Category: New Tools

Add OSTN15 to QGIS 2.16

dragons8mycat4 Comments

As you may be aware, the United Kingdom has a new transformation model that is OSTN15…..But why? What does it mean to the geospatial community?

Without being too nerdy, tectonic plate movement means that the “model” surface (the geoid) is slowly moving from best fit for the coordinate system. It has been 13yrs since Ordnance Survey implemented OSTN02 so the shift since then is enormous…..a whole 1cm and vertically it is 2.5cm. See this article here from Ordnance Survey.

The whole story is that sensors and our ability to calculate our positi0n relative to both the mathematical models and our relative position to those is constantly evolving too. So, just as OSTN02 revolutionised the accuracy of projecting GPS (WGS84) coordinates using a grid transformation (250 points over the 7 parameters used until 2002), OSTN15 both uses the OS Net of 250 points but has also been improved further with 12 zero order stations with accuracy of 2mm horizontal and 6mm vertical.

So how will this change the way you use your GIS?

If you are already using OSTN02 for your transformations between EPSG 27700 and EPSG 4326 – then you will only see a 5cm improvement over a 1m area at best and this is based on the worst places in the UK, on average you will only see a 2cm improvement anywhere in the UK. To put this into context, when you are zoomed in to an A3 map to about 1:100, you are talking about a few pixels on the screen….it won’t be groundbreaking [at the moment].

Currently, as this goes to press, the OSTN15 transformation has only been available for a few weeks and it is still being tested on different software to ensure it works, I am told that ESRI UK have been testing it with their software as this is being written.

As with OSTN02, I’ve created a fix for QGIS and OSTN15, I will describe how to implement this further in this.

It’s all about the Proj

Proj (Proj.4) is a cartographic library which is based on the work of Gerald Evenden of USGS back circa 1980. Over time it has evolved to consume grid transformations and is used by GRASS GIS, MapServer, PostGIS, Thuban, OGDI, Mapnik, TopoCad,GDAL/OGR as well as QGIS.

There are many ways to use proj, without a GIS you can use it through a command line by defining parameters. QGIS uses the proj library by accessing a spatialite database called srs.db. This is held at .appsqgisresourcessrs.db in Windows and Linux.

The proj spatialite database is a relational database which, when analysed, holds tables for coordinate systems, epsg codes & transformations. What is really clever is that it recognises direction of transformation.

Why is direction important?

Most coordinate transformations go from the projected coordinate system to the geographic coordinate system, for example epsg 4277 to epsg 4326, OSTN15 bucks the trend and is the reverse direction, from 4326 to 4277.

As I found when I first tested OSTN15 with QGIS, I was getting a uniform 200m shift in the data which was being translated and I was really confused. After talking with the gridfile creator, I discovered that the file was created from ETRS89 to OSGB36, therefore the 200m shift I was getting.

QGIS is awesome, you’ve probably overlooked just how clever it is and so did I. Next time you run a transformation, or when you try this one, you may notice that there are 2 fields noted in the columns SRC (source) and DST (destination)…and this is a godsend for solving this issue, as QGIS can read the coordinate in both directions.

transformation-in-qgis

Show us the magic

So, I talked with Ordnance Survey and found that OSTN15 has been given the epsg of 7709 and created a new record with the srs.db which is distributed with Windows, Linux & Mac releases. To utilise this, all you need to do is to download the OSTN15 file from Ordnance Survey (here) and then place the OSTN15_NTv2.gsb file in the shared projections folder .shareprojOSTN15_NTv2.gsb this has been found to be correct in Mac and Windows (there should be similar in Linux). You know it is the right folder as there should be other .gsb files in there!

qgis_folder_location

You can download the updated srs.db from here, this should be placed in the resources folder which can be found at  .appsqgisresourcessrs.db – I highly recommend changing the name of the srs.db file in this folder to something like srs.db.old before adding the new version, just in case it doesn’t work for your particular set up BUT it has been checked on Mac and Windows distributions of QGIS from version 2.12 through to QGIS 2.17.

