GetFeats

QGIS plugin - A semi-automation tool. Creates an auto-updating table of feature attributes near a selected point.

Use Case

• Speeds up manual data entry while limiting the risk of typos during feature labeling. Simply copy/paste the correct value.

• When quality assurance (preventing errors) is preferred over quality control (handling errors later).

• When choosing a value from a list is desired, but manual entry may be necessary.

  

  Map Credits

  • https://github.com/bburns/Arda
  • https://github.com/andrewheiss/ME-GIS

Installation

Preferred

QGIS Plugin Manager

1. Open QGIS -> Select Plugins from the menu bar -> Select Manage and Install Plugins -> Select the All panel -> Search "GetFeats" -> Click Install Plugin
2. Enable the plugin: Choose the Installed panel of Manage and Install Plugins and ensure GetFeats is checked.

Alternate methods

QGIS Plugin Directory

The plugin directory can be found from the QGIS menu bar:

• Settings -> User profiles -> Open active profile folder
• Defaults (replace USER with your username):
  • Windows: C:\Users\USER\AppData\Roaming\QGIS\QGIS3\profiles\default\python\plugins
  • Linux: /home/USER/.local/share/QGIS/QGIS3/profiles/default/python/plugins
• After plugin installation it may be necessary to open/restart QGIS and enable the plugin:
  1. Select Plugins from the menu bar -> Manage and Install Plugins -> Installed panel
  2. Ensure GetFeats is checked.

ZIP Download

• Click the Code button and select Download ZIP. Then follow one of the below methods:
  • Method 1
    1. Extract the contents to a directory named GetFeats in the QGIS plugin directory.
  • Method 2
    1. Open QGIS -> Select Plugins from the menu bar -> Select Manage and Install Plugins -> Select the Install from ZIP panel
    2. Choose the downloaded ZIP archive using the file dialog.

Git

1. Navigate to the QGIS plugin directory, then run:
   • git clone git@github.com:tetrakai1/GetFeats.git

Usage

Dialog

Config

• Layer Names
  • The Source layer
    • This layer is searched for features nearby a selected Target point, the results are then displayed in the Table.
    • Must have Line geometry.
  • The Target layer
    • A point from this layer is used to select nearby features in the Source layer.
    • Must have a fid field (this will exist by default if the layer is saved as a geopackage).
    • Must have a Point geometry.
• Field Name Map
  • Here the Source layer fields are mapped to the Output table fields.
    • Both are comma-separated lists.
      • Leading/trailing white space will be stripped out.
    • Values can be selected from the combobox or typed manually.
      • Note that suggestions for the Output fields come from the Target layer.
    • Last field in the list can be deleted by clicking the <- button.
    • Results will populate the Table.
  • Source
    • At least one value must be a field in the Source layer.
    • Repeated values are allowed.
    • Values not corresponding to a Source field will fill that column of the Table.
  • Output
    • These values will be the column names of the Table.
    • Any non-duplicated values are allowed, but there must be the same number as chosen for Source.
    • However, if Quick Copy/Paste will be used these should correspond to fields in the Target layer.
• Nearest-Neighbor Parameters
  • Max Distance
    • The maximum distance (in meters) from the selected Target feature to search for features in the Source layer.
    • If no or too few features are found, try increasing this value.
  • Neighbors
    • Maximum number of neighbors to allow.
      • The final displayed amount will be less in the case of duplicates (ie, features with the same values for attributes listed in the Source field map).
      • If too few features are found, there may be many duplicates. Try increasing this value.
  • Select Features
    • Whether to also select the nearest-neighbor features so they are highlighted on the map canvas.
  • Info Box
    • Displays info about unit conversion. In particular, a warning and estimated error will be displayed when converting from degrees to meters.
• Enable Plugin
  • When checked, the plugin will monitor for features selected in the Target layer and update the Table.
  • Automatically disabled when the dialog is closed.
• Save Settings
  • Currently displayed settings will be saved to the profile-specific QGIS.ini file provided by QGIS.

