Download - QGIS Open Source Desktop GIS
GISCO – Spring, 2015
QGIS Open Source Desktop GIS
Dave Murray, GISP
GIS Coordinator
City of Westminster
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Introduction
• Scope of Presentation
• Why consider QGIS
• Benefits
• Obstacles
• Training materials
• Next steps
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GISCO – Spring, 2015
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QGIS Use
• Who has used QGIS?
• I’m here to learn from YOU!
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QGIS?
• Not trying to sell you anything
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QGIS?
• More Tools In our Toolbox
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QGIS?
• Linkedin Discussion Kevin Hone
– we typically use the tool to learn the
concepts instead of the other way
around
– I may know how to create a convex
hull polygon with one tool, but if I had
to do it with a different tool, I wouldn't
know where to start because I didn't
learn to do it with this other tool.https://www.linkedin.com/groups/what-is-best-GIS-software-
49657.S.5994554822773272579?view=&item=5994554822773272579&type=member&gid
=49657&trk=eml-b2_anet_digest-hero-1-hero-disc-disc-
0&midToken=AQFqIVLI2OXPRQ&fromEmail=fromEmail&ut=25qGCidJBNzmI1
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QGIS
• Limits
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Disclaimer
• We are currently not using QGIS at the
City of Westminster
Why?• Many reasons but the business case does
not demand it at this time
• May change in the future?
• Data lock-up is one reason
• Training is another big issue –I’m working
on it
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Why Consider QGIS?
• Even with an Enterprise Licensing
Agreement (ELA) there are limits
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How to Approach FOSS4G
• Commercial Vendors
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How to Approach FOSS4G
• Commercial Vendors
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How to Approach FOSS4G
• Open Source
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Rob Pitts of Newlight Tech
• What is
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How to Approach FOSS4G
• Import Revolution of the 60s
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How to Approach FOSS4G
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My Story
• Began using workstation ArcInfo on DG
UNIX in 1993
• Have only used commercial products
during my career
• Instructed GIS courses in commercial
technology for 12 years at the University
of Colorado at Denver
• Currently instructing a FOSS4G course at
UCD
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My Story
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My Story
• Attended my first FOSS4G conference in
2007 – Victoria, B.C.
– Still focused on the code
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FOSS4G Ecosystem
• Initial investigations
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My Story
• Just too much of a headache
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My Story
• Limits
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My Story
• 2011 – FOSS4G International in Denver
• 2013 – FOSS4G NA – Minneapolis
• 2014 – FOSS4G International in Portland
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My Story
• A new opinion of FOSS4G
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My Story
• Not one source for solutions
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QGIS
• Limits
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QGIS Journey
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What I am?
• A mapper
• I remember the moment when I knew
• I like to map while on Vacations
• Mapping when the internet is not available
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QGIS the Obvious Answer
• An opportunity to develop new skills
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What is QGIS?
http://www.qgisforum.org/qgis-tutorial/introduction
– QGIS (formerly known as Quantum GIS) is a
free, opensource desktop GIS program
– The project started in 2002. It has more than
35 developers and an estimated 300,000+
users around the world today
Gary Sherman
QGIS Creator
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What s QGIS?
• Community Driven Project
– The work of the QGIS project is managed by a
Project Steering Committee (PSC) made up of
an international team of developers and GIS
users who each have a specific area of
responsibility.
– The steering committee is divided into four
basic roles: Development, Release
Management, Community Resources and
Finance & Marketing.
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Who Supports QGIS?
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QGIS
QGIS is Free software and you are under no obligation
to pay anything to use it - in fact we want to
encourage people far and wide to use it regardless of
what your financial or social status is - we believe
empowering people with spatial decision making tools
will result in a better society for all of humanity.
http://qgis.org/en/site/forusers/visualchangelog28/index.html
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What is QGIS?
• QGIS runs on:
– Windows, Mac
– Android (smartphone and pad)
– Linux and Unix
– QGIS reads and writes e.g. ESRI, AutoCAD
MapInfo and MicroStation files
– Reads ArcGIS GDBs … but not the indexes
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What is QGIS?
• QGIS latest version @ www.qgis.org
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What is QGIS?
• QGIS License
– QGIS is open source software available
under the terms of the GNU General
Public License
– This guarantees end users (individuals,
organizations, companies) the
freedoms to use, study, share (copy),
and modify the software.
– The GPL is a “copyleft” license, which
means that derived works can only be
distributed under the same license
terms.
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Who Is Using QGIS?
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Who is using QGIS?
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3D Plug-in to QGIS?
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Who is Using QGIS?
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Who is Using QGIS?
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Who is Using QGIS?
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Who Is Using QGIS?
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GIS Requirments?
• Display and symbolize geographic features
• Save symbology for other maps
• Query databases
• Join Tables
• Create custom map products in electronic
formats
• Create Web map services
• Conduct spatial analysis in vector or raster
format
• Hyperlinking
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GIS Requirments?
• Edit geospatial data using topology
• Versioned database editing (POSTGIS)
• Display 3D data
• Use standard scripting languages (Python)
to automate processes
• Visual scripting tools
• Consume web mapping services
• Use Plug-ins to extend the range of
capabilities
• Mobile application
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QGIS Interface
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QGIS Toolbars
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Vector Tools in QGIS
A Subset to Vector Tools
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Raster in QGIS
• Raster Analysis is built in.
