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  • Book Overview & Buying QGIS Python Programming Cookbook
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QGIS Python Programming Cookbook

QGIS Python Programming Cookbook

By : Joel Lawhead
3.8 (6)
Buy this Book
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QGIS Python Programming Cookbook

QGIS Python Programming Cookbook

3.8 (6)
By: Joel Lawhead
Buy this Book

Overview of this book

If you are a geospatial analyst who wants to learn more about automating everyday GIS tasks or a programmer who is responsible for building GIS applications,this book is for you. The short, reusable recipes make concepts easy to understand. You can build larger applications that are easy to maintain when they are put together.
Table of Contents (11 chapters)
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Preface
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Preface
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What this book covers
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What you need for this book
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Who this book is for
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Sections
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Conventions
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Reader feedback
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Customer support
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1
1. Automating QGIS
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1. Automating QGIS
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Introduction
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Installing QGIS for development
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Using the QGIS Python console for interactive control
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Using the Python ScriptRunner plugin
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Setting up your QGIS IDE
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Debugging QGIS Python scripts
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Navigating the PyQGIS API
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Creating a QGIS plugin
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Distributing a plugin
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Creating a standalone application
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Storing and reading global preferences
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Storing and reading project preferences
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Accessing the script path from within your script
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2. Querying Vector Data
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2. Querying Vector Data
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Introduction
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Loading a vector layer from a file sample
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Loading a vector layer from a spatial database
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Examining vector layer features
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Examining vector layer attributes
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Filtering a layer by geometry
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Filtering a layer by attributes
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Buffering a feature intermediate
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Measuring the distance between two points
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Measuring the distance along a line sample
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Calculating the area of a polygon
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Creating a spatial index
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Calculating the bearing of a line
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Loading data from a spreadsheet
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3. Editing Vector Data
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3. Editing Vector Data
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Introduction
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Creating a vector layer in memory
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Adding a point feature to a vector layer
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Adding a line feature to a vector layer
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Adding a polygon feature to a vector layer
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Adding a set of attributes to a vector layer
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Adding a field to a vector layer
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Joining a shapefile attribute table to a CSV file
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Moving vector layer geometry
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Changing a vector layer feature's attribute
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Deleting a vector layer feature
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Deleting a vector layer attribute
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Reprojecting a vector layer
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Converting a shapefile to KML
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Merging shapefiles
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Splitting a shapefile
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Generalizing a vector layer
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Dissolving vector shapes
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Performing a union on vector shapes
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Rasterizing a vector layer
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4. Using Raster Data
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4. Using Raster Data
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Introduction
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Loading a raster layer
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Getting the cell size of a raster layer
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Obtaining the width and height of a raster
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Counting raster bands
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Swapping raster bands
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Querying the value of a raster at a specified point
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Reprojecting a raster
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Creating an elevation hillshade
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Creating vector contours from elevation data
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Sampling a raster dataset using a regular grid
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Adding elevation data to line vertices using a digital elevation model
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Creating a common extent for rasters
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Resampling raster resolution
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Counting the unique values in a raster
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Mosaicing rasters
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Converting a TIFF image to a JPEG image
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Creating pyramids for a raster
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Converting a pixel location to a map coordinate
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Converting a map coordinate to a pixel location
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Creating a KML image overlay for a raster
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Classifying a raster
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Converting a raster to a vector
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Georeferencing a raster from control points
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Clipping a raster using a shapefile
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5. Creating Dynamic Maps
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5. Creating Dynamic Maps
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Introduction
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Accessing the map canvas
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Changing the map units
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Iterating over layers
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Symbolizing a vector layer
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Rendering a single band raster using a color ramp algorithm
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Creating a complex vector layer symbol
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Using icons as vector layer symbols
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Creating a graduated vector layer symbol renderer
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Creating a categorized vector layer symbol
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Creating a map bookmark
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Navigating to a map bookmark
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Setting scale-based visibility for a layer
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Using SVG for layer symbols
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Using pie charts for symbols
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Using the OpenStreetMap service
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Using the Bing aerial image service
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Adding real-time weather data from OpenWeatherMap
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Labeling features
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Changing map layer transparency
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Adding standard map tools to the canvas
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Using a map tool to draw points on the canvas
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Using a map tool to draw polygons or lines on the canvas
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Building a custom selection tool
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Creating a mouse coordinate tracking tool
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6. Composing Static Maps
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6. Composing Static Maps
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Introduction
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Creating the simplest map renderer
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Using the map composer
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Adding labels to a map for printing
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Adding a scale bar to the map
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Adding a north arrow to the map
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Adding a logo to the map
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Adding a legend to the map
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Adding a custom shape to the map
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Adding a grid to the map
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Adding a table to the map
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Adding a world file to a map image
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Saving a map to a project
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Loading a map from a project
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7. Interacting with the User
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7. Interacting with the User
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Introduction
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Using log files
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Creating a simple message dialog
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Creating a warning dialog
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Creating an error dialog
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Displaying a progress bar
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Creating a simple text input dialog
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Creating a file input dialog
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Creating a combobox
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Creating radio buttons
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Creating checkboxes
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Creating tabs
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Stepping the user through a wizard
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Keeping dialogs on top
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8. QGIS Workflows
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8. QGIS Workflows
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Introduction
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Creating an NDVI
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Geocoding addresses
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Creating raster footprints
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Performing network analysis
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Routing along streets
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Tracking a GPS
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Creating a mapbook
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Finding the least cost path
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Performing nearest neighbor analysis
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Creating a heat map
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Creating a dot density map
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Collecting field data
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Computing road slope using elevation data
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Geolocating photos on the map
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Image change detection
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9. Other Tips and Tricks
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9. Other Tips and Tricks
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Introduction
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Creating tiles from a QGIS map
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Adding a layer to geojson.io
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Rendering map layers based on rules
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Creating a layer style file
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Using NULL values in PyQGIS
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Using generators for layer queries
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Using alpha values to show data density
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Using the __geo_interface__ protocol
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Generating points along a line
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Using expression-based labels
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Creating dynamic forms in QGIS
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Calculating length for all selected lines
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Using a different status bar CRS than the map
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Creating HTML labels in QGIS
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Using OpenStreetMap's points of interest in QGIS
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Visualizing data in 3D with WebGL
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Visualizing data on a globe
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Index
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Index

