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GC Explorer

Guardian Connector Explorer (GC Explorer) is a web-based data visualization tool that transforms your community's tabular data into interactive maps, galleries, and dashboards. Built specifically for Guardian Connector, it connects directly to your PostgreSQL database to display data collected from tools like CoMapeo, KoboToolbox, and other data collection platforms.

🗺️ Available Views​

📍 Map View: Visualize your geospatial data on an interactive map with pop-up information panels and embedded media attachments.

📸 Gallery View: Browse through photo, audio, and video content collected in the field, organized by date or location.

⚠️ Alerts Dashboard: Monitor environmental changes and threats with change detection alerts and before-and-after satellite imagery; create incidents to group a series of alerts with secondary data sources.

🔄 Data Integration​

GC Explorer automatically works with data from:

  • CoMapeo: Community mapping and observation data
  • KoboToolbox/ODK: Survey responses and forms
  • Environmental Alerts: Satellite change detection data
  • Custom Data Sources: Any PostgreSQL-compatible tabular data

GC Explorer Alerts Dashboard Example of an Alerts Dashboard in GC Explorer

GC Explorer transforms raw data into accessible, visual formats that help communities understand, share, and act on their collected information.

Data Limitations

To keep visualization responsive, GC Explorer shows at most 10,000 data records in a view. If a dataset is larger than that, a toast notification appears and only the first 10,000 records are displayed.

📤 Exporting Data​

Exporting Data from the Map View​

GC Explorer allows you to export data directly from the Map View into a variety of formats for use in other tools and workflows.

Currently supported export formats include:

  • CSV: Export your data in a tabular format for spreadsheets, databases, or further analysis.
  • GeoJSON: Export geospatial data in a modern open format widely supported by GIS tools and web mapping applications.
  • KML: Export geospatial data for use in applications such as Google Earth and other mapping platforms.

These exports make it easy to continue working with your data outside of GC Explorer using the tools and formats that best fit your community’s needs.

Filters apply to exports

Active date and column filters on the Map View are included in the export request. Set the date range and any category/column filters first, then download CSV, GeoJSON, or KML — the file contains only the filtered subset. That subset is ready for further work in a spreadsheet or GIS tool; see Use your data in QGIS for opening GeoJSON in QGIS.

Format Conversion and GIS Compatibility

Once you have exported your data as CSV, GeoJSON, or KML, it is possible to convert it into many other GIS-compatible formats if needed.

Some commonly requested formats include:

  • Shapefile (.shp)
  • GeoPackage (.gpkg)
  • File Geodatabase (.gdb)

Both QGIS and ArcGIS support importing GeoJSON and KML data and exporting it into these additional formats.

While shapefiles are widely compatible, they also have important limitations, including:

  • A maximum 10-character limit for column names
  • Limited support for non-Latin character encoding
  • Restrictions on field types and data structure complexity

If these limitations affect your workflow, it is generally recommended to use GeoPackage or File Geodatabase formats instead.

In ArcGIS, CSV files containing coordinate information can also be loaded directly using the "Add XY Data" feature.

Exporting Data from the Alerts Dashboard​

The Alerts Dashboard gives you several ways to download alerts and related information.

📥 Exporting Alerts​

You can download alerts using the same CSV, GeoJSON, and KML formats as the Map View:

  • Batch download all alerts at once in one of the supported formats.
  • Download an individual alert by clicking it on the map.
  • Create an incident that groups a series of alerts with secondary data sources, then download that incident. See Incidents for more information.

📊 Exporting Statistics​

The Alerts Dashboard also shows statistics about the alerts, such as the total number of alerts or the total number of hectares affected. You can download those statistics as well.

🕒 Using the Time Filter​

The time filter on the Alerts Dashboard applies to both of these downloads. Use it to batch-download a subset of alerts instead of the full set; the same filter also updates the statistics, so a statistics download reflects the filtered date range.

⚙️ Configuring Views​

You can create a new Map, Gallery, or Alerts Dashboard view — and possibly other view types in the future.

When you create a view, you choose a primary dataset and, if the view type supports it, an optional secondary dataset. The options that appear next depend on the view type; the form itself is the best guide for each field.

For a map or alerts dashboard, you can set things like:

  • Up to three Mapbox background maps, each with its own Mapbox style and access token
  • Map parameters such as center coordinates, zoom level, pitch, bearing, projection, and 3D terrain
  • Map legend layer IDs for toggling custom Mapbox style layers

If the view includes media or filters, you can set things like:

  • A base URL (such as a File Browser share link) for where to load media attachments, alert imagery, or custom map icons
  • Filter columns for category dropdowns and date-range sliders

If another view already has many of the same settings, you can copy the config from that view to bootstrap the new one instead of filling everything in from scratch.

🏷️ View Identification and Branding​

To make views easier to recognize and navigate as your data library grows, you can enrich each dataset view with identifying details:

  • View Display Name: Replace the raw database table name with a clear, human-readable title.
  • View Description: Provide context and metadata about the dataset's contents, purpose, or update frequency.
  • View Header Image: Provide an image URL to display as a thumbnail and header background so users can distinguish views at a glance.
  • Logo URL: Optionally display your organization or community logo in the view sidebar.

🔒 Dataset Visibility Control​

For every dataset view in GC Explorer, you must set a Visibility level that controls who can see and interact with the view. This lets you protect sensitive or proprietary community information while still collaborating with partners or sharing public-facing views when needed.

Visibility levels map directly to the Guardian Connector user roles assigned by administrators on the Landing Page:

Visibility LevelWho Can Access the View
AdminsOnly signed-in users with the Admin role.
MembersSigned-in users with the Member or Admin role.
GuestSigned-in users with the Guest, Member, or Admin role.
Public — no sign-in requiredAnyone with the link, including visitors who are not signed in and signed-in users with the Signed In role.

Each view card on the GC Explorer home page displays its active Permission level badge so administrators and members can verify access settings at a glance.

ℹ️ Which Version of the App Am I Using?​

If you ever need to know which version of GC Explorer you are using — for example, when reporting a problem — open the /_info endpoint on the app. Add /_info to the end of the Explorer address in your browser (for example, https://explorer.alias.guardianconnector.net/_info). You do not need to sign in.

It will look like this:

{
  "tag": "20261012-189",
  "commit": "1234567890abcdef1234567890abcdef12345678",
  "buildId": "abcdef1234567890abcdef1234567890abcdef12",
  "startedAt": "2026-10-12T12:00:00.000Z"
}

The response identifies the running build:

  • tag: the deployed version, written as a date and build number (YYYYMMDD-<run>)
  • commit: the source commit that version was built from
  • startedAt: the date and time the application was started