[Qgis-user] QGIS to ArcGIS

[Mike Shand]

Hi Andreas,

Many thanks for your extensive response which makes some very good 
points and has enlightened me on recent improvements that exist in v2.0.
I will take on board your suggestions and also monitor more closely the 
posts on the  QGIS list and on GIS stackexchange.

Regards,
Mike

On 04/06/2013 13:22, Andreas Neumann wrote:
> 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
>
>