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Learning QGIS 2.0
In Detail
QGIS is a user friendly open source geographic information system (GIS) that runs on Linux, Unix, Mac OSX, and Windows. The popularity of open source geographic information systems and QGIS in particular has been growing rapidly over the last few years. More and more companies and institutions are adopting QGIS and even switching to QGIS as their main GIS.
Learning QGIS 2.0 is a practical, hands-on guide that provides you with clear, step-by-step exercises that will help you to apply your GIS knowledge to QGIS. Containing a number of clear, practical exercises, this book will introduce you to working with QGIS, quickly and painlessly. If you want to take advantage of the wide range of functionalities that QGIS offers, then this is the book for you.
This book takes you from installing and configuring QGIS, through handling spatial data to creating great maps. You will learn how to load and visualize existing spatial data and how to create data from scratch. You will perform common geoprocessing and spatial analysis tasks and automate them. We will cover how to achieve great cartographic output and print maps. You will learn everything you need to know to handle spatial data management, processing, and visualization tasks in QGIS.
ApproachA short book with a lot of hands-on examples to help you learn in a practical way.
Who this book is forThis book is great for users, developers, and consultants who know the basic functions and processes of a GIS but want to know how to use QGIS to achieve the results they are used to a full-fledged GIS.
98 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2013
4 people are currently reading
22 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
December 4, 2013
The best place to discover QGIS is "Learning QGIS 2.0" by Anita Graser for its brevity and attention to detail. Making great maps using QGIS, a free and open source desktop GIS, is only a few steps away using this book. Released in September 2013, it is the most up-to-date reference on how to get the results you want using QGIS. I finally had a chance to read the e-book in its entirety and here is what I think.
The book was written for a range of audiences--including newcomers and more seasoned veterans. It covers basic and advanced topics from installing QGIS, whether a user or developer and Ubuntu/Linux or Windows, to adding and editing map data. In addition, the book contains color screenshots to illustrate what actions are being performed.
The book proceeds logically and words are used efficiently. It helps users add different types of GIS-related data, understand how QGIS treats projections, and highlights vital mapmaking tasks such as symbolizing and labeling. It also covers QGIS' plugins, notably the Open Street Map plugin for using common basemaps and the Heatmap plugin for density analysis.
Later topics include using the Map Composer (analogous to Layout View in ArcGIS) and the Graphical modeler (Model Builder in ArcGIS).
Two potential criticisms of open source software are that they tend be harder to use than their paid counterparts. In addition, some programs lack easy-to-read and authoritative documentation. With "Learning QGIS 2.0", these barriers no longer exist. The timing of the book could not be more perfect with the release of QGIS 2.0 Dufour.
When you finish the book, be sure to visit Anita Graser's blog at: http://anitagraser.com/. It is a real treat! There you can gain even more advanced knowledge.
The book was written for a range of audiences--including newcomers and more seasoned veterans. It covers basic and advanced topics from installing QGIS, whether a user or developer and Ubuntu/Linux or Windows, to adding and editing map data. In addition, the book contains color screenshots to illustrate what actions are being performed.
The book proceeds logically and words are used efficiently. It helps users add different types of GIS-related data, understand how QGIS treats projections, and highlights vital mapmaking tasks such as symbolizing and labeling. It also covers QGIS' plugins, notably the Open Street Map plugin for using common basemaps and the Heatmap plugin for density analysis.
Later topics include using the Map Composer (analogous to Layout View in ArcGIS) and the Graphical modeler (Model Builder in ArcGIS).
Two potential criticisms of open source software are that they tend be harder to use than their paid counterparts. In addition, some programs lack easy-to-read and authoritative documentation. With "Learning QGIS 2.0", these barriers no longer exist. The timing of the book could not be more perfect with the release of QGIS 2.0 Dufour.
When you finish the book, be sure to visit Anita Graser's blog at: http://anitagraser.com/. It is a real treat! There you can gain even more advanced knowledge.
