G3W Guide

Using the Kartoza GeoSpatialHosting Dashboard

After your service has finished setting up, you will be redirected to the Hosted Services page of the GeoSpatial Hosting Dashboard. Here, you can view all your purchased services.

Image credit: Kartoza GeoSpatialHosting

To access your login credentials:

1. Click the Get Credentials button under your hosted service.

2. Your credentials will be copied to your clipboard.

   Hint: Paste and save your credentials in a secure location.

3. Click the application name you selected for your G3W instance to open it.

   
   

   

   Image credit: Kartoza GeoSpatialHosting

To delete a hosted service:

1. Click the 3 dots in the corner of the hosted service pane.

2. From the dropdown menu, select Delete.

⚠️ IMPORTANT

Deleting a hosted service is permanent. All associated data will be irreversibly removed with no option for recovery.

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Getting Started

Accessing the Online Service

G3W-SUITE includes a front-end geographic portal that allows public access to thematic WebGIS groups and services, making spatial data easy to explore and interact with.

You can access the portal in two ways:

1. Via direct URL

   Open your browser and navigate to:

   http://<application_name>.sta.do.kartoza.com/g3w
   

   
   

2. Via the GeoSpatial Hosting Dashboard

   Click the application name you selected for your G3W instance.

Image credit: G3W-SUITE

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Portal Overview

The home page serves as the main entry point to the platform. It includes a customizable welcome message and intuitive navigation menus that provide access to various functionalities.

Right-Side Panel Menu

This panel contains quick-access links:

• About It - view service-related information
• Maps - explore available WebGIS services
• Login - access additional services

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1. About It

   This section can display a short description and key contact details relevant to your organization or project.

   
   

   

   Image credit: G3W-SUITE

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2. Maps

   G3W-SUITE organizes WebGIS services in a hierarchical containers:

   • Cartographic Macrogroups – top-level thematic categories
   • Cartographic Groups – subcategories containing specific services

   
   

   Browsing Maps:

   1. Click on Maps from the panel.

   2. Available Macrogroups (if any) will be displayed under Thematic Groups.

   3. Selecting a Macrogroup shows its associated Groups.

   4. Groups list the individual WebGIS services.

   
   

   

   Image credit: G3W-SUITE

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3. Login

   To access the Administration Panel it is necessary to log in using the administrator credentials.

   
   

   To log in:

   1. Click on Login from the panel.

   2. Enter the credentials you generated earlier from the GeoSpatialHosting Dashboard:

      • Username: admin
      • Password: *generate from dashboard*

   
   

   

   Image credit: G3W-SUITE

   
   

   Once logged in, additional services will be visible, including:

   • Restricted Macrogroups
   • Restricted Groups and WebGIS services based on your access permissions

   
   

   Hint: Need help finding your credentials? See the section: Using the Kartoza GeoSpatialHosting Dashboard

   
   

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4. Admin

   Once logged in, the Login Section is replaced with the Admin Section.

   
   

   From here, you can:

   • Logout of G3W-SUITE
   • Access the Administration Panel through the Backend button.

   
   

   

   Image credit: G3W-SUITE

Note: For more details, refer to the G3W-FRONTEND section of the official G3W documentation.

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Administration panel

The Administration Panel is the control center for managing all key aspects of your G3W-SUITE instance. Through this interface, you can:

• Customize the access portal
• Create and manage users and user groups
• Define Cartographic MacroGroups and Groups, along with access and management policies
• Publish QGIS projects as WebGIS services
• Maintain and enhance WebGIS services (e.g., search tools, custom functions)

You can access the Administration Panel in two ways:

1. Via the Administration button

   From any section in the portal interface, simply click the Administration button in the top-right corner.

   
   

   

   Image credit: G3W-SUITE

   
   

2. Via the Admin Section

   Once logged in, navigate to the Admin Section and click the Backend button.

   
   

   

   Image credit: G3W-SUITE

   
   

Note: Access to the Administration Panel requires logging in with administrator credentials.

Hint: Need help logging in? Refer to the Login section under Portal Overview.

