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EIU QGIS Workshop

In QGIS, print maps and images are constructed using a print composer.

  1. Create a print composition

  From the main menu, select Project >> New Print Composer.

  •  A dialog will pop up asking for a title. I'll enter Chicago Crime Map.

title box

The Print Composer will open in a separate window.

    2. Add a map

        From the main menu of the Print Composer, select Layout >> Add Map or click the Add new map button:

new map button

  Then click and drag to place a map frame on the composer. The map will appear as in the main QGIS window:

map frame

   3. Set the map scale and extent

 Interactive zooming is not available in print composer, so we'll need to change the map scale by hand.

  • In the Item panel (top right), make sure the map is selected.

item panel

  • In the bottom right, select the Item Properties tab

item properties

  • Find the scale property and enter a value of 400,000 to zoom to a scale of 1:400,000.

    4. Pan to chicago

 Interactive panning is available, but needs to be enabled:

  • From the main menu, select Layout >> Move Content
  • You can now use your mouse to pan the map. Here's what mine looks like:

pan map

    5. Adjust symbology

        You can adjust your symbology at any time. For example, to make your point symbols smaller:

  • Go back to the main map and change the symbol size
  • Back in Print Composer, click Update preview (in the Item Properties tab)

  Here's my map after reducing the symbol size:

symbol size

    6. Add a legend

  To add a legend, select Layout >> Add Legend or click the Add new legend button:

legend button

  Then draw a rectangle on the print composer. The legend will probably contain way too much information:

legend info

    7. Modify the legend

  Luckily it's really easy to remove items from a legend:

  • Select the legend
  • Select the Item Properties tab in the lower right panel.
  • In the Legend Items group, uncheck Auto update.
  • Select an item you wish to remove and click the minus-sign.

legend modification

    8. Add a Grid

        It's also really easy to add a grid to a map:

  • Select the map
  • In the Item properties panel, look for the Grids section:

grid

  • Click the green plus sign to add a grid.
  • Set the Coordinate Reference System (CRS) if necessary.
    • I've chosen choose Illinois State Plane East (EPSG 3529)
  • Set the grid intervals as appropriate
    • The units of Illinois State Plane East is meters
    • I've chosen a grid spacing of 25km (=25,000 meters)
  • Adjust other parameters as desired

    9. Etcetera

  • One of the most useful options is to Lock layers on a map. This allows you to create another map in print composer with different layer visibility and symbology.

   lock layer

  • To group items, select the items you want to group and select Layout >> Group or press Ctrl-G on your keyboard.
  • QGIS has a smart guides feature which allows you to align objects as you move them around.
  • Unfortunately, QGIS does not have compass roses or other North Arrow symbols (but a simple north arrow can be created manually).

Here's an example of a map created in Print Composer:

final

Try it out yourself to see what maps you can make. QGIS does a good job here, the possibilities are endless.

 

 

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