Designing, Building and Using Maps

To create your first layer:

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1. Open QGIS

2. Click on the Project menu and select New

3. Go to the Layer menu, select Add Layer and click Browse

4. Locate the file where you saved your layers

5. Find the folder that contains roads then go through Files Transport/CMA100/North East/Transport/VM Trans.

6. Select the SHP file for TR_Roads.shp and upload it.

7. Note that the Roads will appear on your canvas

8. Go to the Layers Styling panel to the right and click the Paint Brush icon

9. Click on the Simple Fill

10. Click the drop drown button beside the Fill field and select the colour Red

11. The roads will change to Red

12. Go to Project and select Save

13. Save it as Topo1

14. Have a look around the map using the magnifying glass

15. To Zoom out click the Map Scale button at the bottom right of the screen and select a larger number

16. You can also right-click on the TR_Road layer in the Layer panel to the left and select Zoom To Layer

17. You can move the map around without zooming by selecting the Hand button on the top Menu bar.

18. Single click on the TR_Road layer to the left then on the right-hand Layer Style Panel click the Label (abc) button

19. Change No Labels to "Labels For This Layer" by clicking on the Drop Down

20. Click on the Y beside the "Label With" field and select Road_Name

21. At the bottom right of the Layer Style panel select Live Update

22. Names will appear on the roads.

23. To make them smaller click on the ABC button below Label With

24. Change the font size to 8 and select Apply Text Substitutes

25. Click the sixth button to the right (Placement) and select Curved

26. Save your work

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To add your next layer:

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1. Repeat steps 3 to 9 above for the Watercourse Layer (HY_watercourse)

2. Change the colour to light blue

3. Repeat steps 12 to 26 above

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Note that these layers a LINE VECTORS the next layer to be added is a POLYGON VECTOR

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To add a Polygon Vector Layer:

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1. Repeat steps 3 to 10 above after you have located the Water_Area layer (HY_water_area.shp)

2. Make the layer light blue

3. Note that it may cover the roads layer

4. Go to the Layer list to the left of the screen and single click on the Waterbody layer to select it

5. Hold your mouse down and drag the layer to the bottom of the list

6. Save your work

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Add the other layers

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1. Contours (grey) and above Water_areas

2. Forested Areas (light green) and above water_areas

3. Places of interest (orange) at the top of the list

4. Save your work

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Note: Layers should be in the following order from top to bottom Points, Lines, Polygon

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