Upon logging into the Administration Panel, you’ll see the following elements:

1. Top Bar

   • Frontend: Return to the main public-facing portal
   • Username: Access your profile or log out
   • Language: Select your preferred interface language

   • Gear icon:

     • Edit General Data: Customize portal information
     • Django Administration (admin-only): Access Django backend settings
     • Files: Open the integrated File Manager tool

   
   

2. Left-Side Navigation Menu

   Provides access to all administration functions:

   • Dashboard: Quick access to the Admin homepage
   • Cartographic Groups: Create and manage WebGIS groups
   • Macro Cartographic Groups: Create and manage high-level thematic containers
   • Users: Manage individual users and user groups

   
   

3. Central Dashboard Area

   The center of the screen displays:

   • Dashboard: Displays an overview and quick links to Cartographic Groups

   
   

Image credit: G3W-SUITE

Note: For more details, refer to the G3W-ADMIN section of the official G3W documentation.

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Tutorial

Overview

This tutorial is centered around a QGIS project designed to manage a layer representing a collection of buildings within a specific geographic area.

Beyond spatial data, the project also handles a wide range of attribute information, including maintenance records, using a 1:n relational structure to allow each building to be associated with multiple maintenance entries.

Throughout the tutorial, you will gain practical skills in:

1. Customizing the graphic and functional elements of the base QGIS project.
2. Publishing the project as a WebGIS service using G3W-SUITE.
3. Creating custom search tools for efficient data exploration.
4. Integrating interactive charts using the DataPlotly plugin.

5. Enabling online editing, including:

   • Custom form layouts
   • Specialized widgets for improved user interaction

   
   

   

Note: This tutorial aims to demonstrate how a real-world GIS project can be fully managed through G3W-SUITE and QGIS.

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Data Preperation

This tutorial is based on a modified dataset and QGIS 3.34.x LTR project from the official G3W-SUITE documentation website. Download the Tutorial Data using the link below:

• Tutorial_Data_G3WSUITE.zip Download

Note: You can download the original data from the Download Demo Data section of the G3W-SUITE Documentation

Overview

The Tutorial_Data_G3WSUITE folder contains images and the following three subdirectories:

📁 projects/

• Contains the QGIS project file: g3w_tutorial.qgs
• The project is fully optimized for this tutorial.

📁 plots/

• Contains plot definitions created using the DataPlotly plugin, saved in .xml format.

📁 project_data/spatialite/

• Contains the SpatiaLite database: g3w_tutorial.sqlite
• This database stores the core data used in the project.

Inside the g3w_tutorial.sqlite file, you’ll find the following layers:

Layer Name	Type	Description
buildings	Polygon	Main reference layer for editing building features
maintenance_works	Table	Records of maintenance activities linked to individual buildings
buildings_rating	Table	Annual ratings or assessments of buildings
roads	Line	Road network used to assign addresses to buildings
work_areas	Polygon	Work zone boundaries used to define geo-constraints
type_subtype	Table	Lookup table for building type and subtype values

The QGIS project (based on QGIS 3.34.x LTR) is pre-configured with the following features:

1. Categorized symbology for the:

   • buildings layer based on the type field.

   
   

2. 1:n relationships defined between:

   • buildings ↔ maintenance_works
   • buildings ↔ buildings_rating

   
   

3. Pre-built query forms for:

   • buildings layer
   • maintenance_works table

   
   

4. Predefined editing widgets for:

   • buildings, maintenance_works, and buildings_rating attributes

   
   

5. Four print layouts:

   • Two standard layout templates
   • Two atlas layout templates using features from the buildings layer

Image credit: QGIS

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Exercise

Before you can publish your QGIS project to the WebGIS platform, there are two essential steps you MUST complete:

1. Update the Project Title

   This title will be used as the WebGIS service ID. If not updated, your service may be misidentified or conflict with existing services.

   
   

2. Upload the SpatiaLite database to the File Manager

   This ensures that G3W-SUITE can access the data sources used in your QGIS project. Without it, layers may not display correctly.

   
   

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Steps to update the project title:

1. Open your QGIS project.

2. Go to the Project menu.

3. Select Properties...

4. Under the General tab, locate the Project Title field.

5. Enter a unique and descriptive title for your project.

6. Click OK to apply the changes.

   
   

   Make sure the title:

   • Reflects the content or purpose of your project.
   • Does not contain special characters or excessive spacing.
   • Is short but specific enough to identify the service in the WebGIS environment.

