QGIS Training Manual - Part 1

QGIS 3.14.
1 Training Manual
Introduction on QGIS
QGIS is an open source geographic information system (GIS) software widely used
around the world. QGIS was born in May 2002 and was established as a project in
SourceForge in June the same year. The initial goal of this project was to provide a GIS
data viewer. However, due to the efforts of contributors and developers, QGIS has
reached the point in its evolution where it has been used for more functions than it was
envisioned. QGIS is now used daily by users around the world for data capture, advanced
GIS analysis, for the presentation of sophisticated maps, atlases, and reports.
Why QGIS? There is a whole lot of other open source GIS applications in the market, so
why use QGIS instead? QGIS is fast developing as it is being periodically updated by GIS
experts around the world. QGIS is also easy to learn as it aims to be a user-friendly
software providing common functions and features that is easy to learn. QGIS is also
available on multiple platforms as you can have it installed in Windows, Mac, and Linux
OS. QGIS also has a wide range of plugins that you can install to customize it depending
on your needs. Lastly, QGIS supports a wealth of raster and vector data formats, with new
format support easily added using the plugin architecture.
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QGIS 3.14.1 Training Manual
Table of Contents
Chapter 1: Installing QGIS 3.14.1 ....................................................................................................... 4

Chapter 2: Getting Familiar with QGIS Interface .........................................................................9
Adding a Raster Layer in the Map View .......................................................................................... 10
Navigating Your Raster Layer in Map View Using Navigation Tools .................................. 12
Removing a Raster Layer in the Map View/Layers Panel ....................................................... 13
Adding a Vector Layer in the Map View ......................................................................................... 14
Opening the Attribute Table of the Layer ...................................................................................... 17
Chapter 3: Working with Layer Properties ................................................................................18
Chapter 4: Georeferencing ..................................................................................................................21
Chapter 5: Georeferencing a Raster Image Without Control Points .............................28
Capturing Control Points/Tick Marks ............................................................................................ 30
Checking if the Georeferenced Map Fits the Source .................................................................. 34
Chapter 6: Reprojecting a Georeferenced Raster Layer ......................................................36
Chapter 7: Creating a New Vector/Shapefile Layer ................................................................40
Creating a Point Vector ......................................................................................................................... 40
Creating a Line Vector ........................................................................................................................... 43
Creating a Polygon Vector ................................................................................................................... 45
Chapter 8: Digitizing ...............................................................................................................................47
Digitizing a Point Vector ...................................................................................................................... 47
Digitizing a Line Vector ........................................................................................................................ 50
Digitizing a Polygon Vector ................................................................................................................. 53
Chapter 9: Editing an Existing Polygon .........................................................................................58
Editing Boundary Edges ....................................................................................................................... 61
Adding a Vertex on a Selected Feature ........................................................................................... 62
Deleting a Vertex on a Selected Feature ........................................................................................ 62
Inserting Another Feature Inside an Existing Feature ............................................................. 63
Chapter 10: Applying Map Symbology ..........................................................................................65
Symbolizing the Layer .......................................................................................................................... 66
Removing Unwanted Symbols ........................................................................................................... 68
Applying Proper Symbology to Each Feature .............................................................................. 68
Adding Labels to Your Map ................................................................................................................. 70
Chapter 11: Preparing A Basemap Layout Template ............................................................72
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Saving Your Work as a Project ........................................................................................................... 73

Renaming the Layers ............................................................................................................................. 74
Applying Proper Symbology for Each Layer ................................................................................ 74
Adding Labels to Your Map ................................................................................................................. 76
Working Your Map Layout .................................................................................................................. 78
Setting the Layout ................................................................................................................................... 78
Adding a Border Frame ........................................................................................................................ 79
Adding the Map Subject ........................................................................................................................ 80
Setting the Map Scale ............................................................................................................................ 81
Adding the Grid ........................................................................................................................................ 82
Adding Labels/Text ............................................................................................................................... 83
Adding the North Arrow ...................................................................................................................... 84
Adding the Scalebar ............................................................................................................................... 85
Adding a Logo ........................................................................................................................................... 87
Adding the Legend .................................................................................................................................. 88
Adding an Image as a Locator Map .................................................................................................. 89
References ....................................................................................................................................................91
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Chapter 1
INSTALLING QGIS 3.14.1
Introduction
Geographic Information Systems (GIS) refers to a set of computer-based systems

designed to aid the acquisition, management, display, analysis, and modelling of
geographic data which can be used for solving real-world spatial problems (Rhind,
1989). Throughout the years, various GIS tools and techniques have been developed that
can be utilized for environmental, land use, and urban planning applications. For
instance, GIS can be used by planners in mapping land cover and natural resources, in
designating these land resources to different land use activities, in conducting Climate
and Disaster Risk Assessment (CDRA), in identifying suitable sites for housing projects,
and in predicting future urban growth and expansion.
Currently, several GIS software are available either commercially (e.g., ArcGIS) or for
free (e.g., QGIS). In this training manual, we will use the QGIS software because it is user-
friendly, open-source, and can be downloaded free-of-charge. QGIS installers can be
downloaded from https://qgis.org/en/site/forusers /download.html. As of June 2020,
the latest version of the software is QGIS 3.14.1 ‘Pi’. In this exercise, participants will
learn how to install the QGIS 3.14.1 ‘Pi’ software which will be explored and utilized in
the succeeding exercises.
Data and Tools
For this exercise, participants will be provided the following:
• QGIS 3.14.1 ‘Pi’ installer for 64-bit processor: QGIS-OSGeo4W-3.14.1-1-Setup-

x86_64.exe
1. In the C:\QGIS Training Data\QGIS Installer folder, locate the

executable file QGIS-OSGeo4W-3.14.1-1-Setup-x86_64.exe.
Figure 1.1 QGIS installer
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Note: For computers running in 32-bit processors, use the QGIS-OSGeo4W-

3.14.1-1-Setup-x86_32 Installer, although it is highly recommended to use
computers with 64-bit processors.
2. Double-click the file to launch the QGIS 3.14.1 ‘Pi’ Setup Wizard. Click [Next] to
continue the installation process.
Figure 1.2 QGIS 3.14.1 ‘Pi’ Setup Wizard window
Note: There might be a prompt asking for administrative privileges on the

installation after double-clicking the executable file. In such cases, just click [Yes].
3. Click [I Agree] in the License Agreement window.
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Figure 1.3 QGIS License Agreement window
Note: You may read the License Agreement later, but for the purpose of this
exercise, you need to choose the [I Agree] option to continue.
4. The Choose Install Location window will appear. For the purpose of this activity,
we will install the program in the default destination folder
C:\ProgramFiles\QGIS 3.2. Click [Next] to proceed.
Figure 1.4 QGIS Choose Install Location window
Note: You may also customize the destination folder depending on their hard
drive space by clicking on [Browse].
5. In the Choose Components window, click [Install] to begin the installation.

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Figure 1.5 QGIS Choose Components window
Note: In this window, you are given an option to install additional components
composed of three (3) sample data sets. You may opt to tick off the boxes beside
these components, but these will incur additional space in your hard drive.
6. Wait for the installation process to finish. It may take some time depending on the
processor speed of your computer.
Figure 1.6 QGIS Installation Progress window
7. When the installation is done, click [Finish] to close the QGIS 3.14.1 ‘Pi’ Setup
window.
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Figure 1.7 QGIS Setup Completion prompt
Note: You have the option to restart/reboot the system to give time for the system
to replace important .dll files in the registry.
END OF EXERCISE
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Chapter 2
GETTING FAMILIAR WITH THE QGIS INTERFACE
Introduction
The QGIS software can accommodate two types of spatial data:
• Raster data represents continuous features as cells (pixels) in a grid and are
often used in scientific studies for various phenomena that vary continuously in
space (Penn Libraries, 2020). Examples of raster data are satellite images,
scanned maps, digital aerial photographs, and digital elevation models (DEM).
Some of the common raster file formats that are supported by QGIS include Geo
Tagged Image File Formats (.tif), Portable Network Graphics (.png), Arc/Info
ASCII GRID (.asc), Erdas Imagine Images (.img), and Joint Photographic Experts
Group (.jpg) (QGIS Development Team, n.d.)
• Vector data represents discrete features, which could have names or attributes.
It is made up of geometric primitives (i.e., points, lines, and polygons) that are
used to represent discrete objects in the real world (Penn Libraries, 2020).
Examples of vector data are GPS points, road shapefiles, building footprints, and
administrative boundaries shapefile. Some of the common vector file formats
that are supported by QGIS include ESRI Shapefile (.shp), Keyhole Markup
Language (.kml), GeoJSON (.geojson), GPS eXchange Format (.gpx), and Comma
Separated Values (.csv) (QGIS Development Team, n.d.).
In this exercise, participants will navigate to the basic parts and tools of the QGIS
interface and learn how to load some of the most common raster and vector datasets
encountered by land use planners, into the QGIS software.
Data and Tools
• Scanned Topographic Map in JPEG format: topomap.jpg

