Quantum GIS (QGIS) is a powerful and user friendly Open Source
Geographic Information System (GIS) that runs on Linux, Unix, Mac OSX,
Windows and Android. QGIS supports vector, raster, and database formats.
QGIS is licensed under the GNU Public License.
QGIS Feature
QGIS is a cross-platform (Linux, Windows, Mac) open source Geographic Information system.
The QGIS project offers different applications for your use cases:
- QGIS Desktop - The classic QGIS desktop application offers many GIS functions for data viewing, editing, and analysis.
- QGIS Browser - A fast and easy data viewer for your local, network and online (WMS) data.
- QGIS Server - A standard-compliant WMS 1.3 server that can be easily configured using QGIS Desktop project files.
- QGIS Client - A web front-end for your web mapping needs based on OpenLayers and GeoExt.
QGIS Desktop
The major features include:
- Direct viewing of vector and raster data in different formats and projections. Supported formats include:
- PostGIS and SpatiaLite,
- most vector formats supported by the OGR library, including ESRI shapefiles, MapInfo, SDTS and GML.
- raster formats supported by the GDAL library*, such as digital elevation models, aerial photography or landsat imagery,
- GRASS locations and mapsets,
- online spatial data served as OGC-compliant WMS , WMS-C (Tile cache), WFS and WFS-T
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Mapping and interactive exploration of spatial data. Tools include:
- on-the-fly reprojection
- print composer
- overview panel
- spatial bookmarks
- identify/select features
- edit/view/search attributes
- feature labeling
- vector diagram overlay
- advanced vector and raster symbology
- graticule layer
- map decorations like north arrow, scale bar and copyright label
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Create, edit and export spatial data using:
- digitizing tools for vector features
- field and raster calculator
- the georeferencer plugin
- GPS tools to import and export GPX format, convert other GPS formats to GPX, or down/upload directly to a GPS unit
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Perform spatial analysis, including:
- map algebra
- terrain analysis
- hydrologic modeling
- network analysis
- and many others
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Publish your map on the internet using QGIS Server or the "Export to Mapfile" capability (requires UMN MapServer)
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Adapt QGIS to your needs through the extensible plugin architecture.
QGIS Browser
QGIS Browser is a simple and fast data viewer. It allows the user to
explore attribute and meta data of local and online source.
QGIS Server
QGIS Server currently offers WMS 1.3.0 and 1.1.1 implementation. Features include:
- Enhanced WMS (Web Map Service) via HTTP GET. Supports GetCapabilities, GetMap, GetStyle, GetFeatureInfo and custom styling with Styled Layer Descriptor (Supported standards: WMS 1.3.0, WMS 1.1.1, and SLD 1.0.0).
- SOAP via HTTP POST. Compatible with the ORCHESTRA and SANY Service Oriented Architecture.
- Native configuration with SLD. User friendly map symbolisation using QGIS Desktop.
- Cartographic extensions to SLD (diagrams, patterns and custom symbols with Scalable Vector Graphics). Exchange of cartographic rules with the GetStyle operation.
The QGIS mapserver is a FastCGI/CGI application written in C++. It
works together with a webserver (Apache in most cases) invoking the
FastCGI application. It uses QGIS as backend for the GIS logic and for
map rendering.
Supported plattforms include Linux, Windows XP (only CGI at the moment) and MacOSX. Other Unixes possible, but not tested.
QGIS mapserver is an open source program released under the GPL license.
Installation instructions are provided on the QGIS Wiki.
QGIS Client
Latest version Quatum GIS 1.8.0: QGIS OSGeo4W 1.8.0.exe
QGIS 1.8.0 User Manual : QGIS 1.8.0 UserGuide.pdf
