QGIS QuickMapServices

Robert Crowther Aug 2023

OpenLayers vs. QuickmapServices

You will see many tutorials on the web that refer to the OpenLayers plugin. The OpenLayers plugin Github repository has not been updated since 2018. Far as I know, this plugin was abandoned in favour of QuickMapServices.

There is another piece of software with the name OpenLayers. This software is for placing maps into webpages using Javascript. Since this software works with maps, the situation is further confused.

About QuickMapServices

On the web are several servers/server clusters that do nothing but serve map data. You know about these, yes? There will be one behind every web app such as Google/Apple/Bing Maps. That’s for starters.

Wouldn’t it be smart if you could get that data coming into a map‐editing tool like QGIS or ArcGIS? Like getting a symphony or artwork downloaded before you started modifying it? In practice, map providers tend to be much more open about this than other artwork providers, but see Licencing. This article talks about the QGIS plugin, QuickMapServices.

HowTo

You need the plugin ‘QuickMapServices’. QGIS has an outstanding plugin manager builtin, so there’s none of the usual malarkey about versioning, downloading, trying to find weird folders on a computer, and so forth. Do this,

That said, if you have a current version of QGIS, you can download from the QGIS plugins repository then install using the plugin manager’s ‘Install from Zip’ option.

Usage

After install, there’s a new thing available called the ‘Data Source Manager’. There is a new button in the ‘web’ toolbar, but the guaranteed way to this gear is,

Web > QuickMapServices

This will open a new menu that mentions ‘NASA’, ‘OSM’ (OpenStreetMap), and ‘Settings’. ‘NASA’ and ‘OSM’ are the only server connections maintained by the plugin authors. Try click on ‘OSM’. This will create a new layer, with an OpenStreetMap inside.

Some queries you may have. Will the new layer,

work to a coordinate system?

QGIS/the plugin will try. But it is converting data that is fixed as an image, so you may get coordinate transform issues

limit to map area?

No. The map will spill over the whole QGIS view. However, QGIS controls will continue to act as if you have a canvas area

display in layout and other views?

Mostly yes. But it can make views very slow

work with projections?

with the niggle of coordinate system transforms (see above), yes

Many more map services

Web > QuickMapServices > Settings > [tab] More Services > Press ''Get contributed pack'

Adds maybe fifty layer possibilities from ten extra providers.

What use is this?

There are limitations. This plugin is mainly dealing with map tiles downloaded from the web. Layers added are,

The main aim seems to be to provide a background map that helps locate other data. New QuickMapService layers are inserted at the bottom level. This can be helpful, for example, when handling elevation/LIDAR data tiles. Which may be why QGIS users like to say the plugin is providing ‘baselayers’.

But I find that a poor description. This is ‘server data’. As an example, available layers include satellite photography by Yandex and Google. And there are some informative layers, such as earthquakes and tectonic plates. And these layers can be moved to display high in the layer stack.

Licencing

If you render anything from the data downloaded (as opposed to using the data as an aid to construction of your own work)—‐beware. You may be breaking the law, or at least need to attribute. Try looking here,

[right-click] Layer > Properties > QGIS Server > Attribution

Or consult the server origin websites.

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