Enjoy

Dragons8mycat

 

Many thanks to Ordnance Survey for their help

Further reading about the model for Great Britain and OSTN15, I recommend this paper: A guide to Coordinate systems in Great Britain

Using 3D Web Mapping to Model Offshore Archaeology

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Ever since I started working in the renewables industry on offshore wind farms over 8yrs ago and had to analyse shipwrecks, I thought about how much more interactive and informative shipwreck analysis would be in 3D. There are many companies out there at the moment who produce the most amazing visualisations, where is the ability to move along a fixed track to view a 2.5D wreck but there is no ability to relate it to anything, no context and normally the cost is extremely high when the data captured is normally geospatial and used within a GIS such as QGIS, ArcGIS or Fledemaus.

Here is an example of the amazing model of the James Eagen Layne created by Fourth Element and the model of the Markgraf Shipwreck by Scapa Flow Wrecks

Please don’t get me wrong, I admire these models and they provide detail and information that would be almost impossible to render in a GIS web map without some serious development and a lot of modelling but technology has progressed. Five years ago I would have said that creating an offshore 3D web map was the thing of dreams, whereas today it is a few clicks of the mouse. Using ESRI software, I was able to combine both terrain and bathymetry, adjust for tide datum differences, import a 3D model and then add links and images to the web map (called a ‘scene’).

The most exciting thing we found in developing this, was the cost and time in implementing such a solution. With the ability to consume data from Sketchup, ESRI 3D Models and even Google Earth models, we can reduce the time which a scene takes to build from weeks to mere hours, the most time consuming part is adding the links & getting the colours nice!! Have a look below at what we created:

[iframe src=”https://cloudciti.es/scenes/SJaI7ZBO/embed&#8221; width=”836″ height=”470″ frameborder=”0″ style=”border: 1px solid whitesmoke” webkitallowfullscreen mozallowfullscreen allowfullscreen></iframe><p><a href=”https://cloudciti.es/SJaI7ZBO”>Wreck of the James Eagen Layne</a> from <a href=”https://cloudciti.es/users/54930bf17b2842080022f175″>Garsdale Design Limited</a> on <a href=”https://cloudcities.io”>CloudCities</a&gt;. ]

The model can be navigated in a similar manner to Google Earth, the model should also be interactive, with the ability to click on areas of the wreck with information returned on the right of the screen. If you look at the bottom left there are a set of icons which I will explain.

Overview of the buttons

Camera Button

 

The camera button, highlighted in green, provides access to the scene bookmarks, click on any of these and the scene will move to the view relating to the text. It will also alter the layers shown to provide the best view (according to the creator)

Animation button

The animation button, highlighted green above, animates the scene by cycling through the bookmarks

Layers buttonThe layers button allows access to the information relayed on the scene. By default, the tidal water is turned off and only one model is shown.

Light Simulation

The light simulation button provides ability to cast shadow and simulate specific times of day. Although not really relevant for an underwater feature, it provides a method for viewing internal features better.

Mobile User Bonus Feature!

For those of you using a mobile device, you will notice one further button:

Cardboard button

Yes, the scene is fully 3D and the viewer fully supports Google Cardboard, so go ahead and have a go!

Future development

This is just the beginning, as you can see this viewer is extremely lightweight and responsive Moving forward, we (Garsdale Design Ltd) are looking to adding further information such as nearby wrecks, more detailed bathymetry, objects which may cause risk such as anchorages and vessel movement in the area. The potential is immense and where this is geographic (hit the map button on the right) you can relate this to a real world location….in future versions we are looking to implementing Admiralty charts and bathymetry maps to view side by side with the site.

Disclaimer

I am not an archaeologist or diver! – Data is sourced from open data sources (Inspire, EA Lidar, Wikipedia) with the exception of the model(s) which were built by myself from images and multibeam data. Photos were obtained from Promare, on the Liberty 70 project – Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0, This data is not to be used for navigation or diving.

For further information or to ask how Garsdale Design can assist you, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Pokémon Go leads the AR Revolution

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Originally posted on xyHt Magazine 12/7/2016

 

Six months ago when I claimed that augmented reality was the future of GIS and geospatial services and it was met with a few sniggers. This week has seen the arrival of Pokémon Go, one of the most popular games hit the mobile phone market….and yes, it is augmented reality and yes, it is geospatial. It could well be the turning point for many geospatial companies.

pokemongo

What is Pokémon Go?

In case you have been hidden in a cave fro the last 25yrs, Pokémon is a game that first appeared on the Nintendo Gameboy (circa 1995) in which players openly walk around the world and capture mystical creatures (in a white and red ball) which they then train to fight (other creatures) in battle arenas called “gyms”. If their creature (called a Pokémon but there are hundreds of breeds) wins their battle, then they earn a badge. The aim is to collect all the badges. Simple right?