September 1, 2016
I recently had the occasion to read this book and I did it with pleasure, since it finally gave me the right occasion and some organized basical instructions I was looking for to move on and learn how Qgis works. In general the book is able to give a rich overview on the possible uses of the software, from the basic ones (such as simple visualization of geodata, both vector and raster) to the more elaborated ones (such as different spatial analyses).
I found it particularly interesting for the rapid introduction to the software integration with databases (such as SQLITE and POSTGIS) and with web services data providers (WMS, WCS or WFS), while I mostly appreciated the Spatial Analysis chapter: it is full of tutorials (the book also gives you indications about where to find fitting data for the exercises) and shows how to apply some of the most used tools, both for vector and raster data. Not all the Qgis tools are explained: the reader is expected to be given the basis to find how to use also the not explained ones, and I think this is correct in a “learning” perspective.
Anyway, I would have appreciated a lot some more tutorials with Python console: I found only one small case... Consider it as a personal suggestion for eventual future editions! ;)
In my opinion, it is currently the best guide for GIS users who want to discover Qgis: it is clear to the reader, from the first page to the last one, that this book was not written by “improvised auto-elected experts”, but from a person who lived the Qgis project from the inside, saw it grow and contributed actively to spread it. Thanks for that.
http://bit.ly/1beR11H
I found it particularly interesting for the rapid introduction to the software integration with databases (such as SQLITE and POSTGIS) and with web services data providers (WMS, WCS or WFS), while I mostly appreciated the Spatial Analysis chapter: it is full of tutorials (the book also gives you indications about where to find fitting data for the exercises) and shows how to apply some of the most used tools, both for vector and raster data. Not all the Qgis tools are explained: the reader is expected to be given the basis to find how to use also the not explained ones, and I think this is correct in a “learning” perspective.
Anyway, I would have appreciated a lot some more tutorials with Python console: I found only one small case... Consider it as a personal suggestion for eventual future editions! ;)
In my opinion, it is currently the best guide for GIS users who want to discover Qgis: it is clear to the reader, from the first page to the last one, that this book was not written by “improvised auto-elected experts”, but from a person who lived the Qgis project from the inside, saw it grow and contributed actively to spread it. Thanks for that.
http://bit.ly/1beR11H
August 10, 2016
This book is a great collection of the capabilities of QGIS 2.0, a must-read for new users of this software.
Anita clearly explains each functionality through screenshots, step-by-step instructions, and a great deal of tips - for everyone, not only experts. Even for long time QGIS users this book unveils something new to learn, from improvement of GIS analysis procedures with new tools to the printout of beautiful maps. The full documentation of each tool, and of some advanced toolsets added or integrated to QGIS, is available on the documentation section of the respective websites - otherwise, this book would have been a GIS encyclopedia!
I find this book a great introduction to QGIS, that puts the bases for the exploration of the growing variety of its real-world applications. I'm looking forward for a new edition, with more links to resources for the readers who want to know more about all facets of this GIS software and its connections with the open source GIS ecosystem.
Anita clearly explains each functionality through screenshots, step-by-step instructions, and a great deal of tips - for everyone, not only experts. Even for long time QGIS users this book unveils something new to learn, from improvement of GIS analysis procedures with new tools to the printout of beautiful maps. The full documentation of each tool, and of some advanced toolsets added or integrated to QGIS, is available on the documentation section of the respective websites - otherwise, this book would have been a GIS encyclopedia!
I find this book a great introduction to QGIS, that puts the bases for the exploration of the growing variety of its real-world applications. I'm looking forward for a new edition, with more links to resources for the readers who want to know more about all facets of this GIS software and its connections with the open source GIS ecosystem.
November 26, 2014
If this is what you need to know, this is a good book to help you.
June 11, 2015
It's a good book to those who are starting to use QGIS
May 21, 2016
a really good basic introduction to QGIS, the language is easy to read.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews