A footprint that won't save or a layer that won't take new shapes stalls a site study. Find the problem below for the usual cause and the fix.

For data layers that won't show, load, or add, see Troubleshoot Data Layer Issues.

Problems with drawing

I can't draw at all

If no drawing tool works anywhere in the project, check where you are and what access you have.

You have view-only access

A project shared with you as View is read-only. You can't draw, edit, or paste. Giraffe shows "You do not have edit permission." when you try.

Published and embedded links are always read-only, even for the project's owner. Open the project itself from your Home screen instead.

To draw, ask the project owner or a Workspace admin to change your access to Edit or Admin.

You're in a Space

A Space shows a group of projects together on one map. It doesn't hold drawn geometries, so the drawing tools don't work there. Giraffe shows "You must be in a project to draw something." when you try.

Open one of the Space's projects, or create a new project, to draw.

I can't see something I drew

Check these, in order:

Is its drawing layer hidden in the Layer Palette?
Is it on a scenario that is turned off?
Is its opacity 0% in the appearance properties?
Is the engine paused?
Is it below something else in 3D?

A shape I draw doesn't appear

If drawing works and a new shape doesn't stay, look for a toast at the top of the screen. Common causes:

The active drawing layer is hidden or locked. Show or unlock it, or set a different layer as active.
The project is still syncing with the server. Wait a few seconds, or refresh the page.

My shapes draw, and no metrics or results update

The engine is paused. A paused engine draws shapes and doesn't solve them, so metrics and flow results stop updating. The map gets a colored border and a Resume Engine button appears at the top right. Click Resume Engine.

Undo doesn't work

Press Cmd/Ctrl+Z to undo and Cmd/Ctrl+Shift+Z to redo. Some non-QWERTY keyboard layouts don't map these shortcuts correctly. Use Undo and Redo in the menus instead. In Giraffe 6 they're in the Edit menu of the top bar. In Giraffe 4 they're in the drawing toolbar's ••• menu. Undo isn't available in a Space.

Copy and paste doesn't work

Your browser may be blocking clipboard access. When a popup asks for clipboard access, allow it. To change it later, update your browser site permissions. Paste is also blocked in view-only projects. Learn more about copy, paste, cut, and delete.

Problems with drawing layers

I can't hide or lock a drawing layer

You can't lock the active drawing layer, or a group that holds it. In Giraffe 6, you can't hide it either. Set a different drawing layer as active first: click the circle at the left of its row in the Layer Palette. If your project has only one drawing layer, it's always active. Add another drawing layer before you lock or hide it.

I can't draw on a layer

Geometries you draw always go on the active drawing layer. You can't draw on a data layer. If the active drawing layer is locked, unlock it with its padlock, or set a different layer as active.

I can't paste geometries

You can't paste onto a locked layer. Unlock the active drawing layer with its padlock, then paste again.

I can't delete a drawing layer

Giraffe won't delete a drawing layer that holds geometries derived from other layers, such as geometries generated by blocks or flows.

My geometries don't count in Urban

Urban skips geometries on hidden drawing layers, drawing layers at 0% opacity, and drawing layers inside a hidden group. Turn the layer back on in the Layer Palette. Any opacity above 0% counts.

Error messages

Giraffe shows drawing errors as plain-text messages in toasts, tooltips, and the bottom bar. Find the message below for what it means and how to fix it.

