GIS Training with QGIS - Exercise 1: Vector layers and Symbology

Exercise 1: Vector layers and Symbology
 1. Install QGIS
 a) Windows users should download the OSGeo online installer (requires an Internet connection for the
installation) from  http://download.osgeo.org/osgeo4w/osgeo4w-setup.exe. Run the installer, and
choose “Advanced” setup. From the software list select to install  qgis-unstable. Verify that GRASS
is selected for installation, and choose all the gdal16 software libraries.
 b) Ubuntu Linux users can find ready-made packages from the UbuntuGIS software repository:
Details for adding this repo here: http://trac.osgeo.org/ubuntugis/wiki/UbuntuGISRepository
 c) MacOS users should install packages and required frameworks from:
http://www.kyngchaos.com/software/qgis
 d) Open a new folder Geodata and copy all the practice data layers from the CD into this folder.
 e) Make a subfolder “Exercises” under Geodata and save all work there.
 2. Start QGIS
 a) Re-arrange toolbars to find all buttons easily
 b) Disable all plugins except GPS, Delimited Text, GRASS, Quick Print.
 c) Under Settings->Options be sure that the CRS is set to “Prompt for CRS”.
 3. Load data
 a) Load the background tiff file HYP_HR_SR_W.tif from  the naturalearthdata.com directory
under Geodata\raster.
 b) Load all shapefiles from the naturalearthdata.com directory under Geodata\vector.
 c) In the Project Properties, set the projection to WGS84 (EPSG:4326).
 d) Choose “Unique Value” for the classification of the layer “states_provinces”. Use the ISO
column to give each country  a different outline color for its provinces. Set all the fill colors to
“None”.
 e) Color the rivers and lakes layers blue.
 f) Add labels to the populated_places layer. Use the Name_Town column as labels, and place the
labels below the points.  Use scale dependent rendering to label the layers only when zoomed in to a
scale of 1:3,000,000 or closer.
 g) Choose Graduated Symbol for the populated_places layer to display the towns with different
size symbols based on the POP_MAXI column. Enter a value of 4 in Number of classifications and
click Classify. Then change the symbol sizes such that larger populations are displayed by bigger
symbols.
 h) Display the countries layer with 70% transparency, setting a separate color for each country, and
thick dark outline.
 i) Zoom to Bosnia-Herzegovina and save a bookmark. Zoom to Serbia and save another bookmark.
 j) Save the QGIS project as Geodata\Exercises\Balkans.qgs
 4. Check the project
 a) Close QGIS and reopen the project (File->Open Recent Projects).
 b) Verify that all symbology has been saved and that the bookmarks work.