---
title: "Creating a SiteMaker Project"
slug: "creating-a-sitemaker-project"
updated: 2026-03-06T13:11:18Z
published: 2026-03-06T13:11:18Z
canonical: "knowledge.navvis.com/creating-a-sitemaker-project"
---

> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://knowledge.navvis.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Creating a SiteMaker Project

You can create a SiteMaker project from an empty project directory or from one which already contains Datasets.

1. Open SiteMaker and click the **Project** tab.

![Interface displaying project details, including settings and recent projects for Project X HQ.](https://cdn.document360.io/bf174766-fa1a-4fe1-a4d7-b1db1e7cb996/Images/Documentation/creating a sitemaker.png)

1. Click **New Project** wizard at the top left of the tab to open the **Create a New Project** dialog.
2. In Step 1, enter the project name in the **Project Name** field. Typically, the name is the same as that of the project directory.
3. In the **Project Location** field, enter or browse for the project location.

> [!NOTE]
> **Note:**The project location is the directory where the project settings file is stored. Ideally, it should contain the datasets for the project.
4. Click **Next**.
5. If necessary, in Step 2, select the **Define custom base directories** checkbox and enter custom paths (or browse) in fields `datasets_rec`, `datasets_proc`, and `datasets_web`. The default follows the standard file distribution (recommended).

> [!NOTE]
> **Note:**The base directories contain the individual datasets from recording, post-processing, and web-processing.
6. Click **Next**.
7. In Step 3, if you used [Control Points](/v1/docs/post-processing-with-control-points-1), select the **Use control points files** checkbox and enter or browse for the [control point poses file](/v1/docs/dataset-control-points-info-file). This file should include all surveyed control point poses for the project. This step is optional.
8. Click **Finish**.

The project settings file `<project_name>.ini` is created in the project directory. It saves the project name and location, the location of the datasets folders, and the processing settings.

> [!NOTE]
> **Note:**If the project directory does not yet contain the directories `datasets_rec`, `datdasets_proc`, and `datasets_web`, SiteMaker asks for confirmation before creating them. Copy Recorded datasets to the `datasets_rec` directory from the hard drive of the device.
> 
> If the directories contain datasets, the datasets are loaded in the **Datasets** tab.

---

### FAQ

#### How do I create a new SiteMaker project?

To create a new SiteMaker project, open SiteMaker, click the Project tab, and then click New Project wizard to open the Create a New Project dialog.

#### What should I enter in the Project Name field?

In the Project Name field, you should enter the name of your project, which is typically the same as the project directory name.

#### What is the purpose of the Project Location field?

The Project Location field is where you specify the directory where the project settings file will be stored, ideally containing the datasets for the project.

#### Do I need to define custom base directories?

Defining custom base directories is optional. If necessary, you can select the Define custom base directories checkbox and enter custom paths for datasets.

#### Is it mandatory to use control points files?

No, using control points files is optional. You can select the Use control points files checkbox if you have surveyed control point poses for the project.

#### What happens when I click Finish?

When you click Finish, the project settings file is created in the project directory, saving the project name, location, datasets folders, and processing settings.

#### Will SiteMaker create directories if they do not exist?

Yes, if the project directory does not contain the required datasets directories, SiteMaker will ask for confirmation before creating them.

#### What should I do if I have recorded datasets?

If you have recorded datasets, you should copy them to the datasets_rec directory from the hard drive of the device.

#### Are datasets automatically loaded in the Datasets tab?

Yes, if the directories contain datasets, they will be loaded automatically in the Datasets tab.

A dataset is a piece of a site, the result of a continuous recording with a NavVis mapping device or the result of an imported point cloud. Datasets can contain panoramic images and point clouds.

Aggregate of data recorded during mapping with a NavVis mapping device. The data needs to be processed to be consumable by applications like NavVis IVION.