Skip to content

1. Setup

The Setup panel establishes the project folder, optional advanced settings, and the initial map view/CRS for the rest of the workflow.

Panel layout

Setup is split into three parts:

  • a. Orient the Ground
  • b. Project Settings
  • Advanced Settings (collapsed by default)

a. Orient the Ground

This section helps you move the map canvas to the correct location before you start drawing AOIs.

Control What it does
Add OpenTopoMap Layer Adds the OpenTopoMap XYZ basemap so you have visual terrain/context while working.
Find location (Nominatim) + Go Searches OpenStreetMap Nominatim for a place name and centers the canvas on the best match.
Set CRS from Canvas Center Uses the current canvas center as the project anchor, then sets the project CRS to the matching UTM zone. This is the current one-click CRS setup action in the UI.

b. Project Settings

Field What to enter
Project name A short map/project name.
Author Your name or team name.
Project directory The working folder for this map. Flashpoint Map Maker creates and uses Layers/ and Export/ under this directory.

Below these fields are two buttons:

Button What it does
Reload Settings Reloads saved Flashpoint Map Maker project settings from hexmosaic.project.json if that file exists beside the current QGIS project file.
Save Settings Saves the current settings to QGIS settings and also writes hexmosaic.project.json beside the current QGIS project file when possible.

Advanced Settings

Field / Button What it does
Config file Read-only path showing the active config JSON.
Browse... Select a specific config file and save that choice.
Use Default Revert to the built-in default config.
Copy Template to Project Copies the template config into the project so you can customize it locally.
Styles directory Folder containing the plugin's QML styles. Leave this alone unless you maintain custom styles.
OpenTopography API key Optional API key used for DEM download steps later in the workflow.
Hex scale (m) Base hex size in meters. Default is 500. AOI sizing and grid generation use this value.
Generate Project Structure Creates the standard output folders, including Layers/, Export/, and Layers/Base/Base_Grid/, and ensures the project layer groups exist.

Notes on files and folders

  • AOI layers are saved under Layers/.
  • Grid layers and segmentation outputs are created under Layers/Base/Base_Grid/.
  • Export outputs go under Export/.
  • Saved UI state is stored in hexmosaic.project.json beside the QGIS project file, not inside the project directory field unless your QGIS project is saved there.
  1. click Add OpenTopoMap Layer for visual reference.
  2. Use Find location (Nominatim) or pan the canvas manually to your area of interest.
  3. Click Set CRS from Canvas Center once the canvas is centered on the map area you want.
  4. Set Project name, Author, and Project directory.
  5. Click Save Settings.
  6. Expand Advanced Settings only if you need to change the config, styles, API key, or hex scale.
  7. Continue to Map Area.