Book Image

QGIS 2 Cookbook

By : Mandel, Olaya Ferrero, Anita Graser
Book Image

QGIS 2 Cookbook

By: Mandel, Olaya Ferrero, Anita Graser

Overview of this book

QGIS is a user-friendly, cross-platform desktop geographic information system used to make maps and analyze spatial data. QGIS allows users to understand, question, interpret, and visualize spatial data in many ways that reveal relationships, patterns, and trends in the form of maps. This book is a collection of simple to advanced techniques that are needed in everyday geospatial work, and shows how to accomplish them with QGIS. You will begin by understanding the different types of data management techniques, as well as how data exploration works. You will then learn how to perform classic vector and raster analysis with QGIS, apart from creating time-based visualizations. Finally, you will learn how to create interactive and visually appealing maps with custom cartography. By the end of this book, you will have all the necessary knowledge to handle spatial data management, exploration, and visualization tasks in QGIS.
Table of Contents (14 chapters)
13
Index

Using WFS and WFS-T


Web Feature Services (WFS) is an OGC standard method to access and, in some cases, edit (WFS-T) vector data over the Internet. When you need full attribute tables, local style control, or editing, WFS is the way to go. Like most other web services, the biggest advantage over a local layer is that you don't have to copy or load the whole layer at once.

Tip

If you just need to view the layer, often WMS or a Tile service (described in other recipes within this chapter) are more efficient.

Getting ready

You need the URL of a WFS service to use and a working Internet connection. We will use the public Mapserver demo website (http://demo.mapserver.org/).

Tip

To try WFS-T, which involves editing, you will need to get access to a service (typically, password protected) or make one yourself. Do you need a WFS-T test server? This is a great case where OSGeo-Live comes in handy, as you can run your own WFS-T server in a virtual machine at http://live.osgeo.org.

How to do it…

  1. Find a WFS...