Introduction
Creating project reports is an essential task for project management, and using the right tools can simplify the process significantly. The Orbify Platform enhances this experience by allowing users to generate project areas from various georeferenced file formats, such as ESRI Shapefile, KML, GeoJSON, and structured CSV files. This guide walks you through how to leverage file upload functionality to create project reports efficiently.
Supported Shape Types
The Orbify Platform provides support for different types of spatial features, allowing flexibility in project area creation. The supported shape types include:
Individual shapes (polygons) – Define a single geographic area.
Multiple shapes (multi-polygons) – These can either be reported individually or merged into a single shape for consolidated reporting.
Individual points – Represent specific locations.
Collections of points – Group multiple locations into a single dataset.
Supported File Formats
The platform supports several geospatial file formats, each serving different use cases.
1. ESRI Shapefile
The ESRI Shapefile is a widely used vector data format for representing spatial features such as points, lines, and polygons. To upload a Shapefile to Orbify, it must be in a compressed ZIP archive containing the following mandatory files:
.shp – Stores the geometry description.
.shx – Contains indexing information.
.dbf – Includes shape attributes.
Optional files such as .prj, .cpg, and .xml can also be included for additional metadata and coordinate reference information.
⚠️ Important: Only One Shapefile Package Allowed
Only one Shapefile package (ZIP archive) can be uploaded at a time.
Each ZIP should contain a single Shapefile dataset with all its required files.
Uploading multiple datasets in one ZIP or uploading multiple ZIPs at once is not supported.
2. KML (Keyhole Markup Language)
KML is an XML-based geospatial format commonly used with Google Earth and other mapping applications. The Orbify Platform supports:
Raw .kml files
Compressed .kmz archives, which package the KML file along with related images and icons.
3. GeoJSON
GeoJSON is a modern geospatial format based on JavaScript Object Notation (JSON). It is popular due to its lightweight structure, human readability, and compatibility with web-based tools. GeoJSON files can represent various spatial features, including points, lines, and polygons, along with associated attributes.
4. CSV (Comma-Separated Values)
CSV files are traditionally used for tabular data, but Orbify now supports them for defining project areas in an intuitive way.
CSV for Points
To create project areas based on individual points, your CSV file should include three essential columns:
id – A unique identifier for each point.
latitude – The latitude coordinate.
longitude – The longitude coordinate.
Example CSV file for Points:
1, 18.56520783273038, 54.44461019273572
This file defines a single point. When uploaded, you can specify a radius in the Orbify shape uploader to create a circular project area.
Steps to Use CSV Points:
Upload the CSV file via the Orbify Platform.
Select the Batch Area Edit option.
Input the desired radius to define the circular shape.
CSV for Shapes
CSV files can also define polygons by listing their vertices. Each vertex should include latitude and longitude coordinates, while the shape itself is identified using an ID.
Example CSV for Shapes:
1, 17.594776872918402, 52.53749819249012
2, 17.594776872918402, 52.536944837948425
3, 17.5971315320063, 52.536944837948425
4, 17.5971315320063, 52.53749819249012
This set of coordinates forms a closed polygon. The vertices should ideally be listed in clockwise order, but Orbify’s uploader allows users to edit and rearrange them if needed.
Steps to Use CSV Shapes:
Prepare a CSV file with the required vertices.
Upload the file and review the shape on the platform.
Edit or refine vertices as necessary.
Conclusion
The Orbify Platform makes project area creation seamless by supporting multiple geospatial file formats, allowing users to generate reports efficiently. Whether working with polygons, multi-polygons, points, or collections of points, Orbify provides the tools needed to analyze and visualize spatial data with ease. By supporting traditional geospatial formats like ESRI Shapefile, KML, and GeoJSON, alongside the newly introduced CSV format, Orbify enhances accessibility and flexibility for project reporting.