[GeoNode-devel] New Geonode, GeoSAFE and QGIS work

[Gavin Fleming]

Hi all, an update

# GeoNode with QGIS backend

Our work is in our GeoNode fork at [1]. Right now we are integrating the QGIS backend repo at [2] into our GeoNode fork, so the latter will soon disappear as a separate repo. The end result will be that when you install GeoNode you will be able to choose either the GeoServer or the  QGIS backend. 

Why a QGIS backend? Let’s look at this from a GeoNode architecture perspective. GeoServer has been tightly integrated into GeoNode from the beginning. Hopefully you will agree that it is a design improvement to make GeoNode and GeoServer more loosely coupled, i.e. to separate Django and GeoServer without affecting any GeoNode functionality, by means of abstracting and improving the backend API. For one, this would remove the dependency of GeoNode on a specific or customised version of GeoServer.   Once that backend abstraction is in place, GeoNode then also has the flexibility of using alternative backends, which different user communities might require for various reasons.  In our case we needed a QGIS backed primarily so we could integrate InaSAFE, which is a QGIS plugin, into GeoNode (see GeoSAFE description below). A QGIS backend also has other benefits, such as the ability to use QGIS (qml) styles.

# QGIS GeoNode client

We have made some progress on a GeoNode client in core QGIS. It will eventually enable rich interaction with GeoNode metadata, layers, maps and styles. 

The work happening on this is at [6].

# GeoSAFE

GeoSAFE is the current name of the project to provide a web interface to InaSAFE [4]. It is a Django app that adds some of the user functionality that is available in the QGIS desktop with InaSAFE, into GeoNode. 

An outline of how GeoSAFE works:
- user: upload hazard and exposure layers to the GeoNode instance or fetch them from remote online sources through a metadata search. 
- user: set up and run an analysis in the GeoSAFE view
- system: send the layers and analysis configuration to headless QGIS server backend running InaSAFE plugin
- system: QGIS backend with InaSAFE runs the analysis and generates output layers and reports
- system: publishes output layers and reports in GeoNode
- user: views output layers and reports. 

Our GeoSAFE work is at [3]
# Staging server

The project staging server [5] will mostly be running the develop branches of GeoNode with QGIS backend and GeoSAFE, updated from time to time. 

We’d welcome any questions, comments or contributions!

Regards

Gavin

[1] https://github.com/kartoza/geonode <https://github.com/kartoza/geonode>
[2] https://github.com/kartoza/geonode_qgis_server <https://github.com/kartoza/geonode_qgis_server>
[3] https://github.com/kartoza/geosafe <https://github.com/kartoza/geosafe> 
[4] http://inasafe.org <http://inasafe.org/> 
[5] http://staging.geonode.kartoza.com <http://staging.geonode.kartoza.com/>
[6] https://github.com/kartoza/QGIS <https://github.com/kartoza/QGIS> 



> On 18 Jan 2017, at 15:40, Gavin Fleming <gavin at kartoza.com> wrote:
> 
> Hi all
> 
> I'm Gavin Fleming from Kartoza. I'm a long-time Geonode user but am joining this list as I'm going to be managing a component of the World Bank project that Kartoza has been working on for a while now under the direction of Tim Sutton. The goal is to build up the QGIS Server backend and QGIS Documentation to the point that they are rock solid, scalable and well integrated.
> 
> From now for six months our brief includes the following:
> 
> - Geonode architecture development to improve QGIS and GeoSAFE integration
> 
> - improved metadata management within and between QGIS and Geonode
> 
> - improved data upload and retrieval capability in Geonode to support import to and export from QGIS
> - developing common style, layer, map and project idioms between Geonode and QGIS to enable simple sharing and management of these elements 
> - extending and strengthening the Geonode/ QGIS/ GeoSAFE devops ecosystem for simple, robust, scalable deployment. 
> 
> If you'd like more details or to start a discussion around any one of these please do so in separate threads. 
> 
> We will also keep the community in the loop as we progress and will contribute to Geonode GitHub Issues and GNIPs where appropriate. 
> 
> regards
> 
> Gavin
> -- 
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
> 
> Gavin Fleming - Joint MD - PrGISc [PGP1234]
> Visit http://kartoza.com <http://kartoza.com/> to find out about open source:
> * Desktop GIS programming services
> * Geospatial web development
> * GIS Training
> * Consulting Services
> Skype: phlemingo
> Office: +27(0)878092702
>  <http://w3w.co/grouping.united.inviting>
> -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
> Kartoza = Linfiniti ∪ Afrispatial

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