Troubleshooting

If your custom symbol does not appear as expected, check the following:

• Ensure the URL or Data URL is correct and accessible. The easiest way to test this is to open the URL in a web browser.
• If the symbol shows up in the list of custom symbols but not on the map, check for any CORS-related issues. Modern browsers enforce CORS policies that may prevent loading images from certain external sources. If you suspect a CORS issue, try hosting the image on a different server or use a Data URL instead.