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How may I upload a shapefile to SeaSketch?

← FAQ

First, determine what you're after. Do you want to display shapefiles as a map layer like those under the Data Layers tab? If so, then you cannot upload shapefiles for this purpose. Shapefiles may only be uploaded as plan elements (e.g., Sketches) under the My Plans tab. Furthermore, you may only upload one feature (e.g., one point, line or polygon) at a time. This is because SeaSketch will need to walk you through entering the attributes for each shape, just as you would need to if you had sketched (drawn) the plan. 

Currently, shapefile upload is only supported in Firefox, Safari I.E. 10 and 11 (not Chrome). To upload a shapefile, do the following.

  • Under the My Plans tab, select "Create New", and select the type of plan you wish to create. 
You will see a message that says "Polygon drawing tools are active. Click on the map to start your shape, and continue clicking to add points to it. Double-click on the last point of the polygon to finish. The video below demonstrates how to draw a simple square shape." Below that video, at the bottom of the window, notice the message that says, "Advanced users - In browsers other than Chrome, you can also upload a shapefile to define this geometry. We recommend the Firefox or Safari browsers for this task."
  • Drag and drop the shapefile you would like to use onto the map. 
  • Click on one feature (point, line or polygon) you wish to upload. 
If you are trying to upload a complex feature (e.g., a polygon with many vertixes) SeaSketch may give you an error. In that case, simply go through the above steps but ensure that you click the box that says, "bypass preprocessing step." This will render your sketch un-editable but you may still analyze it, share it with others and copy it. Note, copies will be un-editable as well. 
  • As with any sketch (i.e., plan element) you will need to enter all required attributes, for example, a name. 


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