Image credit: QGIS

Note: For more details, refer to the QGIS: project settings section of the official G3W documentation.

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Uploading the SpatiaLite database to the File Manager

1. Open a web browser and navigate to:

   http://<application_name>.sta.do.kartoza.com/g3w
   

   
   

2. Log in to G3W-SUITE using your administrator credentials.

   • Username: admin
   • Password: *generate from dashboard*

   
   

   Hint: Need help finding your credentials? See the section: Using the Kartoza GeoSpatialHosting Dashboard

   
   

3. Once authenticated, navigate to the Administration Panel

   
   

   Hint: Need help navigating to the Administration Panel? Refer to the Administration Panel section.

   
   

4. In the top-bar, click the Gear icon.

   
   

5. Under File Manager, select Files.

   
   

   

   Image credit: G3W-SUITE

   
   

6. From the Home folder (or the left-hand panel), navigate to the project_data folder.

   
   

7. In the top navigation bar, click the New Folder button.

   
   

   

   Image credit: G3W-SUITE

   
   

8. Name your new folder spatialite and click Create Folder.

   
   

   

   Image credit: G3W-SUITE

   
   

   Note: Make sure the file path matches the one specified in your QGIS project.

   
   

9. Open your newly created folder, then in the top bar, click Upload.

   
   

   

   Image credit: G3W-SUITE

   
   

10. Click inside the file drop area to open your system file explorer.

    
    

11. Select the g3w_tutorial.sqlite file from the project_data -> spatialite folder and click Upload.

    
    

    

    Image credit: G3W-SUITE

    
    

You’ve successfully uploaded your SpatiaLite database to the File Manager and can now proceed with publishing your QGIS project.

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Publishing a QGIS Project

Once you have updated the project title (to define a unique WebGIS service ID), and uploaded your SpatiaLite database to the correct folder in the File Manager, you’re ready to publish your QGIS project as a WebGIS service in G3W-SUITE.

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Overview

Publishing a QGIS project is done through the Dashboard, which provides access to:

• Your assigned Cartographic- and Macro Cartographic Groups
• Additional module menus for managing services and settings

To publish a project, you’ll need to:

1. Create a Cartographic Macro Group

2. Create a Cartographic Group

3. Complete a series of project form fields, organized as follows:

Section	Field	Description
QGIS Project	QGIS prioject file	Upload the .qgz or .qgs file representing your QGIS project.
ACL Users	Viewer users	Select individual users allowed to view the WebGIS. Use AnonymousUser to allow public access.
	Viewer user groups	Assign user groups that can view the WebGIS content.
Default Base Layer	Base layer	Choose a default base layer to display at startup (optional, limited to those defined for the group).
Description Data	Public title	Title shown in the WebGIS interface. Falls back to project title or filename if left blank.
	Description	A short description of the project shown in the portal.
	Thumbnail (Logo)	Image/logo used to represent the project in the list view.
	URL alias	Human-readable URL path for accessing the WebGIS.

Note: Fields marked with an asterisk (*) are required.

In the Options and Actions section, you can toggle several key features that influence how the WebGIS service behaves at runtime:

Option	Description
Tab's TOC active as default	Open the TOC tab (Layers, Base Layers, etc.) by default when the client loads.
Tab's TOC layer initial status	Set whether the layers in the TOC start as collapsed or expanded.
Map themes list initial status	Set whether the map theme list starts as collapsed or expanded.
Legend position rendering	Choose whether the legend appears in a separate tab or within the TOC panel.
WMS GetMap image format	Specify the preferred image format for WMS GetMap requests.
Max feature to get for query	Set the maximum number of features returned from a query.
Query control mode	Define whether queries allow single or multiple selections.
Query by bbox control mode	Set bounding box queries to single or multiple mode.
Query by polygon control mode	Set polygon-based queries to single or multiple mode.
Geocoding providers	Configure which geocoding services are available for address-based searches.

Now that you're familiar with the workflow and the publishing interface key components, let’s apply this knowledge.

