QGIS tutorials

January 28, 2010 11:36 AM

What is the best way to learn QGIS?

I'm quite familiar with ArcGIS, having used it for a few years and have learned how to do analysis using python scripts. I've really enjoyed this, but would like to try and learn how to do similar things in QGIS. I'd appreciate any pointers in this direction, such as books, tutorials, or courses, as most things I have found through googling are quite basic.

posted by a womble is an active kind of sloth to Education (3 answers total)

Looks like the QGIS group has put out some tutorials on their own, but you've probably been through that. Looks like there are QGIS gatherings at some conferences too.

It has such a small group of users that it seems you're stuck poking around by yourself. I've been to a few conference sessions at the MN GIS/LIS Consortium annual meeting that included people familiar with it, but not enough to really set me off using it as a substitute for ArcGIS for anything but the most basic viewing and editing tasks.
posted by look busy at 11:55 AM on January 28, 2010

Like lots of open source software, documentation is admittedly thin compared to ArcGIS, etc. Look to the community, especially IRC and mailing lists, on which you'll find experts who will either guide you or point you to the right place to stop you from bugging them.
posted by tmcw at 3:38 PM on January 28, 2010

I learned what I needed QGis to do through trial and error. Pretty much everything I need is there, but perhaps hiding under a plugin or lurking in the ftools menu. I find it extremely quick - it can pull in and tile several GB of ECW files in seconds. Much faster and less frustrating than Manifold.
posted by scruss at 6:16 PM on January 28, 2010