Since the mid 90’s there have been 18 manga books, 19 films and about 17 games….yes, this thing is HUGE. Pokémon Go is the new generation and it was inevitable that it would become a geocaching game.

“Geocaching /ˈdʒiːoʊˌkæʃɪŋ/ is an outdoor recreational activity, in which participants use a Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver or mobile device and other navigational techniques to hide and seek containers, called “geocaches” or “caches”, anywhere in the world.” – Wikipedia

Pokemon Encounter

Why Pokémonn Go is perfect for AR

Lets look at the concept of the game again, the user walks around the globe looking for Pokémon to capture and then train…..if this isn’t the definition of geocaching then I will eat my shorts (thanks Bart). Though any thoughts that this game was designed as a geocache promotion are quickly quelled when you realise that the first geocache was made around the millennium (by Dave Ulmer, Oregon).

For years we have struggled to get our children interested in mapping and geography not realising that this was sat under our nose the whole time! I ironically, it is all due to an Aprils Fools Day joke in 2014 in which it was claimed that Google had developed an augmented reality app…..Niantic saw that this could be a reality and worked with Google, the rest is history.

How does it work?

After logging into the app for the first time, the player creates their avatar. The player can choose the avatar’s style, hair, skin, and eye color, and can choose from a limited number of outfits. Once the avatar is created, it is displayed at the player’s current location along with a map of the player’s immediate surroundings. Features on the map may include a number of landmarks where Pokémon may be and Pokémon gyms (places where you battle your Pokémon).

As players travel the real world, the avatar moves along the game’s map. Different Pokémon live in different areas of the world; for example, water-type Pokémon are generally found near water. When a player encounters a Pokémon, they may view it either in augmented reality mode or with a pre-rendered background. AR mode uses the camera and gyroscope on the player’s mobile device to display an image of a Pokémon as though it were in the real world. Players can also take pictures, using an in-game camera, of the Pokémon that they encounter both with and without the AR mode activated.

There is a fantastic article on how Google chose the locations for the Pokémon/geocaches here (by Mashable) whereby it explains how safety was the primary concern. Caches were chosen based on open places that had some significance so that players wouldn’t be chasing a Pikachu (a type of Pokémon) across a train track.

Pokemon Batlle

Why will it change geo things?

Already there is a wave of companies looking at how they can use marketing to get a piece of the pie, see this & this, it is evident that people are aware that this is, excuse the pun, a game changer. It really isn’t hard to see that this is going to be popular….so this might well be the turning point for geospatial, AR & VR. If people are comfortable using AR through this game then they will start expecting it for their mapping, bringing back apps like LAYAR which augmented real world information.

AR on Mobile

The applications are immense and exciting for the geospatial industry, the ability to overlay real world issues and information to what the user sees through the camera would be the definitive mapping system. Even if the accuracy isn’t that amazing (mobile GPS – think about it) there is the potential to use clever imagery and presentation to overcome most issues. Imagine sending the worst member of your team to site, with an AR map you could be 90% sure that they would be able to find the correct building over using a 2D map, or think about how easy it could be to identify potential points of weakness or contamination around a site by just looking through your device, all set by someone sat at a desk on the other side of the world.

Of course this is speculation but consider the rise of VR which is now around us, soon we will all be fully immersed watching TV, playing games and riding roller coasters, 3D GIS has seen a rise over the last few years too, with many geospatial providers offering 3D add-ons or 3D alternatives. Furthermore the conferences were rife with talk and demonstration of 3D and VR. Of course all this innovation is led by CEOs and Project Managers who have seen their kid playing with some game and asking that all important question….

“Why can’t our company do that?”

You’d be a fool to think that this is all going to just disappear, the future of geospatial is now, we are seeing the evolution occur in front of our eyes – Just like the late Roger Tomlinson evolved the paper map to digital GIS in the 60’s, we are seeing 2D moving to 3D real world. I am all for it, it will bring new challenges, better accuracy and more interaction with the user…..though I draw the line at Pokemon Go myself.

