Here’s another update on training. It’s been a bit since I’ve rattled on about the “Part 2” class of QGIS. It took me a whole to digest training and where I wanted to go with this after teaching it last fall.
Almost 6 months ago I had taught the inaugural QGIS “Advanced” Class. It was a bit rough around the edges as all first classes are – it took about 12 hours and I went “That was not as good as it could be”.
What did I have right and what did I have wrong and how could this all blend together tighter with The Exploring QGIS Class? What I did realize is I had sort of missed the point with the functions and expressions portions. That left the rest of the class uneven. Functions/expressions in QGIS have this amazing amount of flexibility and I wasn’t explaining it well.
Functions and expressions:
- Present in Field Calculator
- They Can be used in Processing tools
- Functions and expressions Can be used in Forms.
- Field Calculator edits. Editing makes use of forms. Editing can make use of processing tools.
- Again in Layouts.
The class isn’t solely about functions and expressions – but it’s a common thread I inadvertently wove through the class. I went back and removed more than I added. Each section references the previous material. It’s a slow dance showing you how you can work with data in QGIS.
I end this whole thing with SQL. SQL? Yes and I really don’t want you doing anything but listening at the end and seeing how that section replaces a model we built in the processing tools sections. All that leads to………Part 3. Every good story these days is in threes.
Part 3 is QGIS and PostGIS. Class 2 ends with the first chapter off the next class. That class will start off with SQL, morph into Virtual Layers, pushing your data into Postgis, working with the database, and finally closing QGIS and just using PostGIS.
Three classes that take you on a data-centric journey. I do realize I’m missing Cartography. I’m missing 3D visualizations. That does bug me a bit – but I do want to push this idea of a data centric workflow. Get your data right and the maps will follow. Well – sorta follow. Cartography and Visualization is an art and science unto itself and I’m not ready for that at the moment. People are doing that much better than I could hope to achieve.
The intermediate class will be taught three times this year. I’m setting up the eventbrite pages now. When it’s live I’ll make a small announcement. Show up and take a class. Every participant creates a donation back to QGIS.