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Exercise

Creating a Macro Group

Follow the steps below to create a Macro Cartographic Group in G3W-SUITE:

1. From the Administration Panel, in the left-side navigation menu, click Dashboard.

   
   

   

   Image credit: G3W-SUITE

   
   

2. Within the Dashboard, locate the light blue Groups box.

   
   

3. Click Show to display the list of existing Cartographic Groups.

   
   

   

   Image credit: G3W-SUITE

   
   

4. In the left navigation bar under Macro Cartographic Groups, click Add MACRO Group

   
   

   

   Image credit: G3W-SUITE

   
   

5. On the Macro Group creation page, under the General Data section, complete the following fields:

   • Identification name: G3W Tutorial Macro Group
   • Title: G3W Tutorial Macro Group

   
   

   

   Image credit: G3W-SUITE

   
   

6. In the Logo Image section, upload the image_macro_group PNG located in the Tutorial_Data_G3WSUITE folder.

   
   

   

   Image credit: G3W-SUITE , Vecteezy

   
   

7. Once all fields are complete, click Save to finalize the creation of your Macro Group.

   
   

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Creating a Group

Follow the steps below to create a Cartographic Group within G3W-SUITE:

1. In the left-side navigation bar, under Cartographic Groups, click on Add Group

   
   

   

   Image credit: G3W-SUITE

   
   

2. On the Group Creation page, under the General Data section, fill out the following fields:

   • Name: G3W Tutorial Group
   • Title: G3W Tutorial Group

   
   

   

   Image credit: G3W-SUITE

   
   

3. In the MACRO Groups section, select the previously created group: G3W Tutorial Macro Group

   
   

4. Under GEO Data, set the Coordinate Reference System (CRS) to EPSG 3857.

   
   

   Hint: Not sure about your project's CRS? In QGIS, go to Project → Properties → General to confirm the EPSG code.

   
   

   

   Image credit: G3W-SUITE

   
   

5. In the Base Layers and Map default features section, select OSM (OpenStreetMap) as your baselayer.

   
   

   

   Image credit: G3W-SUITE

   
   

6. In the Logo/Picture section, upload the image_group PNG located in the Tutorial_Data_G3WSUITE folder.

   
   

   

   Image credit: G3W-SUITE

   
   

7. Once all details are complete, click the Save button to finalize your group setup.

   
   

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Adding a QGIS Project

1. In the Cartographic Groups tab, under Project Group, click the Add New Project button.

   
   

   

   Image credit: G3W-SUITE

   
   

2. The New QGIS Project page opens.

   
   

3. Under the QGIS Project section, upload your .qgz or .qgs file from: Tutorial_Data_G3WSUITE → projects

   
   

   

   Image credit: G3W-SUITE

   
   

4. Under Descriptive Data, complete the following fields:

   • Public Title: G3W Tutorial Project
   • Thumbnail: image_project

   
   

   

   Image credit: G3W-SUITE

   
   

5. Under Default Base Layer, choose OSM (OpenStreetMap).

   
   

   

   Image credit: G3W-SUITE

   
   

6. In the Options and Actions section, leave all settings at their default values.

   
   

   

   Image credit: G3W-SUITE

   
   

7. Click the Save button.

Once successfully published, the project will appear in the WebGIS services list under the G3W Tutorial Group. You can click the View Map icon to launch and explore the live WebGIS.

Image credit: G3W-SUITE

Note: For more details, refer to the Publish the QGIS project as a WebGis service section of the official G3W documentation.

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Updating the Published WebGIS Service

You can update both the graphic and functional elements of an existing WebGIS service in G3W-SUITE.

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Overview

To update a published WebGIS service:

1. Access the Project List by navigating to the list of projects under the appropriate Cartographic Group.

2. Edit the WebGIS Service by clicking the Edit icon next to the desired WebGIS service to upload a modified QGIS file and update configuration options.

From the WebGIS services list, you can manage a wide range of functionalities using tools associated with each project. This allows you to view, modify, and control individual project behavior. Below is a guide to the available tools and their functionality:

Image credit: G3W-SUITE

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Excercise

Setting Up an Overview Map

You can define a panoramic overview map (mini-map) for your WebGIS group. This map appears in a corner of the main WebGIS interface and provides spatial context.