Dragons8mycat

How to Grayscale ArcGIS Pro Vector Symbology

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Most of the time, ESRI software is great, it does [mostly] what you ask it and as long as you aren’t doing anything too crazy it behaves. We all know that it has it’s ‘unique-ness’ about it, after using it for a few years you start to ask “why don’t they do this….” or “How comes I can’t do that…..”. Well, a lot of this is being addressed in ArcGIS Pro, already it has answered the question as to why we needed 3 different GIS software (ArcGIS Desktop, ArcScene & ArcGlobe) by bundling it all up into one package. Now (with 1.3) we are starting to see other features which we always wanted in ArcGIS Desktop coming into ArcGIS Pro, case in point, converting symbology to grayscale.

Today, I discovered while creating a basemap, that ESRI have implemented a couple of neat little touches, firstly RGB VALUES ON HOVER.

Hovering the mouse provides RGB values
Hovering the mouse provides RGB values

Although this isn’t ground breaking, it is a nice little touch which, for us cartophiles and OCD cartographers, provides a quick and easy bit of feedback.

The other discovery was having the option to grayscale the symbology. The new ArcGIS Pro can be a little tricky to get your head around, so it is understandibly not obvious but I went to change the RGB values on a piece of road and found another option: GRAYSCALE

Grayscale dropdown
Grayscale dropdown

Selecting “Grayscale” takes you to this menu:

Grayscale removes colour while retaining it's presence.
Grayscale removes colour while retaining it’s presence.

 

Okay, so this isn’t groundbreaking BUT having played with photoshop a little, I’ve found that the RGB value which is automatically given is almost a perfect match for what you get if you desaturate the colour.

What does all this mean? It means that you can easily and confidently convert your vector symbology to grayscale without guesswork! Creating alternative grayscale maps should now be a lot easier! Now, the question is, will this ever make it to ArcGIS Desktop?!

Dragons8mycat

QGIS 2.14 v ArcGIS 10.4

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Posted in xyht magazine 21st March 2016
This post almost didn’t happen, for over 7yrs I’ve been comparing GIS software in the hope that someone would be reading and take it upon themselves to fix a few of the issues which we all run into on a daily basis. With the new releases someone told me something and it almost stopped it all from happening…..

 

“ESRI is the Apple Inc and QGIS is the Google…”

 

As painful as it is to hear, it’s true. Even though I’ve been a hardcore user of QGIS for over 5yrs, I find myself falling back into using the ArcMap tools just to save myself rummaging through lists of plugins and I especially like that I can just drag and drop my data into the data frame and it just works.

As powerful as ArcMap/Arcscene/ArcGIS Pro/ArcGlobe/ArcGIS Explorer/ArcServer/Arc*add your own term here* is, it feels old and a little clunky, like using Windows XP. For a decade it has had the same comfy interface, the same basic functions and the same symbology. This is by no means a bad thing but the cartographic capabilities of QGIS are far superior and let’s not mention the true 64bit processing…

This year, there is a new contender from ESRI which I feel I need to discuss, ArcGIS Pro 1.2. Although it is in beta,  it is already proving itself a worthy successor to ArcMap. Unfortunately, until it is out of beta, I won’t be testing it as I feel it is unfair to compare an unfinished software/

Before we get to the crux of things, I’d just like to add that there have been no major interface changes to either software and I am GIS neutral. I just want a GIS that works and is reliable, I have no bias as to one or the other.

 

Let battle ommence
Let battle ommence

So what is new in QGIS 2.14?

The most talked about is the inclusion of a 2.5D renderer (covered in earlier blogs) but what you may not have noticed are the subtle changes, changes to the processing, caching, labelling and legend. Here is a full list which links to the QGIS changelog

 

What’s new in ArcMap 10.4?

There are quite a few new raster types available for the software, some of which I have to admit that I had never heard of but interesting to see that you can now export topology errors in the ArcMap Basic license. For those wondering why I haven’t listed all the changes, please remember that this is a comparison of the basic GIS software.

