1wxGUI(1) GRASS GIS User's Manual wxGUI(1)
2
7 wxGUI is a native Graphical User Interface (GUI) for GRASS GIS. Its
8 main features include displaying geographical data in 2D and 3D, call‐
9 ing GRASS GIS modules, and interacting with data.
10 Overview
12 The GUI is composed of three main components:
13 · The Layer Manager includes map layer management, integrated
15 command-line prompt, and command output window tab.
16 · The Map Display Window integrates basic tools for zooming, pan‐
18 ning, data querying, and map elements (north arrows, barscale,
19 etc.). Each display window is associated with its own set of
20 map layers in the layer manager. The user may start multiple
21 map displays during a session. The map layers for each display
22 are grouped under different tabs in the Layer Manager.
23 · Module dialogs enable running GRASS modules.
25 Layer Manager
27 The Layer Manager provides an interactive graphical interface for cre‐
28 ating and managing GRASS displays. There is a toolbar to manage dis‐
29 played map layers, a layer tree frame in which map layers for display
30 are organized, a command output window tab, and interactive command
31 line prompt. On Linux and Windows platforms, the layer manager also has
32 a menu bar with a set of pull-down menus for all GRASS GIS functions
33 (analysis, file I/O, GIS configuration and management); on a Mac, the
34 GRASS functions menu is at the top of the screen.
35 Figure: Layer Manager screenshot on Ubuntu
36 The top left button of the toolbar opens a new Map Display Window. Each
38 map display has a unique set of layers to display and region settings.
39 Other toolbar buttons add layers of different types for display in the
40 selected map display window. There are additional buttons for saving or
41 opening workspace file, and others.
42 Map layers are listed in the window frame below the toolbar. Layers can
44 include raster and vector maps, vector labels, and commands (where any
45 GRASS command can be written). Layers are displayed as arranged in the
46 layer tree: the bottom layer is displayed first and the top layer is
47 displayed last, as if the layers were a series of stacked overlays.
48 The check box to the left of each layer makes it active or inactive for
50 display. Only active layers are displayed/redisplayed when the display
51 button is pressed. Layers can be organized into groups; entire groups
52 can be activated or deactivated for display. Layer tree composition can
53 be saved to a workspace file and opened in subsequent sessions, restor‐
54 ing all layers and their display options.
55 A right mouse click on a layer or left clicking the button to the right
57 of the layer opens a dropdown menu with options to remove or rename the
58 layer (not the actual map), change its display properties (d.rast and
59 d.vect options such as color, symbol, etc.), show its metadata (r.info,
60 v.info) or attributes, if applicable.
61 A left mouse double click on a layer opens GUI for its display options
63 These options are those for the d.* command for each layer type
64 (d.rast, d.vect, or d.grid, for example).
65 Layer Manager Toolbar
67 Â Start new map display
68 Opens a new map display and creates empty layer tree tab in Layer
69 Manager.
70 Â Create new workspace
72 Removes all layers from the layer tree and creates a new, empty
73 tree where new layers can be added.
74 Â Open existing workspace file
76 Opens an previously saved workspace file, containing a set of dis‐
77 play layers and their option settings.
78 Â Save current workspace to file
80 Saves current set of layers and their options to a workspace file.
81 Â Load map layers into workspace
83 Loads selected raster or vector maps into current layer tree.
84 Â Add raster map layer
86 Adds raster map to layer tree, see d.rast.
87 Â Add various raster map layers (RGB, HIS, shaded relief...)
89 Opens a dropdown menu that allows user to select to:
90 Â Add 3D raster map layer
92 Adds 3D raster map to layer tree.
93 Â Add RGB raster layer
95 Combines and displays three raster maps defined as red, green, and
96 blue channels to create an RGB color map, see d.rgb.
97 Â Add HIS raster layer
99 Combines and displays two or three raster maps defined as hue,
100 intensity, and (optionally) saturation channels to create a color
101 map, see d.his.
102 Â Add shaded relief raster map layer
104 Adds shaded relief raster map layer, see r.relief and d.shade.
105 Â Add raster arrows layer
107 Adds map of raster cells with directional arrows drawn. Arrow
108 direction and length are determined by separate aspect/directional
109 map and (optional) slope/intensity map, see d.rast.arrow.
110 Â Add raster numbers layer
112 Adds map of raster cells with numbers representing the cell values,
113 see d.rast.num.
