:Author: Simon Cropper :Reviewer: Jorge Sanz :Reviewer: Cameron Shorter, LISAsoft :Version: osgeo-live6.5 :License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported (CC BY-SA 3.0) .. image:: ../../images/project_logos/logo-gvSIG.png :scale: 50 :align: right ******************************************************************************** gvSIG Quickstart ******************************************************************************** gvSIG is a Geographic Information System (GIS), that is, a desktop application designed for capturing, storing, handling, analyzing and deploying any kind of referenced geographic information in order to solve complex management and planning problems. gvSIG is known for having a user-friendly interface, being able to access the most common formats, both vector and raster ones. It features a wide range of tools for working with geographic-like information (query tools, layout creation, geoprocessing, networks, etc.), which turns gvSIG into the ideal tool for users working in the land realm. This quickstart describes how to... * Add projection, raster and vector data to a view; * Navigate around; * Change layers; * Select features; * Create a map with a graticule; .. contents:: Contents Start gvSIG and create a view ================================================================================ Select gvSIG from the application menu, :menuselection:`Geospatial->Desktop GIS->gvSIG`. The application usually takes about a minute to startup. #. By default gvSIG opens with an empty project file with the 'View' document type selected. However, on OSGeo-Live, gvSIG has been configured to start with a default project. Click on the :guilabel:`New Project` button or go to :menuselection:`File --> New Project`. When prompted, you can select :menuselection:`Discard Changes` as we won't be using the last project. #. Click on the :guilabel:`New` button to create a view. .. image:: ../../images/screenshots/1024x768/gvsig_qs_001.png :scale: 55 Define the projection of your view ================================================================================ Open the view properties dialog -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- #. Select the newly created view. By default it is titled ``Untitled - 0`` but may be ``Untitled - 1`` if you created then deleted a view already. #. Click on the :guilabel:`Properties` button to open the **View properties** dialog. #. Click on the :guilabel:`...` button following the :guilabel:`Current projection`. This will open the **New CRS** dialog. .. image:: ../../images/screenshots/1024x768/gvsig_qs_002.png :scale: 55 Defining your Coordinate Reference System -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- #. Using the dropdown list for :guilabel:`Type`, select EPSG. #. Enter the EPSG code for the Coordinate Reference System. For this example we are using EPSG=4326, which is the WGS84 2D Geographic Projection. Then click on the :guilabel:`Search` button. This will list the selected CRS in the table below the search input field. #. Select :guilabel:`OK` to return to the **View Properties** dialog. .. image:: ../../images/screenshots/1024x768/gvsig_qs_003.png :scale: 55 Saving the view properties -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- #. Note that the EPSG code is now 4326 and that the map units have changed to degrees. #. Select :guilabel:`OK` to return to the **Project Manager**. .. image:: ../../images/screenshots/1024x768/gvsig_qs_004.png :scale: 55 Open the view -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- #. Select the newly created view. #. Click on the :guilabel:`Open` button to open the *View*. #. The view window consists of three zones. #. The top-left cell contains a list of vector or raster layers being used in the view (i.e. Table-of-Contents). #. The bottom-left cell displays the extent of the main view over a selected vector file. #. The right cell is the main display area where raster and vector data is rendered. #. Select the :guilabel:`Maximise window` icon to have the view occupy the entire screen. .. image:: ../../images/screenshots/1024x768/gvsig_qs_005.png :scale: 55 The View - adding raster and vector data ================================================================================ Open the add layer dialog -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- #. Click on the :guilabel:`Add layer` icon in the main toolbar to open the **Add layer** dialog. #. Select :guilabel:`Add` in the **Add layer** dialog. By default the first tab is *File* so the **Open** file dialog will appear. #. Drill down to the ``/usr/local/share/data/natural_earth2/`` directory. .. image:: ../../images/screenshots/1024x768/gvsig_qs_006.png :scale: 55 Selecting a raster file -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- #. Select *gvSIG Raster Driver* from the file type dropdown list. By default the shapefile driver is used so the directory may appear empty. #. Select ``HYP_50M_SR_W.tif``. #. Click on the :guilabel:`OK` button to return to the **Add layer** dialog. .. image:: ../../images/screenshots/1024x768/gvsig_qs_007.png :scale: 55 Selecting vector files -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- #. The **Add layer** dialog now has the raster file listed. #. Select the :guilabel:`Add` button to add some vector