Before you can record surveys in the app, you need to install the project you're working on. Installing a project downloads the information the app needs to work without mobile signal: the list of surveys, the sites and other map features the survey forms refer to, and the people and teams in your workspace.
Installing a Project#
- Sign in to the app (see Signing In to the App). The home screen lists the projects you belong to, grouped by workspace.
- Find your project. Projects you haven't installed yet appear in grey with a cloud-and-arrow icon on the right.
- Tap the project. The app opens the project straight away and starts downloading its data in the background. Back on the home screen, a spinner appears next to the project's name while it downloads.
- Watch the line of text just under the title bar. While the app is downloading it says something like Downloading surveys and map features…, with a moving bar underneath. When it says Online, the download is finished.
- Go back to the home screen. Your project now appears in normal text with an arrow on the right, ready to use. Workspaces with an installed project move to the top of the list, so it may have moved up.
Keep the app open on the screen while it downloads. The app doesn't download anything while it's closed or in the background.
If you tap a project while Work Offline is on, the app shows You Are Offline!. Tap Go Online & Download to switch off Work Offline and start installing.
What Gets Downloaded#
| Downloaded when you install | Downloaded later |
| The list of surveys in the project | The full contents of a survey, when you first open it |
| Sites and other map features the forms look up | Photos attached to a survey, when you first open it |
| People and teams in your workspace | Background maps, if your workspace has offline maps (see below) |
| Images used in the survey forms |
This means you can add new surveys anywhere once the project is installed. To view or edit an existing survey offline, open it once while you're online so the app keeps a copy.
Keeping the Project Up to Date#
After the first download, the app only fetches changes, so updates are quick. It checks for changes whenever the app is open and online, roughly every few minutes, and when you pull down on a list to refresh it.
If a project's data hasn't been updated for more than a day, the home screen shows Updated … ago under its name. You may also see a yellow Data May Be Out Of Date banner on the project's screens. Switch off Work Offline on wifi and leave the app open for a minute to catch up. See Checking Uploads and Sync Status.
Offline Background Maps#
Some workspaces also let you download background maps for use without mobile signal. If yours does, you'll see Offline Maps on the Settings screen.
- On the home screen, tap Settings, then Offline Maps. The same screen opens if you tap Download Now when the app asks Download map data?
- The screen opens with the message Zoom in to select an area. Tap Zoom In, or pinch the map, until the Select Area button replaces it.
- Position the map over the area you'll be working in and tap Select Area. The selected area is shown in white.
- Tap Done. The Offline Maps line on the Settings screen shows the download progress, then Downloaded and its size.
You can keep one offline area at a time. Tap Clear Area to remove it and choose another.
Removing a Project#
If you no longer need a project on your device, you can remove it to free up space:
- On the home screen, swipe left on the project and tap Remove.
- Confirm by tapping Remove.
This deletes the project's downloaded surveys and photos from your device. They stay safe on the Cartographer servers, and you can install the project again later.
The app won't remove a project while any of its surveys are waiting to upload. If you see Surveys Not Uploaded Yet, switch off Work Offline, let the uploads finish, and try again.