Layers

Layers in the Smart Site Plan Platform allow users to create, manage, and interact with geospatial data. You can manually create layers within the interface or upload external data in formats such as GeoJSON, Shapefiles, CSV (for point entities), or images with geolocation data. Uploaded images with geolocation data are automatically placed as point entities at their coordinates, with the image displayed in the entity’s popup. Layer creation and advanced features require a Team Subscription or higher.

Creating a New Group or Layer

Create groups to organize layers or create individual layers to hold geospatial entities.

1. In the Layers panel, locate and select the button labeled New at the bottom.
2. Choose an option from the dialog:
   • Group: Creates a new group to organize layers.
   • Layer: Creates a new layer within an existing group.
   • Tag: Combines groups and layers into a single toggle for advanced functionality.
   • Marker: Creates a point-based entity in a selected layer.
3. For a group, select the Group option at the top of the dialog. For a layer, select the Layer option next to the desired group name, then confirm your selection.

Creating New Features/Entities

Add entities such as shapes, markers, or text to a layer for mapping and analysis.

1. Ensure at least one layer is available in the Layers panel. Select the desired layer to add entities to it.
2. Choose an entity type: Freehand, Marker, or Text.
3. For Freehand:
   1. Select the Freehand option in the layer.
   2. Draw a shape by holding and dragging the mouse or touch-holding on the screen. Release to complete the shape, then select the white dot at the starting point to close it or the final point to keep it open.
   3. Alternatively, create a shape by clicking points on the map to form a polygon or polyline. Select the first white point to close the shape or the last point to keep it open.
4. For Marker:
   • Select the Marker option in the layer.
   • Click on the map to place a marker at the desired location.
5. For Text:
   1. Select the Text option in the layer.
   2. Click on the map to place a text entity, enter the text in the provided field, and select the button labeled Create to finalize. Note: Text entities may not appear at lower zoom levels to optimize performance.

Selecting Entities

Use Select mode to choose entities within layers for editing or other actions. Selected entities appear in an orange variation of their original color, with the total count displayed at the top of the Layers panel.

1. In the Layers panel, select the button labeled Select at the bottom to enter Select mode.
2. Click entities on the map to select them. Use the following options in Select mode:
   • Unselect Entities: Clears all selected entities.
   • Delete Entities: Permanently removes all selected entities.
   • Download Entities: Exports selected entities in formats like Shapefile, GeoJSON, CSV, KML, or DXF.
   • Merge Data Fields: Combines data fields of selected entities with those of a target layer. Choose the target layer and select the button labeled Merge Here.
   • Modify Data Fields: Edits, adds, or removes properties of selected entities.
   • Convert to Lines: Changes selected polygon entities to line entities.
   • Convert to Polygons: Changes selected polyline entities to polygon entities.
   • Copy to a Different Layer: Duplicates selected entities to another layer.
   • Move to a Different Layer: Transfers selected entities to another layer.

Smart Query for Layers

When a layer is active, the Smart Query option appears in the Layers panel, enabling advanced querying of layer data. The Search History panel at the top of the Smart Query container lists previous queries, marked with a stacked icon for Layers or a book icon for Open Data. Selecting a history entry reopens the associated layer or dataset and runs the query.

1. Select the Smart Query option in the active layer’s panel to open the Query Builder.
2. Follow the steps in the Query Builder section to create and execute a query.
3. After performing a search, use these options:
   • Reset Search: Restores the Query Builder to its default state.
   • Unselect Entities: Clears all selected entities.
   • Delete Entities: Permanently removes all selected entities.
   • Download Entities: Exports selected entities in formats like Shapefile, GeoJSON, CSV, KML, DXF, or saves them to a new layer.
   • Modify Data Fields: Edits, adds, or removes properties of selected entities.
   • Copy to a Different Layer: Duplicates selected entities to another layer.
   • Move to a Different Layer: Transfers selected entities to another layer.

Editing Feature/Entity Data

Modify the properties of entities to update or enhance their data.

1. Click an entity on the map to view its properties.
2. Select the button labeled Add to create a new row in the entity’s data table. Note: Each row must have a unique name.
3. Select the button labeled Attach to link a file from the Files section. Choose the file and select Attach to confirm. Note: If the file is deleted from the Files section, it will no longer be available in the entity.
4. Select the button labeled Edit, then select the edit icon next to the row to modify. Update the name or value, ensuring the name is unique, and confirm changes.
5. Select the button labeled Move, choose the target layer, and select Move Here to transfer the entity.
6. Select the button labeled Delete to remove a row or the entire entity:
   1. Select the Trashcan icon at the top-right to remove the entity from the layer.
   2. Select the Trashcan icon next to a row to delete that specific property.

Uploading Data

Upload geospatial data in formats like GeoJSON, Shapefiles, CSV (for point entities), or images with geolocation data to a group or layer. A green loading ring appears next to the layer name until the upload completes.

