[Qgis-user] changing the default behavior for "coordinate reference system of new layers" in QGIS general options?

[Giovanni Manghi]

Hi all,

I would like to know your opinion about the above question.

My point of view, after giving many training courses, is that the
default option should be changed to "prompt for CRS", eventually
adding a checkbox in the dialog windows that pops up, to avoid being
asked over and over for the reminder of the session.


Why?

a few reasons:

*) common/new qgis users tend to not go and configure "options -> CRS
-> coordinate reference system of new layers" to match their needs

*) common/new gis users do have and hard time understand how/when a
layer do not have a explicit CRS, examples: a TIFF with worldfile or a
Shapefile with no .prj file

*) a few tools, both core and 3rd party plugins, do produce output
layers (in memory layers or file based layers) that are usually added
to the canvas and given (in their properties) the CRS defined in "use
default CRS displayed below" (of the "options -> CRS -> coordinate
reference system of new layers" option). If the user do not change
this option, it is by default WGS84 and in many cases is obviously
wrong, leading to a number of problems (reprojections in the wrong
place, layers saved with the wrong CRS, etc.). Exemples: the "cad
tools" plugin and the "raster terrain analysis" plugin.

Please leave your feedback


cheers

-- Giovanni --