114 Â Add vector map layer
116 Adds a vector map layer, see d.vect.
117 Â Add various vector map layers (thematic, chart...)
119 Opens a dropdown menu that allows user to select to:
120 Â Add thematic area (choropleth) map layer (for all vector
122 types)
123 Adds layer for thematic display values from a numeric attribute
124 column associated with a vector map. Options include: thematic dis‐
125 play type (graduated colors or point sizes), methods for creating
126 display intervals, SQL query of attribute column to limit vector
127 objects to display, control of point icon types and sizes, control
128 of thematic color schemes, creation of legend for thematic map, and
129 saving the results of thematic mapping to a ps.map instructions
130 file for later printing, see d.vect.thematic.
131 Â Add thematic chart layer (for vector points)
133 Adds layer in which pie or bar charts can be automatically created
134 at vector point locations. Charts display values from selected col‐
135 umns in the associated attribute table. Options include: chart
136 type, layer and attributes to chart, chart colors, and chart size
137 (fixed or based on attribute column), see d.vect.chart.
138 Â Add group
140 Adds an empty group. Layers can then be added to the group.
141 Â Add grid or vector labels overlay
143 Opens a dropdown menu that allows user to select to:
144 Â Add overlay grids and lines
146 Adds layer to display regular grid (for all locations) see d.grid
147 Â Add labels layer for vector objects (from existing labels file)
149 Add a layer of text from a labels file for vector objects created
150 with the v.label module. A labels file can also be created with a
151 text editor, see d.labels.
152 Â Add geodesic line layer
154 Add layer to display geodesic line for latitude/longitude locations
155 only, see d.geodesic
156 Â Add rhumbline layer
158 Add layer to display rhumblines (for latitude/longitude locations
159 only), see d.rhumbline.
160 Â Add command layer
162 Adds a layer in which a GRASS GIS command or command list can be
163 entered. For a command list use the semi-colon (";") symbol as a
164 separator. For example:
165 d.rast soils;d.rast -o roads;d.vect streams col=blue
166 Note that when an option of the command contains spaces, you need
167 to "escape" them with the backslash (’\’) character, for example:
168 d.text text=Population\ density
169 Â Delete selected layer
171 Removes selected map layer or map layer group from layer tree.
172 Â Edit vector maps
174 Opens vector digitizer to allow editing selected vector map.
175 Â Show attribute table
177 Opens attribute table manager for selected vector map.
178 Â Import raster or vector data
180 Â Import raster data
182 Import selected raster data into GRASS using r.in.gdal and load
183 them into current layer tree.
184 Â Link external raster data
186 Link selected external raster data as GRASS raster maps (using
187 r.external) and load them into current layer tree.
188 Â Set raster output format
190 Define external format for newly created raster maps (see r.exter‐
191 nal.out for details)
192 Â Import vector data
194 Import selected vector data into GRASS using v.in.ogr and load them
195 into current layer tree.
196 Â Link external vector data
198 Link selected external vector data as GRASS vector maps (using
199 v.external) and load them into current layer tree.
200 Â Set vector output format
202 Define external format for newly created vector maps (see v.exter‐
203 nal.out for details)
204 Â Raster Map Calculator
206 Launches Raster Calculator GUI front-end for r.mapcalc.
207 Â Graphical Modeler
209 Launches graphical modeler to create models and run them.
210 Â Georectifier Tool
212 Launches GCP Manager to create, edit, and manage Ground Control
213 Points.
214 Â Cartographic Composer
216 Launches Cartographic Composer to create interactively hardcopy map
217 outputs.
218 Â Show GUI settings
220 Opens dialog to change GUI settings.
221 Â Show help
223 Opens GRASS manual.
224 Map Display Window
226 The map display window includes toolbar that can be docked and undocked
227 from the window, a map canvas where a map composition of one or more
228 layers is displayed, and a statusbar with information about the geo‐
229 graphic region of the maps displayed.
230 Figure: Map Display screenshot on Ubuntu
231 Each Map Display Window has a unique layer tree (in the layer manager)
233 and geographic region setting. At the top of the window is a toolbar
234 with buttons to manage the map in the display (render, erase, zoom and
235 pan), for query and and analysis (distance measurement, profile, and
236 histogram creation), to overlay map elements onto the display (scale,
237 north arrow, legend, and custom text), and to export or print the dis‐
238 play.
