GIS Training with QGIS

Exercise 1: Vector layers and Symbology

1. Install QGIS
a) Windows sers shold download the !SGeo online installer "re#ires an Internet connection $or the
installation) $rom htt%:&&download.osgeo.org&osgeo'w&osgeo'w(set%.exe. )n the installer* and
choose +,d-anced. set%. /rom the so$tware list select to install #gis(nstable. Veri$y that G),SS
is selected $or installation* and choose all the gdal10 so$tware libraries.
1bnt 2inx sers can $ind ready(made %ac3ages $rom the 1bntGIS so$tware re%ository:
4etails $or adding this re%o here: htt%:&&trac.osgeo.org&bntgis&wi3i&1bntGIS)e%ository
5ac!S sers shold install %ac3ages and re#ired $ramewor3s $rom:
htt%:&&www.3yngchaos.com&so$tware&#gis
!%en a new $older Geodata and co%y all the %ractice data layers $rom the 64 into this $older.
5a3e a sb$older +Exercises. nder Geodata and sa-e all wor3 there.
b)
c)
d)
e)
7. Start QGIS
a) )e(arrange toolbars to $ind all bttons easily
b) 4isable all %lgins exce%t G8S* 4elimited Text* G),SS* Qic3 8rint.
c) 1nder Settings(9!%tions be sre that the 6)S is set to +8rom%t $or 6)S..
:. 2oad data
a) 2oad the bac3grond ti$$ $ile ;<8=;)=S)=W.ti$ $rom the natralearthdata.com directory
nder Geodata>raster.
b) 2oad all sha%e$iles $rom the natralearthdata.com directory nder Geodata>-ector.
c) In the 8ro?ect 8ro%erties* set the %ro?ection to WGS@' "E8SG:':70).
d) 6hoose +1ni#e Vale. $or the classi$ication o$ the layer +states=%ro-inces.. 1se the IS!
colmn to gi-e each contry a di$$erent otline color $or its %ro-inces. Set all the $ill colors to
+Aone..
e) 6olor the ri-ers and la3es layers ble.
$) ,dd labels to the %o%lated=%laces layer. 1se the Aame=Town colmn as labels* and %lace the
labels below the %oints. 1se scale de%endent rendering to label the layers only when Boomed in to a
scale o$ 1::*CCC*CCC or closer.
g) 6hoose Gradated Symbol $or the %o%lated=%laces layer to dis%lay the towns with di$$erent
siBe symbols based on the 8!8=5,DI colmn. Enter a -ale o$ ' in Amber o$ classi$ications and
clic3 6lassi$y. Then change the symbol siBes sch that larger %o%lations are dis%layed by bigger
symbols.
h) 4is%lay the contries layer with ECF trans%arency* setting a se%arate color $or each contry* and
thic3 dar3 otline.
i) Goom to Hosnia(;erBego-ina and sa-e a boo3mar3. Goom to Serbia and sa-e another boo3mar3.
?) Sa-e the QGIS %ro?ect as Geodata>Exercises>Hal3ans.#gs
'. 6hec3 the %ro?ect
a) 6lose QGIS and reo%en the %ro?ect "/ile(9!%en )ecent 8ro?ects).
b) Veri$y that all symbology has been sa-ed and that the boo3mar3s wor3.
Exercise 7: Editing
1. !%enStreet5a% %lgin
a) Start a new em%ty QGIS %ro?ect* set %ro?ection again to WGS@'.
b) 6lic3 8lgins(9/etch 8ython 8lgins. When the list has re$reshed* $ind the
!%enStreet5a% %lgin and clic3 install.
c) !n the !%enStreet5a% toolbar clic3 2oad !S5 $rom $ile. Hrowse to the directory
Geodata>-ector>!S5 and load the $ile sara?e-o.osm
7. 8oint layer $rom a table
a)
b)
c)
d)
Aow load the sha%e$ile tra%s $rom the Geodata>$rit$ly directory. SymboliBe as red triangles.
2ocate the 6SV $ile tra%=locations.cs- in the Geodata>$rit$ly directory.
Im%ort the 6VS $ile sing the 4elimited Text %lgin. 6hoose I*I "comma) as the delimiter.
6on-ert the tra% locations to a sha%e$ile "right(clic3 on the layer name). Aame it tra%s=tbl.sh%
and sa-e in the Geodata>$rit$ly directory. Aow load the new sha%e$ile "+,dd Vector 2ayer.
btton).