files. The **Open** files dialog will appear. #. Select the :guilabel:`Up one level` button in the menu to change the directory to the ``/usr/local/share/data/natural_earth2/`` directory. #. Select :guilabel:`gvSIG shp driver` from the file type dropdown list. #. Select the ``ne_10m_admin_1_states_provinces.shp``, ``ne_10m_populated_places.shp`` and ``ne_10m_rivers_lake_centerlines.shp`` shapefiles from the list. Hold down the control key to select multiple files. #. Click on the :guilabel:`OK` button to return to the **Add layer** dialog. #. Click on the :guilabel:`OK` button on the **Add layer** dialog to return to the view. .. image:: ../../images/screenshots/1024x768/gvsig_qs_008.png :scale: 55 The View - basic navigation ================================================================================ .. note:: If gvSIG user interface becomes unresponsive, try :kbd:`Alt+f` to open the file menu for example. User interface should work again, then. Zoom into a region -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Once back at the main view you'll see the vector files super-imposed over the raster file. The colours shown in this screen shot may differ from yours depending on the user preferences. #. By default the *Zoom in* tool is selected on the main toolbar. #. Use the mouse pointer to draw a bounding box around South-east Australia. Do this by selecting the top-left corner of the bounding box, holding down the left-mouse-button, and dragging the bottom-right corner of the bounding box over the selected area. Release the left-mouse button once you have the approximate area defined. .. image:: ../../images/screenshots/1024x768/gvsig_qs_009.png :scale: 55 Fine-scale navigation -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The view will automatically change to show the area within the selected bounding box. #. The size of the Table-of-Contents column can be adjusted using the mouse to help see long file names. #. Adjust what is shown in the view by using the highlighted tools, so that Victoria is central. .. image:: ../../images/screenshots/1024x768/gvsig_qs_010.png :scale: 55 The View - changing how layers look ================================================================================ Making a polygon transparent -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- #. Select the ``ne_10m_admin_1_states_provinces.shp`` layer using the left-mouse-button and click again with the right-mouse-button. #. Select the :menuselection:`Properties` submenu. #. The **Layer properties** dialog box will appear. .. image:: ../../images/screenshots/1024x768/gvsig_qs_011.png :scale: 55 Changing the symbology of a vector layer -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- #. Select the :guilabel:`Symbols` tab at the top of the **Layers properties** dialog. #. Select :guilabel:`Choose symbol` button so the **Symbol selector** dialog appears. #. Uncheck the :guilabel:`Fill color` box so the polygons are transparent. #. Click on the :guilabel:`OK` button to return to the **Layers properties** dialog. .. image:: ../../images/screenshots/1024x768/gvsig_qs_012.png :scale: 55 Changing the labelling of a vector layer -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- #. Select the :guilabel:`Labelling` tab at the top of the **Layers properties** dialog. #. Change the text attributes to those shown on the image, then click on the :guilabel:`Accept` button. .. image:: ../../images/screenshots/1024x768/gvsig_qs_013.png :scale: 55 The result -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Note that this is a very basic view showing a point, a line and a polygon vector file superimposed over a raster file. It is just as easy to have an aerial photograph or Digital Terrain Model as a backdrop to your vector data, or to show other vector data stored in different formats. .. image:: ../../images/screenshots/1024x768/gvsig_qs_014.png :scale: 55 A user exercise - change the symbology and labelling of the point and line layers --------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Following the previous few steps change the symbols, colour and labelling of the rivers and towns to generally match the following screen shot. .. image:: ../../images/screenshots/1024x768/gvsig_qs_015.png :scale: 55 Simple analysis - select towns within a region ================================================================================ Selecting the region -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- #. Select the ``ne_10m_admin_1_states_provinces.shp`` layer using the left-mouse-button. #. Select the :guilabel:`Select by point` icon in the main toolbar. #. Click the polygon representing the State of Victoria. The polygon will go yellow or some other colour depending on your user preferences. .. image:: ../../images/screenshots/1024x768/gvsig_qs_016.png :scale: 55 Selecting the towns contained within a region -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- #. Select the ``ne_10m_populated_places.shp`` layer using the left-mouse-button. #. Select :menuselection:`View --> Selection --> Selection by layer` to open the **Selection by Layer** dialog #. Change the two selection criteria using the dropdown boxes on the left-hand side of the **Selection by Layer** dialog. Click the :guilabel:`New set` button to select towns within