[Qgis-user] 1. Best version for novice and 2. chained on-the-fly transformations

[Tom Haws]

# SUMMARY
I am a QGIS novice, and I am lost after installing OSGEO4W. I think I need
help with
1. What to do about my installation.
2. How to restore chained on-the-fly transformation suggestions.

# BACKGROUND
I was doing okay with QGIS, and I created this Youtube video
<https://youtu.be/eSkdP39i0D8?si=PXY2tutxh60p3IPY> about how to download,
reproject (from UTM12 meters to US AZ State Plane international feet),
clip, and convert raster values (from meters to international feet).
Unfortunately I don't know what version I recently had installed, but I
used a version earlier than 3.28.9 to make the referenced video.

I recently installed OSGEO4W, described as "the best way to keep QGIS up to
date, run multiple versions on your system and keep the load on our
download servers to a minimum." Now I see that under "Learn more" (
https://qgis.org/resources/installation-guide#online-osgeo4w-installer) it
says "More advanced QGIS users should use OSGeo4W packages." Oops.

# ISSUES
After installing OSGEO4W, I am having the following issues:
1. There are six versions of QGIS in my Windows Start Menu, and I don't
know which one to run.
- 3.40.6
- 3.42.2
- 3.42.2 (Nightly with Qt6)
- 3.42.2 (Nightly)
- 3.43.0 (Nightly with Qt6)
[image: image.png]
2. There is a new folder Desktop\OSGeo4W that has only shortcuts (over 30)
in it. I don't know if I can safely delete it.
3. If I start 3.40.6,
  a. the splash screen says it is "Long Term Release".
  b. on-the-fly transformations seem to be working differently.
    i. When I set the CRS to WGS84 (EPSG:4978) and try to add a raster
layer on EPGS:6341, I am getting this error message: "No transform is
available between NAD83(2011) / UTM zone 12N + NAVD88 height and EPSG:4978
- WGS 84.
No coordinate operations are available between these two reference systems".
    ii. The type of error above (chained on-the-fly transformation
suggestions no longer available) seems to be giving me trouble in lots of
places.

# QUESTIONS
1. What do you recommend I do about my installation? Uninstall OSGeo4W and
install some version of QGIS, sticking with the LTS versions until I feel I
am more knowledgeable?
2. Is there a way I get restore the ability of QGIS to suggest chained
on-the-fly transformations?

Thanks in advance for any help you can give me.
Tom
--
Tom Haws 480-201-5476 (founder of NPS <http://npsge.org/> 480-389-4583)
I am looking to join financial and intellectual forces with like minds and
hearts to buy (or build) and hold apartment complexes in perpetual
trusts. Let's
talk.
I am transitioning away from this personal address (to
NPSGlobalinc at gmail.com) for engineering.
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