Overview

This page lists the most frequent system and user conflicts in Population Explorer, with their symptoms, causes, fixes, and confirmations.

Common Troubleshooting Scenarios

Polygon Too Complex to Process

• Symptom: Error when trying to calculate results on very detailed or complex polygons.

• Cause: Polygon exceeds system complexity limits (too many vertices or irregular boundaries).

• Fix: Simplify the polygon before uploading; split into smaller shapes if the area is large; retry after editing.

• Confirmation: Results generate successfully.

Login or Authentication Errors

• Symptom: “Invalid credentials” or “Session expired.”

• Cause: Typo in login details, expired session, or cached credentials.

• Fix: Re-enter credentials; log out and back in; clear browser cache/cookies if persistent.

• Confirmation: Successful login.

Data Export Fails (CSV, Excel, KML/KMZ)

• Symptom: Export button greyed out or file download fails.

• Cause: Shape not selected, empty folder, or browser pop-up blocked.

• Fix: Confirm at least one shape/folder is selected; allow pop-ups; retry export.

• Confirmation: File downloads correctly.

No Results Returned for a Shape

• Symptom: Blank result panel.

• Cause: Shape too small, outside coverage, or misplaced.

• Fix: Check dataset coverage; verify polygon placement; redraw or expand area.

• Confirmation: Totals and breakdowns display.

Results Don’t Match Expectations

• Symptom: Totals appear too high or too low.

• Cause: Dataset resolution differences (LandScan vs WorldPop), boundary mismatch, or ASB blending.

• Fix: Compare across datasets; review metadata; consult Why Spatial Resolution Matters.

• Confirmation: Differences explained.

System Error (Red Band)

• Symptom: Red error banner across bottom (“System Error”), often with 429 or timeout codes.

• Cause: Too many shapes in folder; too many imports; a shape too large to render before timeout.

• Fix: Delete excess shapes; import fewer; use simplified shapes.

• Confirmation: Error clears and results generate.

System Hanging

• Symptom: App freezes or stops responding.

• Cause: Same as System Error — backlog, oversized imports, or network latency.

• Fix: Log out/in to clear backlog; delete unnecessary shapes; use faster network.

• Confirmation: Session resumes normally.

Related Resources

• Population Totals

• Why Spatial Resolution Matters

• Rounding & Separators

Need More Help?

If you’re still experiencing issues, please contact us for support.