Drawing and editing errors

Error	What it means	How to fix
"You do not have edit permission." (toast)	You have view-only access, or you opened a published or embedded link.	Open the project itself, and ask the project owner for Edit access.
"You must be in a project to draw something." or "You can't draw in a space." (toast)	Spaces don't hold drawn geometries.	Open or create a project to draw.
"You are trying to draw on an invisible layer. Click on another layer, or make this layer visible." (toast)	The active drawing layer is hidden, so Giraffe discards the new shape.	Show the layer with its eye, or set a different drawing layer as active, then draw again.
"You are trying to draw on a locked layer. Unlock the layer or its group to draw on it." (toast, Giraffe 6)	The active drawing layer, or its group, is locked.	Unlock the layer or group with its padlock, then draw again.
"Changes can't be made until this project has synced with the server." (toast, Giraffe 6)	The project is still loading from the server.	Wait a few seconds, then try again.
"Couldn't load this project from the server. Refresh the page to make changes." (toast, Giraffe 6)	The project didn't sync with the server.	Refresh the page.
"Can't save your changes right now. You appear to be offline." (toast)	You lost your connection. Your edits are kept on this device.	Check your connection. Your edits sync automatically when it returns.
"Nothing to paste" (toast, Giraffe 6)	The clipboard doesn't hold any Giraffe geometries.	Copy the geometries in Giraffe with `Cmd`/`Ctrl`+`C`, then paste again.
"Cannot paste: Too many sections in project" or "Too much data in project" (toast)	Pasting would push the project past its size limit.	Paste fewer geometries, or delete geometries you don't need. Learn more ways to improve project performance.
"Bake failed. No features to bake." or "Bake failed. Nothing to bake." (toast)	Nothing was selected to bake.	Select at least one geometry, then bake again.
"Bake failed. Try baking fewer features." (toast)	You tried to bake 250 or more geometries at once.	Bake in batches of fewer than 250.
"No usage fills to place." (toast, Giraffe 6)	The selected geometries have no usage fills to bake.	Select geometries that have usage fills, then bake again.

Shape errors

Giraffe checks each shape you draw. A shape that fails a check isn't saved.

Error	What it means	How to fix
"Self-intersecting polygons are not allowed"	The shape's edges cross each other.	Redraw the shape so its edges don't cross.
"This polygon is too thin to be valid"	The shape is a sliver with almost no area.	Redraw it wider, or delete it.
"This polygon is too big to be valid"	The shape covers too large an area.	Draw a smaller shape, or split it into several.
"This polygon has too many vertices to be valid"	The shape has too many points.	Simplify the shape or redraw it with fewer points.
"This polygon has overlapping vertices"	Two points sit on top of each other.	Delete the duplicate point in Vertex Edit, or redraw the shape.
"This polygon has invalid holes", "Polygon hole N has zero area", or "...must be wound in the opposite direction to the outer ring"	A hole cut in the shape is broken.	Delete the hole and cut it again.

Bottom bar warnings

Error	What it means	How to fix
"Your geometry is too far from the project origin to give accurate measurements." (bottom bar)	Some geometries are far from the project, so measurements may be off.	Click the warning to select those geometries, then move them closer or delete them.
"You are drawing over too large an area for accurate measurements." (bottom bar)	Your geometries, or the project boundary, cover too large an area.	Click the warning to select the geometries causing it. If none are selected, the project boundary is too large. Split a very large project into smaller ones.
"Section Error: [detail]" (bottom bar)	A geometry failed to process. The detail says why.	Click it to select the failing geometry. If it has a flow, troubleshoot the flow.

Drawing layer errors

Error	What it means	How to fix
"New shape(s) created on INVISIBLE layer" (toast)	Imported geometries went onto a hidden drawing layer.	Click the layer's eye in the Layer Palette to show it.
"Cannot paste features on a locked layer" (toast)	The active drawing layer is locked.	Unlock the layer with its padlock, then paste again.
A message saying the layer has features derived from other layers	The drawing layer holds geometries generated by blocks or flows. The toast names the layers that block the delete.	Delete or edit the source geometries first, then delete the layer.
"[layer]-copy already exists" (toast, Giraffe 6)	A layer with the duplicate's name already exists.	Rename or delete the existing copy, then duplicate again.
"Can't hide the active layer" or "Can't lock the active draw layer" (tooltip, Giraffe 6)	You can't lock the active drawing layer, or a group that holds it. In Giraffe 6, you can't hide it either.	Set a different drawing layer as active first.

Troubleshoot Drawing Issues