Free GIS

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Free GIS

• an intro to open-source spatial software

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Be sure to examine the links and notes with these
slidesthere may be some not so obvious gems

• Paul Bartsch
• UCSB
• paul.bartsch_at_dcs.ucsb.edu

• Joe Larson
• Cal Fire
• gisfireguy_at_gmail.com until I get an official
  Cal Fire email

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FREE GIS

• seriously

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FOSS4G Free and Open Source Software for
Geospatial OSGEO The Open Source Geospatial
Foundation
All of the products we'll talk about today are
both free and open-source
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Why Use Open Source GIS?

• 1. Marketable skills
• In this ever-changing job market it is a huge
  benefit to be able to bring a total GIS package
  to the table
• 2. Supported by huge development support
  community 
• Community is very passionate about helping each
  other but and continually improving software
• 3. Low start-up costs
• It is now possible to install a complete GIS
  stack without paying a cent - LEGALLY 
• 4. Security
• Arguably more secure than proprietary software 
• Backed by large development community
• Bugs are found and fixed quickly

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Why Use Open Source GIS? (contd)

• 5. Works on all major platforms (Mac, Linux,
  Windows)?
• 6. Complimentary business model vs linear (see
  next two slides)
• 7. There's nothing missing
• Desktop GIS, Spatial Database Storage, Server...
• Tons of analysis tools (No licensing worries)?
• Community developed add-ons
• 8. Works with existing GIS data
• Import .shp files, most major formats
• Export to most major formats
• ArcSDE now connects to PostGIS (OS Database)?
• 9. No file format lock-in
• 10. Did we mention FREE?
• Potentially save enough money on software to
  save jobs

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Closed Source Software Dev

Organization 1
Software

Organization 2
Software
0110 0110

Organization 3
Software
Credit http//wiki.osgeo.org/wiki/Library
Holmes_2006a
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Open Source Dev. Model
Org. 1 Code in
Org. 2 New feature funders
Org. 3 Documentation in, code out

101100011
0110
0110
DOCUMENTATION
0110 1001
0110 1100
OS Community 0110 0110
Org. 4 Community-funded Developers
0110 1100
0110 1100
0110
0110
Org. 5 Customer of contributor Org.6
0110 110
0110
Org. 6 Consultant/ Contributor
1010
1010

0110 1100

IDEAS
0110 1100
0100

Org. 7 Ideas and money in, code out
Org. 8 Code and money in, code and money out
0110
Credit http//wiki.osgeo.org/wiki/Library
Holmes_2006a
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Who uses Open Source GIS?

• A few examples
• ArcGIS 9.2 uses GDAL
• United Nations
• UCSB Marine Map http//www.marinemap.org/marinemap
  /
• Many case studies here http//postgis.refractions
  .net/documentation/casestudies/
• More case studies http//wiki.osgeo.org/wiki/Case
  _Studies
• Big projects like Linux, Apache, Mozilla Firefox
  and OpenOffice are supported by Fortune 500
  companies like IBM and Sun.  OSGeo is supported
  by Autodesk.

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Why Teach Open Source GIS?

• 1. Teach fundamentals of spatial data management
  and analysis rather than button memorization
• 2. Becoming an increasingly necessary job skill
•   Companies with existing GIS are using this
  software
•   Makes GIS marketable to smaller firms and
  non-profits
• 3. Drives innovation
• Through sharing of knowledge source code
•  4. Code is open and human-readable

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The StackFree Alternatives For Your GIS Needs

• PostgreSQL/ PostGIS - Spatial Database
• http//www.postgresql.org/
• http//postgis.refractions.net/
• GeoServer - Server for Online Publishing/ Data
  Sharing
• http//geoserver.org/display/GEOS/Welcome
• OpenLayers - Web Application Programming
  Interface (API)?
• http//openlayers.org/
• GRASS - (Geographic Resources Analysis Support
  System)?
• http//grass.osgeo.org/
• OSSIM - Advanced remote sensing image
  processing
• http//www.ossim.org/OSSIM/OSSIMHome.html
• Quantum GIS - Desktop GIS
• http//www.qgis.org/
• GDAL, OGR - Translator library for geospatial
  data formats
• http//www.gdal.org/
•  
• There are many more options, but these are our
  favorites so far.