• Existing Land Use Vector File in ESRI Shapefile format: ELUM.shp
1. Open the QGIS 3.14.1 folder that was created on your Desktop. Notice that six
applications were installed. Double-click on the QGIS Desktop 3.14.1 shortcut
icon to launch the application.
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Figure 2.1 QGIS Desktop 3.14.1 shortcut
Note: In such cases that there is no QGIS Desktop Shortcut created during the
installation, you can always navigate through your Start Menu or look it up
through the Search Bar.
2. The Untitled Project – QGIS window will appear. Familiarize yourself with the
basic parts of the default QGIS Interface that we will often use in this training
(Figure 2.2).
MENU BAR
TOOLBARS
MAP VIEW
LAYERS
PANEL
Figure 2.2 QGIS interface with Default/Preset toolbars
Adding a Raster Layer in the Map View
1. In the Menu Bar, go to Layer → Add Layer → Add Raster Layer… to open the
Data Source Manager | Raster window.
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Figure 2.3 Opening the Data Source Manager | Raster window
Tip: Alternatively, you may also try the following steps:

• In the Data Source Manager toolbar, click the Open Data Source
Manager button to open the Data Source Manager window. Then, select
Raster on the left panel of the window.
• In the Menu Bar, go to Layer → Data Source Manager to open the Data
Source Manager window. Then, select Raster on the left panel of the
window.
• On your keyboard, press [CTRL + L] to open the Data Source Manager

window. Then, select Raster on the left panel of the window.
2. In the Data Source Manager | Raster window, click the Browse button.
Navigate to C:\QGIS Training Data\00_Raster Data, then select the file
topomap.jpg and click [Open].
Figure 2.4 Opening a sample raster data from the training data folder
3. Going back to the Data Source Manager | Raster window, click [Add] to add the
raster layer to the Map View, then click [Close].
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Figure 2.5 Adding sample raster data to the Map View
4. Your Map View should look like this.
Figure 2.6 Sample raster data loaded in the Map View
Tip: You may also add raster data by dragging the file from the training folder to
the Map View.
Navigating Your Raster Layer in Map View Using Navigation Tools
The Map Navigation toolbar is placed in default just beneath the Menu Bar.
Figure 2.7 Familiarizing with tools in the Map Navigation toolbar
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1. Click the Pan Map icon. Place your mouse cursor on the Map View. While
holding the left mouse button, drag it either left or right; or up and down to move
the view of the raster layer.
2. Click the Zoom-In icon or the Zoom-Out icon. Place your mouse cursor on
the Map View. While holding the left mouse button, drag it diagonally
(upward/downward) to draw a rectangle, then release the left mouse button upon
reaching the desired extent. This action will zoom in or zoom out the Map window
view into the highlighted area. You may also simply click on any given area once
to zoom in or zoom out.
3. Click the Zoom Full icon to view the whole extent of the map.
4. Click the Zoom Last icon to go back to the last view setting of the map.
5. Click the Zoom Next icon to go to the next view setting of the map.
Tip: You may also use the scroll wheel in the middle of your mouse to zoom in or
zoom out on the Map View. Just simply scroll up to zoom in and scroll down to
zoom out.
Removing a Raster Layer in the Map View/Layers Panel
1. In the Layers panel on the lower left side of the screen, click to select the raster
layer topomap. Right-click on the said layer and select Remove Layer… from the
dropdown options.
Figure 2.8 Removing a raster layer from the Map View
Tip: You may select multiple layers on the Layers panel by holding [CTRL] on
your keyboard while left-clicking the layers.
2. Click [OK] in the next window that will prompt to remove the raster layer.
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Figure 2.9 A Confirmation Window Prompt which avoids deleting files accidentally
Tip: Alternatively, you may also remove layers by doing either of the following
after selecting the layers that you want to delete:
• Click the Remove Layer/Group button on the Layers panel.
• Press [CTRL+D] on your keyboard.
Adding a Vector Layer in the Map View
1. In the Menu Bar, go to Layer → Add Layer → Add Vector Layer… to open the Data
Source Manager | Vector window.
Figure 2.8 Opening the Data Source Manager | Vector window
Tip: Alternatively, you may try the following steps:

• In the Data Source Manager toolbar, click the Open Data Source
Manager button to open the Data Source Manager window. Then, select
Vector on the left panel of the window.
• In the Menu Bar, go to Layer → Data Source Manager to open the Data
Source Manager window. Then, select Vector on the left panel of the
window.
• On your keyboard, press [CTRL + L] to open the Data Source Manager

window. Then, select Vector on the left panel of the window.
2. In the Data Source Manager | Raster window, click the Browse button. Then,
navigate to the C:\QGIS Training Data\01_Vector Data folder and
select ELUM.shp. Click [Open].
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Figure 2.9 Opening a vector shapefile
Note: The ELUM vector data consists of different files with various file extensions.
To display the SHP format, make sure to select ESRI Shapefiles from the File
Type dropdown list beside the Filename input box.
3. Click [Add] and [Close] respectively to add the vector layer to the Map View.
Figure 2.10 Loading the vector file into the Map View
Note: Due to the differences with the default projection of the recently added
vector file with the default WGS 84, an error window may prompt, giving you an
option to transform the file. For this exercise, click [OK] to continue. (See Figure
2.11)
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Figure 2.11 Coordinate Reference System (CRS) Conversion prompt
4. Your Map View should look like what is shown in Figure 2.12. Now, try navigating
through the vector shapefile by using the Map Navigation Tools used earlier.
Figure 2.12 Loaded shapefile in the Map View
Tip: You may also add vector data by dragging the file (with file type AutoCAD
Shape Source) from the training folder to the Map View.
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Opening the Attribute Table of the Vector Layer
1. Navigate through the Layers panel and right-click on the vector layer named
ELUM.
2. In the dropdown selection, select Open Attribute Table. Explore the contents of
the attribute table.
Figure 2.13 Opening the attribute table of a vector layer
END OF EXERCISE
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Chapter 3
WORKING WITH LAYER PROPERTIES
Introduction
We can explore the properties of raster and vector datasets in QGIS through the Layer
Properties window. The Layer Properties window displays basic information about the
layer and provides general settings to manage the appearance of the loaded dataset,
including its symbology and labelling, on the map (QGIS Development Team, n.d.).
In this exercise, participants will learn how to explore the layer properties of raster and
vector datasets which will be useful in the succeeding exercises of this training manual.
Data and Tools
• Barangay Boundary Vector File in ESRI Shapefile format: brgy_bnd.jpg
1. Launch the QGIS Desktop 3.14.1 software. Add the brgy_bnd.shp from the
QGIS Training folder located at C:\QGIS Training Data\01_Vector Data
into the Map View using the steps that you have learned from the previous
exercise.
2. In the Layers panel, click to select the layer named brgy_bnd. Right-click on the
said layer and select Properties… from the dropdown options to open the Layer
Properties window.
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Figure 3.1 Navigating to Layer Properties from the Layer panel
Tip: You may also open the Layer Properties window by double-clicking the
layer on the Layers panel.
3. The Layer Properties window will pop out the screen. Notice the left panel of the
window, which consists of different sub-properties such as Information, Source,
etc.
Figure 3.2 Layer Properties Window bearing the file information
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The following are properties under the Layer Properties window. There are
some other advanced properties such as Mask, 3D View, Diagrams, Attributes
Form, Auxiliary Storage, Actions, Display, Rendering, Temporal, Variables,
Metadata, Dependency, Legend, Server, and Digitizing. For the purpose of this
exercise, we only need to familiarize ourselves with the following (QGIS
Development Team, n.d.):
Provides information from provider embedded in the file such as but not
limited to Name, Path, Storage Type, Encoding, Geometry, and the Total
Number of Features. It Also includes Identifications, Access, Attribute Fields,
Contact, Links, and History (provided that such information was included in
the said file itself).
Contains the layer information, such as Layer name, Source/Location, and

current Coordinate Reference System of the Layer. The Layer name could be
edited here.
The layer symbology such as color and rendering can be set here.
The layer can be labeled here.
This is where you can add and delete a column or field of the layer’s attribute
table and perform calculations, such as areas of the Polygon layer.
Used to join the Layer’s Attribute Table with tables in “dbf” or “csv” format to
perform some analysis.
END OF EXERCISE
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Chapter 4
GEOREFERENCING
Introduction
While collecting secondary datasets from various government agencies and other data
sources, planners often encounter digital geographic data in the form of scanned aerial
photographs or paper maps. Hence, these raster datasets need to be assigned with
proper map coordinates to accurately represent the actual physical location of map
features. Georeferencing refers to the process of relating the internal coordinate system
of the scanned map or image with a known coordinate system in the real world (USGS,
n.d.).
In this exercise, participants will learn how to georeference a scanned topographic map
by assigning a geographic coordinate system (GCS) to the raster layer. GCS uses
latitude and longitude (in decimal degrees or DMS format) to define the location of a
point on the Earth’s surface. The most common GCS in the Philippines are the Luzon
1911 and the World Geodetic System of 1984 (WGS84). The output georeferenced
topographic map will then be used in the next exercise.
Data and Tools
• Scanned Topographic Map in JPEG format: topomap.jpg
1. Launch the QGIS Desktop 3.14.1 software. From the Menu Bar, go to Raster →
Georeferencer… to open the Georeferencer window.
Figure 4.1 Opening the Georeferencer
2. In the Georeferencer window, go to File → Open Raster. Alternatively, you may

