7 reasons gis professionals should learn python
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7 Reasons GIS Professionals Should Learn How to Program with Python
E-‐Learning for the GIS Professional – Any Time, Any Place! geospaDaltraining.com
Webinar Overview
• What is the point of this webinar series?
– To introduce you to the Python programming language
– Learn the basics of the language
– Prepare you for more advanced study of using Python with GIS soKware packages and libraries
• About me
– Eric Pimpler, Owner of GeospaDal Training Services
– Author of Programming ArcGIS 10.1 with Python Cookbook
– Over 20 years of experience in GIS most of it in programming and soKware development
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What’s Coming Up?
• August 21st -‐ CreaDng Variables and Assigning Data
• September 4th -‐ Basic Python Statements (print, if/then, for, while)
• September 26th -‐ CreaDng and Using FuncDons in Python
• October 9th -‐ Using More Advanced Data Structures (lists, tuples, dicDonaries)
• October 30th -‐ Using More Advanced Data Structures (classes and objects)
• November 6th -‐ Reading and WriDng Files
• Recordings will be made available
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Before We Get Started
• Today’s webinar will introduce you to the webinar series
• Short presentaDon followed by Q/A session using the Chat window
• All audio will be muted
• Please use the Chat window found in the GoToWebinar Control Panel to submit quesDons
• I will answer as many as I can in the Q/A session
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Before We Get Started
• Let’s take a quick poll: – Let’s take a few minutes to answer
– “How much experience do you have programming with Python”
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Module Outline
1. Python is an easy language to learn and use
2. Many Python libraries for GIS professionals
3. Automate your common, rouDne geoprocessing tasks
4. Huge standard library and many open source libraries
5. Money, money, money (huge demand for GIS programmers who know Python)
6. Can do a lot of work with very few lines of code
7. It’s free!
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Python is an Easy Language to Learn
• Gradual learning curve
• Python code is easy to read and understand
• Requires far fewer lines of code than other language to accomplish tasks
• Great documentaDon
• Language structure is easy to learn
– No arcane syntax like in other languages
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python.org
Many Python Libraries for GIS Professionals
• Python is one of the key languages for GIS programming
• Learn Python and you can implement geoprocessing tasks across a wide array of GIS soKware
– Desktop and web
• arcpy, arcpy.mapping, arcpy.da for ArcGIS Desktop
• PyQGIS for QGIS
• GeoServer, PostGIS, Mapnik, Geos, PROJ.4
• shapely, fiona, simplekml
• GeoDjango (web)
• Also integrates well with C++ code
– OGR/GDAL 8
Automate Your Common, RouHne Geoprocessing Tasks
• Many GIS tasks are rouDne and monotonous
– Most can be automated with Python and GIS soKware and/or libraries
– Python scripts can be scheduled to run at convenient Dmes
• AutomaDon decreases errors and frees up your Dme for higher level work
– Wouldn’t you rather work on analysis tasks than the same old monotonous tasks?
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Huge Standard Library and Many Open Source Libraries
• Standard library – Text processing
– File and Directory processing
– Data persistence
– Data compression and archiving
– OperaDng system services
– Internet data handling and networking
– GUI
– Error handling and debugging
– Much more
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Huge Standard Library and Many Open Source Libraries
• Open Source Libraries – Web applicaDons and frameworks
– Graphics frameworks
– UI frameworks
– ScienDfic packages
– Math libraries
– XML, CSV, JSON parsers
– Image processing
– Networking
– Database processing
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Money, Money, Money
• Separate yourself from the pack
• Most GIS Analysts and Technicians don’t have programming skills
• Demand for competent GIS programmers far exceeds the supply
• Supply/demand differenDal leads to high salaries for people with good programming skills
• Python is the perfect language to get started
– Easy to learn so a great entry language
– Primary GIS soKware packages use Python
– Can be used for desktop and web applicaDon development
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Can Do a Lot of Work with Very LiOle Code
• Python is very succinct – Requires very few lines of code to do a lot of work
• Designed that way
• Doesn’t use a lot of the syntax that cluoers other languages
– No curly braces to define code blocks
– No semi-‐colons to end lines
– Structured more like a natural language
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It’s Free
• Open source programming language
• Comes with a development environment (IDLE)
• Some development environments are also free to download
– PyScripter
• Distributed with ArcGIS and QGIS
• DocumentaDon is very good
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What’s Coming Up?
• August 21st -‐ CreaDng Variables and Assigning Data
• September 4th -‐ Basic Python Statements (print, if/then, for, while)
• September 26th -‐ CreaDng and Using FuncDons in Python
• October 9th -‐ Using More Advanced Data Structures (lists, tuples, dicDonaries)
• October 30th -‐ Using More Advanced Data Structures (classes and objects)
• November 6th -‐ Reading and WriDng Files
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Learn More • Live, Online Courses – Programming ArcGIS with Python Workshop – Sept 30th – Oct 1st
– Advanced ArcGIS Programming with Python – Oct 2nd – 3rd
• Online, Instructor Assisted
– Programming ArcGIS with Python Workshop
• Sept 8th – Oct 3rd
• Oct 13th – Nov 7th
– Advanced ArcGIS Programming with Python
• Oct 6th-‐ 24th
• hop://geospaDaltraining.com • Use discount code ‘webinar’ when checking out online to save 20% if you register for a class by the end of the day
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QuesHons
• Any quesDons about the upcoming webinar series?
• Yes, each webinar will be recorded for later viewing.
• QuesDons aKer the webinar?
– @gistraining on Twioer
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