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The Stack ..in another form..
Credit http//opengeo.org/publications/opengeo-ar
chitecture/
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PostgreSQL PostGIS

• PostgreSQL is a powerful, open source
  object-relational database system
• A true spatial database
• Conforms to Open Geospatial Consortium standards
• ArcSDE can connect to it
• New to ArcGIS Server 9.3
• Secure storage for both spatial and non spatial
  data
• Column level permissions granularity 
• PostGIS "spatially enables" the PostgreSQL
  server, allowing it to be used as a backend
  spatial database for (GIS), much like ESRI's SDE

The Open Geospatial Consortium, Inc. (OGC) is a
non-profit, international, voluntary consensus
standards organization that is leading the
development of standards for geospatial and
location based services.
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GeoServer
Outputs WMS, WFS, KML, GeoJSON, GeoRSS,
more.. Share and edit geospatial data Open
standards allow publishing from any major spatial
data source including shapefiles, SQL Server,
PostGIS, DB2, Oracle, WFS, TIFF Images,
MySQL Integrates with existing API's (Google,
yahoo, etc.)? Connects to ArcGIS Server WMS can
be easily added into existing ArcMap .mxd's
http//geoserver.org/display/GEOS/Welcome
GeoServer is an open source software server
written in Java that allows users to share and
edit geospatial data. Designed for
interoperability, it publishes data from any
major spatial data source using open
standardsGeoServer is the reference
implementation of the Open Geospatial Consortium
(OGC) Web Feature Service (WFS) and Web Coverage
Service (WCS) standards, as well as a high
performance certified compliant Web Map Service
(WMS). GeoServer forms a core component of the
Geospatial Web.
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GeoServer
Credit http//opengeo.org/publications/opengeo-ar
chitecture/
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OpenLayers
JavaScript Library, including API Similar to
Google Maps API Makes building dynamic mapping
webpages VERY easy Provides the tools needed to
easily add a map to a webpage Allows overlaying
your own data Can display map tiles and markers
loaded from any source
http//openlayers.org/ OpenLayers
http//www.openlayers.org/ OpenLayers makes it
easy to put a dynamic map in any web page. It can
display map tiles and markers loaded from any
sourceOpenLayers is a pure JavaScript library
for displaying map data in most modern web
browsers, with no server-side dependencies.
OpenLayers implements a (still-developing)
JavaScript API for building rich web-based
geographic applications, similar to the Google
Maps and MSN Virtual Earth APIs, with one
important difference -- OpenLayers is Free
Software, developed for and by the Open Source
software community.
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GRASS Geographic Resources Analysis Support
System?
Geospatial data management Analysis Image
processing Graphics/maps production Spatial
modeling Visualization Tons of tools functions
Very complex analysis Now there's a simple user
interface through QGIS
Commonly referred to as GRASS, this is a
Geographic Information System (GIS) used for
geospatial data management and analysis, image
processing, graphics/maps production, spatial
modeling, and visualization. GRASS is currently
used in academic and commercial settings around
the world, as well as by many governmental
agencies and environmental consulting companies.
GRASS is an official project of the Open Source
Geospatial Foundation. http//grass.osgeo.org/
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OSSIM Open Source Software Image Map?
C software library that provides advanced
remote sensing, image processing, and
geo-spatialfunctionality Includes
orthorectification, precision terrain correction,
rigorous sensor models, very large mosaics, and
cross sensor fusions, a wide range of map
projections and datums, and a large range of
commercial and government data formats  OSSIM
Planet - an accurate 3D global geo-spatial viewer
that is built on top of OSSIM
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Quantum GIS (QGIS)
Desktop application very user friendly Can work
directly with .shp file, WMS, too many to list
Any Platform Windows, Mac, Linux FREE Plugins
available (Similar to Firefox add-ons)? Allow
spatial analysis, 3-D analysis, statistical
analysis... User interface for GRASS tools. OGR
interface allows use of TONS of formats PostGIS
interface MapServer export
www.qgis.org
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GDAL, OGR
GDAL is a translator library for raster
geospatial data formats...It also comes with a
variety of useful commandline utilities for data
translation and processing.
The OGR Simple Features Library is a C open
source library (and commandline tools) providing
read (and sometimes write) access to a variety of
vector file formats including ESRI Shapefiles,
S-57, SDTS, PostGIS, Oracle Spatial, and Mapinfo
mid/mif and TAB formats.
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Possible OGR Sources in QGIS  AVCBin, BNA, CSV,
DGN, ESRI Shapefile, GML, GMT, GPX, GRASS,
GeoJSON, Interlis, KML, MapInfo FIle, Memory,
MySQL, ODBC, OGDI, PGeo, PostgreSQL, REC, S57,
SDTS, SQLite, TIGER, UK.NTF, VRT
With GDAL tools you can   Report information
about a file.  Copy a raster file, with control
of output format.  Warp an image into a new
coordinate system.  Build a MapServer raster
tileindex.  Convert nearly black/white borders
to exact value.   Contours from DEM.  Create a
TMS tile structure, KML and simple web  viewer.
  Tools to analyze and visualize DEMs.  Build a
quick mosaic from a set of images.  Rasterize
vectors into raster file.  Transform
coordinates. And much more
Possible OGR Targets in QGIS BNA, CSV, DGN, ESRI
Shapefile, GML, GMT, GPX, GeoJSON, Interlis 1,
Interlis 2, KML, MapInfo FIle, Memory, MySQL,
ODBC, PostgreSQL, S57, SQLite, TIGER
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Looks Cool, Now What?