:. 4igitiBe new %oint layer
a) Goom in to the tra%s layer.
b) 6lic3 on the +Aew -ector layer. btton to create a new -ector layer within QGIS* as a %oint layer
with two colmns: Tra%=I4 as Whole Amber* and Tra%Ty%e as String. 6all the layer
tra%s=digitiBe.sh% in the Geodata>$rit$ly directory.
c) Start editing this new layer and digitiBe ten new %oints soth o$ Sara?e-o. Gi-e the %oints Tra%=I4
nmbers 7C1* 7C7*...71C.
d) Sa-e the layer. Sa-e the %ro?ect in Geodata>exercises as $rit$ly.#gs
'. 5erge three %oint layers into one
a) Start editing the tra%s.sh% layer
b) 6o%y all %oints $rom tra%s=tbl into tra%s by acti-ating the tra%s=tbl layer* and selecting all
tra%s in that layer. 6lic3 the co%y btton. Then acti-ate the tra%s layer and se the %aste bttons to
insert all the %oints $rom tra%s=tbl into tra%s.
c) In the same way* co%y all %oints $rom tra%s=digitiBe into tra%s.
d) 5o-e some o$ the %oints to ma3e a better distribtion o$ tra%s.
e) Sa-e changes.
J. Edit attribte table
a) !%en the attribte table o$ tra%s* and begin editing
b) Enter an a%%ro%riate -ale $or each tra% in the colmn +Tra%Ty%e..
c) Sa-e the edits and sa-e the %ro?ect.
Exercise :: ,dding External data
1. 1sing !%eno$$ice.org 6alc to create a table o$ ca%tre data
a) 6reate the $ollowing colmns: Tra%=I4* 4ate* 6a%tres* /T4.
b) Enter tra% nmbers $rom 1C(:C $or three di$$erent dates in 4ecember.
K Enter random -ales $or ca%tre data.
K 6alclate /lies&Tra%&4ay "/T4) as ca%tres&1' "each tra% is chec3ed once e-ery two
wee3s)
K <o shold ha-e 0C rows o$ data* 7C rows $or each date.
c) 1se +4ata 8ilot. "or +8i-ot Table. in Excel) to create a new table "in a new sheet)
K Tra%=I4 in the $irst colmn* and dates in each sccessi-e colmn and /T4 data in the
table.
K This new table will ha-e ' colmns "Tra%I4* and three colmns $or the three dates) and
7C rows* one $or each Tra%=I4.
d) Enter a new set o$ colmn headers in the to% row:
K Tra%=I4 in the $irst colmn* and $or the date colmns enter:+/T4=ddmm. "where
ddLday* mmLmonth)
K )emo-e the original colmn header $rom the %i-ot table
e) Ex%ort the new table to a db$ $ormat $ile "in Geodata>Exercises directory). Aame the
db$ $ile tra%=data.db$.
7. 5erge data into a sha%e$ile
a) Start a new QGIS %ro?ect and load the tra%s sha%e$ile $rom Geodata>$rit$ly.
b) 1se the Tool %lgin: Vector(9 4ata 5anagement(9Moin ,ttribte data to attach
the abo-e db$ $ile to the tra%s GIS layer. The colmn +Tra%=I4. $rom the tra%=data db$
$ile will connect to the Tra%=I4 colmn in the tra%s layer. Aame the new sha%e$ile
tra%s=$td.sh%
c) !%en the attribte table o$ tra%s=$td and -eri$y that the attribte colmns o$ /T4 data are
a-ailable $or all dates.
d) 4is%lay the tra%s=$td layer with +Gradated symbol. so that higher /T4 -ales dis%lay as
larger circles. 6hoose to classi$y into J categories* and switch between each o$ the date
colmns to dis%lay /T4 $or each date.
e) When yo $ind a sitable symbology $or the /T4 data* sa-e as a QGIS style $ile. Aame the
$ile standard=$td=style.#ml
Exercise ': 1nderstanding 6oordinate )e$erence Systems
1. 2andsat imagery
a) /rom the directory Geodata>raster>landsat load one o$ the ti$$ images.
b) 6hec3 the 5eta4ata tab in the 8ro%erties window $or this raster to determine what is the
S%atial )e$erence System $or this raster.
c) In Settings(98ro?ect 8ro%erties choose the 6)S 1T5::A E8SG::70::.
7. Vector layers
a) /rom the directory Geodata>-ector>V5,8C* load all the layers.
b) /rom the directory Geodata>-ector>natralearthdata.com* load the only the
contries layer. Set itIs symbology to no $ill color "otlines only).
c) 4o the -ector layers a%%earN Why notN )ight(clic3 on one o$ the -ectors and choose Goom
to layer. What ha%%ensN
d) !%en the 8ro?ect 8ro%erties(9General tab and chec3 +Enable on the $ly %ro?ection.
e) 4o the -ector layer o-erlay in the correct location nowN Set trans%arency to 0CF $or both
the -eg=trees and -eg=cro%land layers so that the 2andsat image is -isible beneath
them.