simply press [CTRL + O] on your keyboard.
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Figure 4.2 Opening a raster file in the Georeferencer window
3. Navigate the data folder: C:\QGIS Training Data\00_Raster Data. Select

topomap.jpg, then click [Open].
Figure 4.3 Loaded scanned map in the Georeferencer
Before capturing Ground Control Points or GCPs, we need to identity 4 possible

control points. For the purpose of this exercise, let us identify the four corners of the
map as the GCPs.
4. Zoom in on the first GCP (the top left corner) until you reach the desired pixel
(See Figure 4.4).
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Figure 4.4 First designated GCP on the top left corner of the raster file
5. To capture the first point, click the Add Point button. Place the cursor on the
identified control point then left-click once to mark it on the Georeferencer
window and open the Enter Map Coordinates dialog box.
6. In the X and Y input boxes, type in the corresponding latitude and longitude values
of the GCP that are indicated in the scanned map (See Figure 4.5). Click [OK] when
you are done.
Figure 4.5 Typing the map coordinates of the 1st GCP
7. After capturing the first GCP, click the Zoom to Layer button to go back to Full
Extent View. Locate the 3 other GCPs by repeating steps 4-6. Use the following
table (Table 4.1) as a reference for the map coordinate inputs:
Table 4.1 Values for the 4 GCPs and their respective locations
POINT_ID LONG_DEG MIN SEC LAT_DEG MIN SEC LOC

(x) (y)
0 120 45 0 14 10 0 Top-Left
1 121 0 0 14 10 0 Top-Right
2 121 0 0 14 0 0 Bot-Right
3 120 45 0 14 0 0 Bot-Left
The result should look like this.
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Figure 4.6 GCP Table showing all the values of the 4 identified GCPs
8. After registering all GCPs, you need to define the Transformation Settings. In the
Georeferencer window, navigate through Settings → Transformation Settings…
to open the Transformation Settings dialog box.
Figure 4.7 Opening Transformation Settings from the Menu Bar
9. In the Transformation Settings window, do the following steps (you may refer
to Figure 4.9 for the settings):
a. In the Transformation Type, select Polynomial 1.
b. In the Resampling Method, select Nearest Neighbor.
c. In the Target SRS, click on the Select CRS button to open the Coordinate
Reference System Selector window. Go to Geographic Coordinates System
and select Luzon 1911 from the list. Alternatively, you may enter “Luzon
1911” on the Filter search box. Click [OK].
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Figure 4.8 Choosing Luzon 1911 from the list of Coordinate Reference Systems
d. For the Output Raster, click on the Browse button to open the Destination
Raster window. Make sure that you are in the data folder C:\QGIS
Training Data\00_Raster Data.
e. In the Destination Raster window, input “topomap_Luzon 1911” as the

filename of the output raster. Select TIF files in the Save as type dropdown
options. Click [Save].
f. Going back to the Transformation Settings window, tick the box provided for
in the Load in QGIS when done option.
g. Click [OK].
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Figure 4.9 Transformation Settings window
Note: Try to check the Polynomial Mean Error located at the lower right corner
of the Georeferencer window to verify the accuracy of your GCPs. Generally, the
lower its value, the better the accuracy.
10. After all the necessary settings are defined, just press the Start
Georeferencing button in the Georeferencer window to create a new
georeferenced raster file. A Progress Indication window will prompt to show the
progress of the georeferencing process.
11. When done, click [OK] on the Select Datum Transformation window that will
pop out.
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Figure 4.10 Select Datum Transformation window
12. Close the Georeferencer window when finished. Click [Discard] on the Save GCPs
dialog box that will pop out. Automatically, the georeferenced raster image will be loaded
to the Map View.
Figure 5.11 The Raster image seemed distorted due to the change of its CRS
END OF EXERCISE
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Chapter 5
GEOREFERENCING A RASTER IMAGE WITHOUT CONTROL POINTS
Introduction
Now that the topographic map has defined coordinates, we will use it as a reference map
to assign real-world coordinates to a raster map with no spatial coordinate system in
order to properly overlay it with the map features of other georeferenced datasets.
In this exercise, participants will learn how to georeference a raster image by identifying
and selecting ground control points (GCPs) from the reference topographic map and by
matching it with the map features in the target raster image.
Data and Tools
For this exercise, participants will use the output georeferenced topographic map from
the previous exercise together and will be provided another raster layer with undefined
coordinates:
• Scanned Topographic Map in TIF format: topomap_Luzon 1911.tif

• Scanned Basemap in JPEG Format: admin_bnd.tif
1. Launch the QGIS Dekstop 3.14.1 software. From the Menu Bar, go to Layer → Add
Layer → Add Raster Layer….
2. Add the raster layer with the filename topomap_Luzon 1911.tif that you
created on the previous exercise, then close the Data Source Manager.
Figure 5.1 Georeferenced topographic map from the previous exercise
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3. Open the Georeferencer window from the Raster menu. In the said window, go
to File → Open Raster…. to add the raster image admin_bnd.jpg located at
C:\QGIS Training Data\00_Raster Data folder.
Figure 5.2 Loaded admin_bnd in the Georeferencer window
4. Examine carefully both the reference map on the left (georeferenced map) and the
target map on the right (jpg format). Identify a minimum of four (4) control points
on both the target map and reference map that are identical to both of them. (See
Figure 5.3).
Figure 5.3 Reference and target map showing the features identical to both
Note: Zoom in closely on both maps to check the similar features which we will
use as GCPs.
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Capturing Control Points/Tick Marks
1. Go back to the Map View (topomap_Luzon 1911), then zoom in further on the
point that will possibly match with the other map in the Georeferencer window
(admin_bnd.jpg).
Figure 5.4 Identifying the first GCP in the Map View
2. Switch back to the Georeferencer window, then zoom in on the same first point of
the map that will possibly match with the point you just zoomed-in in the Map
View.
Figure 5.5 Identifying the first GCP in the Georeferencer window
Note: The image might not be that accurate.
3. Next, click the Add Point button in the Georeferencer window, then position
your cursor on the first control point then left-click once to open the Enter Map
Coordinates window.
4. Click the [From Map Canvas] to switch back to the Map View.
5. Place the cursor on the identified control point on the georeferenced map, then
click on the point once to register the first control point. You will observe that the
coordinates are automatically registered in the Enter Map Coordinates window.
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Figure 5.6 Values automatically generated upon the capture of GCP
6. Click [OK] to accept changes then click the Zoom to Layer icon to view the
first point being registered.
Figure 5.7 Georeferencer window showing the small dot in the top-left corner of the map
Tips: The following tips may help you in georeferencing your target map:
• In selecting control points, choose ground features that can be easily

identified in both maps such as road or river intersections, mouth of a
river, and street corners.
• The best practice is to select a control point near each of the four corners
of the map. You may add more points within the map but make sure that
they are evenly distributed.
• Monitor the residual error of the GCPs in the GCP table after selecting at
least 4 control points. If a GCP has an unusually high error, delete the GCP
using the Delete Point button on the Georeferencer window and
capture the point again.
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7. Add the remaining points (Refer to Figure 5.3) by repeating steps 1-6.
8. In the Menu Bar, go to Settings → Transformation Settings… to open the

Transformation Settings dialog box. Follow the steps below:
a. In the Transformation Type, select Polynomial 1.
b. In the Resampling Method, select Nearest Neighbor.
c. In the Target SRS, click on the Select CRS button to open the Coordinate
Reference System Selector window. Go to Geographic Coordinates System
and select Luzon 1911 from the list. Alternatively, you may enter “Luzon
1911” on the Filter search box. Click [OK].
Figure 4.8 Choosing Luzon 1911 from the list of Coordinate Reference Systems
d. In the Output Raster, click on the Browse button to open the Destination
Raster window. Make sure that you are in the data folder C:\QGIS
Training Data\00_Raster Data.
e. In the Destination Raster window, input “admin_bnd_Luzon 1911” as the

