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Phone / narrow layout (field mode)
When the window is about 900px wide or less (phones in portrait or landscape, including wide landscape layouts around 780px, or Firefox Android), MiniGISimple switches to a simplified field mode: map-first editing for .geov projects.
- Open Geov and More (basemap, location, save layer edits, save to Geov, About).
- Layer picker — choose which vector layer to edit (no layer is chosen for you). Layers sheet — visibility and set the same active layer.
- Tap a tool (Select, Vertex, Add, Split, Delete, Attrs) to start editing that layer. One feature at a time — no multi-select.
- Attributes open in a popup after you select a single feature and tap Attrs.
- Location in More uses the browser's GPS directly. On Firefox for Android this can be refused for add-ons, so More → Locate me via website opens a small page on gis.com.my. Allow location there, and the add-on returns to the map with your position. Tap it again to refresh the position. It gives a single fix rather than live tracking. The position is worked out on the phone and is not sent to the website.
Widen the window to return to the full desktop layout (analysis, styling panels, attribute table).
Getting started
1. Install and open
Install MiniGISimple from Firefox Add-ons. Click the toolbar icon — the map opens in a new tab.
2. Add your first layer
Drag a .geojson or .geov file onto the map, or use Project → Load and pick a file. The layer appears in the list on the left.
3. Explore
Pan and zoom with the mouse or touch. Turn on Identify / Select in the top bar to click features and see them in the attribute table below the map.
When you close the tab and return later, MiniGISimple restores your last workspace from IndexedDB in your Firefox profile.
Loading data
| Format | Typical use | How to open |
|---|---|---|
| GeoJSON / JSON | Vector features | Drop on map, Project → Load |
| CSV | Points or linked line paths | Same as GeoJSON |
| GPX | Tracks and waypoints | Same |
| WKT | Single geometry text | Same |
| GEOS | Saved WMS project | Project → Load |
GEOV (.geov) | Portable multi-layer project | Drop on map for full project; see GEOV for partial import |
Large files
Very large GeoJSON may take a moment to parse. For heavy datasets, consider simplifying geometry in desktop GIS before export.
GEOV projects
A .geov file is a ZIP containing project.json (layer list, styles, map view) and layers/*.geojson. It is meant for sharing styled vector maps between MiniGISimple and tools such as GeoInbox in QGIS.
Open an entire project
- Drop the
.geovon the map, or Project → Load and choose the file. - Existing layers are replaced unless you use partial import (below).
Add only some layers (partial import)
Project → Import Layer from Geov
- Drop a
.geovon the dialog, or click Browse. - Check the layers you want; use search if the list is long.
- Confirm — selected layers are added with their colours and classified symbology; your current map stays open.
Save and send
Project → Save to Geov File writes a ZIP you can email or open in QGIS. Optional settings.json inside the package stores legend layout and similar UI state; other apps may ignore it. Technical details: GEOV file format.
Map and navigation
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Background map slider | Blend OpenStreetMap / OpenTopoMap under your data (0 = data only). |
| Location | Shows your GPS position on the map (browser permission). On desktop, optional Zoom to location centres the map at zoom level 16 when a fix is available; the choice is remembered. |
| Fullscreen | Uses the full screen for the map tab. |
| Measure | Draw a line or polygon; read distance or area. Choose units here — they also apply to analysis tools. |
| Navigation control (corner) | Zoom buttons; with a tilted 3D view, also adjust pitch. |
Layers panel
- Visibility — eye icon per layer.
- Order — drag layers; the top of the list draws on top of the map.
- Zoom to layer — fits the map to that layer’s extent.
- Edit (pencil) — add, move, or delete vertices for the selected layer (vector only). Save or discard edits from the edit toolbar.
- Layer styling — opens the left panel for colours, symbology, labels, clustering, and 3D.
WMS layers appear in the list but are configured from the Layers menu (add service, pick layers).
Attribute table & selection
Enable Identify / Select in the top bar:
- Click a feature to select it; the row highlights in the attribute table.