Geographic
Resources
Analysis
Support
System
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Raster in QGIS
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Raster in QGIS
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QGIS Plugins
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QGIS Plugins
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QGIS Data Sources
• QGIS uses the OGR library to read and write
vector data formats
– ESRI shapefile
– Mapinfo File
– ArcInfo Binary Coverage
– Delimited text file
– OpenStreetMap Vectors
– PostGIS layers
– SpatiaLite database
– MSSQL Spatial data
– Oracle Spatial Layers
– GPX
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Raster QGIS Data Sources
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OGC Data Sources
• Important OGC specifications supported by QGIS
are:
– WMS — Web Map Service (WMS/WMTS Client)
– WMTS — Web Map Tile Service (WMS/WMTS
Client)
– WFS — Web Feature Service (WFS and WFS-T
Client)
– WFS-T — Web Feature Service - Transactional
(WFS and WFS-T Client)
– WCS — Web Coverage Service (WCS Client)
– SFS — Simple Features for SQL (PostGIS Layers)
– GML — Geography Markup Language
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QGIS Graphic Modeler
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Limits to QGIS
• Text and annotation are not advanced
• 3D interfaces is not tightly integrated
• Editing is not as advanced as commercial
products
• Cartographic refinement, making a pretty
map is much harder
• Finding the right tool
• Non-USA centric - Foreign
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Limits to QGIS
•HELP!!!
•Coders Code
&
Helpers Help
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QGIS Help Resources
• Desktop Help
– http://www.qgis.org/en/docs/index.html
• Planet QGIS
– http://plugins.qgis.org/planet/
• GIS Stack Exchange
– http://gis.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/qgis
• Digital Geography –
– http://www.digital-geography.com/
• QGIS Mailing Lists– http://www2.qgis.org/en/site/getinvolved/mailinglists.html#qgis-mailinglists
– http://boundlessgeo.com/solutions/solutions-software/qgis/
• Boundless– http://boundlessgeo.com/solutions/solutions-software/qgis
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QGIS Training Resources
• You tube Search - About 20,900 result
• QGIS 2.6 intro -https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5QIYZmysDNM
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QGIS Training Resources
• FOSS4G Academy
• https://foss4geo.wordpress.com/• The five courses were derived from a two year long effort, that
engaged 50 geospatial educators from US colleges and
universities nationwide who reviewed the GTCM (KSAs). These
KSAs were all ranked upon importance and sequenced into a
coherent curriculum that includes these five GIS courses:
• GST 101 Introduction to Geospatial Technology Using QGIS 2.8
• GST 102 Spatial Analysis Using QGIS 2.8
• GST 103 Data Acquisition Using QGIS 2.8
• GST 104 Cartography Using QGIS 2.8 & Inkscape
• GST 105 Remote Sensing Using QGIS 2.8 & GRASS 7.0
– $49.00 per class
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QGIS Training Resources
• FOSS4G Academy
• https://foss4geo.wordpress.com/• The five courses were derived from a two year long effort, that
engaged 50 geospatial educators from US colleges and
universities nationwide who reviewed the GTCM (KSAs). These
KSAs were all ranked upon importance and sequenced into a
coherent curriculum that includes these five GIS courses:
• GST 101 Introduction to Geospatial Technology Using QGIS 2.8
• GST 102 Spatial Analysis Using QGIS 2.8
• GST 103 Data Acquisition Using QGIS 2.8
• GST 104 Cartography Using QGIS 2.8 & Inkscape
• GST 105 Remote Sensing Using QGIS 2.8 & GRASS 7.0
– $49.00 per class
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QGIS Training Resources
• FOSS4G Academy on Github
• https://github.com/FOSS4GAcademy
• GST 101 Intro to Geospatial Technology using
QGIS 2.8
• GST 102 Spatial Analysis Using QGIS 2.8
• GST 103 Data Acquisition Using QGIS 2.8
• GST 104 Cartography Using QGIS 2.8 & Inkscape
• GST 105 Remote Sensing Using QGIS 2.8 & GRASS
7.0
– Free tutorials
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QGIS Training Resources
• https://www.packtpub.com/application-development/learning-qgis-20
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QGIS Training Resources
• https://www.packtpub.com/application-development/mastering-qgis
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QGIS Training Resources
• QGIS Tutorials http://www.qgistutorials.com/en/ Ujaval Gandhi
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QGIS Training Resources
• http://www.qgis.org/en/site/about/case_studies/antarctica.html
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QGIS Training Resources
• http://www.baruch.cuny.edu/geoportal/practicum/
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GEOG 4091/5091 - FOSS4G
Thank you
Dave Murray, GISP
(303) 658-2140
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QGIS Abstract
• QGIS is a popular Open Source desktop GIS program that is
rapidly gaining popularity across the globe.
• Many GIS professionals are using this program but many others
have shied away thinking it is too difficult or doesn’t have the
functions they need.
• This presentation will run through a number of arguments why
you should consider learning GIS and applying it in your work or
outside activities.
• The program will be evaluated for the strengths and weaknesses
to the ArcGIS suite of software.
• Attendees will get a good idea if it makes sense for them to try it
out as well as spend time learning a “New” GIS program.