OSGIS Academy QGIS Course Module 1 - Course Booklet

OSGIS Academy – QGIS course, Module 1, Beginners level
From novice to productive
2019 | Christopher Haakon Strutz | chs@osgis.academy | © OSGIS.Academy

ENGR. KENNETH T. GUILLERMO, kenneth238@gmail.com #13846195
Note: The OSGIS Academy QGIS course program was originally launched as
the QGIS Academy QGIS course program, hence some of the course videos
are referring to “QGIS Academy” instead of the new name “OSGIS Academy”.
OSGIS Academy
ENGR. KENNETH T. GUILLERMO, kenneth238@gmail.com QGIS course Module 1 | OSGIS.Academy
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Disclaimer
The OSGIS Academy and its stakeholders disclaim all and any guarantees, undertakings and warranties, expressed or
implied, and shall not be liable for any loss or damage whatsoever (including human or computer error, negligent or
otherwise, or incidental or consequential loss or damage) arising out of or in connection with any use or reliance on the
education provided in this course. The user must accept sole responsibility associated with the use of the content in this
educational course, irrespective of the purpose for which such use or results are applied.
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Content
About this course

Course guidance
About QGIS
1. Getting started 3. Data selection and conversion, queries and analysis
Download and installation Selecting features in the map

Graphical user interface Data conversion
Settings Query attribute data
QGIS project files Generating buffer zones
Coordinate systems Overlay analysis (intersection)
2. Data connection, import and creation 4. Data export and presentation
WMS and WFS Export to Excel

CSV Export to Google Earth
Vector files Print layout
Attribute data 3D presentation and animation
Symbology
Thematic maps
Raster files
Databases (PostGIS connection)
Creating user-defined datasets
Data registration and editing
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About this course
The OSGIS Academy QGIS course module 1 is designed to give beginner-level participants an
understanding of the possibilities within QGIS and the practical ability to:
• Import, connect, compile and explore geographic information of various formats

• Create and edit geographic information
• Query, analyse and present geographic information
• Convert and export geographic information
With the aim of taking you from novice to productive in the most efficient and understandable
way, this course has a clear hands-on how-to approach. Although designed for beginners with
no or little experience in QGIS, it is assumed that participants already have a basic conceptual
understanding of what a GIS (geographic information system) is and why you may want to
apply it in your profession. Hence less time in this course is spent on explaining the basic
concepts and theoretical aspects of GIS, mapping and computing in general. This is QGIS in
practice.
Suggest participants download and install QGIS and follow the highlighted instructions.
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Course guidance
• Each numbered chapter has a corresponding instructional video.

• It is suggested that participants download and install QGIS themselves and follow
the highlighted instructions that are given in the following slides.
• As a course participant you are welcome to send any questions or comments you
should have relating to this course. Questions will be answered to the best of our
abilities and within reasonable effort required.
• Send your questions to chs@osgis.academy
• In this course QGIS version 3.4 and 3.6 is used and demonstrated.
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About QGIS
• A professional, free and open-source Geographic Information System (GIS)