filename of the output raster. Select TIF files in the Save as type dropdown
options. Click [Save].
f. Going back to the Transformation Settings window, tick the box provided for
in the Load in QGIS when done option.
g. Click [OK].
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Figure 5.8 Correct input in Transformation Settings
9. When done, just press the Start Georeferencing button to create a new
georeferenced raster file.
10. Close the Georeferencer window when done. Click [Discard] on the Save GCPs
dialog box that will pop out.
Figure 5.9 Overlaid georeferenced map
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Checking if the Georeferenced Map Fits the Source
1. In the Layers panel, click to select the layer admin_bnd_Luzon 1911.
2. Right-click the said layer and select Properties… from the dropdown options to
open the Layer Properties window.
3. Click the Transparency tab on the left side of the Layer Properties window. Drag
the Global Opacity slider down to around 60%.
Figure 5.10 Adjusting the global opacity of the map
4. Click [Apply] and [OK] respectively. Observe if the reference map and the
georeferenced map are overlaid accurately.
Figure 5.11 Overlaid reference Map and georeferenced map with adjusted opacity
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Note: Results may vary depending on the accuracy of the points captured. You
can adjust the opacity up to a lower value if you are having difficulty in discerning
whether the reference and georeferenced maps are properly overlaid.
END OF EXERCISE
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Chapter 6
REPROJECTING A GEOREFERENCED RASTER LAYER
Introduction
When overlaying raster and vector datasets from various data sources in QGIS, planners
may notice that some of these datasets do not fit properly because they have different
coordinate systems and projections. In order to perform various geospatial analysis
using these datasets, we need to ensure that all of these layers share the same coordinate
reference system (CRS).
Reprojection is defined as the process of converting the coordinates of the layer from a
geographic coordinate system (GCS) to a projected coordinate system (PCS) (QGIS
Development Team, n.d.). In contrast to GCS, PCS is similar to the Cartesian coordinate
system which uses X and Y coordinates (usually in meters) to describe the position of a
feature in a planar surface. Universal Transverse Mercator (UTM) Zone 51N is often
used when creating maps of areas within the country, except for some areas that are
belong to Zone 50N such as Palawan.
In this exercise, participants will learn how to reproject the georeferenced raster layer
in the previous activity from Luzon 1911 to UTM Zone 51N.
Data and Tools
For this exercise, participants will use the output georeferenced basemap from the
previous chapter:
• Scanned Basemap in TIF format: admin_bnd_Luzon 1911.tif
1. Launch the QGIS Desktop 3.14.1 software. From the Menu Bar, go to Raster →
Projections → Warp (Reproject) to open the Warp (Reproject) window.
Figure 6.1 Navigating to Warp (Re-Project) from the Menu Bar
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2. Next, under the Input Layer, click the Select File button to open the Select
File window. Navigate to the training folder: C:\QGIS Training
Data\00_Raster Data and select admin_bnd_Luzon 1911.tif. Click
[Open].
Figure 6.2 Warp (Reproject) window
3. Still in the Warp (Reproject) window, under Source CRS, click on the Select
CRS button to open the Coordinate Reference System Selector window. Uncheck
the adjacent box under No Projection to enable selection. Locate and select Luzon
1911 from the lists under Geographic Coordinate Systems, then click [OK].
Figure 6.3 Luzon 1911 is selected in the CRS Repository
4. Still in the Warp (Reproject) window, under Target CRS, click on the Select
CRS button to open the Coordinate Reference Systems Selector window.
Uncheck the adjacent box under No Projection to enable selection. Locate and
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select UTM Zone 51N from the CRS Selection. Navigate to Projected Coordinate
Systems → Universal Transverse Mercator → WGS 84/UTM Zone 51N with
Authority ID: EPSG: 32651.
Figure 6.4 WGS 84 is selected in the CRS Repository
5. Scroll down to locate Reprojected parameters.
6. Click on the Reprojected button, then choose Save to File… from the
dropdown options.
Figure 6.5 Advanced parameters in the Warp (Reproject) window showing Reprojected Button
7. In the Save file window, input “admin_bnd_UTM Zone 51N” as the filename. Save
it as a TIF file and click [Save].
8. Tick the box provided for the Open Output File After Running Algorithm located
below the Reprojected input box.
9. Your window screen should look like what is shown in Figure 6.6 below. After
setting all the necessary parameters, click [Run].
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Figure 6.6 Set parameters in the Warp (Reproject) window
10. QGIS will prompt a window when the task is done. Click [Close] in the Warp
(Reproject) window. You will notice that the result layer will automatically be
added to the Map View.
Figure 6.5 New reprojected map (From Luzon 1911 to UTM Zone 51N)
END OF EXERCISE
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Chapter 7
CREATING A NEW VECTOR/SHAPEFILE LAYER
Introduction
As mentioned in one of the previous exercises, vector data uses geometric primitives to
represent various real-world features in a map (Penn Libraries, 2020):
• Point features use a single pair of coordinates to define its location. Points are
dimensionless and are commonly used to represent features such as landmarks,
buildings, trees, power poles, and other facilities.
• Line features consist of interconnected points and uses an ordered set of

coordinates to define its location. Lines are one-dimensional and can be used to
measure length. It is often used to represent linear features such as roads, rivers,
and topographic contours.
• Polygon features consist of interconnected lines that are enclosed to form an

area. Polygons are two-dimensional and can be used to measure the perimeter
and area of a feature. It is commonly used to represent features such as municipal
boundaries, buildings, city blocks, and agricultural plots.
In this exercise, participants will learn how to create point, line, and polygon vector data
that will be used in the succeeding exercises.
Data and Tools
For this exercise, the participants themselves will create the datasets needed.
Creating A Point Vector
1. Launch the QGIS Desktop 3.14.1 software. In the Menu Bar, navigate to Layer →
Create Layer → New Shapefile Layer… Alternatively, you may simply click the
New Shapefile Layer… button on the Data Source Manager toolbar.
Figure 7.1 Opening the New Shapefile Layer window
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2. In the New Shapefile Layer window, click Browse button beside the File
Name input box to open the Save Layer As window. Make sure that you are in
C:\QGIS Training Data\01_Vector Data. Input “Existing Structure”
as the file name and click [Save].
Figure 7.2 Save Layer As dialog box opened from the New Shapefile Layer window
3. Still in the New Shapefile Layer window, in the Geometry Type, select Point from
the dropdown options. Click the Select the CRS button to open the Coordinate
Reference System Selector window. Scroll down and locate UTM Zone 51N.
Again, navigate to Projected Coordinate Systems → Universal Transverse
Mercator → WGS 84/UTM Zone 51N and click [OK].
Figure 7.3 WGS84/UTM Zone 51N in the CRS Repository
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Tip: You may notice that the coordinate reference systems that we have used in
the previous exercises are listed in the Recently Used Coordinate Reference
Systems. If that is the case, just simply click WGS 84/UTM Zone 51 from the list.
4. Perform the following steps under the New field panel,
a. Input the following:
Name = Struc_Nm
Type = Text data (default)
Length = 80 (default)
Precision = *No Value* (default)
b. Click Add to Fields List to add Struc_Nm in the Fields List panel.
Figure 7.4 Adding a new field to the Field List of the attribute table
c. Add another field with the following inputs:

Name = Desc
d. Click Add to Fields List to add Desc in the Fields List panel. Press [OK] when
you are done.
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Figure 7.5 Successfully added a custom field to the point shapefile
5. The point shapefile that you created will be automatically added to the Layers
panel.
Figure 7.6 New point shapefile added in the Layers panel
Creating A Line Vector
Note: The procedure for creating a line shapefile is almost similar with that of the point
shapefile.
1. Launch the QGIS Desktop 3.14.1 software. From the Menu Bar, navigate to Layer
→ Create New Layer → New Shapefile Layer…
C:\QGIS Training Data\01_Vector Data. Input “Existing Road” as the file
name then click [Save] (see Figure 7.2).
3. Still in the New Shapefile Layer window, in the Geometry Type, select Line from
the dropdown options. Click Select the CRS button to open the Coordinate
Reference System Selector window. Scroll down and locate UTM Zone 51N. Again,
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navigate to Projected Coordinate Systems → Universal Transverse Mercator →

WGS 84/UTM Zone 51N and click [OK] (See Figure 7.3).
4. Perform the following steps under New field panel,
a. Input the following settings:

Name = Rd_name
b. Click Add to Fields List to add Rd_name in the Fields List panel. Click [OK]
when you are finished.
Figure 7.7 Successfully added a custom field to the line shapefile
5. The line shapefile that you created will be automatically added to the Layers
panel.
Figure 7.8 New Line Shapefile Added in the Layers Panel
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Creating A Polygon Vector
Note: The procedure for creating a line shapefile is almost similar with that of the point
and line shapefiles.
1. Launch the QGIS Desktop 3.14.1 software. From the Menu Bar, navigate to Layer
→ Create Layer → New Shapefile Layer…
C:\QGIS Training Data\01_Vector Data. Input “Existing Block” as the file
name then click [Save] (see Figure 7.2).
3. Still in the New Shapefile Layer window, in the Geometry Type, select Polygon
from the dropdown options. Click Select the CRS button to open the Coordinate
Reference System Selector window. Scroll down and locate UTM Zone 51N. Again,
navigate to Projected Coordinate Systems → Universal Transverse Mercator →
WGS 84/UTM Zone 51N and click [OK] (see Figure 7.3).
4. Perform the following steps under the New field panel:
a. Input the following parameters:
Name = Blk_Nm
Figure 7.9 Successfully added a custom field to the polygon shapefile
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b. Click Add to Fields List to add “Blk_Nm” in the Fields List panel. Click [OK].
5. The polygon shapefile that you created will be automatically added to the Layers
panel. Now, your Layers panel has 3 different shapefiles loaded in it. These shapefiles
will be used for the succeeding exercises so it is strongly recommended to keep these
layers open.
Figure 7.10 New polygon shapefile added in the Layers panel
END OF EXERCISE
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Chapter 8
DIGITIZING
Introduction
There are cases wherein the vector file format of a geospatial dataset that we need for
planning purposes is not available from known data sources. In such situations, features
from the available scanned maps or aerial images (in raster format) may be transformed
into vector layers through the process of digitization. Digitizing is a data capture
technique that involves tracing various features in the raster layer to convert it into
digital vector format (Dempsey, 2017).
In this exercise, the participants will learn how to digitize point, line, and polygon
features from the georeferenced base map in the previous activity.
Data and Tools
For this exercise, participants will use the output georeferenced basemap together with
the shapefiles created from the previous chapters:
• Scanned Basemap in TIF format: admin_bnd_Luzon 1911.tif

