The Geospatial Desktop

Desktop Geographic Information System (GIS) software gives you the ability to make maps and analyze geographic information. This book provides a foundational level of knowledge for understanding GIS and the open source desktop mapping applications that are available for use, for free, today. Learn about vector and raster data, how to convert data, interacting with spatial databases, creating new map data, geoprocessing, scripting, and more. Special sections include focused learning on the Quantum GIS and GRASS GIS software platforms but other packages are also introduced. The Geospatial Desktop is written by the creator of Quantum GIS, so you can rest assured that you will be led by one of the most knowledgeable authors on the subject.

"Desktop GIS" explores the world of Open Source GIS software and provides a guide to navigate the many options available. Strategies for choosing a platform, selecting the right tools, integration, managing change, and getting support are presented.

Create, analyze, and map your spatial data with ArcGIS for Desktop About This Book Learn how to use ArcGIS for Desktop to create and manage geographic data, perform vector and raster analysis, design maps, and share your results Solve real-world problems and share your valuable results using the powerful instruments of ArcGIS for Desktop Step-by-step tutorials cover the main editing, analyzing, and mapping tools in ArcGIS for Desktop Who This Book Is For This book is ideal for those who want to learn how to use the most important component of Esri's ArcGIS platform, ArcGIS for Desktop. It would be helpful to have a bit of familiarity with the basic concepts of GIS. Even if you have no prior GIS experience, this book will get you up and running quickly. What You Will Learn Understand the functionality of ArcGIS for Desktop applications Explore coordinate reference system concepts and work with different map projections Create, populate, and document a file geodatabase Manage, create, and edit feature shapes and attributes Built automate analysis workfl ows with ModelBuilder Apply basic principles of map design to create good-looking maps Analyze raster and three-dimensional data with the Spatial Analyst and 3D Analyst extensions In Detail ArcGIS for Desktop is one of the main components of the ESRI ArcGIS platform used to support decision making and solve real-world mapping problems. Learning ArcGIS for Desktop is a tutorial-based guide that provides a practical experience for those who are interested in start working with ArcGIS. The first five chapters cover the basic concepts of working with the File Geodatabase, as well as editing and symbolizing geospatial data. Then, the book focuses on planning and performing spatial analysis on vector and raster data using the geoprocessing and modeling tools. Finally, the basic principles of cartography design will be used to create a quality map that presents the information that resulted from the spatial analysis previously performed. To keep you learning throughout the chapters, all exercises have partial and final results stored in the dataset that accompanies the book. Finally, the book offers more than it promises by using the ArcGIS Online component in the tutorials as source of background data and for results sharing Style and approach This easy-to-follow guide is full of hands-on exercises that use open and free geospatial datasets. The basic features of the ArcGIS for Desktop are explained in a step-by-step style.

This book provides you with the resources to successfully develop your own GIS application in Python. The book begins by walking you through the loading and saving of data structures before you start to build the look and feel of your application and create its interactive map window. You'll then move on to managing, editing, and analyzing spatial data from within the application and finish with instructions for packaging the application for distribution. By the end of the book, you should be able to use your GIS application as a template for further development, with the potential to expand and customize it to suit your needs.

Master over 170 recipes that will help you turn QGIS from a desktop GIS tool into a powerful automated geospatial framework About This Book Delve into the undocumented features of the QGIS API Get a set of user-friendly recipes that can automate entire geospatial workflows by connecting Python GIS building blocks into comprehensive processes This book has a complete code upgrade to QGIS 2.18 and 30 new, valuable recipes Who This Book Is For This book is for geospatial analysts who want to learn more about automating everyday GIS tasks as well as programmers responsible for building GIS applications. The short, reusable recipes make concepts easy to understand and combine so you can build larger applications that are easy to maintain. What You Will Learn Use Python and QGIS to produce captivating GIS visualizations and build complex map layouts Find out how to effectively use the poorly-documented and undocumented features of the QGIS Python API Automate entire geospatial workflows by connecting Python GIS building blocks into comprehensive processes Create, import, and edit geospatial data on disk or in-memory Change QGIS settings programmatically to control default behavior Automatically generate PDF map books Build dynamic forms for field input In Detail QGIS is a desktop geographic information system that facilitates data viewing, editing, and analysis. Paired with the most efficient scripting language—Python, we can write effective scripts that extend the core functionality of QGIS. Based on version QGIS 2.18, this book will teach you how to write Python code that works with spatial data to automate geoprocessing tasks in QGIS. It will cover topics such as querying and editing vector data and using raster data. You will also learn to create, edit, and optimize a vector layer for faster queries, reproject a vector layer, reduce the number of vertices in a vector layer without losing critical data, and convert a raster to a vector. Following this, you will work through recipes that will help you compose static maps, create heavily customized maps, and add specialized labels and annotations. As well as this, we'll also share a few tips and tricks based on different aspects of QGIS. Style and approach This book follows a recipe-based problem-solution approach to address and dispel challenges faced when implementing and using QGIS on a regular basis.

