[Qgis-user] QGIS to ArcGIS

[Andreas Neumann]

Hi Mike,

-------------

As to your initial request about converesion from QGIS to ArcGIS
projects or vice versa I still think that is very unlikely to happen. It
is a kind of Sisyphus work where you are never finished and whenever
there are new versions of either software you are set back again. Also
neither the mxd nor the qgs format is stable and documented. So do not
expect this to happen.

-------------

As others have pointed out, QGIS 2.0 adds a lot for better cartography:

* easier print composer (with snapping/guidelines)
* new HTML widget and improved text area, optionally with expressions
* better serial printing
* blending in the print composer
* multi-column legends and more legend options

Labeling:
* many more font-properties
* expressions for data-defined properties
* label backgrounds: simple shapes or SVG
* drop shadows
* easy to work with layers where parts of the features are manually
labeled and others automatically

Blending

Symbology:
* data-defined symbology with expressions on the symbol level
* separation of layer grouping and layer order
* improved rule-based symbology
* units can be mixed (e.g. you can define an offset value in m and the
stroke-width in mm)

The expression editor has many more functions that are quite powerful
and can be used with symbology and labeling.

If you can point us to the missing features that still force you to use
ArcGIS or Illustrator, please let us know. It is the goal of the QGIS
community to provide a tool where the cartographers do not have to
export their work to finish it in a different software. We want to be as
good as or better as ArcGIS regarding Cartography.

Often there is also the case that people do not know all the features of
QGIS and simply do not know how to accomplish things with QGIS. In this
case it may be good to consult this mailinglist or GIS stackexchange.
Sometimes also the help or manual could/should be improved.

One such case is that people have the impression that they cannot easily
move, rotate and scale text in QGIS, but once you add the necessary
data-base fields that is easily possible.

If you have concrete proposals, please consider writing feature requests.

Thank you,
Andreas

Am 04.06.2013 10:48, schrieb Mike Shand:
>>>You can see some of the maps made with only QGIS at
> http://www.flickr.com/groups/qgis/pool
> Some very impressive maps, QGIS can do most mapping tasks and does them
> very well, I look forward to the official release of QGIS 2.0.
> Does it now support both CMYK and RGB for symbol design and has any
> changes been made to the Print Composer and its export options ?
> 
>>>That's very surprising: please be specific as to what is missing for you.
> It is difficult to be specific and it could be quite a long list. Even
> with ArcGIS I find there are limitations on customised symbol design and
> layout facilities, so often Adobe Illustrator is my choice for final
> mapping and GIS for map analysis and manipulation of spatial data.    My
> main gripe about both ArcGIS and QGIS is the unfriendly nature of Page
> Layout and Print Composer.  I guess that being a cartographer for over
> 40 years (GIS user for over 20 years) I am probably too demanding on my
> mapping software as I desire to be able to easily customise everything
> from a design and layout point of view and will never accept default
> solutions.
> 
> Regards,
> Mike
> 
> 
> 
> _______________________________________________
> Qgis-user mailing list
> Qgis-user at lists.osgeo.org
> http://lists.osgeo.org/mailman/listinfo/qgis-user
>