• Existing Structure Vector File in ESRI Shapefile format: Existing Structure.shp
• Existing Road Vector File in ESRI Shapefile format: Existing Road.shp
• Existing Block Vector File in ESRI Shapefile format: Existing Block.shp
Digitizing A Point Vector
1. Launch the QGIS Desktop 3.14.1 software. In the Menu Bar, go to Layer → Add
Layer → Add Raster Layer… to open the Data Source Manager | Raster window.
2. Click the Browse button and navigate to the source folder, C:\QGIS
Training Data\00_Raster Data. Select admin_bnd_UTM Zone
51N.tif and click [Open]. Then, click [Add] and [Close] respectively to load the
raster file into the Map View.
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Figure 8.1 Loaded raster and vector files created from previous exercises
3. If you still have the previously created vector layers loaded in the Layers panel,
you may skip this step. Go to Layer → Add Layer → Add Vector Layer… and locate
Existing Structure.shp from the same source folder. Click [Open]. Then,
click [Add] and [Close] respectively in the Data Source Manager to add the
vector layer to the Map View.
4. To start digitizing, right-click to select the Existing Structure layer in the Layers
panel. Select Toggle Editing from the dropdown options. Alternatively, you may
left-click to select the Existing Structure and click the Toggle Editing button
on the Digitizing toolbar.
Figure 8.2 Navigating to Toggle Editing from the Layers Panel
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5. Next, Zoom in extensively on the selected feature to be digitized. First, let us

try to digitize the school in Berinayan represented by a blue flag symbol.
Figure 8.3 School to be digitized Using a point shapefile
6. Click the Add Point Feature button on the Digitizing toolbar. Place your
cursor on the base or center of the feature to be digitized (school in Berinayan),
then left-click once to open the Feature Attributes dialog box.
7. Input the following values in the Feature Attributes dialog box:
Id = (leave it blank)
Struc_Nm = Berinayan Elementary School
Desc = Primary School
When you are done, click [OK].
Figure 8.4 Existing Structure - Feature Attributes dialog box
8. Click Zoom Full to go back to the full extent view of the map. You will observe
that a small dot is now overlaid to the location of the school that you digitized.
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Figure 8.5 Digitized point feature
Note: If you cannot see the point that you digitized, check the Layers panel and
make sure that the Existing Structure layer is above the admin_bnd_UTM Zone
51N layer. To do this, just left-click on the point layer and drag it above the
position of the raster layer.
Congratulations! You now have your first feature digitally registered, as shown
in the image! Now for this exercise, continue to digitize the following features by
repeating steps 6-7.
• Two (2) Schools

• Two (2) Barangay Hall
• One (1) Municipal Hall
• One (1) Cemetery
9. When you are done, right-click the layer Existing Structure in the Layers panel,
then select Open Attribute Table from the options to check if the attributes have
been generated.
10. After successfully digitizing the polygon features, end the session by clicking
Toggle Editing and Save Layer Edits respectively on the Digitizing toolbar.
Digitizing A Line Vector
raster file into the Map View (see Figure 8.1).
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Existing Road.shp from the same source folder. Click [Open]. Then, click
[Add] and [Close] respectively in the Data Source Manager to add the vector
layer to your Map View.
Note: Prior to digitizing, let us set up first the snapping parameters of the
features to be digitized. Snapping relatively makes the work easier by having the
cursor automatically align with an existing point. This option will be more
valuably appreciated when digitizing a polygon.
4. In the Menu Bar, go to Settings → Options… to open the Options window.
Figure 8.6 Navigating to Options menu from the Menu Bar
5. Click the Digitizing tab on the left side of the Options window. Mark a check in
the box provided for Enable snapping by default, then set the Default snapping
tolerance to 25 and change the units from pixels to map units. Leave the rest as
default for now and click [OK].
Figure 8.7 Enabling Snapping Options from Digitizing tab
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6. To start digitizing, select and right-click the layer Existing Road in the Layers
panel. Select Toggle Editing from the dropdown options to enable editing.
Alternatively, you may left-click to select the Existing Road and click the
Toggle Editing button on the Digitizing toolbar.
7. Next, Zoom in extensively on the selected feature to be digitized. First, let us

try to digitize the roads in Pob 2 (the ones in grey).
Figure 8.8 Selected area for line digitization
8. Click the Add Line Feature button on the Digitizing toolbar. Place your
cursor on the first vertex/point of the line, then left-click once to register the first
vertex/point.
Figure 8.9 Digitizing road using line feature
Note: Make sure to mark each intersection of the line feature on the map that you
are digitizing, if there is any.
9. Click the last vertex/point of the line, then right-click to end the segment and open
the Feature Attributes dialog box. Input the following in the said window:
Id = (Leave it blank for now)
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Rd_Name = Road 1
Figure 8.10 Existing Road - Feature Attributes dialog box
10. Click Zoom Full to go back to the full extent view of the map. You will notice
that a line is now overlaid to the road that you digitized.
Figure 8.11 Digitized line feature
You now have your first line feature digitally registered, as shown in the image.
Now for this exercise, continue to digitize three (3) more road lines.
11. After successfully digitizing the polygon features, end the session by clicking
Toggle Editing and Save Layer Edits respectively on the Digitizing toolbar.
Digitizing A Polygon Vector
Note: The polygon digitization process is generally the same as digitizing a line. The only
difference is that a polygon requires at least three (3) different points to connect and
create a polygon feature.
1. Launch the QGIS Desktop 3.14.1 software. From the Menu Bar, go to Layer → Add
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raster file into the Map View (see Figure 8.1).
Existing Block.shp from the training folder. Click [Open]. Then, click [Add]
and [Close] respectively in the Data Source Manager to add the vector layer to
your Map View.
Note: Prior to digitizing, similar to what we did in the previous exercise, we need
to set up first the snapping parameters of the features to be digitized. Snapping
relatively makes the work easier by having the cursor automatically align with
an existing point/vertex.
4. In the Menu Bar, go to Settings → Options… to open the Options/Digitizing

window.
5. Click the Digitizing tab on the left side of the Options window. Mark a check in
the box provided for Enable snapping by default, then set the Default snapping
tolerance to 25 and change the units from pixels to map units. Leave the rest as
default for now and click [OK].
6. To start digitizing, select and right-click the layer Existing Block in the Layers
panel. Click Toggle Editing from the dropdown options to enable editing.
Alternatively, you may left-click to select the Existing Structure and click the
Toggle Editing button on the Digitizing toolbar.
7. Zoom in extensively on the selected feature to be digitized. Let us try to

digitize a polygon feature in Pob 2.
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Figure 8.12 Selected area for polygon digitization
8. Click the Add Polygon Feature button in the toolbar. Place your cursor on
the first corner of the block to be digitized. Then, click on the succeeding corners
of the feature until you have digitized the entire block. To close the polygon, left-
click once to open the Feature Attributes dialog box.
Figure 8.13 Digitizing a block using polygon feature
9. Input the following on the dialog box:

Id = (Leave it blank for now)
Blk_Nm = Block 1
Figure 8.14 Existing Block - Feature Attributes dialog box
10. Click the Zoom Full to go back to the full extent view of the map. You will
notice that a gray polygon is now overlaid to the block that you digitized.
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Figure 8.15 Digitized polygon feature
You now have your first polygon feature digitally registered, as shown in the
image. Now for this exercise, continue to digitize three (3) more polygon
features.
11. After successfully digitizing the polygon features, end the session by clicking the
Toggle Editing and Save Layer Edits buttons respectively on the
Digitizing toolbar. Combining the three (3) shapefiles you did with this chapter,
you will get the following result.
Figure 8.16 Digitized features as seen in the Map View
END OF EXERCISE
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Chapter 9
EDITING AN EXISTING POLYGON
Introduction
The vector datasets obtained from different data sources are sometimes outdated or
poorly digitized. Hence, there is a need to edit these features to update or improve the
quality of the dataset before using it to create a map or perform geospatial analysis.
In this exercise, the participants will learn how to modify the boundary edges and
vertices of an existing polygon vector file based on the georeferenced scanned map of the
same area.
Data and Tools
For this exercise, participants will be provided the following datasets:
• Scanned Existing Land Use Map in TIF format: ELUM_UTM_Zone_51N.tif