• Licenced under the GNU General Public License
• Official software project of the Open Source Geospatial Foundation (OSGeo)
• Very rich in functionality for creating, managing, manipulate, analyse and present
geographic information
• Supports numerous vector, raster and database formats
• Runs on Windows, Mac, Linux, Unix
• Widely implemented by GIS-professionals all over the World
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1. Getting started
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1. Getting started – Download and installation
Download QGIS from: www.qgis.org
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Download the installer version for your operating system (Tip: If you are using a newer Windows and want to find
out if you are running on a 32 or 64 bit system, check your PC Control Panel > System and Security > System)
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Follow the installation wizard (we do not need to select the North Carolina, South Dakota or Alaska example data
sets):
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Start QGIS by clicking on the QGIS Desktop shortcut:
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1. Getting started – Graphical user interface
Layer panel
Map canvas
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1. Getting started – Panels
Turn on/off different panels under View > Panels. For now make sure to turn on Browser and Layers panels:
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1. Getting started – Language settings
Set language settings under Settings > Options > General. Set to American English:
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1. Getting started – QGIS project files
In QGIS we always work in a project. Save a QGIS project file under Project > Save As and select a name and
folder of your choice:
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1. Getting started – QGIS project file coordinate system and map units
QGIS support an extensive amount of global, national and local coordinate systems. Under Project > Properties > CRS set the
Project coordinate system to EPSG 25833 (ETRS89 / UTM zone 33N – which works fine with the Norwegian example data we will
be working with in this course. Notice map units is in meters):
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2. Data connection, import and creation
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2. Data connection, import and creation – Web Map Services (WMS)
QGIS can connect to a number of data sources including Web Map Services (WMS), Web Feature Services (WFS), vector files,
raster files and Databases. First we will connect to an open WMS map from the Norwegian Mapping Agency that will work as our
background map. Select Layer > Add Layer > Add WMS/WMTS Layer:
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2. Data connection, import and creation – Web Map Services (WMS), continued
Select Layer > Add Layer > Add WMS/WMTS Layer, then click the New button and enter the following URL:
http://wms.geonorge.no/skwms1/wms.topo4? (including the “?”) in the URL field, name it Topo4, then click the OK button:
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2. Data connection, import and creation – Web Map Services (WMS), cont.
Select the Topo4 WMS from the dropdown list > Click the Connect button. Select WMS Layer «0» (highlighted in grey under) that
include all map layers in this WMS. Change coordinate system to the projects coordinate system (EPSG: 25833) if necessary
according to under. Click the Add button and close the Data Source Manager window:
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You now have a dynamic background map of Norway that is hosted, maintained and served to you by the WMS owner via the
internet. Activate the Pan function by clicking on the Pan icon. Try to pan and zoom in or out in the map with your mouse
controls or the designated zoom buttons. Notice that the WMS serves you map tiles with detail according to your zoom level:
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The WMS map serves you map tiles with detailed content according to your zoom level:
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Now save your project. Next time you open QGIS and your project the project file will have saved
your project settings and WMS connection so you do not need to set it up again:
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2. Data connection, import and creation – Web Feature Services (WFS)
Now we will connect to a Web Feature Service (WFS). A WFS serves vector data (vector geometry with tabular attribute
information) as an online service. Select Layer > Add Layer > Add WFS Layer:
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Select New Server Connection, then paste in the WFS URL: https://wfs.geonorge.no/skwms1/wfs.brannstasjoner? In
the URL filed and give the connection the name “Fire stations” and click OK:
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Select the Fire Stations connection from the drop-down list and click Connect. Check that the coordinate system is set
to EPSG 25833, then click Add:
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We now have connected our system to a WFS map of fire stations in Norway:
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To zoom to the layers full geographic extent, right-click on the layer and select “Zoom to Layer”:
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To change name of layer, right-click layer and select Rename Layer, then type “Fire stations”. To change symbology
colour, right-click on the layer and select Styles:
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A WFS serves vector geometry (in this example point geometry) with attribute information. Select the Identify Features
tool and click on a point to view its attribute information. To remove a layer, right-click layer in the Layers panel and
select Remove Layer.
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2. Data connection, import and creation – CSV files
To add a CSV (comma separated values file, for example from Excel) select Layer > Add Layer > Add Delimited Text
Layer:
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Add the CSV file Example data\CSV\Adresses_Sel_municipality.csv (contains a list of addresses with columns for X and Y
coordinates, the columns NORD (North) and OST (East). Check the sample data view and set the correct type of delimiters,
then in the Geometry Definitions section select the columns containing X (OST) and Y (NORD) coordinates. Check that the
Geometry CRS (coordinate system) is set to EPSG: 25833, click Add:
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The addresses should be placed correctly in the map view (Right-click on the Adresses_Sel_municipality and select Zoom to
Layer):
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2. Data connection, import and creation – Vector files
QGIS support a wide range of Vector formats (including ESRI Shape files, GeoJSON, GeoPackage, GML, KML, DXF, DGN
and many more). To add a vector file select Layer > Add Layer > Add Vector Layer:
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Open the ESRI Shape file: Example data\Shape\AR50 Land cover\AR50_Land_types_Oslo.shp:
