--- title: Coordinate systems in CartoVista description: CartoVista supports any projected coordinate systems, but you will sometimes need to reproject your layer. Here is how you can work with coordinate systems in the CartoVista Server and Publisher. --- [Skip to content](https://knowledge.cartovista.com/projections-systems-in-cartovista#main-content) English Show submenu for translations ![cartovista-logo (1).png\]](https://knowledge.cartovista.com/hs-fs/hubfs/cartovista-logo%20(1).png?height=40&name=cartovista-logo%20(1).png) Open main navigation Close main navigation - English Show submenu for translations - Go to cartovista.com Go to cartovista.com You have reached the CartoVista v7 knowledge base. How can we help you? - There are no suggestions because the search field is empty. 1. [Help Center](https://knowledge.cartovista.com/?hsLang=en) 2. [How To](https://knowledge.cartovista.com/how-to?hsLang=en) 3. [Maps](https://knowledge.cartovista.com/how-to?hsLang=en#maps) # Coordinate systems in CartoVista ## CartoVista supports any projected coordinate systems, but you will sometimes need to reproject your layer. Here is how you can work with coordinate systems in the CartoVista Server and Publisher. There are two common types of **coordinate systems** used in mapping:  - **geographic coordinate systems,**  where coordinates are measured in degrees, - **projected coordinate systems,** where coordinates are measured in meters or feet for instance. To create a map with CartoVista, your layers need to be in a projected coordinate system. You can use the CartoVista Server or Publisher to reproject your layers. One very common projected coordinate system is the Spherical Mercator coordinate system. Using this system makes the layer compatible with popular map providers such as Google Maps, Bing Maps, Yahoo Maps, CartoVista, OpenStreetMap, etc. ### Working with Server Layers When a projected layer is uploaded to the server, you can choose whether to **keep the original coordinate system** of your Shapefile or Mapinfo Tab layer or to **reproject it to Spherical Mercator**. ![add-projection](https://knowledge.cartovista.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Knowledge%20Base%20Import/add_projection.png?width=552&name=add_projection.png) When a geographic layer is uploaded to the server, it will be **automatically reprojected** to Spherical Mercator. ![long-lat-reprojection](https://knowledge.cartovista.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Knowledge%20Base%20Import/proj4_details-1.png?width=552&name=proj4_details-1.png) What is important to know, is that you **cannot create a map with layers that have different coordinate systems**. You need to choose a unique coordinate system that will be used for all layers in your map. ### Working with Local Layers When working with local layers, the CartoVista Publisher can reproject any layer on the fly. This means you can **create a map with layers that have different coordinate systems**. You can also change the coordinate system of the map, and all layers will be reprojected to this coordinate system. To do this, you can click on the **Parameter** button ![settings](https://knowledge.cartovista.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Knowledge%20Base%20Import/settings-Dec-06-2024-02-29-49-5640-PM.png?width=31&height=28&name=settings-Dec-06-2024-02-29-49-5640-PM.png) in the toolbar (under Publish Options): ![publish\_options\_context](https://knowledge.cartovista.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Knowledge%20Base%20Import/publish_options_context.png?width=688&name=publish_options_context.png) In the Map Windows Settings, click on **Set** to choose your coordinate system: ![map\_window\_settings](https://knowledge.cartovista.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Knowledge%20Base%20Import/map_window_settings.png?width=546&name=map_window_settings.png) ⚠️ Note that the projection can't be modified if there is a tile provider or a server layer in your map window, because the projection of these layers determines the map's projection.   - [Features](https://knowledge.cartovista.com/features?hsLang=en#main-content) - [Introduction to CartoVista](https://knowledge.cartovista.com/features?hsLang=en#introduction-to-cartovista) - [Territory Manager](https://knowledge.cartovista.com/features?hsLang=en#territory-manager) - [Microsoft Active Directory Support](https://knowledge.cartovista.com/features?hsLang=en#microsoft-active-directory-support) - [CartoVista Viewer](https://knowledge.cartovista.com/features?hsLang=en#cartovista-viewer) - [CartoVista Publisher](https://knowledge.cartovista.com/features?hsLang=en#cartovista-publisher) - [CartoVista Server](https://knowledge.cartovista.com/features?hsLang=en#cartovista-server) - [Online Editing](https://knowledge.cartovista.com/features?hsLang=en#online-editing) - [Grid Layers](https://knowledge.cartovista.com/features?hsLang=en#grid-layers) - [CartoVista Server REST API](https://knowledge.cartovista.com/features?hsLang=en#cartovista-server-rest-api) - [Scoring Analysis](https://knowledge.cartovista.com/features?hsLang=en#scoring-analysis) - [How To](https://knowledge.cartovista.com/how-to?hsLang=en#main-content) - [Maps](https://knowledge.cartovista.com/how-to?hsLang=en#maps) - [Tiles](https://knowledge.cartovista.com/how-to?hsLang=en#tiles) - [Data](https://knowledge.cartovista.com/how-to?hsLang=en#data) - [Users and permissions](https://knowledge.cartovista.com/how-to?hsLang=en#users-and-permissions) - [License Keys](https://knowledge.cartovista.com/how-to?hsLang=en#license-keys) - [Release Notes](https://knowledge.cartovista.com/release-notes?hsLang=en#main-content) - [Version 6](https://knowledge.cartovista.com/release-notes?hsLang=en#version-6) - [Version 7](https://knowledge.cartovista.com/release-notes?hsLang=en#version-7) - [Cloud Permit](https://knowledge.cartovista.com/cloud-permit?hsLang=en) - [FAQ](https://knowledge.cartovista.com/faq?hsLang=en) - [Quick Start](https://knowledge.cartovista.com/quick-start?hsLang=en#main-content) - [Add your data](https://knowledge.cartovista.com/quick-start?hsLang=en#add-your-data) - [Get your dataset ready](https://knowledge.cartovista.com/quick-start?hsLang=en#get-your-dataset-ready) - [Build your map](https://knowledge.cartovista.com/quick-start?hsLang=en#build-your-map) - [Get Ready](https://knowledge.cartovista.com/quick-start?hsLang=en#get-ready) - [Publish your map](https://knowledge.cartovista.com/quick-start?hsLang=en#publish-your-map) [![CartoVista](https://knowledge.cartovista.com/hs-fs/hubfs/cartovista.png?width=200&height=40&name=cartovista.png "CartoVista")](https://cartovista.com/) This is CartoVista v7 Help Center. 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