 

Data Management toolbox

New tools

Changes

Tool Changes
Add Rasters To Mosaic Dataset Two new parameters added:
Alter Mosaic Dataset Schema The raster_type_names parameter has 12 new options:
Analyze Control Points The out_overlap_table parameter is now Optional.
Apply Block Adjustment New parameter added: DEM.
Compute Control Points Three new parameters added:

  • area_of_interest
  • distribution
  • density
Compute Tie Points Two new parameters added:

  • distribution
  • density
Copy Raster Two new parameters added:

  • transform
  • format
Create Database Connection The database_platform parameter has a new option: DAMENG.
Create Database User When the tool is run against a geodatabase in Oracle or PostgreSQL, it now creates shared log file tables for the user. With the log file tables already created, the database administrator can remove privileges to create tables from the user, if needed, without negatively affecting the user’s ability to create large selection sets, edit data, or reconcile versioned data.
Create Enterprise Geodatabase When you run the tool on an Oracle 12c database, the sde user is granted privileges required to import data using Oracle Data Pump. This allows you to complete your Oracle Data Pump export and import workflows without having to separately grant these privileges.
Create Feature Class The geometry_type parameter has a new option: MULTIPATCH.
Create LAS Dataset New parameter added: create_las_prj.
Create Map Tile Package New parameter added: extent.
Create Mosaic Dataset The product_definition parameter has nine new options:
Create Pansharpened Raster Dataset The sensor parameter has seven new options:
Detect Feature Changes New parameter added: compare_line_direction.
Export Topology Errors You can now run this tool with an ArcGIS for Desktop Basic license.
Feature Compare The ignore_options parameter has a new option: IGNORE_FIELDALIAS.
Generate Tile Cache Tiling Scheme The tile_format parameter has a new option: LERC.
Project New parameter added: vertical.
Register Raster The transformation_type parameter has a new option: POLYSIMILARITY.
Synchronize Mosaic Dataset New parameter added: estimate_statistics.
Table Compare The ignore_options parameter has a new option: IGNORE_FIELDALIAS.
Warp The transformation_type parameter has a new option: POLYSIMILARITY.
Warp From File The transformation_type parameter has a new option: POLYSIMILARITY.

Editing toolbox

New tools

Multidimension toolbox

New tools

Python and ArcPy

ArcGIS 10.4 has been upgraded to include Python 2.7.10. Additional third-party libraries including SciPy, pandas, Sympy, and nose have been included, and existing third-party libraries including NumPy and matplotlib have been upgraded to more current releases.

The GetPackageInfo function has been added to return a dictionary about packages.

Editing

The topology edit tool now supports additional commands and keyboard shortcuts for selecting and moving nodes and edges.

  • Press the N key to select topology nodes.
  • Press the E key to select topology edges.
  • Move and Move To commands are now available on the topology edit tool context menu.

Parcel Editing

Parcel merge

The parcel Merge dialog box now has additional options for managing parent parcels. Parent parcels can be deleted, flagged as historic, or remain as current, active parcels.

Parcel division

When dividing parcels into equal areas, the number of parts on the Parcel Division dialog box can be set to 1. Set the number of equal area parts to 1 when a deed calls for a specific area to be divided from the parcel, leaving a remainder parcel.

Mean points

Performance improvements have been made to the Mean Points tool. Furthermore, the tool now always stays active and can be used repeatedly without the need to specify a tolerance.

Least-squares adjustment

Collinear line sequences in the same plan are straightened during adjustment postprocessing if they lie within the specifiedStraighten Collinear Line Sequences tolerances. These tolerances are available on the Adjust Coordinates dialog box.

Geodata

Geodatabases and databases

  • A new advanced option—All records for Tables—has been added to the Create Replica wizard. Checking this option allows you to designate the inclusion of all data from all tables in your replica. In earlier releases, you had to set the option to include data for each table individually.
  • Beginning with ArcGIS 10.4, you must set an additional option (Return Output Parameters As ResultSet) when youconfigure the ODBC driver to connect to Teradata.
  • ArcGIS now supports connections to Dameng databases. You can connect to view and analyze data in ArcMap. You can also publish map and feature services to ArcGIS for Server.
  • If you use SAP HANA 1.0 SPS10, you can now use ArcGIS to load data that contains z and m values and you can view and analyze existing data that contains z and m values.

LAS Dataset

  • There is a new scrollable LAS point profile view. Using the mouse/keyboard keys the area-of-interest profile window will move or rotate and update immediately in the profile window.
  • Location of the cursor in point profile window is displayed in ArcMap inside the profile area-of-interest.
  • Elevation is now displayed and updated when moving cursor around in point profile window

Raster

There have been five improvements for raster types.

