Mapeo Support Materials
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English
  • Introduction
  • Overview
    • About Mapeo
      • Mapeo tools
      • Peer-to-peer & Mapeo sync
      • How Mapeo is being used
    • Is Mapeo right for me?
    • FAQs
  • Quick start guide
    • Getting started
    • Mapeo Mobile
    • Mapeo Desktop
  • Complete Reference guide
    • Welcome – Introduction
    • 🗒️Essentials for a successful Mapeo project
      • Planning a Mapeo project
        • What is the project goal?
        • What outputs do you want?
        • What information to collect?
          • Data types within Mapeo
        • Who should be involved and how?
        • What are the parameters?
      • Security & risk assessment
      • Creating user protocols
    • ✔️Will Mapeo work out-of-the-box for me?
      • Default configuration
      • Default background map
    • ⚙️Customization options
      • Translating Mapeo & default configurations
      • Custom configurations
        • Creating custom configurations
          • Planning configuration & data structure
            • Categories
            • Icons
            • Details fields
          • Coding configuration
            • Adding icon files
              • Creating and exporting SVG files using Adobe Illustrator
              • Creating and exporting SVG files using Inkscape
            • Creating details fields
            • Creating categories
            • Defining geometry defaults
            • Adding a project key
            • Adding project name and version
            • Building configuration file
              • Via the command line
              • Using GitHub Actions
          • Testing and iterating
      • Custom background maps
        • Creating custom background maps
          • Generating map files in .mbtiles format for the experimental Background Maps feature
    • 📱Mapeo Mobile installation & setup
      • Installing Mapeo Mobile
      • Choosing Mapeo Mobile settings
      • Experiments: Turning on experimental features
        • Directional Arrow
        • P2P (peer-to-peer) App Updates
        • Background Maps
        • Security
          • App Passcode
          • Obscure Passcode
      • Importing configurations into Mapeo Mobile
      • Adding custom background maps to Mapeo Mobile
      • Updating Mapeo Mobile
    • 📱Mapeo Mobile use
      • Activating GPS and viewing current location
      • Creating observations
      • Viewing observations
      • Editing and deleting observations
      • Sharing data externally
      • Syncing data via Wi-Fi
    • 💻Mapeo Desktop installation & setup
      • Installing Mapeo Desktop
      • Choosing Mapeo Desktop language
      • Importing configurations to Mapeo Desktop
      • Adding custom background maps to Mapeo Desktop
      • Updating Mapeo Desktop
    • 💻Mapeo Desktop use
      • Mapeo Desktop for managing Mapeo Mobile data (Observations mode)
        • Synchronizing data
          • Synchronizing via Wi-Fi
          • Synchronizing with a file
        • Viewing observations
        • Editing and deleting observations
        • Exporting data & sharing externally
      • Mapeo Desktop for creating territory data (Territory mode)
        • Navigating around the map
        • Creating and editing territory data
        • Changing background maps in Territory mode
        • Importing and using external geospatial data
        • Exporting and syncing data
      • Synchronizing data with Mapeo Desktop
    • 💡Mapeo trainings
      • Defining goals and format
      • Structuring a training
        • Best practices for planning a training
        • Structuring the agenda, content and activities
          • Suggestions for the different sections of a training event
          • Tips and suggested activities for training key features of Mapeo
          • Materials and resources available for the training event
      • Preparing equipment and supplies for a training
        • Recommended equipment and supplies
        • Tech preparation before doing in-person training
    • 🔧Troubleshooting
      • I can't start Mapeo
      • Mapeo closes automatically
      • I have problems with the GPS in Mapeo
        • GPS is not activated in Mapeo
        • My GPS signal is very weak
      • I have problems with the camera in Mapeo
        • I get a black screen when using the camera
      • I want to update Mapeo Mobile permissions
      • I have sync issues
        • I want to connect to Wi-Fi
        • I want to create local Wi-Fi networks
          • With a portable router
          • With a smartphone
        • The device I want to sync with does not show up on my Synchronize screen
        • I get an error when I try to sync with another device
        • I can't sync with the sync file
        • The person I want to sync with has deleted valuable data
      • Sharing files between devices
      • Saving and printing Mapeo reference materials
      • How do I back up Mapeo Desktop data?
    • Glossary & quick reference sheets
      • Glossary of Mapeo related terms
      • Overview of Mapeo Desktop Territory mode screen
  • For developers
    • Mapeo architecture overview
    • Mapeo repositories
    • Localization
  • Support
  • Additional references
  • Digital Democracy website
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  1. Complete Reference guide
  2. Customization options
  3. Custom configurations

Creating custom configurations

Please note that creating custom configurations currently requires significant technical knowledge and will not be accessible to all users.

Overview of the process

There are several steps to creating a custom configuration that will require different skills and the involvement of different actors within a project. You should leave plenty of time prior to the intended start of data collection to allow for community consultation, testing, and iterations of your configuration.

While data structures in Mapeo can be modified during the course of a project, many changes over time can result in messy data outputs. It is worthwhile to test and refine your configuration to the extent possible before putting it into use for data collection.

Once you have completed this process, you will have a Mapeo configuration file (.mapeosettings) that can be imported and used in Mapeo Mobile and Destop.

The pages that follow will walk you through the key steps for authoring a custom configuration:

  • Planning configuration & data structure This section will outline the key customizable elements in a configuration and some considerations when mapping out each area. *No technical knowledge is required.

  • Coding configuration This section will guide you through translating the planned data structure into the required format and compiling the Mapeo configuration file. *Editing JSON files, generating .svg files and working with command line or GitHub is required.

For instructions on how to import a configuration file (.mapeosettings) into Mapeo, see:

Importing configurations into Mapeo Mobile

Importing configurations to Mapeo Desktop

PreviousCustom configurationsNextPlanning configuration & data structure

Last updated 3 years ago

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