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Carleton University Open Source GIS Tutorials

Welcome to our database of tutorials for Open Source GIS software. This collection has grown mostly through the contributions of students in | GEOM 4008 at | Carleton University's Department of Geography and Environmental Studies, but additions or revisions from other members of the community are welcome.

In recent years, each GEOM 4008 student has chosen one tutorial already in the list to update/advance/improve, and has also written a new tutorial - the tutorial list includes dates of authorship and revision, which can be used to assess how current the content will be. The tutorials should be fairly platform-independent, but in some cases you may notice features that are specific to Windows, macOS, or Linux platforms. Usually this only pertains to file system layouts or the look and feel of user interfaces.

Ongoing Service Restrictions

Please note: the ability to create your own user account has been suspended, due to excessive abuse by spambots, etc. However, we warmly welcome legitimate contributors. If you would like an account to make contributions to the tutorials on this site, please contact Scott Mitchell directly (see https://carleton.ca/geography/people/mitchell-scott/).

Relevant help links for GEOM4008 Students

• Consult the User's Guide for information on using the wiki software.
• MediaWiki FAQ
• Students in GEOM 4008, please remember to create your own account in this system, and login to it when you write your wiki pages

New tutorials just released (2019)

The following tutorials are from completed classes or workshops, and the authors have released control of the tutorial contents to the community. If you want to update/correct/improve any of these tutorials, please feel free to log in and help improve our tutorials. They are grouped first by software used, and then by thematic/application groups.

Tutorials organized by software used

QGIS

• Data Extraction and Analysis Using Free and Available Software by Paul Lavoie (2018)
• Making Maps that Look Great Using QGIS and Inkscape by Jamie Carrick (2018)
• Supervised classification in QGIS by Helena Back (2018)
• A Web Mapping Tutorial for Beginners Using QGIS by Jonathan Pierre (2018)
• Beginner's Guide to TINs, DEMs and Contours Using QGIS by Zachary Roberts (2018)
• Hospital Site Suitability Selection using QGIS by Melinda MacDonald (2017), revised by Jamie Carrick (2018)
• Remote Sensing Analysis in QGIS by Samjardine (2017), revised by Helena Back (2018)
• Fire spread through cost path analysis in QGIS GRASS by Eleni Latsis & Colton Male (2017)
• Flood Risk Assessment in QGIS by Ashley Ford & Kayla Charette (2017), revised by Paul Lavoie (2018)* Revised by OliverFarwell (2019)
• Digitizing in QGIS by Becky Trimble (2017), revised by Zachary Roberts (2018) and Haochen Li (2019)
• Exploring the Hydrological Tools in QGIS by Sarah Richardson and Fernanda Amaral (2015), revised by RJ Mitchell (2018)
• Fire Risk Analysis using QGIS by Ante Cavar and Adrian Nicoll (2015)
• Analyzing Crime Data in Ottawa using QGIS by User:Selimerguden (2015), revised by Rafael Seyler (2017)
• Exploring Standard Statistics in QGIS by Alexandra Laudadio and Katie MacDonald (2015)
• Determining Effects on Temperature Interpolations from Large Lakes using QGIS by Iain Burnett (2015), revised by Samantha Schultz (2019)
• Automating Vector and Raster Workflows using the Graphical Modeler in QGIS by Ryder Burt (2015)
• Terrain Analysis with GRASS tools in QGIS Original Seyoum (2015), modified by Kirk Henike (2017)
• Creating IDW and Spline Interpolation Maps Using QGIS by Timothy Chadwick
• Network Analysis: Finding shortest path in QGIS by Besjana Osmenaj (2014), revised by Sam Jardine (2017)
• Slope Analysis using Quantum GIS Processing Toolbox by Kent Jacobs revised by Calvin Gale
• Hierarchical Cluster Analysis using QGIS and R by Tonia
• Spatial Analysis of Different Types of Traffic Accidents with QGIS by Stephanie Yeung (2014), revised by Melinda MacDonald (2017)
• Comparison of QGIS to ArcMap by Kate Dalonzo revised by Kayla Charette (2017)
• Natural Neighbour Analysis and Querying using QGIS by Lauren Procunier (2013)
• Comparative Analysis of Cost Path Analysis In Grass GIS and ArcMap by Neil Thompson (2013)
• Georeferencing Raster Imagery in QGIS using Vector Data by Renee Bazinet revised by Lukasz Quinn(2013) revised by Cameron Fitzpatrick (2019)
• Interpolating a surface and determining overland flow distance via qGIS and SAGA GIS by Christopher Bot (2013)
• Database connection to QGIS using OpenGeo Explorer by Alexander Vetrov (2013)
• Evaluating Landscape Permeability in Quantum by Rosalie Murton and Sarah St. Germain (2012)
• Exploring terrain analysis using Quantum and GRASS GIS by Graham Rathwell (2012) revised by Andre Killeen (2019)
• Creating Static Maps using MapServer and Quantum GIS by Emily Lindsay (2012)
• Emergency Shelter Allocation Evaluation by User katiefeltz, Revised by Becky Trimble (2012)
• Visualizing Multi-Temporal Data with Time Manager by Neptune (2012)
• Off-Sea Evaluation of Unlicensed Mining Blocks in the North Sea by Matthew Judd and Brad Covell (2012) revised by Aaron Jutzi (2019)
• Wind turbine location suitability by Joe Rogers (2010), revised by Colton Male (2017) and James Griffin (2019)

