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Troubleshooting map.army — messages and what to do
What to do when map.army shows a message, or when something that should be there is not. The FAQ answers questions about the product; this page answers “it is not working”.
Nothing loads, or the application is stuck
Force a clean reload with Ctrl + F5. This bypasses the browser cache and fetches the current version.
.milxlyz first. A reload discards unsaved MilX layers — there is no autosave. See Export Overlays.If the first load takes more than about 20 seconds, that is the point to reload rather than keep waiting. If it persists, check that your browser and operating system are supported, and see Update the application for clearing a stale installed version.
A control I expect is missing
Most “missing button” reports are a precondition rather than a fault. map.army sometimes hides a control and sometimes greys it out, and the two mean different things — a greyed control is waiting for something, a hidden one does not apply at all.
| What is missing | Why | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Add new MSS Symbol is greyed | No active layer | Activate a layer in the Layers panel — the pen icon marks it |
| MSS Symbol Editor and Point List are greyed | No symbol selected | Select a symbol on the map |
| All three are gone, not greyed | You are in the 3D view, which is read-only | Switch back to 2D — see 3D map view |
| The Safety Distance Zone section in the Point List is empty | The tick box is off — every zone control is behind it. Failing that, you selected a multi-point graphic, which cannot carry a zone | Tick Safety Distance Zone; if the box is not there either, select a single-point symbol — see Safety Distance Zones |
| Convert to MilX is absent on a vector layer | That layer type cannot be converted | Nothing to do; not every vector format carries convertible geometry |
| Display location is absent in Options | Your browser exposes no geolocation | Expected on browsers or contexts without location access |
An imported layer is not on the map
Two mechanisms hide a layer that imported successfully.
Above roughly 6000 symbols, map.army warns you and then sets every layer added since the last check to invisible, to keep the map usable. The layers are in the Layer Manager with their content intact — switch the ones you need back on.
A name collision renames rather than merges. Importing a layer whose name is already in use appends to the name and notifies you. Importing the same file twice gives you two layers.
Messages about loading a file or a layer
| Message | What it means |
|---|---|
| Unable to load the image. Hint: Try to reduce the size of the image or split it into two separate images. | The image overlay is too large for the browser to handle. The remedy is in the message: shrink it, or cut it into two overlays. |
| Could not load the file (Error: …). Please check if the URL is correct. If the issue persists, check the CORS settings on your server. | An online-source layer could not be fetched. Either the address is wrong, or your web server does not permit www.map.army to read it. The CORS setup is described on Load a MilX layer using a URL parameter and applies to online-source layers too. |
| Vector/Image layer type is not supported | The file format is not one map.army reads. Supported vector formats are listed on Import Overlays. |
| Could not convert the layer | The conversion to MilX failed. Check the source geometry — an empty or malformed layer is the usual cause. |
| The coordinate system is not supported | The file declares a reference system map.army cannot map. Re-project it to WGS84 before importing. |
Messages about saving, exporting or sharing
| Message | What it means |
|---|---|
| Cannot save Layers / Could not download the layers… | The MilX service could not be reached or refused the request. MilX files are written server-side, so saving needs a working connection — see Install. |
| An error occurred while converting to UTM / Errors occurred while converting the reference coordinates… | A coordinate conversion failed during the save. Usually one graphic sits outside the target system’s valid area. |
| Failed to generate georeference / Cannot create georeference for the Export Area | The chosen export area cannot be georeferenced. Adjust the area or the scale — see Create an export. |
| Failed to read files in the destination folder / Failed to save file … | The browser could not write to the folder you granted. Re-grant the working directory, or choose another. |
| Couldn’t read MilX layers from the Share and the other share errors | The share could not be loaded, created or updated. Check the link is complete — a share link carries both an id and a secret, and truncating either breaks it. See How to create a share. |
On iOS, I cannot save or load a MilX file
On an iPhone or iPad, saving and loading MilX layers locally requires Safari 13 or later. On any other iOS browser it is unavailable whatever the version number — Chrome, Firefox and Edge on iOS are detected as their own browsers, not as Safari, and so are in-app browsers such as the ones inside Facebook. No other platform is affected: desktop Safari, Android, Windows, macOS and Chrome OS all save and load normally.
What you keep on a blocked iOS browser: you can still use the app and create layers. What you lose is the file round-trip in both directions. MilX Share is the route out, and it works.
Messages about settings
| Message | What it means |
|---|---|
| Application settings couldn’t be loaded | The stored settings could not be read and defaults were used. Usually browser storage that was cleared or blocked. |
| Could not apply Settings from the selected file | The settings file you imported is not valid. Export a fresh one from a working installation — see General options. |
Undo did not bring something back
Undo covers graphics work and MilX layer deletion. It does not cover project settings, view state, or vector and image layers. It is also finite, and a failure anywhere in the history discards the rest of it.
The full scope is on Keyboard shortcuts.
Still stuck
Send us the situation through the contact form — the page you were on, what you did, the exact message, and your browser and operating system. A short screen recording settles most cases faster than a description.