Multi-Dataset Layers

Data Layers are composed of datasets. Most uploads result in layers of a single dataset, but some file formats may lead to layers with multiple datasets. Here are some examples:

• A zip file containing multiple Shapefiles
• A GeoPackage (.gpkg) containing many layers
• An Excel file with multiple tabs
• A GeoJSON with several different geometry types (points, lines and polygons)
• A KML export from a Google My Maps with many layers.

Working With Datasets

You can see a list of a layer’s datasets in the Data tab of the Style Editor (see Styling Vector Data to learn more about the Style Editor). For every dataset, you can see its name, an icon of its geometry type (point, line or polygon) and a small table excerpt of its contents.

By clicking on each individual dataset’s overflow menu (three dots in the upper-right corner), you can perform different actions.

Editing a dataset’s metadata

Data is important, but understanding how it was prepared is just as critical. Here you can add information about a dataset’s source, attribution or license.

Moving a dataset to another layer

Layers are a great way of keeping datasets organized, especially when published to your Team Library. You can move datasets from one layer to another.

<aside> ⚠️ Layers can’t be empty. If you move the last dataset from one layer to another one, the empty layer will be deleted.

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Copying a dataset to another layer