Import CSV Data Onto a Map

In this guide we’ll show you how to create a new map and import a CSV. We’ll use a sample CSV file for practice, containing files with both location data and no location data.

Time to complete: 5 mins.

Contents

1.    Getting started

1.1  Download sample files

1.2  Create a new map

2.    Upload your data

3.    Configuring your imports

                3.1  Setting your coordinate system (EPSG)

                3.2  Configuration

1.    Getting started

1.1.  Download sample files

Sample files to download: Sample CSV

The zip file contains 2 CSV files - one with spatial information (location data) and one without.

1.2.  Create a new map

Click on MAPS section and select CREATE MAP.

This will open up the first page of the map creation wizard.

Name your new map and select NEXT.

2.    Import data and add to map

At this stage you have a number of options. You can create a brand new layer for your map by selecting the CREATE LAYER button.  Alternatively you can choose to upload one or many of your existing layers onto your map (your full list of layers will appear), or you choose to create an empty map.

When you try to load a map without any layers attached you will get the below warning.

In this case however, we'll choose the CREATE LAYER button (this is also accessible on the map using the gears button on the layer tree view).  You'll be prompted with the below pop-up.  Select YES, GO.

This will automatically bring you to the first step of the CREATE DATASETS wizard.

Choose CREATE OR CONNECT NEW DATASETS WITH AZIMAP.

In the next step of the wizard, you'll choose the AZIMAP option below.

Drag and drop the earlier downloaded zip file.

Rename your layers after upload.

3.    Configuring your imports

After upload, CSV imports need to be configured.

3.1.  Setting your coordinate system (EPSG)

• Set EPSG code - All spatial data needs a co-ordinate system (this is recognised automatically for spatial files like SHP or TAB but must be set manually for CSV).  Further information on EPSG codes available here - For spatial enabled CSV the correct coordinate system (EPSG) must be chosen or else the data will be in the wrong location.
• Each country will have its own, or many of its own EPSG codes (GB: 27700, Ire: 2157)
• Searches can be processed by EPSG code or by name
• Latitude and longitude are in 'EPSG:4326' - worldwide coordinate system in degrees
• Non-spatial CSV like 'EdinburghHotSpotsNonSpatial' can have any coordinate system the user desires - let's choose 'EPSG: 4326' for it
• The 'EdinburghHotSpots' CSV has a EPSG code of 'EPSG:3857' which covers worldwide and is the same as our basemaps (Google, Bing, OSM) 

            

3.2.  Configuration

Under the OPTIONS section, click the CONFIGURE button.  You’ll be presented with the following three options. 

Here’s what they all mean:

KEEP GEOMETRY COLUMN AS ATTRIBUTES – this will create a new column in with text version of the geometry (lat lon or Well Known Text (WKT)) - useful for point features but a WKT of lines or polygons can be very large

LET US GUESS COLUMN FORMATS - our importer will try to auto discover the types in each column (string, text, date etc.).  If unticked, all data will be imported as string unless a .csvt file is used.

The .csvt file has to have the same name as the .csv file it describes. It enables definition of the following data types: Integer, Real, String, Date (YYYY-MM-DD), Time (HH:MM:SS+nn) and DateTime (YYYY-MM-DD HH:MM:SS+nn) and geometry column types (WKT, lat, X, lon, Y). A .csvt file contains only one line and the types for each column need to be quoted and comma separated, e.g.

• Precision can also be applied

CONTAINS SPATIAL COLUMNS

Tick this if you know that your CSV has a spatial (location data) column, e.g.

• 'EdinburghHotSpots' CSV has a spatial column in WKT format
• 'EdinburghHotSpotsNonSpatial' CSV does not so this should be unticked
• Supported column names are:
• WKT - short for Well Known Text. Details of format available here. The type supports almost all geometry types including points, lines, polygons, and their multi variants
• Lat or Y - lat of y for the Y axis point coordinate
• Lon or X - lon of x for the X axis point coordinate

SELECT GEOMETRY DROP DOWN

• Choose point, line or polygon
• For spatial CSV you must choose the format of the applicable type - in our case 'EdinburghHotSpots' CSV = point
• For non-spatial CSV you can choose the format you want to capture - 'EdinburghHotSpotsNonSpatial' CSV = line

Close and click SAVE.

Your new layers will be added to the map.

Thanks for reading and if you haven't yet tried Azimap please go to the website to REGISTER.