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We now have a shape vector file with polygons representing different types of land cover in the municipality of Oslo,
Norway.
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2. Data connection, import and creation – Vector files, attribute tables
A GIS vector file (like ESRI shape files) consist of geometry (for example points, lines, polygons) and a connected
attribute table. To open the layers attribute table, right-click on the layer in the Layers panel, then select Open Attribute
Table:
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2. Data connection, import and creation – Vector files, attribute tables
Observe the column named “ARTYPE”. This column contain a code representing the type of land cover where the value
“30” represents Forest and the value “20” represent Agricultural land (this is information given to us by the data
producer in this particular case).
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2. Data connection, import and creation – Vector files, symbology , thematic maps
Now we want to make a map displaying the land type polygons according to values in the “ARTYPE” column. Right-click
on the AR50_Land_types_Oslo layer and select Properties, then select Symbology:
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2. Data connection, import and creation – Vector files, symbology, thematic maps
Select Categorized symbol type:
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Select ARTYPE as Column to categorize on and select Classify. Give value class 20 a brown colour and value class 30 a
green colour. Turn off all other classes from being displayed, then click OK:
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We now have a thematic map displaying Forest and Agricultural lands with distinct colours:
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2. Data connection, import and creation – Raster files
QGIS support a number of different raster formats. A raster file is basically one or multiple bands of pixel grids where
each pixel has a value that can represent different measures (for example spectral values in an aerial or satellite image,
altitude in a raster elevation model, terrain slope, aspect etc.). To open a raster file in QGIS select Layer > Add Layer >
Add Raster Layer:
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Open the file: Example_data\DEM\6801_1_10m_z33.dem
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Right-click on the raster layer and select Zoom to Layer. We have now imported a Digital Elevation Model file where
each pixel value represent an elevation value (meter above see level). Select the Identify Features tool and click in the
raster layer to view pixel / elevation values.
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2. Data connection, import and creation – PostgreSQL PostGIS database connection
If you have a PostgreSQL PostGIS database you want to connect to: In the Browser panel, right-click on the
PostGIS icon and select New Connection. Enter your PostgreSQL PostGIS connection Name, Host (IP address to
database server or localhost if the database is installed on you PC), Port, database name and login with your
database user name and password (typically provided by the Database administrator/IT department in a
company), then click OK:
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2. Data connection, import and creation – PostgreSQL PostGIS database connection
Select your PostgreSQL – PostGIS database table / map layer from your PostGIS connection and simply drag it
into your Layers panel to have it available in your map:
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2. Data connection, import and creation – Creating new dataset and digitizing
You can define and create your own GIS datasets in QGIS. Select Layer > Create Layer > New Shapefile Layer:
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You can define and create your own GIS datasets in QGIS. Select Layer > Create Layer > New Shapefile Layer.
Define a file name (for example Logging_road) and location for your new shape file, set Geometry type to Line,
set the coordinate system to EPSG: 25833, define an attribute field and click OK:
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You can also define a polygon shapefile. Select Layer > Create Layer > New Shapefile Layer. Define a file name
(for example Logging_area) and location for your new shape file, set Geometry type to Polygon, set the
coordinate system to EPSG: 25833, define a Text type and a Whole number type attribute field and click OK:
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To digitize / register geometry and attribute to your new dataset click on the layer and toggle on the editing
tool. Then select the Add line feature tool. Draw / digitize the geometry in the map, right-click to end and fill
inn attribute values, then click OK. Untoggle editing tool and save editing:
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Try also to digitize / register your polygon dataset:
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To alter symbology, right-click on the layers in the Layers panel and select Properties > Symbology. Try
experiencing with different colours and Opacity for your polygon dataset:
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Try experiencing with different colours, line width and line symbology for your line dataset:
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Here is my datasets registered and presented with my selected symbology:
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3. Data selection and conversion, queries and analysis
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3. Data selection and conversion, queries and analysis – Selecting features in the map
Open the Example_data/CSV/Addresses_Sel_municipality.csv (see p. 30 for help) and highlight the Layer in the
Layer panel. Select the Select Features tool > Select Features. Select features / address points in the map (to
select more than one, press Ctrl):
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3. Data selection and conversion, queries and analysis – Selecting features in the map
Open the Example_data/CSV/Addresses_Sel_municipality.csv (see p. 30 for help) and highlight the Layer in the
Layer panel. Select the Select Features tool > Select Features. Select features / address points by clicking them
in the map (to select more than one, press Ctrl):
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3. Data selection and conversion, queries and analysis – Conversion
One can convert / export a vector layer or selection to a number of different formats, including: ESRI Shape files,
GeoJSON, GeoPackage, GML, KML, DXF, DGN and many more. To save the selected features to a new file and format,
right-click on the Layer and select Export > Save Selected Features As:
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Select Format to GeoJSON, give the selection a file name and location, select the check box to “Save only selected
features”, click OK (Note that you can also select another CRS / coordinate system if you want to transform / save the
new file to another coordinate system):
