GIS File Imports

Aptli can import a range of standard GIS and CAD file formats and convert them into map features. Imports run as background jobs so you can continue working while large files process. Imported features land in a staging area where you can filter by viewport, check for collisions with existing data, and select which features to commit to the map.

Supported Formats

All conversions are handled on the server. Files with multiple layers will have the first (or default) layer extracted.

Starting an Import

From the Data Transfer panel:

1. Open the map and click the Data Transfer button (↕ icon next to the version controls)
2. Switch to the Import tab
3. Click Choose File and select your GIS file
4. Click Upload — the file is scanned for malware before processing begins

From the Imports list page (Admin):

1. Navigate to Admin → Imports
2. Click New Import
3. Select file → Upload

Importing requires the featureCreate admin right.

The Import Job

Uploads are asynchronous. As soon as the file passes the security scan, an import job is created and processing begins in the background. You receive a Job ID immediately and do not need to wait on the page.

Job Statuses

Checking Status

Jobs appear in the Imports panel (Data Transfer → Import tab → Recent Imports). The list auto-refreshes. You can also navigate away and return later — jobs persist for 24 hours.

Clicking a completed job opens the Feature Preview with the extracted features plotted on the map.

Feature Cap

Imports are capped at 5,000 features per file. If your file contains more:

• The first 5,000 features are imported
• A truncated: true flag is set on the job
• The total feature count is recorded in totalFeatures
• A warning appears in the import panel

For files exceeding 5,000 features, split your source data into smaller chunks before uploading, or contact your admin to discuss batch processing options.

Reviewing Imported Features

Once a job completes, features are not yet permanently on the map — they land in the Draw staging area as draft features.

Spatial Filtering

Before committing, you can filter the preview by:

• Bounding box — drag the map to the area of interest; the preview updates automatically
• Polygon filter — draw a custom polygon to select a sub-region of the import

This is useful when a large file covers more area than you need.

Collision Detection

Aptli checks incoming features against features already on the map. If an imported feature overlaps an existing feature at the same location with the same name, a collision warning appears:

• Duplicate candidate — identical name + geometry within threshold distance
• Geometry conflict — overlapping polygons in the same layer

You can:

• Accept the import (create a new feature anyway)
• Skip the conflicting feature
• Merge into the existing feature

Committing to the Map

After review:

1. Select the features you want to keep (or "Select All")
2. Choose a target layer from the dropdown — imported features adopt that layer's schema
3. Click Commit to Map
4. Features get the _uncommitted flag (visible in your draft, not yet on server)
5. Use the version controls (Submit) to push to the server when ready

Geometry Type Splitting

If your source file contains mixed geometry types (e.g., a GDB with both points and polygons), Aptli creates a separate draft import layer for each type:

• _import_filename_point
• _import_filename_line
• _import_filename_polygon

Each can be committed to a different target layer independently.

Troubleshooting

"Conversion failed"

The server-side conversion failed. Common causes:

• Compressed file doesn't contain a valid shapefile (missing .dbf or .prj)
• Corrupted file
• GDB uses an unsupported ESRI format version

Check the error message on the failed job for specifics. Try opening the file in QGIS locally to verify it is readable.

"File failed security scan"

The file was quarantined by the security scanner. Do not re-upload the same file. If you believe it is a false positive, contact your admin.

"Unsupported file type"

Only the extensions listed in the table above are accepted. Rename the file correctly (e.g., a SHP delivered in a ZIP must end in .zip).

Import disappears after 24 hours

Import jobs expire after 24 hours. Completed jobs that are not committed to the map within that window are deleted. Commit your chosen features before the job expires.

Permissions