New High Resolution Images in Openstreetmap available in Pangasinan

I am proud to announce that OSM-PH received Quickbird high resolution images from DigitalGlobe.  This data donation is part of DigitalGlobe’s assistance to our humanitarian efforts.

Thanks to the Openstreetmap community (especially Andy) for helping us create map tiles and host them in OSM’s dev server.

Estimated boundingbox of the imagery

You can now use these images to trace roads and other geographic features using OSM’s data editors.

In JOSM (OSM’s offline java editor)

In Potlatch (OSM’s web-based flash editor)

This project is OSM-PH’s contribution to provide updated geospatial data to assist disaster recovery and rebuilding efforts.   Join the OSM-PH mailinglist for details on how to use the imagery.

random GPS experiments

Some of my random GPS data experiments for the past weeks.

Adding elevation contours (40m interval) in the OSM-PH Garmin GPS maps, using mkgmap.

Compiling OSM-PH data to Magellan GPS (MapSend Lite screenshot), using pymagellan.

My average cycling speed (in kph), using gpsbabel and GRASS GIS.

UPDATE: OSM-PH Magellan map works on Vantage Point and Triton Magellan GPS

survey: your common GIS task

Are your curious (as I am) with what geotards do everyday with their favorite GIS app? Let’s ask them.

Join this survey asking, “What do you usually do with [insert your favorite Geo-app]?” Note that I am asking your most common GIS task not necessarily your favorite task :) Add any task if it’s not included in the choices.

I will summarize the results and any comments, by the end of this month.

late biased review of QGIS 1.0 “Kore” part 2

The previous post talked about my 5 favorite feature of QGIS “Kore”. This time, I appeal to the QGIS developers to add a few more features. Once again, this is from user’s POV and I believe these “little” features could make me perform better in my geo-job. :)

5 feature request

Custom key bindings – An option/plugin to customize assignment of shortcut keys to call any QGIS function. Several commands supports this feature like “Zoom to full” (“F”) and “Zoom to selection” (“Ctrl-F”). But AFAIK, you cannot assign other shortcut keys. A Python plugin would be great.

CAD-like digitizing tools – as we acquire more high-res imagery, digitizing features in ultra-detailed resolution is and will still be an enormous task. There are automated techniques, available, but it has it’s limits. We need more CAD-like tools within the digitizing toolbox (such as creating arcs/circles/regular polygons; mirror and array existing objects).

No, this isn’t QGIS but QCAD :)

Metadata generator – we were always reminded by this rule:

Never trust data without metadata.

Needless to say this is the rule I always break. A good way to get the hang of creating metadata is to integrate a metadata creator tool within QGIS. No I don’t mean the standard where most fields are blank. All we need is a simple model on the “what, where, when, who” of the data. Perhaps DClite4G is a good starting point.

Multiple map views- I was going to propose a plugin to split the main map canvass into multiple views, where we can add independent map layers and vary the zoom levels. But a prototype is already in development. Nice work Aaron!

Bring back the standalone MS Windows installer – When I introduce FOSS-Geo to people, QGIS is the first app I mention.

“Dude! Better try QGIS! Just download and install the latest version.”

The latest windows installer is bundled under the OSGeo4W installer package. The OSGeo4W installer is an excellent way to package several OSGeo apps for MS/Win users. It should make the install process of several geo-apps (QGIS, GRASS, MapServer, etc.) easier.

What packages!?

But it isn’t. Even the “Express Install” asks you to select several packages you might not need (at the moment) to install QGIS. A “not-so-easy-to-install-in-windows” gives the impression that it’s “not-so-easy-to-use”. I know there are several issues (technical and manpower) that limits the release of a single binary installer. There is a workaround, but I still believe a single binary installer is the best way to easily encourage new users.

That’s my top 5 request feature, I hope the developers can take a peak and take interest :). What’s your list? Post them here or even better, add them to the QGIS trac.

Other people’s wishlist:

• http://sites.google.com/site/eospansite/myqgiswishlist
• http://wiki.qgis.org/qgiswiki/PythonPluginIdeas

late biased review of QGIS 1.0 “Kore” part 1

So my favorite GIS app was finally in version 1.0. I have been using this app since version 0.6 and it has improved a lot both in stability and functionality. For me, QGIS is mainly for my daily GIS needs (display data, vector editing, a quick map layout). While bare bones analysis and processing (mostly raster and imagery) are in GRASS GIS.

I finally managed to install QGIS in my Ubuntu Intrepid 64-bit machine. At first, I tried the usual install process:

sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install qgis

However, this method doesn’t include all the QGIS python plugin goodies. I had to follow Tim’s advice to get all the required dependencies.

After a brief twirl, I have to say that the developers lived up to QGIS principles of providing an easy-to-use-yet-very-powerful GIS app. I made a couple of notes of what I like about QGIS. This post lists my top 5 favorite feature of QGIS. Well, from a fanboi/user’s (not developer’s) point-of-view.  First, here’s a screenshot of QGIS the first time I load it.

5 favorite feature

Dockable windows - when working with any GIS app, I use the pan/zoom functions the most. I usually don’t need all the toolbars and window panels. Oftentimes, it is waste of valuable screen space. Fortunately, I can remove all the unnecessary toolbars and panels and leave only those I need.

My minimal QGIS window

Python plug-ins – Plug-ins, plug-ins and more plug-ins! ArcView calls it extensions and we love the community-generated free ArcScripts. The plug-in framework is not new to QGIS (we already have C-coded plug-ins since time immemorial). Plug-ins are scripts (no compiling is necessary) that provides additional functionality to QGIS to solve a particular (i.e. “Find by attribute”) or a series of task (i.e. “Geoprocessing”). Using Python as the plug-in framework, user-contributed plug-ins remarkably increased. Here’s a compilation of community maintained plugins available.

That’s a lot of plugin!

One of my all-time favorite is CFarmer’s meta-plugin ftools.

GRASS toolbox - one of the catch-on for me when I started using QGIS is the integration of GRASS tools (actually it is just another meta-plug-in, but I think it deserve special mention in my list). The then cryptic world of GRASS modules using CLI can now be accessed via friendly GUI of QGIS. I like QGIS’ approach to making the GRASS modules simple and easy for beginners. As a rule of thumb, GRASS modules within QGIS must:

1. have 3 or less options;
2. be robust so that it doesn’t allow a user to run a module with wrong option

New GRASS modules are added with every release of QGIS, .

The power GRASS in QGIS

Mapserver and WMS layer – Mapserver is a great for publishing your map on the web but configuring your mapfile is a very painful process. Using the mapserver plugin, you can create your mapfile in minutes without even opening a text editor. Simply load all your data layers, edit your layer styles within QGIS and save the QGIS project file as a MapServer mapfile . You can then test and view the resulting WMS layer via the WMS layer plugin.   In addition, the WMS layer provides access to any public WMS available.

Create a MapServer mapfile in a GUI

Choose and load your favorite public WMS in QGIS

The community – a good software is never good enough without active community support. Among the mailing-list I subscribe, the QGIS community provides an excellent resource for many of my GIS problems.  Solutions are provided both by the developers and users. In the QGIS mailinglist, you don’t get the “RTFM” response although they have an excellent User’s Manual made no other than the community.

Got a problem? Ask the community for help.

So that’s my top 5 pick. A lot more is available, check out the detailed visual log for more. Give it a try and tell me what you like best (you will probably have a different list).

In conclusion, do I like the it? You bet! But I want more, I also made a list of what feature should be added in QGIS, that will be another post.