[Qgis-user] 1.8 vs. Debian wheezy

[Alex Mandel]

On 09/18/2013 03:05 PM, Levente Kovacs wrote:
> On Wed, 18 Sep 2013 14:35:36 -0700
> Alex Mandel <tech_dev-V1ui0Jp4Xm2ZwHVy+eqOOgC/G2K4zDHf at public.gmane.org> wrote:
> 
>> 2.0.1 is currently in packaging, so it's considered stable and to be
>> officially released in a few days. However there are still quite a few
>> plugins that are not updated and plenty of under the hood changes that
>> might affect your workflow.
> 
> Thank you. That is good news!
>  
>> Can you explain more what you were trying to do?
> 
> I have a few (let's say below 1000) coordinates in a database. I want to
> write some script that emits some file which could be then read into QGIS,
> and want to visualize the points on a map downloaded from OpenStreetMap.
> 
> It would be nice if I could visualize some data (from the database) by
> clicking on a point, and connect points with a straight line. Save this all,
> and export it to some vector graphic format. I want to run some analysis of
> the lines like total length, etc.
> 
> I am a gis newbie, and I don't know what can be done with qgis, what should I do
> by hand. I am a generic programmer, so I can write the logic, but I don't know
> how to start. I think I'll come here often to ask questions.
> 
> Thank you for your help.
> 
> 73! de HA5OGL
> Levente
> 
> 

The absolute simplest way is to use the Delimited Text import of a csv.

Depending on what kind of database you have though, I might suggest you
simply convert it to spatialite or postgis. Then you can create a line
layer by hand or by query, if by hand using the Edit snapping tools.
There's also some plugins Like Points2One (I think that's the name) that
can take a shared attribute and make lines based on that from points.

As for the OpenStreetMap background, use the Openlayers plugin to pull
tiles automatically for background as you work.

Enjoy,
Alex