Getting to Know ArcGIS® for Desktop is a workbook that introduces the principles of GIS via hands-on exercises. Readers are shown how to use ArcGIS for Desktop software tools to display and present maps and data, and then query and analyze the data. The third edition has been reorganized and includes new topics such as exploring online resources and raster data and contains new exercises, data, and learning tools. Known for its broad scope, clarity, and reliability, Getting to Know ArcGIS for Desktop is equally well-suited for classroom use, independent study, and as a reference. A data DVD for working through the exercises is included with the book, and access to a 180-day trial of ArcGIS 10.1 for Desktop is provided.

Over the past few decades the world has been organized through the growth and integration of geographic information systems (GIS) across public and private sector industries, agencies, and organizations. This has happened in a technological context that includes the widespread deployment of multiple digital mobile technologies, digital wireless communication networks, positioning, navigation and mapping services, and cloud-based computing, spawning new ways of imagining, creating, and consuming geospatial information and analytics. GIS: An Introduction to Mapping Technologies is written with the detached voices of practitioner scholars who draw on a diverse set of experiences and education, with a shared view of GIS that is grounded in the analysis of scale-diverse contexts emphasizing cities and their social and environmental geographies. GIS is presented as a critical toolset that allows analysts to focus on urban social and environmental sustainability. The book opens with chapters that explore foundational techniques of mapping, data acquisition and field data collection using GNSS, georeferencing, spatial analysis, thematic mapping, and data models. It explores web GIS and open source GIS making geospatial technology available to many who would not be able to access it otherwise. Also, the book covers in depth the integration of remote sensing into GIS, Health GIS, Digital Humanities GIS, and the increased use of GIS in diverse types of organizations. Active learning is emphasized with ArcGIS Desktop lab activities integrated into most of the chapters. Written by experienced authors from the Department of Geography at DePaul University in Chicago, this textbook is a great introduction to GIS for a diverse range of undergraduates and graduate students, and professionals who are concerned with urbanization, economic justice, and environmental sustainability.

Get the very most out of the ArcGIS for Desktop productsthrough ArcObjects and .NET ArcGIS for Desktop is a powerful suite of software tools forcreating and using maps, compiling, analyzing and sharinggeographic information, using maps and geographic information inapplications, and managing geographic databases. But getting thehang of ArcGIS for Desktop can be a bit tricky, even forexperienced programmers. Core components of ArcGIS platform iscalled ArcObjects. This book first introduce you the whole ArcGISplatform and the opportunities for development using variousprogramming languages. Then it focuses on ArcGIS for Desktopapplications and makes you familiar with ArcObjects from .NET pointof view. Whether you are an ArcGIS user with no background inprogramming or a programmer without experience with the ArcGISplatform, this book arms you with everything you need to get goingwith ArcGIS for Desktop development using .NET?right away. Writtenby a leading expert in geospatial information system design anddevelopment, it provides concise, step-by-step guidance,illustrated with best-practices examples, along with plenty ofready-to-use source code. In no time you?ll progress from .NETprogramming basics to understanding the full suite of ArcGIS toolsand artefacts to customising and building your own commands, toolsand extensions?all the way through application deployment. Among other things, you?ll learn to: Object-Oriented and Interface-based programming in .NET (C# andVB.NET) Finding relationship between classes and interfaces usingobject model diagrams Querying data Visualizing geographical data using various rendering Creating various kinds of Desktop Add-Ins Performing foreground and background geoprocessing Learn how to improve your productivity with ArcGIS forDesktop and Beginning ArcGIS for Desktop Development Using.NET