If you would like to use your own maps on Hortis and are not able to publish the map to a public map service, such as ArcGIS online, our Map Hosting Service can be used for a fee.
Our “Map Hosting Service” supports vector-based maps such as QGIS and Esri compatible maps, as well as georeferenced raster files such as GeoTIFF. Other file formats, such as AutoCAD and Vectorworks are supported by converting the map data to the Shapefile format or a supported raster file format.
If you have large files, please use a file sharing service such as SwissTransfer, WeTransfer or a shared drive from Google or Microsoft.
Preparing a Vector Map
- Make sure the map and all map layers use the “web mercator auxiliary sphere / EPSG:3857” projection.
- Make sure the map extent is properly defined.
- Check the map for errors.
- ArcGIS: Run "Analyze map" and fix any warnings and errors.
- QGIS: Run Processing > Toolbox and search for Vector geometry > Check validity.
For optimal visual appearance, we recommend that you follow these guidelines.
Outline colours: Avoid black outlines on polygons. Match the outline to a darker shade of the fill colour — for example, dark blue on blue polygons, dark green on green polygons. For very small polygons, consider removing the outline entirely to reduce visual clutter.
Transparency: Avoid transparency, as it may not render correctly on all hosting platforms and can produce unexpected results when layers overlap.
3D symbols: Avoid 3D or pictographic symbols. Use simple flat fills and standard geometric point markers (circles, squares, triangles) instead, as complex symbols often do not export correctly
Low contrasting colours: Choose colours that are visually harmonious rather than high-contrast. Avoid neon or highly saturated colours, which can appear harsh when rendered on a web map.
Remove unused layers: Remove unused or hidden layers before exporting. These can increase file size and cause unexpected rendering issues.
Data Frame — rotation and reference scale: Remove any rotation and reference scale, as these settings are unlikely to be preserved during hosting and can distort the map output.
Gaps between polygons / black background: Ensure adjacent polygons share edges without gaps (use QGIS's Fix Geometries tool to check). If small gaps are unavoidable, a dark background colour can help disguise them.
Font and labels: Keep labels simple and use standard system fonts. Decorative or custom fonts may not be available on the hosting platform and will fall back to a default substitute.
Minimum feature size: Avoid very small or thin features that may disappear at the intended display scale. Check how the map looks at the zoom level it will be viewed at.
CRS: Make sure all layers use the same coordinate reference system (EPSG:3857 — Web Mercator) before exporting. Mixed projections can cause layers to misalign.
Colour for accessibility: Consider colour-blind-friendly palettes. Avoid red/green combinations as the sole means of distinguishing features.
Sharing a Esri ArcGIS vector maps
If you use ArcGIS or ArcMap, please send us your map as a map package. That will ensure that all styles and related files are included.
Sharing a map package from ArcMap.
Sharing a map package from ArcGIS Pro.
Sharing QGIS vector maps
If you use GGIS, please follow these recommendations
- Put all the files in one folder. Project file, geo packages, etc.
- Make paths relative. Open Project → Properties → General. Set Save paths to Relative.
- Use GeoPackage instead of shapefiles, which will reduce the number of files.
- Compress the whole folder in a zip file and send it to us.
Other map formats
If you have other types of maps available, please get in touch, and we will be able to advise you on how to proceed.