the selected polygon. #. Select the :guilabel:`Cancel` button in the **Selection by Layer** dialog to return to the view. .. image:: ../../images/screenshots/1024x768/gvsig_qs_017.png :scale: 55 Unselect the polygon so you can see what has happened -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- #. Select the ``ne_10m_admin_1_states_provinces.shp`` layer using the left-mouse-button. #. Select the 'Clear selection' icon in the main toolbar. #. You can now see that the only those towns within Victoria are selected. .. image:: ../../images/screenshots/1024x768/gvsig_qs_018.png :scale: 55 Export the selected towns to a new shapefile -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- #. Select the ``ne_10m_populated_places.shp`` layer using the left-mouse-button. #. Select :menuselection:`Layer --> Export to... --> Shapefile` to start the export. #. The **Export to...** dialog appears. gvSIG recognises that only 26 features are selected so warns you that only a subset of the shapefile will be exported. Select the :guilabel:`Yes` button to continue. #. The **Save** dialog appears. Give the file a name and save in a directory of choice. Select the :guilabel:`Save` button to continue. Note that if you already have a file by the name chosen a warning message will be shown. #. The **Add layer** dialog appears. Select the :guilabel:`Yes` button to add the new shapefile to the Table-of-Contents. .. image:: ../../images/screenshots/1024x768/gvsig_qs_019.png :scale: 55 Showing only towns within a region -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- #. Once you return to the view, uncheck ``ne_10m_populated_places.shp`` in the Table-of-Contents. #. Change the symbology and labelling of ``test.shp`` to match the screenshot below. #. Now the view only includes towns and that occur within the State of Victoria. #. Select the :guilabel:`Close window` icon to return to the **Project manager** so we can create a map using this view. .. image:: ../../images/screenshots/1024x768/gvsig_qs_020.png :scale: 55 How to create a map ================================================================================ Create a new map and open it -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- #. Select the *Map* document type in the **Project Manager**. #. Click on the :guilabel:`New` button to create a map. #. Select the newly created map. By default it is titled ``Untitled - 0``. #. Click on the :guilabel:`Open` button. #. An empty map will appear in its own window titled ``Map: Untitled - 0``. Note that a series of points are placed over the page. This is called a grid or guides and are used to snap elements to while formatting your map. #. Select the :guilabel:`Maximise window` icon to have the map occupy the entire screen. .. image:: ../../images/screenshots/1024x768/gvsig_qs_021.png :scale: 55 Insert a view with a grid/graticule ----------------------------------- #. Click on the :guilabel:`Insert view` icon in the main menu #. Create a bounding box representing the extent of the map on the page by clicking on the empty map while holding down the left-mouse-button and dragging out the box, only letting go once the the area to be used is complete. This opens the **Properties of view framework** dialog. #. Select the *view* created earlier. #. Check the :guilabel:`Show Grid` option (this actually creates a graticule). #. Click on the :guilabel:`Configure` grid button to open the **Grid settings** dialog. #. In the **Grid settings** dialog change the grid interval to 1.0, that is 1 degree between lines representing latitude and longitude. #. Select the grid format (use lines rather than points for ease of viewing). #. Increase the font size to 14. #. Select the :guilabel:`Ok` button to return to the **Properties of view framework** dialog then select the :guilabel:`Accept` button to exit and return to your map. .. image:: ../../images/screenshots/1024x768/gvsig_qs_022.png :scale: 55 What else can you do to a map? -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- #. Select :menuselection:`Map --> Properties` from the main menu to open the **Map Properties** dialog box. Unselect the *Visualise Grid* checkbox then select the :guilabel:`OK` button. The 'snap-to' guides/grid used while formatting should now be removed from the page and the image should match what is shown below. #. Additional elements like a scale and north arrow can be added to the map using the icons in the main toolbar or with the submenus in the :menuselection:`Map` menu. #. The map can be printed or exported to PDF or Postscript for incorporation into other works. #. Select the :guilabel:`Close window` icon to return to the **Project manager** .. image:: ../../images/screenshots/1024x768/gvsig_qs_023.png :scale: 55 Saving your project or exiting gvSIG ================================================================================ #. Projects can be saved for use later by using the :menuselection:`File --> Save as...` menu option, or #. Projects can be exited or closed by using the :menuselection:`File --> Exit` menu option. .. image:: ../../images/screenshots/1024x768/gvsig_qs_024.png :scale: 55 Where to from here... ================================================================================ Some English help and tutorials are available on the `gvSIG `__ website.