Advanced Config

• Enable Quick Copy/Paste
  • When unchecked, cells in the Table can be copied by right-clicking or Ctrl-C.
    • In this safe mode, the plugin does not modify any existing layer.
  • When checked, simply clicking a cell in the Table will copy/paste the value into the corresponding field of the selected Target feature.
    • This modifies the layer data in the background, so a number of safety measures are taken to avoid accidental copy/pasting.
    • A history of copy/paste events can be found in the Quick Copy/Paste Log.
• Use Custom Prep
  • When checked, additional data preparation is performed (before display in the Table) as defined by the chosen script from the custom_prep directory.
  • This script essentially acts as a plugin-within-a-plugin.
    • A skeleton script and example are included.
    • Typical use cases could be applying regex, or adding a custom field not found in the Source layer.
  • The choice must be saved to settings and QGIS restarted to take effect.

Output Table

• Table
  • Each row is a feature discovered using the nearest-neighbor algorithm.
  • Data in each column is an attribute defined in the Source list of the Field Name Map.
  • Column names were defined in the Output list of the Field Name Map.
  • Only one cell can be selected at a time.
    • If Quick Copy/Paste is disabled/inactive, values can be copied by right-clicking or Ctrl-C.
    • If Quick Copy/Paste is enabled/active, values are auto-copy/pasted when selected.
      • See Advanced Config for the requirements.
• Show/Hide Menu
  • If screenspace is scarce, the menu can be hidden using the button on the bottom-left.
• Font Size
  • The font size can be changed using the spinbox on the bottom-right.

Quick Copy/Paste Log

• Shows a timestamped history of Quick Copy/Paste activity.
• If the copy/paste failed, the timestamp will be colored red.
  • Eg, due to attempting to copy a String into an Integer field.
• Can be used to:
  • Track the amount of time spent on each feature.
  • Check for errant copy/pastes.
• Reset the log window by clicking Clear Log.
• Logs can also be saved/loaded from the profile directory.
  • Loaded logs can be distinguished from the current session by lack of colored text.
  • Logs are saved as qcplog.txt, manual backup is required to maintain multiple logs.
  • Warnings:
    • Load Log overwrites the current log panel.
    • Save Log (Overwrite) overwrites the existing log file.
    • Save Log (Append) appends to the end of the existing log file.

Experimental Settings

• Allow all Source geometries
  • When checked Source layers can have any geometry.
    • Default (unchecked) is limited to only Line geometry.
• Allow all Target geometries
  • When checked Target layers can have any geometry.
    • Default (unchecked) is limited to only Point geometry.

Tutorial

Configuration

• Set up the plugin.

  

Steps

1. Open the tutorial QGIS project: /tutorial/data/arda.qgs.
   • Find it in your QGIS Plugin Directory.
   • See the Arda repo for details and the original complete LOTR map.
2. Select the GetFeats plugin.
3. Ensure correct Source and Target layers are selected.
   • Source: Roads
   • Target: target_layer
4. Ensure Field Name Map is configured correctly.
   • Source: NULL, name, type
   • Output: Heading, Name, Type
5. Set Max Distance to 50 km.
   • Max Distance: 50000
6. On the Advanced page enable Quick Copy/Paste and Use Custom Prep.
   • Ensure that custom_prep_lotr.py is the selected script.
     • Otherwise change the selection, save, and restart QGIS.
     • This fills the Heading field and formats the road name text.
7. Select the Config page.
   • Check Enable Plugin.
   • Optional: Save Settings.
8. Select the Table page.
   • Both Plugin and Copy/Paste should be shown as Active on the bottom.

Use the Plugin

• Select and modify target feature attributes.

  

Steps

1. Activate the QGIS selection tool.
2. Ensure the Target layer is selected and in edit mode.
3. Choose the first point.
   • Choose any attribute values to copy into the selected feature of the Target layer.
4. Repeat step #3 for the second point.