Troubleshooting
Most headings on this page are messages that Groundwork shows.
“There is no QGIS project file (.qgs or .qgz) in the shared folder”
Make sure that you shared the project folder itself, not its parent folder and not only the project file. Also make sure that the project is saved as .qgs or .qgz.
“This folder holds no layers Groundwork can read”
Put a QGIS project or GeoJSON data in the folder. At the moment, it holds neither. You can export the layers to GeoJSON, or save the project into the folder with its data.
If the files are already in the folder, make sure that Dropbox finished the sync. Also make sure that you shared the folder that holds them.
“The folder has 2 QGIS project files…”
Move each project into its own folder, and share that folder. The folder holds more than one project file, such as an old copy or a backup, and Groundwork cannot know which file to open.
“Groundwork can’t open links from this site”
The pasted link is not a Dropbox, OneDrive or SharePoint folder link. Usually, the link is to a single file, or it comes from a service that Groundwork does not support, such as Google Drive.
“Not found in the shared folder: …”
The project refers to data files that are not in the folder. Often, the sources of these layers still point to a place on your computer.
- In QGIS, check the source paths of those layers.
- Export or move the GeoJSON files into the shared folder.
- Save the project again.
Groundwork skips only the layers that the message names.
“Couldn’t be loaded: …”
The data files are in the folder, but Groundwork could not read them. Open each file in a text editor, and make sure that it is the GeoJSON that you intended to export. Also make sure that the folder finished the sync.
“… is not a GeoJSON FeatureCollection” or “… is not valid JSON”
Groundwork could not read a file that you chose on the Drag and drop source as a layer. A GeoJSON layer file is one JSON object, with the type FeatureCollection and a features list. Open the file in a text editor to check it. If it has data in a different format, first export it to GeoJSON in QGIS.
“… holds features Groundwork could not read”
Export the layer from QGIS again. The file’s features list has an entry that Groundwork cannot load as a feature, such as an empty entry where a feature must be.
“This layer wasn’t added” or “… layers weren’t added”
Some of the layers that you ticked from a WFS endpoint, a STAC catalogue or a QGIS Server project loaded, and some did not. The message says what failed first, and why.
Correct the failed layers at the source. Then create the map again. Groundwork does not try the failed layers again when the map opens next, and you cannot add them to this map later. The map still shows the layers that loaded, and still reads from its source.
“… dropped files were not used”
Groundwork could not read some of the files that you dropped or chose on the Drag and drop source. The message gives the number of these files. It lists up to five of them, with the reason for each, and says how many more there were.
Each reason is one of the messages above, so correct the files one by one. The files that loaded are already on the map. To add the other files, drop the corrected files again.
“Groundwork couldn’t read the QGIS project file”
Save the project file again from QGIS Desktop. The file is possibly damaged, or it is not a QGIS project. Let Dropbox finish the sync before you test again.
The map loads but looks different from QGIS
Find the problem that you see:
- A flat colour that you did not choose. Groundwork could not read the layer’s style, and used a palette colour.
- Nothing on the map for a layer. The cause is probably the symbology type, because some types draw nothing.
- One rule’s symbol on every feature. The cause is probably a rule condition that Groundwork could not read.
What your styling looks like in the browser tells you what to use instead in each case.
A user cannot open a private folder
Make sure that you invited them as a member of the folder. In Dropbox, a public link and folder membership are separate things. Also make sure that they sign in to the Dropbox account that got the invitation.
A person who signed in with the wrong account must clear the sign-in with Reset app. The sign-in screen cannot change accounts. Reset app also clears their maps and bookmarks on that device. See Sign-in does not work.
A user opened your link but has no editing tools
Tick Require sign-in to open, and send a new link. You shared the link without that tick, so the link is view-only for everyone who opens it. When the user opens the new link, Groundwork updates the map that they already have. See decide who can edit.
A layer is missing from your link
Publish that data to a cloud folder, and connect a map to the folder. The layer came from a file opened directly on a device, and a link cannot include it. See what a link leaves behind.