1. In the Layers panel, select the button labeled Upload next to the desired layer or group.
2. In the dialog, navigate to the file location, select the files, and select Open, then Finish to complete the upload. Note: Shapefile uploads require .shp, .shx, .dbf, and .prj files.
3. Uploaded data retains its original object data fields, with Submitted By and Date Modified fields automatically added or updated.

Supported Data Formats

The platform supports the following external data formats for upload:

Layer Visibility and Styling

Control the visibility and appearance of layers or groups on the map.

• Layers are assigned a random color upon creation or upload.
• To customize a layer’s appearance, select the button labeled Palette next to the layer name to open style settings. Adjust options like those in the Customize Default Layer Styles section under Account settings, including an icon selector for marker entities and a color selector.
• Toggle entire groups or individual layers on or off to control their visibility on the map.

Downloading Data

Export groups or layers for external use in various formats.

1. In the Layers panel, select the button labeled Download at the bottom.
2. Choose to download a group or a specific layer.
3. In the dialog, select a format: Shapefile, GeoJSON, CSV, KML, or DXF. Note: Downloading a group or Shapefile packages the data in a ZIP folder.

Renaming a Group or Layer

Update the name of a group or layer for better organization.

1. In the Layers panel, select the button labeled Rename at the bottom.
2. Select the Rename option next to the group or layer, enter the new name, and select Save to confirm.

Moving a Layer to a Different Group

Relocate a layer to another group for improved organization.

1. In the Layers panel, select the button labeled Move at the bottom.
2. Select the Move option next to the layer you wish to relocate.
3. Select Move Here next to the target group to complete the move.

Deleting a Group or Layer

Remove a group or layer from the project.

1. In the Layers panel, select the button labeled Delete at the bottom.
2. Select the Delete option next to the group or layer. Note: Deleting a group also removes all its layers.

Getting Data Ready for Export in AutoCAD

Prepare AutoCAD data for export to Smart Site Plan. Note: AutoCAD Civil 3D or Map3D is required.

1. Open the Attach/Detach Object Data dialog in AutoCAD by:
   • Typing _ADEATTACHDATA in the command line.
   • Or, in the Planning and Analysis workspace, select the Create ribbon tab, then choose Attach/Detach Object Data.
2. Select Define in the dialog.
3. Select New Table in the top-right corner.
4. Enter a Table Name, Field Names, and Types. Note: Include placeholder values in default fields to prevent removal during import into Smart Site Plan.
5. Save changes as prompted and return to the Attach/Detach Object Data dialog.
6. Select Attach to Objects, then select all objects to associate with the Object Data table.
7. Verify the assignment by selecting entities and checking the OD Table at the bottom of the Properties panel.
8. Follow the steps in the Importing Data from AutoCAD section to export the data to Smart Site Plan.

Converting 3D Pipe Networks to a Usable Format

Convert AutoCAD 3D pipe networks to a format compatible with Smart Site Plan. Note: AutoCAD Civil 3D is required.

1. Open the drawing in AutoCAD Civil 3D.
2. In the Civil 3D ribbons, select the Output tab.
3. In the export panel, select Export Civil Objects to SDF to export all Civil objects.
4. Start a new drawing and use the MapImport command.
5. Change the file type to Autodesk SDF (*.sdf).
6. Navigate to the SDF file location and select OK.
7. In the import dialog, select objects to import and set the coordinate system. For each data attribute, select Create object data and choose the Object Data table, then select OK.
8. Select OK to import the data.
9. Follow the steps in the Importing Data from AutoCAD section to import into Smart Site Plan.

Importing Data from AutoCAD

Import AutoCAD data into Smart Site Plan. Note: AutoCAD Civil 3D or Map3D is required.

1. Type MAPEXPORT into the AutoCAD command line.
2. Select an empty folder and choose Shape Multiclass as the file type.
3. Select the Selection button next to Select Manually.
4. Select all entities to export.
5. In the Feature Class tab, select Select Attributes.
6. In the Object Data dropdown, check the box next to the existing Object Data table. Note: If no Object Data table exists, follow the steps in the Getting Data Ready for Export in AutoCAD section.
7. In the Options tab, check Treat closed polylines as polygons to view closed polylines as solid-filled polygons. Ensure Convert coordinates to: LL84 is set.
8. Consider the following:
   • Convert text to polylines using the _TXTEXP command to retain text at visual scale.
   • Lines and polylines export as lines.
   • Text and mtext export as text.
   • Arcs and circles must be converted to polylines before export.
9. Select OK to generate the Shapefiles.
10. Follow the steps in the Uploading Data section to upload the Shapefiles to Smart Site Plan.

Need more help with Layers? Our team is here to help. You can reach us at Smart Site Plan Support.