QGIS Quick Start Guide

▶Book Description
QGIS is a user friendly, open source geographic information system (GIS). The popularity of open source GIS and QGIS, in particular, has been growing rapidly over the last few years. This book is designed to help beginners learn about all the tools required to use QGIS 3.4.

This book will provide you with clear, step-by-step instructions to help you apply your GIS knowledge to QGIS. You begin with an overview of QGIS 3.4 and its installation. You will learn how to load existing spatial data and create vector data from scratch. You will then be creating styles and labels for maps. The final two chapters demonstrate the Processing toolbox and include a brief investigation on how to extend QGIS.

Throughout this book, we will be using the GeoPackage format, and we will also discuss how QGIS can support many different types of data.

Finally, you will learn where to get help and how to become engaged with the GIS community.

▶What You Will Learn
⦁ Use existing data to interact with the canvas via zoom/pan/selection
⦁ Create vector data and a GeoPackage and build a simple project around it
⦁ Style data, both vector and raster data, using the Layer Styling Panel
⦁ Design, label, save, and export maps using the data you have created
⦁ Analyze spatial queries using the Processing toolbox
⦁ Expand QGIS with the help of plugins, model builder, and the command line

▶Key Features
⦁ Work with GIS data, a step by step guide from creation to making a map
⦁ Perform geoprocessing tasks and automate them using model builder
⦁ Explore a range of features in QGIS 3.4, discover the power behind open source desktop GIS

▶Who This Book Is For
If you know the basic functions and processes of GIS, and want to learn to use QGIS to analyze geospatial data and create rich mapping applications, then this is the book for you.

▶What this book covers
⦁ Chapter 1, Getting Started with QGIS 3, covers the introduction and installation of QGIS 3, including a brief discussion of different versions. We will then look at opening QGIS, the layout of the software, the menus, and the toolbars.

⦁ Chapter 2, Loading Data, is where we will download and open various types of GIS data. We will talk about the different types of data and we will work predominately with the GeoPackage format. We will mention the GeoTIFF (raster) and Shapefile (vector) formats as well. We will use existing data to interact with the canvas via zoom/pan/selection. Finally, we will talk about saving a project and look at projections.

⦁ Chapter 3, Creating Data, will have you create a GeoPackage and build a simple project around it. We will create vector data. We will look at editing tools, as well as snapping and correcting errors. We will look at the attribute table and how to populate it. Finally, we will load in raster data and discuss how to create raster data.

⦁ Chapter 4, Styling Data, we will style our GIS data. We will look at styling options (there are many) for both vector and raster data. We will look at the Layer Styling Panel in QGIS.

⦁ Chapter 5, Creating Maps, will involve using data from the previous chapters to create maps. We will look briefly at labeling and examine, in more detail, how to create better and more aesthetically pleasing maps. Finally, we will look at the Atlas function.

⦁ Chapter 6, Spatial Processing, will see you use data in a GeoPackage to analyze your data. This chapter will be an introduction to the processing toolbox. We will look at individual tools and we will look at spatial queries on the data.

⦁ Chapter 7, Expanding QGIS 3, looks at expanding QGIS. This will be focused on plugins, model builder, and a small amount of command-line work.