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Exporting layers

Layer exports let you hand off a subset of project data — for sharing with collaborators, backing up before a major edit, moving content between projects, or feeding data into an external GIS tool. For the click-by-click flow and supported formats, see Layers → How to export a layer.

Learning objectives

By the end of this lesson you should be able to:

  • Recognize what a layer export captures and what it does not
  • Pick the right destination format
  • Re-import an exported layer into a different project

What a layer export captures​

A layer export packages everything Siter knows about the features on the layer:

  • Geometry
  • Type codes
  • Attributes
  • Explosives data (for QD-visible features)
  • Notes

Result sets, drawings, and project-level configuration are not included — those are project-scoped. For a full project handoff, see Export and import.

danger

There's currently a bug when importing just the Siter layers, not all data is restored. This will be remedied soon and is not an issue when exporting and importing entire projects.

Choosing a format​

  • GeoJSON — the default, and the only format Siter can re-import. Use it for round-trips between projects and for GIS tools
  • DXF (added v0.28) — for handing geometry to AutoCAD, Civil 3D, or other CAD tools. One CAD layer per Siter layer, colors matching the on-screen styling, and facility name/id/notes attached to each shape as CAD attribute data. See DXF export for the coordinate-system implications on the CAD side
warning

DXF export is one-way — Siter cannot import a DXF. If the data ever needs to come back into Siter, export GeoJSON alongside the DXF.

Layer export vs project export​

Use a layer export whenUse a project export when
You only need a subset of featuresYou need the whole project state
The destination GIS tool consumes shapefiles or GeoJSONThe destination is another Siter environment
Cross-feature relationships within the layer are sufficientRelationships span more than one layer

If relationships matter and they cross the layer boundary, export at the project level — the layer-level export will silently drop the cross-boundary relationships.

Try it​

Export a QD-visible layer with at least one PES from one project, import it into a different project, and run analysis. Confirm the features appear with their original type codes, attributes, and explosives intact. If you exported features that had relationships outside the layer, confirm those relationships are absent in the destination — this is the practical reason to export at the project level when relationships matter.