Nacho Sánchez • May 23, 2016

Import and Export Your Visualizations using .carto

For data scientists, it’s very important to share the way they work their magic – so others can check and iterate over it. Let’s face it, analysis is one of those tasks that when done in a collaborative environment is much better and easier. Starting today, exporting and sharing your layered, styled visualizations is available directly from the interface!

CARTO has been working on a brand new way to transport and distribute your data-driven visualizations. We are proud to release the new .carto file format. Using .carto, you can export public maps or export your own visualizations and map styles, store them, and drag-and-drop them into the CARTO interface. Your styles, SQL, and data are all set exactly in your .carto file format. Now, spend your time on what really matters – performing analysis on your data.

How it works

For private work environments the .carto file format is compatible with your on-premise and secure data. Simply click on edit and export your map. Your data and visualizations remain safe within your organization like before and you can share your data-driven visualizations efficiently, seamlessly, and in a flexible way.

Also, with this new feature you can export any visualization that you have access to (shared or public), with its data, into a file to import it in your account. This is a great feature for CARTO Ambassadors, or anyone who can’t find the data they need to combine it with their own data. Just select any public map you want to export, then click on the download icon (hint: it’s next to the ‘like’ icon), and drag-and-drop your downloaded .carto file into your CARTO Editor!

Data collaboration and analysis just got faster!

The new .carto format makes it easy to complete projects and pass the files to your client’s CARTO account, keeping data, styles, and queries intact and ready to go on launch day. You can load your style set with pre-made maps with your company’s brand and requirements in place. The .carto format is also ideal for brand managers that have a series of maps with strict brand requirements. The format ensures that all your brand elements remain in place across your organization.

Simply, make maps faster, deliver analysis quicker, and distribute your visualizations to your entire team. Create maps that are styled and data-ready for people to spin off, allowing even more stories to be told in your visualizations – just store the package on a server and share a link.

To get you started, we have three amazing visualizations that you can check out to see just how easy .carto is!

• NYC subway network – See map
• Unemployment Rate in US – See map
• Sydney natural population change – See map

Happy data mapping!

About the author

Nacho (call him Juan Ignacio only if he has broken something) is a Computer Engineer from Valladolid, passionate about software development. He really enjoys learning new technologies and facing new challenges, so CARTO is a perfect fit for him. He’s developing CARTO backend and helping Backend/DO team members get the most of themselves.

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