← Introduction to GIS Software: QGIS

In-class Excercises

Part 1: MapPLUTO metadata

  1. Download MapPLUTO data for one borough.
  2. Unzip the data.
  3. Find and open the "data dictionary" in the unzipped folder, which should have a name like PLUTODD16v1.pdf. This is MapPLUTO's metadata.
  4. Read through the metadata. How is LandUse defined?
  5. Find a column with which you can make a categorized map.
  6. Open the shapefile with a name like BXMapPLUTO.shp (the first two characters will change depending on the borough you picked). If the data disappears as you zoom in, save the layer as a new one and open that.
  7. Make a categorized map using the column you found.

Part 2: Filtering with QGIS

  1. Open the MapPLUTO data from the last part.
  2. Right-click on the layer and select Filter....
  3. Use the Query Builder to create an expression that filters the data to one city council district (the Council column).

Part 3: Selecting and Saving Data

  1. Keep the data from the last part, clearing any filters you have on it.
  2. Select data using Select by expression:
    1. Features with NumFloors over 10.
    2. Features with Easements over 0.
    3. Features with LandUse equal to the code for "Commercial & Office Buildings" according to the data dictionary.
    4. Another selection of your choosing.
  3. Save one of the above selections as a new layer.

Part 4: Filtering data with expressions

  1. Open the original MapPLUTO shapefile you downloaded (not the result of filtering from the previous part).
  2. Style the data with a Rule-based style to show only the features that you selected for one of the selections from the previous part.