  • The SPOT-7 raster type is now supported.
  • The UAV/UAS raster type is now supported.
  • The WorldView-3 raster type now supports the SWIR bands.
  • Support netCDF and HDF data stored as irregularly spaced arrays is now supported.
  • There have also been improvements within Chinese raster types.

There are several improvements with raster geoprocessing.

The Georeferencing toolbar now has three new first-order transformations available: Only rotation and shift, Only shift and scale, Only rotation and scale.

 

 

Testing

A lot has changed since I last ran this, I no longer have the 8 core 32GB RAM “beast” anymore for starters. I expect that times will be changed but by how much?

For those who want the spec of the machine I am using: System Spec

Although it is more home computer spec, I am reliably told that this is should be more than adequate for running ArcMap & QGIS.

 

QGIS_LoadTimetesting

 

1. Load Time

As this is a comparison of the 2 new updates, rather that witter on about my personal views, I thought it better to provide some test results. To make the test equal, the method I use was to start up the software being tested, leave it for 10 minutes (to ensure all elements have loaded) and the add ALL 2010 AIS from a folder in the root – C:GIS. If you wish to test the data yourself, it can be downloaded from here. The timer was started from the moment that the data is added to the data frame (through the add data button). The timer is stopped when all data has finished loaded, indicated in ArcGIS by the globe in the bottom right not spinning and in QGIS by watching the windows processes & seeing when the CPU demand dropped to zero again.

For those who wish to go further down the rabbit hole, I categorised the data for both QGIS and ArcGIS and saved the styles. The AIS was categorised using standard deviation (n0) with 8 categories. Data was loaded directly from the qml/lyr.

The time given is the average of the 5 runs which were made.

Results:

ArcGIS 10.2  =     27.27 seconds

ArcGIS 10.3  =     38.5 seconds

ArcGIS 10.4  =    24.04 seconds

QGIS 2.6 =     9.103 seconds

QGIS 2.8 =     8.201 seconds

QGIS 2.14 =   5.08 seconds

On average QGIS was 20 seconds faster to load the data, furthermore, there was a slight speed increase for QGIS from 2.8 to the newer 2.14

ArcGIS_AnalysisTest

2. Testing – Analysis

What use is your software if you spend your days waiting for it to finish a process? The amount of time I must have lost due to running processes is immense, so what if I could save some time? Because of this, I run a  a viewshed test. I put a single point down, Then, using standard settings (and OS Terrain50), I run a viewshed (ensuring the output raster resolutions are identical)

ArcGIS 10.2 =         42 minutes

ArcGIS 10.3 =         4 failed attempts & gave up*

ArcGIS 10.4 =         12m 55s

QGIS 2.6 =         58 minutes

QGIS 2.8 =     1hr 16min

QGIS 2.14 =   26.86s

It looks like either this machine is far superior to the old desktop OR both software has made significant improvements in its calculation algorithms. To confirm, both outputs were identical and can be obtained through the link at the end of the article.

*To eradicate any issues with the data input or user error, the ArcGIS 10.2 map was saved and then opened in 10.3, the exact same parameters were used with no success.

5. Testing – Map Export

I seem to lose days exporting PDF files from GIS, so for me, this test is one of the most relevant, so that I can compare the amount of time consumed by the simple “PDF Export”.

For this test, the same EFH shapefiles used previously were loaded, no styles applied, then the bathymetric contours (also from the Marine Cadastre website) and the ESRI world countries shapefile. I then opened the layout/composer & set the orientation to landscape & the size to A3. Scale was set to 1:50000,000 then centered on the EFH data.

Once loaded and left to settle of 10mins, I set the PDF export to 500dpi and then made sure that both the QGIS & ArcGIS settings were the same* (no layers, no georeferencing etc). This is the average times for 5 runs.

The results were as follows:

ArcGIS 10.2 =         3mins 18s – File size 795MB

ArcGIS 10.3 =        3mins 30s – File size 903MB

ArcGIS 10.4 =      7.04s – File size 1.9MB

QGIS 2.6 =         37.4s – File size 72MB

QGIS 2.8 =         35.5s – File size 69MB

QGIS 2.14 =      10.3s – File size 18.16MB

*Just to be clear, ArcGIS and QGIS were run separately

6. Stability

This is a new category, as a few comments I have had asked how many crashes I have had whilst testing. I am please to say on this occasion NONE.

