[Qgis-user] Newbie to GIS and QGIS

[percy langa]

Welcome for the forum! Well, I am also relatively to QGIS, but not new to
GIS.

Unzip the downloaded file. On QGIS, select the 'Layer' menu, Add Vector
Layer, Source Type: File, browse to your data folder, choose a shapefile or
several shapefiles to load.

Alternatively, you can use 'Source Type: Directory' and browse to your data
folder, click OK. Choose one, several or all layers you wish to load.

Good luck!
Percy

On Wed, Aug 24, 2011 at 7:11 AM, Jel Coward <jel at wildmedic.org> wrote:

> Hi all
>
> Briefly - I am new to GIS and to QGIS.  Running on ubuntu 10.04 LTS.
>
> Motivation - to be able to generate and manipulate maps (I work with Search
> and Rescue in BC (by work, I mean, I do it for free :)   - and a desire to
> understand mapping better.
>
>
> I thought I would start with trying to get QGIS to open/display a map of
> our local area.
>
> I went here
>
> http://geogratis.cgdi.gc.ca/**geogratis/en/option/select.do?**
> id=5460AA9D-54CD-8349-C95E-**1A4D03172FDF&datasets=092j07<http://geogratis.cgdi.gc.ca/geogratis/en/option/select.do?id=5460AA9D-54CD-8349-C95E-1A4D03172FDF&datasets=092j07><
> http://geogratis.cgdi.gc.ca/**geogratis/en/option/select.do?**
> id=5460AA9D-54CD-8349-C95E-**1A4D03172FDF&datasets=092j07<http://geogratis.cgdi.gc.ca/geogratis/en/option/select.do?id=5460AA9D-54CD-8349-C95E-1A4D03172FDF&datasets=092j07>
> >
>
> and downloaded the ESRI shape file - which turns out to be a zip file of a
> bunch of files.
>
> I opened QGIS to a blank project and tried opening all the files via 'add
> vector layer'
>
> I got a list of layers, all checked, on the left and something that might
> be a map on the right :-)   Indeed I think I recognise some shapes/patterns,
> but there are no labels for places, and nothing really resembling a usable
> map.
>
>
> ........now I know that this is my lack of understanding and not a qgis
> failing.    Can anyone help get me kick-started a little here please?   (or
> just get me kicked if that fees better :)
>
>
> Many thanks all - and many thanks to the devels and community for producing
> this great open-source product.
>
> Cheers
>
> Jel Coward
>
>
>
>
>
>
> --
> Jel
> Visit the OSCAR Canada Users Society
> http://OSCARcanada.org
> and learn about a world leading open-source Electronic Medical Record
>
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