When I try to add the a Buildings.zip file it closes the application
I am trying to add a buildings layer to my map from this site:
https://data.cityofchicago.org/Buildings/Building-Footprints/w2v3-isjw
but when I try add the .zip file I get this error:
[tilemill] Error: child process: "tile" failed with code "3" Please report this to https://github.com/mapbox/tilemill/issues
I have also try unzipping the folder and directly adding the .shp file but I get an error but it does not close the app. I get this error:
Unable to determine SRS for layer "buildings" at C:\Users\cabplan\Documents\MapBox\project\loyola_basemap\layers\buildings\Buildings.shp
I have try all the SRS drop down options but all result in error,
Any help would be much appreciated.
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2 Posted by DJ on 15 May, 2012 04:28 PM
Hi,
We have documentation on optimizing shapefiles, let us know if you run into any problems with this.
Thanks,
DJ
Support Staff 3 Posted by Dane on 15 May, 2012 05:45 PM
Download shapefiles from that URL is NOT going to work. The reason is that they use redirects and the url does not have a .zip extension. This breaks the assumptions in the tilemill downloader: https://github.com/mapbox/tilemill/issues/1476
So, your only option is to download them manually to the filesystem, unzip them, and load them into TileMill using the full path to the shapefile, on disk.
Dane closed this discussion on 15 May, 2012 05:45 PM.
cabplan re-opened this discussion on 15 May, 2012 06:15 PM
4 Posted by cabplan on 15 May, 2012 06:19 PM
Ok so I am again new this this whole system so could you guide me through now to load them into TileMill using the full path, I unzipped the folder there are all the files but when I try to upload the shape file I get this error:
'Unable to determine SRS for layer "buildings" at C:\Users\cabplan\Documents\MapBox\project\loyola_basemap\layers\buildings\Buildings.shp'
That file is the only one selectable when I go to add a layer. Sorry for not understanding this, can you guide me through this
Support Staff 5 Posted by Dane on 18 May, 2012 10:53 PM
Hi cabplan,
I'm not sure why that error is happening. There is clearly a bug in the TileMill windows version around loading shapefiles from the disk (as well) as I have seen similar reports on windows. I think it must be a caching issue whereby the first failed attempt leaves behind files that mess up later attempts to re-load. Can you try creating a fresh project, then adding a layer, and browsing to find your 'Building.shp' and then let me know if that works?
However, you should be warned that this file (as you likely know) is highly detailed building footprints. It is going to render very slowly in TileMill due to its size, and especially due to the fact that is it in a different projection than the map. While you can't do anything about the size (other than try to design your styles to only view the data at high zooms), you can fix the reprojection performance cost, by reprojecting to Spherical Mercator before loading into TileMill. This is where the http://mapbox.com/tilemill/docs/guides/optimizing-shapefiles/ guide comes in.
Since I just tested I have already reprojected locally. To help you skip that step I have uploaded the reprojected shapefile here: http://springmeyer.s3.amazonaws.com/chicago_buildings.zip
6 Posted by cabplan on 21 May, 2012 02:52 PM
So I have tried creating a complete new project and was still not able to add the building zip you attached. Thanks for taking the time for trying to help me out on this. The weird thing now though is when I even try to add a layer that already works from another project, like States, I get the same error.
[tilemill] Error: child process: "tile" failed with code "3" Please report this to https://github.com/mapbox/tilemill/issues
Why would this be happening? I tried adding both the zip and then just the shp file. I am attaching the States zip file that worked in one project but not in this new project. Is there a specific setting I need to put the SRS or some kind of Advanced argument I should be putting in? Any advice is welcomed.
Support Staff 7 Posted by Dane on 21 May, 2012 03:15 PM
I presume it is not the states shapefile that is the problem now, but rather than your project is somehow busted due to the original shapefile. If creating a clean project does not work, perhaps you need to clear out the old one first? Also, can you confirm that creating a new clean project and loading the
10m-admin...does work if that is the only layer added to the project?See also: http://mapbox.com/tilemill/docs/win-troubleshooting/
8 Posted by cabplan on 21 May, 2012 08:29 PM
I am confirming that adding a new project and trying to add either the zip or shp file of 10-admin that it gives that error. what should i do now?
9 Posted by cabplan on 24 May, 2012 02:51 PM
I still need help with this issue.
Support Staff 10 Posted by Dane on 24 May, 2012 04:57 PM
Hi, okay. I need to find time to test myself further on windows.
My hunch is that this is not going to work for the time being in TileMill 0.9.1 on Windows.
So, until we can fix (for the next release), the best workaround I can think of would be to import the shapefile into Postgres/PostGIS and try loading it from there.
11 Posted by cabplan on 25 May, 2012 04:25 PM
I have never done this before, can you walk me through how to do this, where is the Postgres/PostGIS, how do I import?
Support Staff 12 Posted by Dane on 29 May, 2012 05:53 PM
Cabplan, Install the tools, first postgres, then postgis (from the "stackbuilder"). Then in your start menu you will find a tool provided by PostGIS from importing Shapefiles. If you need detailed help with installing/configuring PostGres/PostGIS see https://github.com/springmeyer/win-osm-workshop. If you hit problems with that then create issues at https://github.com/springmeyer/win-osm-workshop/issues
cabplan closed this discussion on 01 Jun, 2012 01:55 PM.