1. In the Cartographic Groups tab, under the G3W Tutorial Group, click the Projects button.

   
   

   

   Image credit: G3W-SUITE

   
   

2. Locate the Tutorial_G3WSUITE project and check the box in the Panoramic column.

   
   

   

   Image credit: G3W-SUITE

   
   

Your updates will now be applied. Use the View Map icon from the project list to open the WebGIS to verify the updated configuration, including the newly defined Overview Map.

Image credit: G3W-SUITE

Note: For more details, refer to the Update/Manage WebGis services section of the official G3W documentation.

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Activating additional functions

Once your project has been published, you can enhance your WebGIS service by enabling a variety of widgets and additional functions.

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Overview

By clicking the Layers icon you can access the list of geographic layers that make up the project. From this interface, you can configure various functional options that will be enabled in the cartographic client.

The Data tab contains several columns, including:

Field	Description
Label	Alias set in the QGIS project
ID	Unique identifier (eye icon) used for parameterized URLs
Name	Layer name (file or DB table)
Type	Data source type (WMS, PostGIS, GDAL, etc.)
WMS External	Option to handle GetFeatureInfo responses outside QGIS Server
WFS	Indicates if the layer is available as WFS

Note: WMS layers are handled directly by Django to speed up loading, bypassing QGIS Server.

Under the Actions column next to each layer, you’ll find a series of icons that allow you to manage its behavior and visibility:

Image credit: G3W-SUITE

Hint: Each action icon displays a number indicating how many related objects are configured.

The Download Capabilities column allows for the download of vector and raster data in the following formats:

Format	Available For
SHP/GeoTIFF	Vector and raster layers
GPKG	All layers
XLS	All layers
CSV	All layers
GPX	Geographic layers
PDF	Attribute-level export for all

The Visibility Capabilities column allows you to configure general visibility options (applies to all users):

Option	Effect
Hide Attributes Table	Disables attribute table
Hide Legend	Disables legend display
Hide Layer TOC	Removes layer from TOC

Hint: Try enabling these features and test them directly in your WebGIS interface.

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Exercise

Creating a Search Widget

By default, search widgets can be configured on individual vector layers using the fields from the associated attribute table. Each search widget is saved by referencing the layer’s unique identifiers.

This design enables reusability: once a search widget is created for a specific layer, it becomes available in any other project where that same layer is used.

1. From the Project List page, click the Layers icon next to the Tutorial_G3WSUITE project.

   
   

   

   Image credit: G3W-SUITE

   
   

2. The QGIS Project Layers section will open displaying all layers included in the published QGIS project.

   
   

   

   Image credit: G3W-SUITE

   
   

3. Next to the buildings layer, click the Widgets List icon.

   
   

4. To create a new widget, click the Add New Widget button.

   
   

   

   Image credit: G3W-SUITE

   
   

5. In the Widget Creation Form, configure the following:

   • Type: Search
   • Name: Search Widget
   • Search Title: Tutorial Search Widget

   
   

   

   Image credit: G3W-SUITE

   
   

6. In the Search Field Settings section, set the following:

   • Field: type
   • Widget: SelectBox
   • Alias: Building Type
   • Operator: = (equal)

   
   

   Hint: Use the Add button to define multiple search conditions.

   
   

   

   Image credit: G3W-SUITE

   
   

7. Once finished, click OK to save.

   
   

The new search widget will now appear in the layer's widget list and will be automatically available in the WebGIS interface.

Image credit: G3W-SUITE

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Creating a Plots Widget

The QPlotly widget enables users to view interactive plots, created using the DataPlotly QGIS plugin (developed by Matteo Ghetta), directly within the WebGIS cartographic client.

This module uses the Plotly library and supports plots saved as .xml files. Because each plot is linked to a specific layer in the QGIS project, it allows consistent reuse of the same plots across different WebGIS services, as long as the related layer is present.

Note: The plot title, defined in the DataPlotly plugin, acts as the unique identifier.

Plots can be filtered by:

1. Map Extent: Based on visible features

2. Feature Selection: Based on selected features

These filters also apply to related plots based on 1:N relationships. As users pan or zoom on the map, all related plots automatically update to reflect the visible extent.

