VECTOR BASEMAPS
If you want your map to be unique and different from all the others but don’t know how to create it, you are in the right place.
We will show you the entire process step by step, from downloading data to loading and processing it according to your preferences.
First of all, know that you can do it 😎 and everything is free, from the software to the data. The only thing you need is a bit of time. We encourage you to experiment.
SOFTWARE
We start with the software, which will be our core tool. We haven’t changed our views; if anyone wants to create a map, we encourage using QGIS software, which is free—you just need to download it from the WEBSITE.
DATA
We encourage you to review our sources. However, for the purposes of this post and for beginners, we will limit ourselves to one place where you will find all the data necessary to create your own base map.
We are talking about the geoportal
Why?
– First, the data is reliable and up-to-date.
– Second, there is a lot of it 😎
Cons?
– Somewhat unintuitive data download tools, mainly for beginners.
Below, everything will become simpler.
DOWNLOADING DATA
Now, step by step, where the data is located and how to download it.
1. On the right side of the geoportal there is a MAP CONTENT window.
2. SELECT the data you want to download:
– Topography – topographic data base
– NMT
– lidar
3. The map on the right side will be highlighted in blue [indicating that the data is available for download].
Once we have selected the data we are interested in, it’s time to download it, but how? 🤯 Don’t worry, here are the steps, short and to the point.
[A] Select the area of interest for which you want to download data 🟥 [if it’s for Poland, skip this point]
[B] Enable the ℹ️ tool and use it to right-click on the area of interest.
[C] A window with data to download will appear [1]. We choose:
– The topographic data base BDOT10k, and within it [1a] Powiat Warsaw – SHP.
– Lidar, and then [1b] the most up-to-date data. 😊
LOADING DATA
In our case, this will be very simple because we will only work with vector data for this project.
1. In the top toolbar, click on the LAYER tab.
2. Next, from the list, select ADD LAYER and then ADD VECTOR LAYER.
3. A DATA SOURCE MANAGER window will appear; there, indicate the location where you saved the data [point to the data with the .SHP extension].
NOTE: You can load data by dragging it into the main window or the layers window [easier and faster]
WE HAVE THE DATA 😊
DATA MANAGEMENT
Now a short panic moment because the data is encoded 🤯 so how do we know what is what
1] You can guess by the shape 😎
2] However, it will be simpler to use the list below, where we have decoded the BDOT10k data to level 2. If you need decoded level 3 data, you can find it among others HERE [this information will be needed by those who want to perform analyses on the databases].
The loaded data can be left in this form, but we can also rename it so that we don’t have to use the dictionary each time.
Simply right-click on the existing name and select RENAME from the list.
DATA PROCESSING
Now we will move on to data processing, giving character to our map 😊 We wish you an enjoyable time.
Below we will show how to change the display of vector data and land cover data.
PROCESSING VECTOR DATA
After loading the vector data, our map will look like the one below. What next?
(A) We don’t need to display all layers, as some will cover others.
(B) To manage the data, simply go into their properties and play around with their display settings (change color, line thickness, or transparency level).
1. Right-click on the selected layer and choose LAYER PROPERTIES.
2. A window for layer management will appear; from the left side of the window, select STYLE.
3. We recommend playing with the display settings.
4. We will share our results at the end; maybe one of them will appeal to you.
PROCESSING LAND COVER DATA
In this case, we are talking about LIDAR data 😉 Don’t worry, we load it just like the previous data. Below, we will show you how to achieve a land cover effect from raw data.
After loading the data, you will see it as shown above [left side].
2. Similar to vector data, right-click on the selected layer and choose LAYER PROPERTIES.
3. In the properties window, select STYLE.
4. In the display method, choose HILL SHADE. You can play with brightness and contrast, but more interesting effects can be achieved by slightly adjusting the Z FACTOR (there’s no point in entering more than 100; we don’t see a difference beyond that 😊)
The land cover can serve as a base layer for our vector map. The only thing to remember is to set the transparency for the vector layer. If you don’t know how to do this, refer to our previous post about terrain modeling.
Below are the results of the data editing:
FINAL RESULT