Distributing a plugin

Distributing a QGIS plugin means placing the collection of files on a server as a ZIP file, with a special configuration file, in order to allow the QGIS plugin manager to locate and install the plugin. The QGIS project has an official repository, but third-party repositories are also permitted. The official repository is very strict regarding how the plugin is uploaded. So, for this recipe, we'll set up a simple third-party repository for a sample plugin and test it with the QGIS plugin manager to avoid polluting the main QGIS repository with a test project.

Getting ready

In order to complete this recipe, you'll need a sample plugin and a web-accessible directory. You'll also need a zip tool such as the free 7-zip program (http://www.7-zip.org/download.html). You can use the MyPlugin example from the Creating a QGIS plugin recipe as the plugin to distribute. For a web directory, you can use a Google Code repository, GitHub repository, or an other online directory you can access. Code repositories work well because they are a good place to store a plugin that you are developing.

How to do it…

In the following steps, we will package our plugin, create a server configuration file for it, and place it on a server to create a QGIS plugin repository:

  1. First, zip up the plugin directory to create a .ZIP file.
  2. Rename the .ZIP file to contain the plugin's version number:
    Myplugin.0.1.0.zip
  3. Upload this file to a publicly accessible web directory.
  4. Upload the icon.png file from your plugin directory to the web directory.
  5. Next, customize a plugins.xml metadata file for your plugin. Most of the data you need can be found in the metatdata.txt file in your plugin directory. The following example provides some guidance:
    <?xml version = '1.0' encoding = 'UTF-8'?>
<?xml-stylesheet type="text/xsl" href="" ?>
<plugins>
<pyqgis_plugin name="My Plugin" version="0.1.0" plugin_id="227">
<description>
<![CDATA[Demonstration of a QGIS Plugin]]>
</description>
<about></about>
<version>0.1.0</version>
<qgis_minimum_version>1.8.0</qgis_minimum_version>
<qgis_maximum_version>2.9.9</qgis_maximum_version>
<homepage>
<![CDATA[https://code.google.com/p/geospatialpython]]>
</homepage>
<file_name>MyPlugin.0.1.0.zip</file_name>
<icon>
http://geospatialpython.googlecode.com/svn/icon_227.png
</icon>
<author_name><![CDATA[Joel Lawhead]]></author_name>
<download_url> http://geospatialpython.googlecode.com/svn/MyPlugin.0.1.0.zip
</download_url>
<uploaded_by><![CDATA[jll]]></uploaded_by>
<create_date>2014-05-16T15:31:19.824333</create_date>
<update_date>2014-07-15T15:31:19.824333</update_date>
<experimental>True</experimental>
<deprecated>False</deprecated>
<tracker>
<![CDATA[http://code.google.com/p/geospatialpython/issues]]>
</tracker>
<repository>
<![CDATA[https://geospatialpython.googlecode.com/svn/]]>
</repository>
<tags>
<![CDATA[development,debugging,tools]]></tags>
<downloads>0</downloads>
<average_vote>0</average_vote>
<rating_votes>0</rating_votes>
</pyqgis_plugin>
</plugins>
  6. Upload the plugins.xml file to your web directory.
  7. Now, start QGIS and launch the plugins manager by going to the Plugins menu and selecting Manage and Install Plugins….
  8. In the Settings tab of the plugins settings dialog, scroll down and click on the Add… button.
  9. Give the plugin a name and then add the complete URL to your plugins.xml in the URL field.
  10. Click on the OK button.
  11. To make things easier, disable the other repositories by selecting the repository name, clicking on the Edit button, and unchecking the Enable checkbox.
  12. Click on the OK button.
  13. Click on the Not Installed tab.
  14. Your test plugin should be the only plugin listed, so select it from the list.
  15. Click on the Install Plugin button in the bottom-right corner of the window.
  16. Click on the Close button.
  17. Go to the Plugins menu and select your plugin to ensure that it works.

How it works…

The QGIS repository concept is simple and effective. The plugins.xml file contains a download_url tag that points to a ZIP file plugin on the same server or on a different server. The name attribute of the pyqgis_plugin tag is what appears in the QGIS plugin manager.

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