• Existing Land Use Vector File in ESRI Shapefile format: ELUM.shp
2. Click the Browse button and locate ELUM_UTM_Zone_51N.tif from the

training folder: C:\QGIS Training Data\00_Raster Data. Click [Open],
[Add], and [Close] respectively to load the raster file into the Map View.
3. Next, from the Menu Bar, select go to Layer → Add Layer → Add Vector Layer…
to open the Data Source Manager | Vector window.
4. Click the Browse button and locate ELUM.shp from the training folder:
C:\QGIS Training Data\01_Vector Data. Click [Open], [Add], and
[Close] respectively to load the raster file into the Map View.
Before we start, we need to adjust the transparency level of the vector layer ELUM
to visibly see how the two layers overlay with each other.
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Figure 9.1 Vector layer overlaid to the raster layer
5. In the Layers panel, select and right-click the layer named ELUM. Navigate to
Styles → Edit Symbols… to open the Symbol Selector window.
Figure 9.2 Navigating to Symbol Selector from the Layers panel to change the opacity
6. In the Symbol Selector window, set the Opacity slider to 50%. You can also try to
type in the value in the input box next to the slider. Click [OK]. Your Map View
should look similar to Figure 9.3.
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Figure 9.3 Adjusted opacity of the ELUM vector layer
7. Set the snapping parameters properly based on what you have learned in the
previous exercise. (In the Menu Bar, go to Settings → Options…).
Note: QGIS remembers its user’s Preferred Settings when you set the Snapping
Options from previous exercises.
8. Zoom in if necessary, to examine and identify which changes you would like to
make, particularly on edges/boundaries between features and missing features
(See Figure 9.4).
Figure 9.4 Features to be edited in the exercise
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Editing Boundary Edges
1. In the Layers panel, select and right-click the layer ELUM, then click Toggle
Editing from the dropdown options.
2. Zoom in further (if necessary) to the features to be edited.
3. Click the Vertex tool. Now you can hover your cursor over the edges of the
shapefile, you will notice that vertexes will appear in small red colored “x” and “o”.
When a vertex is selected, it will appear as a small pink colored square (See Figure
9.5).
Figure 9.5 The first vertex to be edited is revealed as a small square
4. Now point the cursor at the vertex/point that needs editing, then drag and drop it
to the nearest point. You will notice that the cursor will automatically be aligned
with existing vertices because of snapping options.
5. Repeat these steps on the remaining vertices/points that need editing. When you
are done, it should look like Figure 9.6.
Figure 9.6 Boundary edges of the selected feature have been edited properly
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Adding a Vertex on a Selected Feature

1. Zoom-in (if necessary) to the features to be edited. Make sure that the
Vertex tool is still enabled.
Figure 9.7 Cursor is dragged to the target position
2. Place the cursor where you want to add vertex/node. Left click once and drag a
bit, then click again the mouse button to mark a node or vertex.
Figure 9.8 The created vertex/node has been added
Deleting a Vertex on a Selected Feature

1. Zoom-in (if necessary) to the features to be edited. Make sure that the
Vertex tool is still enabled.
Figure 9.9 Selected vertex/node has been selected and is highlighted
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2. Click a particular node in a selected segment to be deleted. Simply press

[Delete] on your keyboard to remove the selected vertex/node.
Figure 9.10 The selected vertex/node has been deleted
Inserting Another Feature Inside an Existing Feature
1. In the Menu Bar, go to Edit → Add Ring.
Figure 9.11 Navigating to Add Ring Tool on the Edit Menu
2. Trace the feature to be inserted. This is similar to the previous exercise on

digitizing a polygon feature.
Figure 9.12 A missing feature is identified
3. Click the Add Feature button from the Digitizing toolbar to start digitizing
the feature.
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4. Right-click once when you are finished digitizing. Input the following values in the
Feature Attributes window that will pop out:
id = (leave it blank)
Category = Residential
Area_has = (leave it blank)
Click [OK].
Figure 9.13 Data Input in the Feature Attributes Dialog Box
5. When you are done editing, open the attribute table of the layer file to check if the
attribute table has been updated (See Figure 9.14.)
Figure 9.14 The data of the newly added feature in the Attribute Table of the shapefile
6. A new feature has been inserted into the layer. Repeat steps 1-4 to insert another
feature.
7. End the editing session by clicking the Toggle Editing button on the
Digitizing toolbar. Click [Save].
END OF EXERCISE
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Chapter 10
APPLYING MAP SYMBOLOGY
Introduction
One of the most important elements of the map design process is the use of appropriate
symbology that will highlight the vital information that we want to showcase through
the data visualization. In Cartography, symbology is defined as the application of
different graphical techniques to represent geographic features on a map (Sommer and
Wade, 2006).
In this exercise, participants will learn how to apply proper symbology (i.e., color) and
add labels to the polygon features based on its attributes or classes.
Data and Tools
For this exercise, participants will use the output point shapefile from the previous
activity, together with a barangay boundary shapefile that will be provided:
• Existing Structure Vector File in SHP format: Existing Structure.shp

• Barangay Boundary Vector File in ESRI Shapefile format: brgy_band.shp
1. Launch the QGIS Desktop 3.14.1. software. Add the Existing

Structure.shp and brgy_bnd.shp located at C:\QGIS Training
Data\01_Vector Data using the steps that you learned from the previous
exercises.
Figure 10.1 Vector layers loaded into the Map View
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Symbolizing the Layer
1. In the Layers panel, select and double-click the layer named brgy_bnd to open the
Layer Properties window.
2. In the Symbology tab, click Simple Fill on the topmost panel of the window to
bring out other fill options. Set the Symbol Layer Type to Simple Fill and the Fill
Style to No Brush. Leave the other settings as default for now.
3. Click [Apply] and [OK] respectively to apply the changes made.
Figure 10.3 Symbology settings
Your map should look like this.
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Figure 11.4 The loaded vector layer showing only the map outline
4. Next, select then double-click the Existing Structure layer on the Layers panel to
open the Layer Properties window for the point shapefile. Make sure that the
window displays the Symbology tab.
5. On the topmost dropdown menu of the Symbology tab, select Categorized to

bring out the other fill options. Then, select Desc from the dropdown options in
the Value field. Click [Classify] but do not close the window yet.
Figure 10.5 Values in the attribute table are classified into different symbols
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Removing Unwanted Symbols
1. Still in the Symbology tab, you will notice that the list of features and symbols
includes an “all other values” entry. Select this entry then click the Remove
button to delete the unwanted symbols.
Figure 10.6 Unwanted symbols have been deleted
Applying Proper Symbology to Each Feature
1. Still on the Layer Properties window, select the Municipal Hall feature, then
double-click this entry to open the Symbol Selector window.
Figure 10.7 Selecting Municipal Hall value in the Symbology tab
2. In the Symbol Selector window, click Simple Marker on the topmost panel of the
window to bring out other fill options. Select SVG Marker as the Symbol layer
type.
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Figure 10.8 Symbol Selector dialog box
3. Still in the Symbol Selector window, scroll down to the SVG Image panel and
select a proper symbol that fits a “Municipal Hall”. After you have chosen an
appropriate symbol, edit the Size to 4.0 (both width and height) and click [OK].
Do not close the Symbology tab yet.
Figure 10.9 Selecting and applying an SVG symbol
4. Now, apply symbology to all the remaining point features by repeating steps 1-3.
When you are done, click [Apply] and [OK] respectively in the Symbology tab.
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Figure 10.10 Features on the map represented by symbols
Adding Labels to Your Map
1. In the Layers panel, select then double-click the layer named brgy_bnd to open
the Layer Properties window.
2. Click the Labels tab and select Single Labels from the dropdown options. Then,
input the following settings:
Label with = Brgy_Nm

Font = Arial
Style = Regular (default)
Size = 10 (default)
Figure 10.11 Map labels customized in the Labels tab
3. When you are done, click [Apply] and [OK] respectively. Check to see if the labels
and symbols were applied to your map.
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Figure 10.12 Features have been properly labeled and points represented by symbols
END OF EXERCISE
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Chapter 11
CREATING A BASE MAP LAYOUT TEMPLATE
Introduction
Mapping is one of the most common tools to visualize geographic data. For planners, a
basemap is among the first spatial datasets that should be prepared before proceeding
with geospatial analysis. A base map displays fundamental datasets such as municipal
and barangay boundaries, various facilities, roads, and water bodies. When making a
basemap, it is essential to include the following basic map elements (UP Department of
Geodetic Engineering, n.d.):
• Map Subject refers to the main content of the map. It should have proper
symbology and labels to be easily understood and interpreted by the viewer.
• Map Title typically includes the topic of the map, geographical area, and
temporal information.
• Scale represents the relationship between the distance on the map and the
distance
Note: Before youon theworking
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• North Arrow indicates the orientation of the map. It gives the viewer the proper
perspective in interpreting the information contained on the map.
• Legend shows the symbols used on the map and the geographic features or
quantities that it represents.
• Grids/Graticules consist of a network of parallels and meridians on the globe

projected onto the map.
• Border consists of a set of lines enclosing the main content of the map. It often
contains the numerals (e.g., latitude and longitude) represented by the grid lines.
• Locator Map is a smaller secondary map that is shown with the primary map. It
is often added on the map to show the approximation location of the map content
within a larger geographical area.
• Map Information includes the datum, coordinate system, and projection, data
sources, explanatory notes, and disclaimers.
In this exercise, participants will learn how to create a municipal basemap, taking into
account the basic map elements listed above.
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Data and Tools
For this exercise, participants will be provided the following datasets:
• Barangay Boundary Vector File in ESRI Shapefile format: brgy_bnd.shp