6. Niggles

As I worked through, I must say that both software were pretty much as expected, nothing has really changed. The ONLY thing I would pick up on is that QGIS needs to add layers to their browser. When looking for data, QML & SLD are not visible in their relative folders.
The winner is....
The winner is….

7. Conclusion

As well as comparing the times above, I also run through both software by opening a list of tools which are used within the office on a regular basis to ensure that the software is safe to be used.

As stated previously, it would be unfair to compare the tools as some tools are unique or paid for plugins. Needless to say, I found no issues in my testing.

In this comparison, I think that, although ArcGIS 10.3 has released a HUGE number of new tools and updates, they are, in large for specialists. These tools are unlikely to get used on a regular basis like you & I.

QGIS has shown some muscle and has, in this testing, shown itsef much faster. Furthermore one of my “niggles” from the last article has been dealt with, the shadows for points and fonts. Although there are only a handful of updates & new features, the tools (for me) are more likely to be used.

Again, as before, there is no clear winner as they are both great systems and suited to different professionals in different way. For basic use or an introduction to the world of GIS, you wouldn’t go wrong whichever you choose.

QGIS 2.5D AGAIN….But on a web map!

You can now export your QGIS 2.5D maps straight to a web map thanks to the genius(es) Tom Chadwin & Luca Casagrande who developed the QGIS2Web plugin. Before I run away with myself and start talking 2.5D and cool effects, I think it’s best I clarify a few things.

dragons8mycatLeave a comment

No, you didn’t misread that, you can now export your QGIS 2.5D maps straight to a web map thanks to the genius(es) Tom Chadwin & Luca Casagrande who developed the QGIS2Web plugin. Before I run away with myself and start talking 2.5D and cool effects, I think it’s best I clarify a few things.

Firstly, I realise that I told a bit of a fib when I wrote the xyHt article on web mapping where I said that there wasn’t an easier way to build a web map. There is, it is QGIS2Web, the only thing you need is your own website and QGIS. You simply make your map and hit the plugin button….voila! Not only a preview of the web map but also options for measure, popups, scalebar and even basemaps – It is truly a thing of beauty. The only technical knowledge you need is how to copy and paste your folder onto your web host.

It sounds too good to be true, which is why I feel guilty for ignoring it for so long….Having been beaten by the geospatial industry for well over a decade, I naturally assumed it was some scam whereby I would have to buy into something or pay for a subscription but no, this is the real deal. This is what ArcGIS online should have been, you front the cost (or not – have another look at Github pages *ahem*) for your website and the rest is free. You can host as many maps as you want with whatever style and data….of course, with a little know how and you can even link them to other sources using hyperlinks in your fields.

Screenshot from the 2.5D map I made
Screenshot from the 2.5D map I made

So, let’s clarify what 2.5D is

2D is the everyday “flat” maps which you would generate in QGIS/ArcGIS/MapInfo/CadCorp (add your own here) although there is relation of how features lie in comparison to others, there is no depth. Buildings and trees appear as “top-down” flat objects.

In true Dragons8mycat style, the best way to describe this is using a 2D image of Super Mario Bros:

Super Mario Brothers in 2D
Super Mario Brothers in 2D

2.5D Adds depth, though it is not full 3D, it cannot be explored like Google Earth, rather it is an illusion of depth.

This can be seen in the image below of Mario in 2.5D

2.5D Super Mario Bros
2.5D Super Mario Bros

3D provides true depth and the ability to explore the depth, this would be the Google Earth buildings or the CityEngine webscenes. Unlike a fixed view of the 3D features, they allow full movement around the real-world feature. Here is Super Mario once again to show what 3D is:

Super Mario in all three dimensions
Super Mario in all three dimensions

Is this the right time to discuss 4D?….No?….Briefly then – 4D is the medium of time, if we were to add a timeslider to the 3D Super Mario above, and  we could move around not only the features but also the time, then it would be 4D (temporal).

Out of interest I have had many discussions over what 3.5D is and so far the general consensus is that it would be a 2.5D map with temporal capability, so think of a 2.5D map which showed change over time….could this (below) be 3.5D?

3.5D?
3.5D?

Back to the future (qgis2web)

The QGIS2Web plugin provides the ability to create 2.5D features on a web map, there is the option to adjust & change colour and you can add functionality. What really surprised me was how easy it was.