GRASS

• Flood Risk Assessment using Grass GIS by RJ Mitchell (2018)
• Thematic Mapping using GrassGIS by Lucas Lambert Revised by Eleni Latsis (2015)
• Traveling Salesman Problem (TSP) by Sunflower (2012)
• Intro to GRASS workshop General GRASS Introductory Tutorial by Scott Mitchell and collaborators (Used in workshop at Carleton, 17 October 2011) Revised by Shenghao Shi (2019)
• Generating Wetness Indices for Watersheds in GRASS by Matt Giles (2010) revised by Ashley Ford (2017)

SAGA

• An Introduction to Unsupervised Image Classification in SAGA GIS by Brett Bechamp (2018)
• An Introduction to Image Sharpening Tools in SAGA GIS by Patrick Gosztonyi (2018)
• Cost Path Analysis of Mars using SAGA by Shah Khosraviani (2014), revised by Patrick Gosztonyi (2018)
• Georeferencing Raster Imagery in SAGA GIS by Alexander Oestreicher (2017), revised by Jonathan Pierre (2018)
• Introducing Geoprocessing Capabilities of SAGA in R Environment using RSAGA (Saga + Rstudio) by Uzayr Siddiqui (2015)
• Exploring a subset of SAGA's Terrain Analysis tools by Taylor McWade and Alexander Oestreicher (2015)
• Automation of Workflows within SAGA: Using Command Line Scripting to Increase Productivity by Sara Mannseichner (2015)
• Enhanced Wetness Modelling in SAGA GIS by Malek Singer (2015)
• Random Forest (ViGrA) Classification in SAGA by Cameron Samson (2014)
• Exploring Hydrological Analyses using SAGA GIS by Sohail Dham and Colin Doucette (2013)

Whitebox

• Hydrological Analysis Using Whitebox Geospatial Analysis Tools by Calvin Gale (2017)
• Change Detection using Whitebox by Daniel Miller (2014 ?)

R

• RQGIS, Utilizing Rstudio as an alternative GIS by Timothy Kebbel (2018)
• R Studio’s Spatial Capabilities going 3D! by RafSey (2017), revised by Timothy Kebbel (2018)
• Introducing Geoprocessing Capabilities of SAGA in R Environment using RSAGA (Saga + Rstudio) by Uzayr Siddiqui (2015)
• R Studio's Spatial Capabilities by Julia Riddick (2014)

GeoServer

• Developing a Web Map Server Using GeoServer by Benjamin Jarmyn (2012)

Mapwindow

• Terrain analysis for urban storm water modelling using Mapwindow in Surrey by Sorin Simniceanu (2013)

Mapserver

• Creating Static Maps using MapServer and Quantum GIS by Emily Lindsay (2012)

OpenLayers

• Using WMS with OpenLayers by Scott Page (2013)

OpenJUMP

• Exploring the Thematic Capabilities of OpenJump by Stephen Plume (2015), revised by Hannah Anderson (2017)
• Highly Effective Construction of Thematic Maps by Thomas Brown (2013), revised by Didier Soeharjono (2019)

ILWIS

• Exploring Hydrological Analyses using ILWIS by Alice Wilson (2014), revised by Lindsay Trottier (2019)
• Landfill Site Selection Using Spatial Multiple Criteria Evaluation in ILWIS by Oluwafemi Opaleye (2013)