If selection-based filtering is enabled, it is automatically applied to all linked plots associated with the same layer. Users will see clear messages on each chart indicating which filters are currently active.

When a layer has 1:N relationships with other tables that contain active plots, users can access those plots by querying the parent layer and clicking the Show Relation Charts icon. This feature enhances data exploration by allowing users to interact with and analyze related datasets directly within the WebGIS client.

1. From the QGIS Project Layers list, next to the buildings layer, click the Qplotly Widgets icon.

   
   

   

   Image credit: G3W-SUITE

   
   

2. To create a new widget, click the New Qplotly Widget button.

   
   

   

   Image credit: G3W-SUITE

   
   

3. In the New Qplotly Widget pop-up, click inside the upload box to open your file explorer.

   
   

4. Navigate to Tutorial_Data_G3WSUITE -> plots and select: qplotly_type-distribution.

   
   

5. Click Ok.

   
   

   

   Image credit: G3W-SUITE

   
   

The new chart widget will now appear in the layer's Qplotly Widget List and will be automatically available in the WebGIS interface.

Image credit: G3W-SUITE

Note: For more details, refer to the Widgets management section of the official G3W documentation.

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Editing Online

Forms and editing widgets have already been configured in the tutorial project for both the buildings geometric layer and the related interventions_maintenance attribute table.

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Overview

Editing settings are defined partly in the QGIS project (e.g. form layout), and partly through the G3W-SUITE Administration panel (e.g. user permissions). The editing module supports direct edits on both geometric and attribute-only layers, as well as layers in 1:N or N:M (limited) relationships.

Hint: In QGIS, the form layout and widgets for each layer’s attributes are configured under: Layer Properties → Attributes Form.

G3W-SUITE supports multi-user editing through a feature locking system.

When a user activates editing in the WebGIS interface, all features visible in the current map view become locked to that user. Other users will be restricted from editing these features until the original user exits editing mode.

Note: Multi-user editing should only be enabled on layers stored in a GeoDatabase — not on file-based layers (e.g. shapefiles).

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Exercise

Activating Editing on a WebGIS Layer

1. In the QGIS Project Layers list, locate the buildings layer and click the Editing Layer icon.

   
   

   

   Image credit: G3W-SUITE

   
   

2. In the Activation layer_editing dialog, you can:

   • Enable or disable editing capabilities
   • Set the minimum scale for editing
   • Define which user groups are permitted to edit this layer

   
   

3. Under Check on uncheck to active/deactive editing layer capabilities, check the corresponding checkbox.

   
   

4. Fill in the following fields:

   • Scale: 2500
   • User Groups Editing Data Field: user

   
   

   

   Image credit: G3W-SUITE

   
   

5. Click OK

   
   

Once editing is enabled, a new Editing Layers menu becomes available in the WebGIS side panel.

Image credit: G3W-SUITE

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Editing a WebGIS

Once activated, editing allows modifications to both geometry and attributes of the buildings layer and its related interventions.

1. In the QGIS Project Layers list, click Show Map.

   
   

2. In the left-hand panel, click Editing Layers

   
   

3. Click the Edit Layer icon next to the Buildings layer.

   
   

   

   Image credit: G3W-SUITE

   
   

4. Zoom into an open area where no buildings exist.

   
   

   

   Image credit: G3W-SUITE

   
   

5. In the left-hand panel, click the Add Feature button.

   
   

   

   Image credit: G3W-SUITE

   
   

6. Draw a continuous shape on the basemap. Once finished, the Editing Attributes panel will opens.

   
   

   

   Image credit: G3W-SUITE

   
   

7. Under the General Info tab, fill in:

   • Name
   • Type

   
   

8. Under the Technical Data tab, fill in:

   • Year of Construction
   • High

   
   

9. At the bottom of the form, click Insert/Edit

   
   

10. In the left-hand panel, click the Save or Checkmark icon.

    
    

    

    Image credit: G3W-SUITE

    
    

Your new Buildings feature is now saved to the WebGIS.

Image credit: G3W-SUITE

Note: For more details, refer to the Editing on line section of the official G3W documentation.

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