• River Vector File in ESRI Shapefile format: River.shp
• Road Vector File in ESRI Shapefile format: Road.shp
• Locator Map in JPEG format: index.jpg
1. Launch the QGIS Desktop 3.14.1 software and add the brgy_bnd.shp,
River.shp, and Road.shp located in C:\QGIS Training
Data\01_Vector Data using the steps that you have learned from the
previous exercises.
2. Rearrange the layers in the following order, with the first layer on the topmost
position, by left-clicking and dragging each layer on the Layers panel to make all
the layers visible on the Map View:
i. Road
ii. River
iii. brgy_bnd
Figure 11.1 Vector layers arranged accordingly
Saving Your Work as a Project
1. In the Menu Bar, go to Project → Save as. Look for the C:\QGIS Training
Data folder and name the file as “Basemap_Temp_A4”. Save the file as a QGIS
file (*.qgs) and click [Save].
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Tip: Alternatively, you may also save your project by doing either of the following
steps:
• Click the Save Project button on the Project toolbar.
• Press [CTRL + S] on your keyboard.
Renaming the Layers
1. In the Layers panel, select and right-click the first layer named Road, then select
Rename Layer from the dropdown options.
Figure 11.2 Rename Layer option
2. Input “MUNICIPAL ROAD” and press [Enter]on your keyboard.
3. Following Steps 2 and 3, rename the remaining layers accordingly:
River = RIVERS/CREEK
brgy_bnd = BARANGAY BOUNDARY
Figure 11.3 Renamed vector layers
Applying Proper Symbology for Each Layer
1. In the Layers panel, select and double-click the layer named MUNICIPAL ROAD
to open the Layer Properties window.
2. Go to the Symbology tab and set the following values:
Color = Black
Stroke Width = 0.5
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Figure 11.3 Changing the symbology of the road layer
3. Click [Apply] and [OK] respectively.
4. Do the same procedure with the layer RIVERS/CREEK and set the following
parameters:
Color = Light Blue (preferably: HEX#a6cee3)

Width = 0.25
Figure 11.4 Light blue color selected in the default palette
5. Click [Apply] and [OK] respectively.
6. Do the same procedure with BARANGAY BOUNDARY and change the following
values under the Symbology tab:
Fill Style = No Brush

Stroke Width = 0.35
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Stroke Style = Dash Dot Line
Figure 11.5 Correct parameters are applied in the symbology tab
7. Click [Apply] and [OK] respectively. After applying the symbology of each vector
layer, your initial output should be similar to Figure 11.6 as shown below.
Figure 11.6 Proper symbology applied to the vector layers
Adding Labels to Your Map
1. In the Layers panel, select and double-click the layer BARANGAY BOUNDARY to
open the Layer Properties window.
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2. Navigate to the Labels tab and select Single Labels from the dropdown list. Then,
set the following parameters:
Label with = Brgy_Nm

Font = Arial
Style = Regular
Size = 8
Figure 11.7 Adding labels to the vector layer
3. Click [Apply] and [OK] respectively. When you are done, your Map View should
look like Figure 11.8.
Figure 11.8 Labels and symbology applied to the vector layers
At this point, we have finished all preparations and we are ready to compose a
base map.
76 | P a g e
Working Your Map Layout
1. In the Menu Bar, go to Project → New Print Layout to open the Layout Title
dialog box. Name your layout composer as “Basemap_Temp_A4” and click [OK].
Figure 11.9 Typing the filename in the Create Print Layout Title dialog box
2. A new Layout window bearing the name of the file will be created. Explore the
tools, buttons, and panels that can be found on the window.
Figure 11.10 New Blank Print Composer file
Setting the Layout
1. In the Menu Bar of the Print Layout window, go to View then enable Show Grid
and Snap to Grid respectively. Notice that the blank page now displays grids that
look like evenly spaced gray dots.
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Note: By default, the paper is set to A4 size (210mm by 297mm).
Adding the Border Frame
1. In the Menu Bar of the Print Layout window, go to Add Item → Add Shape → Add
Rectangle.
2. Start drawing the border by clicking on a point in the top left corner. Then, slowly
drag the shape for it to expand throughout the layout up to the bottom right corner
until the edges align forming a large rectangular-shaped frame. You can move the
created frame around using the Select/Move Item tool located on the
Toolbox (left side of the window) to align it to the center.
Figure 11.11 A border frame was added using Add Shape tool
Note: The same procedure can be done using the Add Polyline, however, using a
rectangle shape frame is highly recommended to avoid crooked lines and for the
ease of designing.
3. The next step is to draw a vertical line in your layout. The purpose of which is to
separate other map elements/items (e. g. scale bar, north arrow, legend, etc.) with
the map itself. From the Menu Bar of the Print Layout window, go to Add Item →
Add Node Item → Add Polyline. Draw a vertical line to separate the map area from
the map information area (See Figure 11.13). The right portion of the map (Map
Elements frame) should occupy ¼ of the entire area. Right-click on the screen to
end the drawing.
78 | P a g e
4. Next, draw a horizontal line inside the right portion of the map that you delineated
(See Figure 11.13). The bottom portion should occupy approximately 1/6 of the
Map Elements frame. Then, right-click on the screen to finish the drawing.
Figure 11.13 The Map Elements frame added in the map layout
Note: Notice that when you add a polyline and move the cursor to a gray dot on
the map layout, an “x” appears. Take advantage of this to ensure that the line that
you are creating is a straight line.
Adding the Map Subject
1. From the Menu Bar of the Print Layout window, go to Add Item → Add Map. Place
your cursor on the top-left corner of the map then left click once. While still
holding the left mouse button, drag the mouse diagonally downwards on the
bottom-right corner of the layout, then release the mouse button to add the vector
layers.
79 | P a g e
Figure 11.14 Vector layers were added to the map layout
Adding the Map Scale
1. Select and right-click the map, then choose Item Properties… from the dropdown
options.
2. Under the Main Properties options in the Item Properties panel, set the Scale to
75000, then press [Enter].
Figure 11.15 Main Properties settings of the map scale in the Item Properties panel
3. Scroll down the Item Properties panel and mark a check in the box provided for
Frame. Under Frame Properties options, set the Thickness to 0.20.
Figure 11.16 Frame Properties settings of the map scale in the Item Properties panel
80 | P a g e
Adding the Grid
1. Still in the Item Properties panel, go to Grids, then click the Add a New
Grid button. Select Grid 1 and click [Modify Grid].
2. In the Map Grid Properties options, perform the following:
a. In the Appearance options, set the following (See Figure 11.17):
Grid Type = Cross

CRS = Luzon 1911/ESPG:4253
Interval = X: 0.05
Y: 0.05
Cross Width = 2.00 mm
b. Make sure that the Draw Coordinates box has been ticked. Then, set the
following:
Format = Degree, Minute, Second

Font = Arial, Regular, 8 pt
Coordinate Precision = 0
Figure 11.17 Applying the necessary settings in the Map Grid Properties
3. Your Print Layout window should now look like this.
81 | P a g e
Figure 12.18 Map grid is added to the Print Layout window
Adding Labels/Text
1. In the Menu Bar of the Print Layout window, go to Add Item → Add Label.
2. Draw a text box anywhere in the layout.
3. In the Item Properties panel, under the Main Properties options, replace the
default text with “MUNICIPALITY OF”. Resize and relocate the text box
accordingly in the Map Elements panel.
4. In the Appearance options, set the following:
Font = Arial, Bold, 18 pt

Horizontal Alignment = Center
Vertical Alignment = Middle
82 | P a g e
Figure 11.19 Label is modified in the Appearance options under the Item Properties panel
5. Add the remaining label/text as shown below (See Figure 11.20).
Figure 11.20 Font, font style, and font size of the map title
Adding the North Arrow
1. In the Menu Bar of the Print Layout window, go to Add Item → Add North Arrow.
2. Draw anywhere in the layout to add the item. For now, do not change the North
Arrow SVG image. Just resize by selecting the image and dragging its corners.
Relocate it to fit accordingly in the map layout just below the map title (See Figure
11.21).
83 | P a g e
Figure 11.21 North Arrow in the Map Elements panel
Adding the Scale Bar
1. In the Menu Bar of the Print Layout window, go to Add Item → Add Scale Bar.
2. Draw anywhere in the layout to place the scale bar in the map layout. Resize and
relocate it accordingly to fit in the map layout.
3. In the Item Properties panel, adjust the following (See Figure 11.22):
a. Under the Main Properties options, set the Style to Double Box.
b. Under the Units options, set the following:
Scalebar units = Meters

Label unit multiplier = 2.0
Label for units = m
Segments = left: 2
right: 3
Height = 2.0
c. Under the Display options, set the following:
Label Margin = 2.0 mm