$) 5o-e the mose arond the ma% and examine the coordinates that a%%ear in the stats bar.
:. ,STE) 4igital Ele-ation 5odel
a) /rom the Geodata>raster>,STE) directory load the ,STG45=dem.ti$ digital
ele-ation model layer. !%en the 8ro%erties window* 5etadata tab and chec3 the 6)S $or
this layer.
b) Switch to the Symbology tab* and select 8sedocolor $or the colorma%. ,lso mo-e this
layer in the Table o$ 6ontents below the -ector layers.
c) Aow right(clic3 on the layer and choose Goom to layer extent. 4oes it a%%ear
correctlyN Why notN
d) !%en the 8ro?ect 8ro%erties and change the %ro?ect 6)S bac3 to WGS@' "E8SG:':70).
,gain right(clic3 on the ,STG45=dem layer and again select Goom to layer extent.
What ha%%ensN 4o the -ector layers o-erlay correctlyN 6an both rasters* in di$$erent 6)S*
a%%ear togetherN 6lic3 the Goom $ll btton to examine the reslts. Examine the
coordinates in the stats bar while mo-ing the mose arond the ma%.
e) ,gain o%en the 8ro?ect 8ro%erties windows and re-ert bac3 to the 1T5::A coordinate
re$erence system "E8SG::70::). 6lic3 the Goom $ll btton again to examine the reslts.
What dis%laysN What does notN
Exercise J: 1sing the /ield 6alclator
1. 2oad !S5 layer
a) /rom the directory Geodata>-ector>!S5 load the !S5 -ector layer.
b) In Settings(98ro?ect 8ro%erties choose the 6)S 8l3o-o"1O'@) E8SG::::C. Veri$y
that the nits are set to meters. He sre to chec3 the +Enable on the $ly. chec3box. 1se the
+Goom /ll. btton to Boom bac3 to the !S5 layer.
7. Edit new %olygon layer.
a) 6reate a new -ector %olygon layer. ,dd two attribte colmns: /armerAame as text and
,reaS#m as a whole nmber. 6all the new layer /ields* and sa-e in the
Geodata>/rit$ly directory.
b) Start editing the new layer* and digitiBe $or or $i-e new %olygon $ields on the ma%. Enter a
$armerIs name in the /armer=Aame colmn $or each $ield. When yoIre $inished* sto%
editing.
c) !%en the layerIs ,ttribte table and clic3 the Edit btton. Aow clic3 the /ield 6alclator
btton* to start the /ield calclator. 6hec3 the 1se existing $ield o%tion and select
the ,reaS#m $ield. Then clic3 the ,rea btton. Sto% editing and close the /ield
calclator. Examine the reslts and close the ,ttribte table.
:. 6reate a s%readsheet data table.
a) 1sing !%eno$$ice.org or Excel create a table with two colmns: /armer and <ield. In the
/armer colmn enter the exact same names as in the %olygon sha%e$ile attribte table. In
the <ield colmn enter some nmeric -ales.
b) Sa-e the s%readsheet as a db$ $ile* yields.db$ in the Geodata>/rit$ly directory.
'. /ield 6alclator
a) Aow* bac3 to QGIS* select the men item Vector(94ata 5anagement(9Moin
,ttribtes. Select the /ields sha%e$ile as the target* and the /armerAame colmn as
the target ?oin $ield. 6lic3 the Moin db$ table radio btton* and browse to select the new
yields.db$ $ile. 1se the /armer colmn as the Moin $ield. /or the ot%t sha%e$ile* clic3
browse and enter the name $armer=yields.sh% into the Geodata>/rit$ly directory.
,$ter clic3ing !P answer <es to add the new sha%e$ile to the ma%.
b) Select the new $armer=yields layer in the table o$ contents* and o%en its attribte table.
c) Hegin editing and clic3 the /ield 6alclator. In the Aew /ield section enter
<ld=%er=;a as the !t%t $ield name. Set itIs !t%t $ield ty%e as 4ecimal
nmber.
d) Aow sing the a-ailable $ields and the o%erator bttons* create the $ollowing ex%ression in
the lower /ield calclator ex%ression window:
" <ield & ,reaS#m ) Q 1CCCC. 6lic3 !P to rn the calclation.
J. 4is%lay sing Gradated symbol.
a) !%en the 8ro%erties window* Symbology tab* $or the $armer=yields layer.
b) Select to dis%lay sing Gradated symbol. 6hoose the <ld=%er=;a colmn as the
6lassi$ication $ield* and choose Amber o$ classes e#al to the nmber o$ %olygons in
yor $armer=yields layer. Aow clic3 the 6lassi$y btton* and clic3 !P to examine the
reslts.