Of course there are some minor things which I found as I worked through but I am sure that these will be fixed before this post goes live as the developers of this plugin are right on the ball.

Tip 1 – Use geojson files.

Although the Plugin uses any QGIS data (WYSIWYG) I found the plugin quicker and gave a more accurate representation with geojson files

Tip 2 – Forget your shadows

I was told that the plugin DOES honour the shadow effects but I found in my experience that the shapeburst fills and shadow effects didn’t work and in some cases caused the map to hang when switched on

Tip 3 – You need to remove the OSM maps in the code.

There are a plethora of basmaps available, I’m not going to knock it, BUT there is no option to turn them all off or to have them off by default. If you want to remove them, find the layers.js file and then remove the baselayers reference. var layersList = [baselayers,lyr_LandParcelsSedbergh,lyr_Trees]; should be changed to var layersList = [lyr_LandParcelsSedbergh,lyr_Trees];

 

[iframe src=”http://dragons8mycat.net/QGIS2WEB/sedbergh2D/&#8221; width=”600″ height=”400″ scrolling=”yes” ]

 

Above is the map I made of Sedbergh, as you can see, the OSM baselayer is still on as I keep going through phases of liking it and then hating it.

I am sure you will agree that, once the shadowing and shapeburst fills work, it will be amazing.

If you need any further information or would like some training, please feel free to contact me.

Nick D

 

New Job, New Goals, same Dragons8mycat

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In case you aren’t on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Slack, YouTube, Instagram or Geonet (don’t laugh I hear there are users) I decided that I needed a new challenge and to get behind a winning team.

There are many areas of the geospatial world that interest me, I am a huge fan hydrography and positional accuracy, though there is one area which I feel is getting under-represented…..3D. As I have stated before, we see, live and interact within a 3D world, in fact this year is set to be the year of the VR (Virtual Reality Headset) with sales estimated to be over $1bn. Having seen some of their work and hearing some of their plans, there was only one choice – Garsdale Design Ltd.

wedo3DGIS

Garsdale Design struck a chord with me, they were REALLY eager to point out that a visualisation wasn’t just a simple thing to look at any more. The conversations we always had were around the concept of 3D GIS, where the visualisation ends and the real analysis begins, more on this in another blog, but think to yourself….what defines GIS?

3DGISExample

Although it is early days, one of my drivers for Garsdale Design is to not only put 3D GIS on the map (apologies for the pun) but to be able to provide it in both proprietary and open source formats, providing platforms for all users to build and develop, create tools and have a product which we all have wanted.

Let’s be honest, ArcScene came close, though was too quirky, QGIS2ThreeJs is good but misses options for modelling larger areas….I could go on, but the future is ESRI CityEngine, Cesium & QGIS, no I’m not mad and no, I haven’t sold out either. CityEngine is by far the best tool for 3DGIS at the moment but Cesium is gaining ground with an open platform which could be developed to serve measuring and analysis tools. Then we get to QGIS who are developing things which most GIS users could have only dreamed of 5yrs ago….and are now talking 3D, can you imagine the possibilities?

As with all things, a week into the job and there are many, many more plans which are super exciting which I am forced to keep silent about, I am really glad I made the move.

 

2016-01-15 12.10.22

So, here we are, the dream team, I am the one with the Parka, note that the fells are covered in snow, I am not yet acclimatised and able to go sans jacket like these crazy northern UK people.

Parka or not, Garsdale Design now has a full suite of GIS services as well as 3D GIS services such as;

Geospatial Data Management & Processing
Asset Management
Cartographic Representation
Web Mapping – Mapserver/Open Layers/PostGIS
Constraints Mapping
Site Selection through Multi-criteria
Evaluation
GIS Model Production/Training
Spatial Analysis
Least Cost Path Analysis
Site Design & Layout
Design Refinement/Micrositing
Zone of Theoretical Visibility (ZTV)
3D Urban & Site Modelling
Geospatial Data Standards and implimentation
Metadata Standards and implimentation
Geodatabase modelling
Geoprocess modelling
Ordnance Survey data structure and implimentation
Data distribution and implimentation, providing map sharing solutions
Interactive geospatial solutions
Automatic Identification Systems (AIS)

Feel free to contact me if you need help or training on any of the above!

Be rest assured that my blogs will continue as they always have, though from time to time I may well discuss 3D GIS a little more, watch this space….

Dragons8mycat