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You now have a GeoJSON file with your selected addresses only.
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3. Data selection and conversion, queries and analysis – Deselecting features in the map
To deselect features, select the Deselect Features button:
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3. Data selection and conversion, queries and analysis – Query attribute data
We can select features based on querying attribute data. Click on the Address_Sel_municipality layer in the Layers panel to
make it active, Click on the Select Features by Expression tool, expand the Fields and Values and double-click on the field
“POSTNUMMER” (postal code) to have it included in you query expression, type “=“, then click “All unique” to have listed all
unique postal code values. Double-click on postal code 2674 to include it in your expression “POSTNUMMER” = 2674 ,then
click Select Features:
2
1
5
6
4
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3. Data selection and conversion, queries and analysis – Query attribute data
Only addresses with the postal code of 2674 is selected:
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3. Data selection and conversion, queries and analysis – Buffer zones
Now we will compute buffer zones / areas around Medical helicopter stations in Norway. Open the
Example_data\Shape\Medical helicopter stations\Medical_helicopter_stations.shp:
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Select Vector > Geoprocessing Tools > Buffer:
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Set Distance to 100 and units to kilometres. Set Segments to 10 (a higher number creates a smoother circle, refers to
number of line segments in a quarter circle):
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Buffer zones displaying how much of Norway that is covered with medical helicopter stations within 100 km distance:
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3. Data selection and conversion, queries and analysis – GIS overlay analysis
Open the Shape file Example data\Shape\Flood risk zones\flood_zone.shp (Layer > Add Layer > Add vector file). This
layer display an area with increased risk of floods. Also open the file Example data\CSV\Adresses_Sel_municipality.csv
(Layer > Add Layer > Add delimited text layer). Turn on both layers in the Layers panel and zoom to the extent of the
flood zone layer (right-click flood zone layer and select Zoom to layer). Now we want to analyse which addresses in Sel
municipality that fall within this flood risk zone.
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Select Vector > Geoprocessing Tools > Intersection:
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Select the Addresses point layer as input layer and the Flood zones polygon layer as the Overlay Layer, click Run:
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The output of the intersection analysis is all the addresses that is within the flood risk zone:
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4. Data export and presentation
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4. Data export and presentation – Export attribute data to Excel
To export attribute data to Excel, right-click on the layer in the Layers panel to open attribute table, click on the tables
upper left corner to select all records. Then copy (Ctrl c), open Excel and simply paste the copied data into your Excel
sheet:
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4. Data export and presentation – Export data to Google Earth
To export data to Google Earth, right-click on the layer in the Layers panel and select Export. Select Keyhole Markup
Language (KML) as format to save to, click OK:
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If you have Google Earth installed on your computer you can simply click on your saved KML file in Windows explorer or
similar and Google Earth should recognize it and open it:
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If you selected to also export the attribute data to KML, attribute data will also be displayed when clicking on the map
objects in Google Earth:
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4. Data export and presentation – Print layout
QGIS has a build-in layout manager. Select Project > New Print Layout, give your layout a name:
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In the Layout manager you can define paper size (right-click in the layout and select Page Properties), resolution/dpi
(arrow 1), add one or more map frames (arrow 2), your company logo (arrow 3), title and text boxes (arrow 4, to edit
text select Item Properties: Arrow 7), legend (arrow 5), scale bar (arrow 6).
7
2
5 3
4 6
1
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You can save your layout as a template or export to for example PDF (Layout > Save as Template or Export as PDF).
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4. Data export and presentation – 3D presentation and animation
Open the Digital Elevation Model raster file: Example_data\DEM\6801_1_10m_z33.dem and connect the WMS
background map of Norway (ref. earlier slides). Zoom into the middle of the DEM to a scale of about 1:50 000:
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Move the WMS layer above the DEM layer in the Layers panel. This will place the WMS above the DEM in the map
canvas.
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Select View > New 3D Map View:
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In the 3D map view select the Configure tool. In the 3D Configuration select the DEM 6801_1_10m_z33 as Elevation
layer, click OK:
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The top WMS layer is draped upon the underlying elevation model and presented in 3D. One can move around in the
3D view with the mouse control.
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By selecting the Play button one can define 3D animations of the terrain. Define Keyframes and time for each keyframe
that will be played in sequence.
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Questions and comments
You are welcome to ask your questions or provide your comments relating to this course.
Please send your questions and comments to: chs@osgis.academy
Your questions will be answered to the best of our ability and within a reasonable effort.
Thank you and congratulations on completing this course and good luck with QGIS!
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OSGIS Academy – QGIS course, Module 1, Beginners level

From novice to productive

2019 | Christopher Haakon Strutz | chs@osgis.academy | © OSGIS.Academy

About this course

1. Getting started 3. Data selection and conversion, queries and analysis

Download and installation Selecting features in the map

2. Data connection, import and creation 4. Data export and presentation

WMS and WFS Export to Excel

• Import, connect, compile and explore geographic information of various formats

• Each numbered chapter has a corresponding instructional video.

• A professional, free and open-source Geographic Information System (GIS)

Download QGIS from: www.qgis.org

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