[Qgis-developer] A feature Request: referencing layers or groups from other .qgs files

[Craig Leat]

Andreas Neumann wrote:
> I would like to discuss the feasibility of implementing a referencing technique in QGIS.
>
> The idea is that in many .qgs projects one would like to share common layer definitions or group structures. As an example, almost all of my .qgs projects contain a number of basic cadastral data layers (a base map). I have to redo all settings again and again, including all the labeling settings, etc. If I want to do changes in the base map, I have to do it in almost 30 different .qgs projects. This becomes tedious.
>
> Ok - some would now suggest: why don't you use a WMS layer for the base map? The reason is that I would like to use them as symbolized vectors. I would like to be able to snap to vertices and edges and query attributes.
>
> So, the idea would be to offer a linking functionality from one .qgs file to another. A central .qgs file could hold all the definitions of the base map. Other projects could reference individual layer definitions, or whole groups. I think that XML already offers linking technology - so maybe we could use a similar mechanism?
>
> What would be the complicated bits of such a linking idea? Would it be implementable with reasonable efforts?
>
> Thank you for sharing your thoughts on this.

The idea of loading all layers from a base project file was discussed here:
http://lists.osgeo.org/pipermail/qgis-user/2010-September/009548.html

I think your idea of being able to select a subset of layers is cool
and could deal with the issue of rasters in a different CRS. The
selection dialog could mark those raster layers as being unavailable.

Regards,

Craig