CartoDB

• Spatial Pattern Analysis with CartoDB by Siefat Fatin (2013)

Tutorials organized by application area

Hydrology

• Flood Risk Assessment using Grass GIS by RJ Mitchell (2018)
• Exploring Hydrological Analyses using ILWIS by Alice Wilson (2014), revised by Lindsay Trottier (2019)
• Terrain analysis for urban storm water modelling using Mapwindow in Surrey by Sorin Simniceanu (2013)
• Hydrological Analysis Using Whitebox Geospatial Analysis Tools by Calvin Gale (2017)
• Enhanced Wetness Modelling in SAGA GIS by Malek Singer (2015)
• Exploring Hydrological Analyses using SAGA GIS by Sohail Dham and Colin Doucette (2013)
• Flood Risk Assessment in QGIS by Ashley Ford & Kayla Charette (2017), revised by Paul Lavoie (2018)
• Exploring the Hydrological Tools in QGIS by Sarah Richardson and Fernanda Amaral (2015), revised by RJ Mitchell (2018)
• Generating Wetness Indices for Watersheds in GRASS by Matt Giles (2010) revised by Ashley Ford (2017)

Site Selection

• Landfill Site Selection Using Spatial Multiple Criteria Evaluation in ILWIS by Oluwafemi Opaleye (2013)
• Hospital Site Suitability Selection using QGIS by Melinda MacDonald (2017), revised by Jamie Carrick (2018)
• Emergency Shelter Allocation Evaluation by User katiefeltz, Revised by Becky Trimble (2012)
• Off-Sea Evaluation of Unlicensed Mining Blocks in the North Sea by Matthew Judd and Brad Covell (2012)
• Wind turbine location suitability by Joe Rogers (2010), revised by Colton Male (2017), revised by RichardR (2019)

Web Mapping and Database Applications

• A Web Mapping Tutorial for Beginners Using QGIS by Jonathan Pierre (2018)
• Using WMS with OpenLayers by Scott Page (2013)
• Developing a Web Map Server Using GeoServer by Benjamin Jarmyn (2012)
• Database connection to QGIS using OpenGeo Explorer by Alexander Vetrov (2013)

Cartography

• Making Maps that Look Great Using QGIS and Inkscape by Jamie Carrick (2018)
• Exploring the Thematic Capabilities of OpenJump by Stephen Plume (2015), revised by Hannah Anderson (2017)
• Highly Effective Construction of Thematic Maps by Thomas Brown (2013)
• Creating Static Maps using MapServer and Quantum GIS by Emily Lindsay (2012)
• Thematic Mapping using GrassGIS by Lucas Lambert Revised by Eleni Latsis (2015)
• Visualizing Multi-Temporal Data with Time Manager by Neptune (2012)

Digitizing

• Digitizing in QGIS by Becky Trimble (2017), revised by Zachary Roberts (2018)

