Developer Tools

Use Developer Mode when you maintain the shared StyleCore setup. Ordinary users do not need it. Developer Mode gives access to the shared maintenance sections in StyleCore settings.

Developer Mode is enabled from the Developer section in the StyleCore settings page.

1. Enable Developer Mode

1. Open Settings → Options → StyleCore.
2. Expand Developer.
3. Tick Enable developer mode.
4. Use the sections that appear below.
5. Save with Apply / OK and confirm with the developer code when prompted.

Developer code is a confirmation step

The developer code confirms shared changes in StyleCore. Real protection still comes from file and server permissions.

2. Know the main maintenance areas

Area	Used for
Resource root	Change a moved or renamed shared root folder
Templates	Manage Active, Refresh and external templates
Shared automatic layer styles	Maintain layer name → QML mappings
File Suffix Rules	Maintain suffix-based rules
Save layer styles…	Write shared QML files from styled layers in QGIS

Use the resource-root section when the shared resource folder moves or changes name.

3. Maintain templates

Templates can be activated, refreshed or linked externally from one place.

Use this section to:

1. show or hide templates in the StyleCore menu,
2. decide which templates should use Refresh,
3. add external templates,
4. edit or remove external templates.

See Project Templates for the step-by-step workflow.

4. Maintain shared automatic layer styles

Use this table when the visible layer name and the QML filename do not match.

1. Add or select a row.
2. Enter the layer name.
3. Choose the QML file with the ... button.
4. Save with the developer code.
5. Ask colleagues to reload the configuration if needed.

See Layer Styling.

5. Maintain File Suffix Rules

Each rule connects a filename suffix and a file type to a QML file.

1. Click Add suffix.
2. Enter suffix, file type and QML file.
3. Save with the developer code.
4. Test with a matching file-based layer.

6. Save shared QML styles from QGIS

Use Save layer styles… when you want to write updated shared QML files from the current project.

1. Style your layers in QGIS.
2. Open Save layer styles….
3. Select only the layers you want to write.
4. Confirm the save and developer code.
5. Review the summary and test the result.

7. Remember what affects colleagues

• Personal Overrides do not affect colleagues.
• Shared mappings, File Suffix Rules, template settings and saved shared QMLs do affect colleagues after they reload the configuration.
• Replacing template or layout source files affects future uses of those resources.