• Quantum GIS is a great place to start
• If you've ever used a GIS, you'll feel right at
  home!
• http//qgis.org/
•  
• Windows users start with OSGeo4W
  http//trac.osgeo.org/osgeo4w/
• Windows XP, Vista, etc. 
• Includes GDAL/OGR, GRASS, MapServer, QGIS as
  well as many other packages (about 70 as of
  summer 2008)
•  
• Mac Users http//www.kyngchaos.com/softwareunixp
  ort
•  
• Linux Ubuntu Users contact Paul or Joe

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Tutorials / User Guides

• QGIS http//qgis.org/en/documentation/manuals.htm
  l
• PostGIS, OpenLayers, and more
  http//www.bostongis.com/
• PostGIS http//postgis.refractions.net/documentat
  ion/manual-1.3/
• GeoServer http//docs.geoserver.org/1.7.x/user/
• GRASS http//grass.osgeo.org/wiki/GRASS_Help

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Tutorials / User Guides

• OpenGeo Workshops
• Quite recent, http//blog.opengeo.org/2009/05/22/o
  pengeo-where/ Looks really interesting ! ! !
• OpenLayers intro http//workshops.opengeo.org/open
  layers/intro/
• PostGIS workshop http//workshops.opengeo.org/post
  gis/contents.html
• OpenGeo Workshop Installing GeoServer, Geoserver
  Basics, Working With PostGIS, Creating a Base
  Map, Working with OpenLayers, Google Earth
  http//workshops.opengeo.org/stack/

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Want to get involved with Open Source GIS?

• Join the local California Chapter of OSGeo
  http//wiki.osgeo.org/wiki/California
• For general help on getting started with OSGeo
  see http//www.osgeo.org/content/faq/getting_start
  ed.html
• Contact Paul or Joe

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Acknowledgements

• http//www.gdal.org/gdal_utilities.html
• http//www.gdal.org/ogr/ogr_formats.html
• http//freegeographytools.com/2009/gis-related-sof
  tware-for-the-mac
• http//opengeo.org/publications/opensource-as-vert
  ical/
• http//apb.directionsmag.com/archives/1937-ArcGIS-
  9.2-uses-GDAL.html
• http//wiki.osgeo.org/wiki/Library
  Ticheler_2005.ppt
• http//www.redhat.com/about/whyopensource/
• Defense Dept. committee has open-source leaning
  http//news.cnet.com/8301-13505_3-10037544-16.html
  