Spatial Analysis

• Data Extraction and Analysis Using Free and Available Software by Paul Lavoie (2018)
• RQGIS, Utilizing Rstudio as an alternative GIS by Timothy Kebbel (2018)
• Beginner's Guide to TINs, DEMs and Contours Using QGIS by Zachary Roberts (2018)
• Spatial Pattern Analysis with CartoDB by Siefat Fatin (2013)
• Change Detection using Whitebox by Daniel Miller (2014 ?)
• R Studio’s Spatial Capabilities going 3D! by RafSey (2017), revised by Timothy Kebbel (2018)
• Introducing Geoprocessing Capabilities of SAGA in R Environment using RSAGA (Saga + Rstudio) by Uzayr Siddiqui (2015)
• R Studio's Spatial Capabilities by Julia Riddick (2014)
• Cost Path Analysis of Mars using SAGA by Shah Khosraviani (2014), revised by Patrick Gosztonyi (2018)
• Introducing Geoprocessing Capabilities of SAGA in R Environment using RSAGA (Saga + Rstudio) by Uzayr Siddiqui (2015)
• Exploring a subset of SAGA's Terrain Analysis tools by Taylor McWade and Alexander Oestreicher (2015)
• Traveling Salesman Problem (TSP) by Sunflower (2012)
• Fire spread through cost path analysis in QGIS GRASS by Eleni Latsis & Colton Male (2017)
• Fire Risk Analysis using QGIS by Ante Cavar and Adrian Nicoll (2015)
• Analyzing Crime Data in Ottawa using QGIS by User:Selimerguden (2015), revised by Rafael Seyler (2017)
• Exploring Standard Statistics in QGIS by Alexandra Laudadio and Katie MacDonald (2015)
• Determining Effects on Temperature Interpolations from Large Lakes using QGIS by Iain Burnett (2015), revised by Samantha Schultz (2019)
• Terrain Analysis with GRASS tools in QGIS Original Seyoum (2015), modified by Kirk Henike (2017)
• Creating IDW and Spline Interpolation Maps Using QGIS by Timothy Chadwick
• Network Analysis: Finding shortest path in QGIS by Besjana Osmenaj (2014), revised by Sam Jardine (2017)
• Slope Analysis using Quantum GIS Processing Toolbox by Kent Jacobs revised by Calvin Gale
• Hierarchical Cluster Analysis using QGIS and R by Tonia
• Spatial Analysis of Different Types of Traffic Accidents with QGIS by Stephanie Yeung (2014), revised by Melinda MacDonald (2017)
• Natural Neighbour Analysis and Querying using QGIS by Lauren Procunier (2013)
• Comparative Analysis of Cost Path Analysis In Grass GIS and ArcMap by Neil Thompson (2013)
• Interpolating a surface and determining overland flow distance via qGIS and SAGA GIS by Christopher Bot (2013)
• Evaluating Landscape Permeability in Quantum by Rosalie Murton and Sarah St. Germain (2012)
• Exploring terrain analysis using Quantum and GRASS GIS by Graham Rathwell (2012)

Remote Sensing

• An Introduction to Unsupervised Image Classification in SAGA GIS by Brett Bechamp (2018)
• An Introduction to Image Sharpening Tools in SAGA GIS by Patrick Gosztonyi (2018)
• Supervised classification in QGIS by Helena Back (2018)
• Random Forest (ViGrA) Classification in SAGA by Cameron Samson (2014)
• Georeferencing Raster Imagery in SAGA GIS by Alexander Oestreicher (2017), revised by Jonathan Pierre (2018)
• Remote Sensing Analysis in QGIS by Samjardine (2017), revised by Helena Back (2018) and Gengwei Zhang (2019)
• Georeferencing Raster Imagery in QGIS using Vector Data by Renee Bazinet revised by Lukasz Quinn (2013) revised by Cameron Fitzpatrick (2019)

Scripting/automation

• Automation of Workflows within SAGA: Using Command Line Scripting to Increase Productivity by Sara Mannseichner (2015)
• Automating Vector and Raster Workflows using the Graphical Modeler in QGIS by Ryder Burt (2015)

Tutorials From 2010 and earlier

The tutorials from here down are old enough that they are not included them in the categorized lists above. Most are from 2010; a couple of tutorials from the 2008 class have been ported, but importing the remainder is hampered by version differences in the wiki software used to build them that year.

If future students decide to update any of these, they are more than welcome to, and at that time they can be moved into the categorized lists above.

Unless otherwise noted in the individual tutorial, all of these were originally developed on/for a Windows environment. Specifically, most students were using classroom computers running Windows XP, with QGIS 1.5 (including GRASS Tools), and FWTools. Please note that this environment imposed a 32 bit Windows XP constraint that prevented the system from using all the RAM in the computers, which is likely the culprit in those cases where the tutorial authors complained that the tools could not work with larger datasets.

• Image Classification Tutorial using Orfeo Toolbox by Philippe Gratton (2010)
• Spatial data management using PostGIS by Jean Bouffard (2010)
• Using GIS for Decision Support in Emergency Medical Services by Matt Leyenaar (2010)
• Multiple Criteria Evaluation in Allocating Land for Waste Incineration by Ja'far Rogers (2010), Revised by Amee Lunger(2019)
• Oil Platform Location Suitability using WMS by Kurtis Boyce (2010)
• Displaying Mineral Deposit Locations Across Canada using Web Services by Abuzar Popal (2010), Revised by Mike Wray(2019)
• Suitable Locations for the Reintroduction of the Black Tailed Prairie Dog by Jesse van den Berg (2010)
• Vancouver-Whistler race planning with GRASS and QGIS by Christian Bews (2008)
• Using GPX for the novice geocacher by Pauline Pyke (2008)