Troubleshooting Guide

If you encounter problems after reviewing this guide, contact us at help@atlas.co.

ESRI Shapefiles

ESRI Shapefiles require multiple files for successful upload. Include all necessary components:

• .shp - The geometries themselves
• .shx - Geometry indexes
• .dbf - Feature attributes. Without this file, the attribute table will be empty.
• .prj - Coordinate reference system (CRS). Optional but recommended. Without it, Atlas assumes EPSG:4326.

Common Issues:

• Missing .dbf file: Upload completes but attribute table is empty. Include the .dbf file to preserve attributes.
• Missing .prj file: Data may appear in the wrong location. Include the .prj file or verify your data uses EPSG:4326.
• Incomplete upload: Compress all shapefile components (.shp, .shx, .dbf, .prj) into a single .zip file before uploading.

Spreadsheets

Atlas supports spreadsheets with location data in coordinate or address format. Upload CSV files through the Upload Data tab.

Coordinate-Based Spreadsheets

For spreadsheets with coordinates:

• Two-column format: Separate latitude and longitude columns with numeric values (e.g., 55.55, 66.66)
• Single-column format: WKT format like POINT(55.55 66.66)
• Column naming: Use "latitude" and "longitude" as column headers for automatic detection
• Projection: Coordinates must be in EPSG:4326 (WGS84). Other projections are not supported for spreadsheet upload.

Common Issues:

• Columns not detected: Rename columns to "latitude" and "longitude" for automatic detection.
• Points appear in wrong location: Verify coordinates are in EPSG:4326 and lat/lon are not reversed.
• Invalid coordinate format: Ensure coordinates are numeric decimals, not degrees/minutes/seconds format.

Address-Based Spreadsheets

Atlas now supports geocoding for spreadsheets with addresses or place names. Upload spreadsheets containing:

• Street addresses: Full addresses including street, city, and country
• Place names: Cities, landmarks, or geographic locations
• Mixed data: Combination of addresses and place names

The geocoding process automatically converts addresses to coordinates during upload. For best results:

• Include complete addresses with city and country information
• Use consistent address formatting throughout the spreadsheet
• Verify geocoded results after upload to ensure accuracy

Note: Geocoding accuracy depends on address completeness and formatting. Review geocoded points on the map after upload.

Raster Files (GeoTIFF / DEM)

Atlas supports GeoTIFF rasters, including files with .tif, .tiff, and .dem extensions. See Upload Data for the full list of supported raster formats.

Common Issues:

• Upload fails or stalls: Very large raster files may time out. Try cropping or resampling to a smaller area first using QGIS or GDAL, then re-upload the reduced file.
• Data appears in the wrong location or renders as all black: Your file may be missing coordinate reference system (CRS) metadata. Open the file in QGIS and confirm the CRS is set before uploading. Atlas requires a valid georeference to place the raster on the map.
• "Select layer" prompt in terrain analysis tools: Slope, Hillshade, Aspect, and similar tools require a raster to already be loaded in the project. Add your DEM via Add Layer first. The "Select layer" step is asking you to pick which raster in the project to run the analysis on.
• File fails to import despite a .dem extension: Some DEM files use the older USGS ASCII DEM format instead of GeoTIFF. Atlas supports GeoTIFF-based DEMs only. Convert the file to GeoTIFF using QGIS (Raster → Conversion → Translate) and try again.

External Connections

Web Map Services (WMS/WMTS)

WMS and WMTS connections require properly formatted service URLs.

Common Issues:

• Connection timeout: External server is temporarily unavailable. Retry after a few minutes.
• No capabilities found: Server URL may be incorrect or the service doesn't support GetCapabilities requests. Verify the URL ends with the service endpoint (e.g., /WMSServer or /MapServer/WMSServer).
• Missing parameters: Include required parameters in the URL. Most WMS services need SERVICE=WMS and REQUEST=GetCapabilities.
• CORS errors: Server doesn't allow cross-origin requests. Contact the service provider for CORS-enabled endpoints.

Feature Server

ArcGIS Feature Server connections require valid service URLs and appropriate permissions.

Common Issues:

• Authentication failed: Service requires authentication. Verify you have access credentials or use a public service URL.
• Invalid service URL: Ensure URL points to a Feature Server endpoint, typically ending in /FeatureServer or /FeatureServer/0.
• Layer not loading: Service may have query limits. Try filtering results or contact the service administrator.
• Geometry errors: Feature Server geometry format may be incompatible. Report issues to help@atlas.co.

Google Sheets

Common Issues:

• Invalid URL: Use the full shareable URL from Google Sheets, not a shortened link.
• Empty data: Sheet has no data or headers are not properly formatted. Verify the sheet contains data in the first tab.
• Refresh not working: Sheet URL may have changed or access permissions were revoked. Reconnect with updated settings.

PostgreSQL/PostGIS

PostgreSQL connections require PostGIS extension and proper database configuration.

Common Issues:

• Connection timeout: Verify host, port, and database name are correct. Check that the database server allows external connections.
• Authentication failed: Confirm username and password are correct and the user has appropriate permissions.
• PostGIS extension missing: Database must have PostGIS extension installed. Contact your database administrator.
• No geometry column found: Table must contain spatial geometry columns. Verify the table has PostGIS geometry types.
• SSL/TLS errors: Database may require SSL connection. Check connection requirements with your database administrator.

File Size Limits

Atlas supports files up to 500 MB. For larger datasets:

• Split datasets: Divide large datasets into smaller geographic regions
• Use external connections: Connect to external services instead of uploading large files
• Contact support: Email help@atlas.co for enterprise solutions

Currently Unsupported Formats

Atlas does not currently support these formats:

• Geoparquet - Columnar geospatial format
• FlatGeobuf - Cloud-optimized geospatial format
• PMTiles - Archive format for tiled data
• ESRI ImageServer - Raster image services

Support for additional formats is under development. Contact help@atlas.co to request specific format support.