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Final Thoughts

• In the spirit of Open Source this presentation
  should really be viewed in OpenOffice.org Impress
  http//www.openoffice.org/
• More about PostGIS http//opengeo.org/community/po
  stgis/ . Theres also a book coming out
  http//www.manning.com/obe/
• More about QGIS http//www.qgis.org/en/about-qgis/
  features.html
• More about GeoServer http//opengeo.org/community/
  geoserver/ , http//geoserver.org/display/GEOS/Wha
  tisGeoServer
• More about OpenLayers http//opengeo.org/community
  /openlayers/
• Interesting discussion on PostgreSQL/PostGIS and
  ArcGIS Server 9.3 http//www.nabble.com/PostgreSQ
  L-PostGIS-and-ArcGIS-Server-9.3-td17419730.html
• Very important white papers
• The OpenGeo Architecture http//opengeo.org/publ
  ications/opengeo-architecture/
• open source as a disruptive technology WARNING
  25MB http//s3.cleverelephant.ca/2008-kansas-keyno
  te.pdf
• Geospatial, An Open Source Microcosm
  http//opengeo.org/publications/opensource-as-vert
  ical/

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Final Thoughts (contd)

• SpatiaLite http//www.gaia-gis.it/spatialite/
• California Geographical Society talk on the
  potential of Spatialite to replace the Shapefile
  in GIS http//www.scribd.com/doc/15063620/Spatiali
  te-CGS-2009

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Final Thoughts (contd)

• zigGIS http//pub.obtusesoft.com/ zigGIS is an
  ArcGIS Desktop extension that allows you to
  connect directly to spatial data stored in
  PostGIS. It is a lightweight option allowing you
  to centralize your spatial data into the leading
  open source spatially-enabled relational
  database.
• Using zigGIS, you are able to take advantage of
  the advanced analysis and cartographic tools of
  ArcMap while leveraging the superior spatial data
  storage and management capabilities of PostGIS.
  zigGIS enables you to view, analyze and edit your
  PostGIS spatial data from within ArcMap.
• The most exciting new feature of zigGIS is the
  introduction of multi-user editing of PostGIS
  data from within ArcMap. zigGIS now includes
  tools enabling you to check out your data and
  make edits with the native ArcMap tools.
• Best of all, zigGIS enables all of this
  capability for users of ArcView on up without the
  need for additional middleware.
• http//www.spatiallyadjusted.com/2008/01/07/ziggis
  -20-view-edit-postgis-and-sql-server-2008-from-arc
  gis-desktop/

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An after-thought..

• An after thought I had Portable GIS was a really
  good introduction for myself (Joe), to one
  version of an Open Source GIS stack. Jo Cook will
  be releasing a new version of Portable GIS very
  soon in fact! I encourage you to look at it here
  http//www.archaeogeek.com/blog/portable-gis/
• The philosophy behind this idea was to provide
  beginners with a ready-installed and configured
  stack of open source GIS tools that would run in
  windows without the need for emulation or a live
  cd. By taking out the often difficult
  installation and configuration, I hope to make it
  easier for beginners to get started with open
  source GIS, so they are not put off before it
  gets interesting and fun. Not only that, but
  having a fully self-contained GIS system may
  prove useful in a number of real-life situations.
• The current set of software includes
• Desktop GIS packages GRASS (windows native
  version 6.3 does not need cygwin), QGIS (version
  0.10 with GRASS plugin) and gvSIG (version 1.1),
• FWTools (GDAL and OGR toolkit, version
  2.10)
• XAMPPlite (Apache2/MySQL5/Php5),
• PostgreSQL (version 8.2)/Postgis (version
  1.1),
• Mapserver, OpenLayers, Tilecache,
  Featureserver, and Geoserver web applications.
• If you dont know about portable apps, well,
  theyre really cool. They run from a USB drive or
  folder without effecting or leaving behind any
  files/information into your computer
  registry/system. Explore them further at
  http//portableapps.com/