QGIS QUICK GUIDE

Getting Started with QGIS (for report figures and maps)

NEW PROJECT

• Open QGIS and start with a new blank map.

• Save the project.
PROJECT CRS

Set the coordinate reference system

(CRS) to:

EPSG:32651 WGS 84 UTM ZONE 51N

European CRS EPSG World Universal used between

Petroleum Code Geodetic Transverse 120°E and 126°E
Survey Group System of Mercator
1984
European Petroleum Survey Group (EPGS) published the database
of coordinate system and documentation on projections and
datums. They assigned standard codes for CRS, datum, etc.

PROJECT  PROPERTIES (ctrl+shift+P)

 search for CRS  Apply
TOOLBARS AND WINDOWS

Check if the following recommended

toolbars and panels are loaded:
- Attributes toolbar
- Digitizing toolbar
- Map Navigation toolbar
- Project toolbar
- Layers Panel
- Processing Toolbox Panel

VIEW  TOOLBARS or VIEW  PANELS

LAYER GROUPS

Prepare the following layer groups in

order:
a. Landmarks
b. Roads and Highways
c. Waterways
d. Philippine boundaries
e. Basemaps

Note:
• Make a layer group for each utility (Road Network, Storm Drainage Network, Water Supply System,
Power Supply and Distribution Line, Sewerage System).
• Draw order is same as the layer order. Object on top (in this case, “property boundary”) will be
drawn on top.
• In this example, utility layers may be positioned below the “Landmarks” layer.
GIS DATA SOURCES

• GIS data sources:

– http://philgis.org/
– http://www.geoportal.gov.ph/
– https://earthexplorer.usgs.gov/ (international; DEMs with relatively lower
resolution than IFSAR, old and new satellite images)

Sample datasets:
- Country, provinces, municities, barangay boundary
- Land cover
- Road network
- River basins
LOADING VECTORS AND RASTERS

Drag and drop the vector (consists of paths: ex. shapefile/kmz/kml)

or raster (consists of pixels: ex. .dem, .tif) to the QGIS main window.
Note that even if the object projection is not same as the project
CRS, QGIS can read the projection and display the objects in the
right location.

Nonetheless, the layers should be reprojected, if necessary (prior to

performing processes such as clipping, union, intersection, etc.)
ADDING NEW SHAPEFILE LAYERS

• To add new shapefile layer and manually draw points, lines and polygons,
select the “New Shapefile Layer…” from the Data Source Manager toolbox
• Define the name and location, CRS geometry type and attributes/field
ADDING NEW SHAPEFILE LAYERS

• Select the new shapefile layer and click “toggle editing” in the digitizing
toolbar. Then, the other digitizing tools will be activated
• Select the “add line feature” and start drawing (thin, red line in screenshot)
ADDING NEW SHAPEFILE LAYERS

• After drawing the line feature, right click and enter the attribute values
• The existing line feature geometry may be modified using the vertex tool
• Save any changes and click “toggle editing” to exit editing mode
BASEMAPS

• Install the QuickMapServices Plugins: Plugins  Manage and Install Plugins 

search for QuickMapServices and Install
BASEMAPS

• Go to Web  QuickMapServices  Settings

• Select “more services” tab and click “get
contributed pack”
• Select your desired basemap/s (preferably
Google basemaps)
SYMBOLOGY

• Right click on the layer and select properties Mode (ex. No

Symbol, Single
• Select symbology Symbol, Rule
based, etc.)

Edit existing fill

Presets/
Favorites
LABELS

• Right click on the layer and select properties Mode (ex. No

Symbol, Single
• Select Labels Symbol, Rule
based, etc.)

Edit Label (font

and sizes,
positions,
masking, etc.
SAMPLE SCREENSHOT
MAP COMPOSER NEW LAYOUT

• Select New Layout in the Project Toolbar and set the layout title
MAP COMPOSER PAGE PROPERTIES

In the item properties tab (or right click

on the blank page then select page
properties), custom the layout size:

– Under level 1 heading: 6.00” W x 3.37” H

– Under level 2 heading: 5.75” W x 3.23” H
– Under level 3 heading: 5.50” W x 3.09” H
– And so on …

Note: image ratio already accounts for both

report and presentation layout
MAP COMPOSER MAIN MAP

• To add a map, click on the add map icon from the toolbox and
draw your map frame
• Scale, extents and CRS may be modified in the Item Properties
MAP COMPOSER MAIN MAP

• Check if only the layers needed for the added map are all visible.
If not, go back to the main window and toggle visibility.
• Once okay, select lock layer (Don’t forget!)
MAP COMPOSER GRIDS

• Under Item Properties, go to Grids and select add grid then

modify.
• Note: Select the CRS (EPSG: 4326 for long – lat)
MAP COMPOSER GRIDS

Under appearance,
• modify the grid style
• Define CRS
• interval of grids (value depends
on the units (if it is degree,
meters, etc)
• Offset units (especially if the
some labels are already outside
the layout)
MAP COMPOSER GRIDS

Under frame,
• Select frame style (if solid, zebra,
tick lines, etc.)
• Modify the appearance of the
border using the other properties
• The frame at each side may be
removed (ex. only keep top and
right side if image is positioned at
the lower left corner)
MAP COMPOSER GRIDS

Under Draw Coordinates,

• Select coordinate format
• Modify position and orientation
• Similar with the frame,
coordinates at each side may be
removed (ex. only keep top and
right side if image is positioned at
the lower left corner)
• Change the appearance (font
style, size, color)
MAP COMPOSER GRIDS
MAP COMPOSER KEYMAP

• Add another smaller map

• Check if only the layers needed for
the added map are all visible then
lock layer (Again, pls. don’t forget!)
• In the Item properties, go to
Overviews, then add map overview
and select the main map. You may
modify the appearance of the
overview
MAP COMPOSER KEYMAP

Overview /
extents
indicator
MAP COMPOSER NORTH ARROW AND
SCALE BAR

• Select the add north arrow from the toolbox and draw the
placeholder
• Define the image source of the arrow and modify style
MAP COMPOSER NORTH ARROW AND
SCALE BAR

• Select the add scale bar from the toolbox and draw the
placeholder
• Modify the units, segments and appearance of the scale bar in
the item properties
MAP COMPOSER NORTH ARROW AND
SCALE BAR
MAP COMPOSER LEGEND

• Select the add legend from the toolbox and draw the placeholder
• Edit the legend items: add or remove items, rearrange legend
entries, modify legend names
MAP COMPOSER LEGEND

• Modify the legend appearance/style using the other options

under item properties
• To improve the look, separate rectangular object and legend title
may be used
MAP COMPOSER ORGANIZE ITEMS AND
DRAW ORDER

In the items tab (top right panel),

the items may be renamed and
rearranged. Items at the top will be
drawn on top.
MAP COMPOSER EXPORT

Export your image by going to

LAYOUT  EXPORT AS IMAGE … SELECT FOLDER

LOCATION AND ENTER IMAGE NAME

- Use the default 300 dpi resolution

- Page width and height depends on the layout settings
MAP COMPOSER LAYOUT MANAGER

Use the layout manager to organize and access multiple layouts

MAP COMPOSER SAMPLE MAP
NOTE

• Do not use heavy borders and neon colors

• Recommended: use same color scheme for each map.
For example:
– Roads – yellow/brown palette
– Water Supply – blue palette
– Drainage – Green palette
• In preparing the report maps and figures, keep in mind that the readers are
non-technical (managers, executives, etc).
• Clients are more familiar with using scale bar instead of reading gridlines.
• For the grid coordinates, use long-lat instead of UTM.
Thank You!