Font = Arial, Regular, 8 pt
84 | P a g e
Figure 12.22 Scale bar properties
4. Reposition the scale bar in the layout and place it right under the North Arrow.
5. Next, add the following label to the map elements by going to Add Item → Add
Label:
Text = SCALE 1:75000

Font = Arial, Regular, 8 pt.
6. Position the label where the scale bar is.
Figure 12.23 Scalebar and label in the Map Elements panel
85 | P a g e
Adding a Logo
1. In the Menu Bar of the Print Layout window, go to Add Item → Add Picture.
2. Draw from anywhere the map layout to place the picture placeholder.
3. Next, from the Item Properties panel, under the Picture options, tick the Raster
image.
4. In the Image Source, click the Browse button and select logo.jpg from
C:\QGIS Training Data\Logo.
5. Move and resize the logo accordingly (See Figure 11.24).
Figure 12.24 Logo is placed in the Map Elements panel
Adding the Legend
1. In the Menu Bar of the Print Layout window, go to Add Item → Add Legend.
2. Draw anywhere in the layout to place the legend.
3. In the Item Properties panel, set the following:
a. Under the Fonts and Text Formatting options, set Arial, Regular, 8 pt for the
font of the Item Labels.
86 | P a g e
b. Under the Spacing options, in the Legend Items section, set the Space
between symbols to 1.5 mm.
c. Still in the Spacing options, in the General section, set the Box space to 0.00
mm.
Figure 11.25 Modifying parameters in the Legend Item Properties panel
4. Place the legend accordingly in the Map Elements panel.
Figure 11.26 Map legend in the Map Elements panel
87 | P a g e
Adding an Image as a Locator Map
Note: To create a locator map, we need to prepare it following a different procedure, but
for this exercise, we have prepared such an image in the training folder.
1. In the Menu Bar of the Print Layout window, go to Add Item → Add Picture.
2. Draw anywhere from the map layout to place the picture placeholder. Then,
following the same procedure in the logo, browse to C:\QGIS Training
Data\Logo and open index.jpg.
3. Under the Item Properties window, tick Frame. Then, resize and reposition the
image in the Map Elements panel.
Figure 11.27 Frame is ticked from the Item Properties window
4. Add a label “LOCATOR MAP” with Font: Arial, Bold, 10 and place it in the locator
map.
5. Finally, reposition all map components in the map layout to maximize space.
Note: In general, there are three types of secondary (smaller) maps that we encounter
within maps. Do not confuse locator maps with the other two:
• An inset map shows a close-up or zoomed-in version of smaller areas in the

primary map to provide additional details.
• An index map serves as a graphic aid that provides users information about the
relationship between sheets of a map series, their coverage, and availability.
CONGRATULATIONS! You have successfully created the map for the MUNICIPALITY OF
LAUREL! Now do not forget to save your work. This marks the end of the exercises for
QGIS Part1.
88 | P a g e
LOCATOR MAP
Figure 11.28 Final map layout design with the different map elements
END OF PART I EXERCISES
89 | P a g e
References
Dempsey, C. (2018). Digitizing Errors in GIS. GIS Lounge.

https://www.gislounge.com/digitizing-errors-in-gis/.
Penn Libraries. (n.d.). Guides: ArcGIS: An Introduction: Spatial Data. Spatial Data - ArcGIS:
An Introduction - Guides at Penn Libraries.
https://guides.library.upenn.edu/introtoarcgis/spatial_data.
QGIS Development Team (n.d.). QGIS Geographic Information System. Open Source
Geospatial Foundation Project. http://qgis.osgeo.org"
Rhind, D. (1989). Why GIS? Arc News, 11(3).
Sommer & Wade. (2006.). A to Z GIS: An Illustrated Dictionary of Geographic Information

Systems.
UP Department of Geodetic Engineering. (n.d.). Map Elements and Layout.
USGS. (n.d.). What does "georeferenced" mean? https://www.usgs.gov/faqs/what-does-

georeferenced-mean.
90 | P a g e
The Project Organization
DHSUD Key Officials
Secretary : Eduardo D. Del Rosario

Undersecretary : Meynardo A. Sabili, AB, JD, LLM
Undersecretary : Atty. Marylin M. Pintor, CPA
Undersecretary : Zyril D. Carlos
Assistant Secretary : Melissa A. Aradanas, DMD, EnP
Assistant Secretary : Leira S. Buan
Assistant Secretary ; Atty. Avelino D. Tolentino III, EnP
Project Committee
Project Advisor : Nora L. Diaz, EnP
Project Manager : Engr. Julia Angela Mae E. Collado, EnP
Writer/Editor/Layout Artist : Engr. John Andrew B. Cruz

Roberts P. Mariñas
Engr. Myra Laika C. Estur
Kriza Marie T. Balite
Danilo S. Palomo
Graphic Designer : Roberts P. Mariñas
Members : Ibani C. Padao, EnP

Mic Ivan B. Sumilang, EnP
Roland Dane Z. Carreon, EnP
Support Group : Ruth R. Roxas, EnP

Mohammad Haydrey K. Aminulla
Charmaine Jeremy S. Galarosa
Peter Daniel F. Fraginal, EnP
Danica Marie V. Arriesgado, EnP
Ronnie James R. Casamayor
Vanessa B. Baguiwet
Belmar S. Lasam, Jr.
Jemima M. Ragudo
James Earl P. Asas
Jezim L. de Asis
Administrative Support : Eleanor S. Sandoval

Josefina R. De Lara
91 | P a g e

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QGIS 3.14.

Chapter 1: Installing QGIS 3.14.1 ....................................................................................................... 4

Saving Your Work as a Project ........................................................................................................... 73

Geographic Information Systems (GIS) refers to a set of computer-based systems

Data and Tools

For this exercise, participants will be provided the following:

• QGIS 3.14.1 ‘Pi’ installer for 64-bit processor: QGIS-OSGeo4W-3.14.1-1-Setup-

1. In the C:\QGIS Training Data\QGIS Installer folder, locate the

Figure 1.1 QGIS installer

Note: For computers running in 32-bit processors, use the QGIS-OSGeo4W-

Figure 1.2 QGIS 3.14.1 ‘Pi’ Setup Wizard window

Note: There might be a prompt asking for administrative privileges on the

3. Click [I Agree] in the License Agreement window.

Figure 1.3 QGIS License Agreement window

Figure 1.4 QGIS Choose Install Location window

5. In the Choose Components window, click [Install] to begin the installation.

Figure 1.5 QGIS Choose Components window

Figure 1.6 QGIS Installation Progress window

Figure 1.7 QGIS Setup Completion prompt

The QGIS software can accommodate two types of spatial data:

Data and Tools

For this exercise, participants will be provided the following:

• Scanned Topographic Map in JPEG format: topomap.jpg

Figure 2.1 QGIS Desktop 3.14.1 shortcut

Figure 2.2 QGIS interface with Default/Preset toolbars

Adding a Raster Layer in the Map View

Figure 2.3 Opening the Data Source Manager | Raster window

Tip: Alternatively, you may also try the following steps:

• On your keyboard, press [CTRL + L] to open the Data Source Manager

Figure 2.5 Adding sample raster data to the Map View

4. Your Map View should look like this.

Figure 2.6 Sample raster data loaded in the Map View

Navigating Your Raster Layer in Map View Using Navigation Tools

Figure 2.7 Familiarizing with tools in the Map Navigation toolbar

Removing a Raster Layer in the Map View/Layers Panel

Figure 2.8 Removing a raster layer from the Map View

Adding a Vector Layer in the Map View

Figure 2.8 Opening the Data Source Manager | Vector window

Tip: Alternatively, you may try the following steps:

• On your keyboard, press [CTRL + L] to open the Data Source Manager

Figure 2.9 Opening a vector shapefile

Figure 2.11 Coordinate Reference System (CRS) Conversion prompt

Figure 2.12 Loaded shapefile in the Map View

Opening the Attribute Table of the Vector Layer

Figure 2.13 Opening the attribute table of a vector layer

Data and Tools

For this exercise, participants will be provided the following:

• Barangay Boundary Vector File in ESRI Shapefile format: brgy_bnd.jpg

Figure 3.1 Navigating to Layer Properties from the Layer panel

Figure 3.2 Layer Properties Window bearing the file information

Contains the layer information, such as Layer name, Source/Location, and

The layer can be labeled here.

Data and Tools

For this exercise, participants will be provided the following:

• Scanned Topographic Map in JPEG format: topomap.jpg

Figure 4.1 Opening the Georeferencer

2. In the Georeferencer window, go to File → Open Raster. Alternatively, you may

Figure 4.2 Opening a raster file in the Georeferencer window

3. Navigate the data folder: C:\QGIS Training Data\00_Raster Data. Select

Figure 4.3 Loaded scanned map in the Georeferencer

Before capturing Ground Control Points or GCPs, we need to identity 4 possible

Figure 4.5 Typing the map coordinates of the 1st GCP

POINT_ID LONG_DEG MIN SEC LAT_DEG MIN SEC LOC