Opening ¶

Amy Ternent won a copy of Kurt Menke’s book at FOSS4G 2022 in Florence. She describes it as “an essential guide for any new QGIS user, a fantastic syllabus for GIS educators” and valuable for professionals. The work transitions from beginner fundamentals to advanced theory and practical exercises.

Book Structure ¶

The five main sections cover:

• Introduction to Geospatial Technology
• Spatial Analysis
• Data Acquisition and Management
• Cartographic Design
• Advanced Data Visualisation

The 31 chapters include standalone units allowing readers to focus on specific topics. The second edition adds seven new chapters and substantially updates seven others.

Key New Features Reviewed ¶

Field Data Collection ¶

Uses MerginMaps for mobile data gathering, connecting survey forms to cloud synchronization.

Labels and Annotations ¶

Enables georeferenced markings without duplicate layers, offering cartographic control.

Temporal Controller ¶

Facilitates animated visualizations of time-series data, including animated GIF creation.

3D Views ¶

Demonstrates elevation profiles and three-dimensional mapping capabilities available in QGIS 3.26+.

Conclusion ¶

Ternent recommends the book particularly for GIS students and educators, noting it bridges ad hoc learning with structured knowledge.