Mapeo Support Materials
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  • Introduction
  • Overview
    • About Mapeo
      • Mapeo tools
      • Peer-to-peer & Mapeo sync
      • How Mapeo is being used
    • Is Mapeo right for me?
    • FAQs
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    • Mapeo Mobile
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  • Complete Reference guide
    • Welcome – Introduction
    • 🗒️Essentials for a successful Mapeo project
      • Planning a Mapeo project
        • What is the project goal?
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        • What information to collect?
          • Data types within Mapeo
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        • What are the parameters?
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      • Default configuration
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      • Translating Mapeo & default configurations
      • Custom configurations
        • Creating custom configurations
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            • Categories
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              • Creating and exporting SVG files using Adobe Illustrator
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            • Adding a project key
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            • Building configuration file
              • Via the command line
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          • 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
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          • 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
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          • Materials and resources available for the training event
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        • Recommended equipment and supplies
        • Tech preparation before doing in-person training
    • 🔧Troubleshooting
      • I can't start Mapeo
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        • GPS is not activated in Mapeo
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        • I get a black screen when using the camera
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        • I want to connect to Wi-Fi
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          • With a portable router
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        • 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
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      • 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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On this page
  • Create a sync file
  • Send or copy the sync file to the second device
  • Start synchronization
  • View synced observations
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  1. Complete Reference guide
  2. Mapeo Desktop use
  3. Mapeo Desktop for managing Mapeo Mobile data (Observations mode)
  4. Synchronizing data

Synchronizing with a file

PreviousSynchronizing via Wi-FiNextViewing observations

Last updated 3 years ago

While other options allow the synchronization between smartphones and computers, synchronizing with a file is only possible between computers.

In this option, a sync file is created in Mapeo Desktop on one computer and then it is used by another computer with Mapeo to exchange data. During the synchronization, all data contained in the sync file is transferred to the computer that is syncing with it, and all data in the Mapeo database of the computer will also be transferred to the sync file. It uses the same two-way method as synchronization via Wi-Fi. To learn more about how synchronization works, see Peer-to-peer & Mapeo sync.

  • If devices are near each other, this is a good sync option when you can't create a local Wi-Fi network. You can instead use a USB drive to copy and paste the sync file between different devices. It works with no internet connection.

  • If devices are not near each other, this is also a good sync option. In this case, you will either need to transport a USB drive to the location of the second device or have access to an internet connection.

Other requirements:

  • Both devices must be using the same configuration It is only possible to sync with sync files created by devices that use the same . For more on how to import configurations, seeImporting configurations to Mapeo DesktopImporting configurations into Mapeo Mobile.

Create a sync file

  1. Open Mapeo Desktop on computer 1, the computer on which you want to create a sync file. The generated sync file will include all the Mapeo data from that computer.

  2. Click on Synchronize on the Mapeo modes panel

3. Click on the Create a sync file button and choose the name and location where the generated file will be saved.

Send or copy the sync file to the second device

There are two options for sharing a sync file:

Option 1. Send sync file via email or file sharing service

Option 2. Copy and paste sync file using a USB drive

Start synchronization

  1. Click on Synchronize in the Mapeo modes panel.

4. Click on the Sync from a file button and in the pop-up window, navigate until you find the desired sync file. Then click on it and click Open.Start synchronization

The synchronization with the file will automatically begin.

Important: Keep the Synchronize screen open on both devices until the synchronization process is complete.

View synced observations

To learn about viewing and managing synchronized data in Mapeo Desktop Observations mode, continue to:

(Requires an internet connection)

(Works with no internet connection)

Locate the generated sync file on computer 1.

In your email app (Gmail, Hotmail, etc.), create a new email and attach the sync file. Send it to the user of the computer 2, the computer with which you want to sync.

Computer 2 must receive the sync file and save it. It is important to remember where has it been saved.

If the sync file is too large to be sent by email, you can use other platforms such as , , or . You can send files up to 2GB for free using these apps.

Connect a USB drive to computer 1, where you generated the sync file.

Locate the generated sync file on computer 1 and click on it using the right button of the mouse. Select Copy.

Navigate to the USB drive in the file system. Right-click on the location and select Paste to paste the sync file onto the drive.

Disconnect the USB drive and connect it to the computer you want to sync with ( computer 2).

Navigate to the USB drive folder and locate the sync file. Right-click on the file and select Copy. Navigate to where you would like to save the sync file on computer 2. Right-click on the location and select Paste.

Locate the received or pasted sync file on computer 2, the computer you want to sync with.

Open Mapeo Desktop on computer 2.

When the synchronization is complete, computer 2 and the sync file will have identical copies of the Mapeo database. To complete a 2-way synchronization between the two computers, repeat the process to copy the sync file back to computer 1 and use it to Sync from a file.

💻
Viewing observations
WeTransfer
Google Drive
Dropbox
Send sync file via email or file sharing service
Copy and paste sync file using a USB drive
configuration
Computer 1 (black) generates sync file and sends it via email to Computer 2 (blue). Computer 2 then syncs with the file.
Computer 1 (black) generates sync file and transfers it via USB drive to Computer 2 (blue). Computer 2 then syncs with the file.