# Mergin Maps QGIS Plugin Overview
The Mergin Maps QGIS plugin allows you to work with your Mergin Maps projects in QGIS, whether it's downloading the project to your computer, making changes in the project, seeing the project's status or synchronising changes to the cloud.
To get started, you will need to install and configure the plugin.
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To ensure you can use the latest improvements, don't forget to upgrade the plugin whenever there is an update available!
Once you have installed the QGIS plugin and configured it with your Mergin Maps credentials, you should be able to see it in your QGIS Browser panel. The name of the current workspace is displayed in the square brackets (here: sarah) and available projects are listed underneath.
# Downloading a project in QGIS
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Detailed steps on how to download and open your Mergin Maps project are included in the Opening Surveyed Data on Your Computer tutorial.
Right-click on the project and select Download
Browse to the folder, where you want to save the project and click Select folder. The project will be downloaded here.
WARNING
Do not use shared network drives or cloud storage (such as OneDrive or Google Drive) to store your Mergin Maps projects. It is not supported and can cause errors.
Once the download is completed, you will have the option to open the project in QGIS.
# Exploring public projects
Right-click on the Mergin Maps entry in the QGIS Browser and select the Explore public projects option
Find the project you are interested in. Use the search bar to limit the choices.
Select the project and click Open project. Browse to the folder where you want to save the project. The project will be downloaded here.
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You can package this downloaded project using Mergin Maps QGIS plugin as described in Create a project in QGIS using the Package current QGIS project option and use it as your own Mergin Maps project.
# Local changes
since QGIS plugin 2022.4The changes that you make in the project can be synchronised to the cloud and shared with your coworkers. Now these changes can also be visualised which is helpful when reviewing local changes to see what was actually modified and also to avoid unwanted edits.
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Visit our blog View and track changes in QGIS (opens new window) to read more about local changes.
To see local changes:
Right-click on a layer and select Show Local Changes
Changes Viewer opens. The colour-coded changes are listed in the table and shown in the map. Inserts are green, edits orange and deletions red.
If you want to zoom to specific changes, select them in the table and use Zoom to Selection.
Changes can be added to the QGIS project as a new layer. Click Add to project and choose one of the options:
A temporary layer will be added to the Layers panel with colour-coded symbology
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Unless you want to use these layers in your Mergin Maps project, remove them from the project before synchronisation.
# Extract local changes (Processing toolbox)
Local changes of a specific layer can also be extracted using the Extract local changes tool in the Processing toolbox.
Navigate to Mergin Maps tools in the Processing toolbox
Double click the Extract local changes tool. In the dialog window, enter your project directory and select the input layer. The output local changes layer can be saved as a file or as a temporary file. Click Run.
The local changes layer is added to the Layers panel
# Synchronisation in QGIS
Once you are happy with the changes to be uploaded/downloaded, you can synchronise your project and data.
Click on the Synchronise Mergin Maps project icon from the Mergin Maps QGIS plugin toolbar or right-click on the project in the Browser panel and select Synchronise
This will show the project status: a list of pending changes, warnings, and validation results of your project.
Warnings are related to restructuring of a GeoPackage layer (adding/removing a field, adding/removing a layer in a GeoPackage database). Validations can point out missing layers or availability of a layer when working offline.
If you want to inspect the pending changes more thoroughly, you can click on the View changes button to see the local changes.
If you want to proceed, click on the Sync button to synchronise your project and data.
WARNING
Project and data synchronisation works in both ways.
All your changes will be uploaded to the server and any pending changes from the server edition of your files will be downloaded and appended to your local files.
When the synchronisation process is completed, your local files and the copy of files on the server will be identical.
# Create diff (Processing toolbox)
Create diff is a tool that extracts changes made between two versions of a layer in your Mergin Maps project to make it easier to revise changes.
Navigate to Mergin Maps tools in the Processing toolbox
Double click the Create diff tool and fill in the parameters in the dialog window. Click Run.
The diff layer is added to the Layers panel. Changes are visualised on the map and also in the attribute table of the layer.
# Create report (Processing toolbox)
Create report tool provides an overview of changes in your Mergin Maps project for a range of project versions. The output is a CSV file, which can be opened in QGIS and also in common text and spreadsheets programs.
Navigate to Mergin Maps tools in the Processing toolbox
Double click the Create report tool.
Fill in the parameters in the dialog window. If you want to get the report for a specified range of versions, define also the start and end version.
Click Run.
The report is added to the Layers panel.