- Drag a box on the map to select multiple features on the active layer.
- Many analysis tools can use only selected features when you tick “use selection” in the tool dialog.
Selected features are outlined in yellow on the map. Clear selection from the table or by clicking empty map space.
Styling, labels & 3D
Select a vector layer and open Layer styling in the layers panel.
Symbology
- Single symbol — one colour for all features; optional data-driven rules (e.g. colour by attribute).
- Categorized — distinct colour per category value.
- Graduated — colour ramp across numeric ranges (equal interval, quantile, natural breaks, or fixed interval).
Labels
Pick a text field, enable labels, and optionally remove duplicate labels at the same location so crowded point maps stay readable.
Points only
Clustering groups nearby points at low zoom. CSV line layers can show a trail connecting points in file order.
3D extrusion (polygons)
- Open 3D extrusion in the styling panel and enable it.
- Choose fixed height or height from a numeric field (metres or feet, optional multiplier).
- Click Tilt view for a perspective; Flat view returns to a map-like angle.
Extruded blocks use the same fill colours as your symbology. Labels and flat polygons behind taller buildings may still show through — MapLibre draws labels in screen space, not full 3D occlusion.
Title, legend & export
Under Map layout (layers area / layout controls):
- Show title on map — editable text; drag to position; resize with the corner handle.
- Show legend on map — built from visible layers; drag and scale like the title.
- Legend options: separator lines between layers, column count (auto or 1–4). Click legend text to rename entries for the map only.
Export → Screenshot saves a PNG including title and legend if they are visible. Export → PDF can add a details page with layer list and metadata.
Project → Save as Geos File exports WMS layer configuration (GEOS), not vector data.
Simple analysis
All tools live under Simple analysis in the top menu. Results are usually new layers added to your project or a selection you can inspect in the table.
Distances and areas respect the Measure unit dropdown (m, ft, yd, km, mi).
| Tool | What you get | Typical workflow |
|---|---|---|
| Buffer | New polygon layer | Choose source layer, distance, optional dissolve of all buffers into one shape. |
| Nearest | Selection on target layer | From layer A, find closest feature on layer B. |
| Within distance | Selection | Features on B within X of A (or of selected features on A). |
| Distance matrix | Line layer | Lines between pairs with distance attributes. |
| Select by location | Selection | Intersect, within, within distance, or disjoint vs another layer; new, add, or refine selection. |
| Summary statistics | Dialog results | Count, sum, mean, median, min, max, range, std. dev. on a numeric field; copy to clipboard. |
| Centroids | Point layer | One point per line or polygon; attributes copied. |
| Dissolve by field | Polygon layer | Merge polygons sharing the same field value; includes a count field. |
| Add geometry attributes | Updated layer | New fields: area, perimeter, length, coordinates (units follow measure settings). |
| Delete fields | Updated layer | Removes attributes; labels or symbology using those fields are reset. |
Before you run a tool
Check layer geometry type (points vs polygons). Buffer and dissolve expect polygons; centroids accept lines or polygons. If a layer name is greyed out, it is not valid for that tool.
WMS & WFS
Add basemaps or operational layers from a standard OGC service:
- Open the layer/service dialog from the Layers menu.
- Paste a GetCapabilities URL (history is saved for next time).
- Search the layer list, select layers, and add them to the map.
WMS draws as a raster under your vectors. WFS loads as vector features when supported by the server.
Options & privacy
Options → Settings
- GISimple POST URL — only needed if you use Send to GISimple to push data to your organisation’s GISimple server.
- Canvas colour and style preset (Light / Dark / Forest) change the map background when the basemap slider is low.
Your data stays local
Layers and projects are stored in your browser. MiniGISimple does not send your files to GIS Innovation unless you explicitly use Send to GISimple or connect to a WMS/WFS URL you enter.
Project → Close project removes all layers and resets the map layout; auto-saved workspace is cleared for that session state.