239 In the statusbar, the user can choose to display the geographic coordi‐
241 nates under the cursor, current geographical region extent, computa‐
242 tional region (including graphical visualization in map display), map
243 display geometry (number of rows, columns, resolution) and map scale.
244 Checking the render button in the statusbar will cause the map display
245 to update automatically any time a map is added to, removed from, or
246 changed in its layer tree.
247 It is important to note that zooming in any display will have no effect
249 on the ’computational region’ setting (set with g.region). Only by
250 selecting the ’Set current region to match display’ item in the zoom
251 menu (in the map display toolbar) will the current display extents be
252 copied to the computational region extents.
253 Map Display Toolbar
255 Â Re-render display
256 Re-renders all active map layers regardless of whether they have
257 changed or not, see d.redraw.
258 Â Erase display
260 Erases the currently selected map display to a white background,
261 see d.erase.
262 Â Pointer
264 Select arrow cursor for map display.
265 Â Select features from vector map
267 Interactively select features from given vector map. Selection can
268 be stored to a new vector map, see v.what and v.extract.
269 Â Query raster/vector maps
271 Query selected raster, RGB raster (all three map channels will be
272 queried), or vector map(s) using the mouse. Map(s) must be selected
273 before query. Vector charts and thematic vector maps cannot be
274 queried. The results of the query will be displayed in a dialog.
275 See r.what, v.what.
276 Â Pan
278 Interactive selection of a new center of view in the active display
279 monitor. Drag the pan cursor while pressing the left mouse button
280 to pan. Panning changes the location of the region displayed but
281 not the size of the area displayed or the resolution. Panning does
282 not affect the computational region for other GIS processes, see
283 g.region.
284 Â Zoom in
286 Interactive zooming with the mouse in the active display monitor.
287 Drawing a box or just click with the mouse (left button) and
288 zoom-in cursor causes the display to zoom in so that the area
289 defined by the box fills the display. The map resolution is not
290 changed. Clicking with the zoom-in cursor causes the display to
291 zoom in by 30%, centered on the point where the mouse is clicked.
292 Zooming resets the display region extents (both size and location
293 of area displayed). It does not affect the computational region for
294 other GIS processes, see g.region.
295 Â Zoom out
297 Interactive zooming with the mouse in the active display monitor.
298 Drawing a box or just click with the mouse (left button) and
299 zoom-out cursor causes the display to zoom in so that the area dis‐
300 played shrinks to fill the area defined by the box. The map resolu‐
301 tion is not changed. Clicking with the zoom-out cursor causes the
302 display to zoom out by 30%, centered on the point where the mouse
303 is clicked. Zooming resets the display region extents (both size
304 and location of area displayed). It does not affect the computa‐
305 tional region for other GIS processes, see g.region.
306 Â Zoom to selected map(s)
308 Set zoom extent based on selected raster or vector maps. Zooming
309 resets the display region extents (both size and location of area
310 displayed). It does not affect the computational region for other
311 GIS processes, see g.region.
312 Â Zoom to computational region extent
314 Set zoom extent based on the current computational region extent,
315 see g.region.
316 Â Return to previous zoom
318 Returns to the previous zoom extent. Up to 10 levels of zoom back
319 are maintained, see g.region.
320 Â Various zoom options
322 Opens a dropdown menu that allows user to:
323 · Zoom to default region
325 · Zoom to saved region. Zooms to previously saved named region.
327 · Set computational region extent from display. The computa‐
329 tional region (the mapset’s WIND file) is set to match the cur‐
330 rent display extent (does not change the resolution), see
331 g.region.
332 · Set computational region extent interactively. The computa‐
334 tional region is set simply by drawing a box with the left
335 mouse button on Map Display.
336 · Set computational region from named region. This option
338 doesn’t affect display zoom.
339 · Save display geometry to named region
341 · Save computational region to named region
343 Â Analyze menu
345 Opens a dropdown menu with:
346 Â Measure distance
348 Interactive measurement of lengths defined with the mouse. The
349 length of each segment and the cumulative length of all segments
350 measuered is displayed in the command output window frame. Lengths
351 are measured in the current measurement unit. Double-click to
352 switch off measuring.
353 Â Measure area
355 Interactive measurement of area defined with the mouse. Area is
356 measured in the current measurement unit. Double-click to switch
357 off measuring.
358 Â Profile surface map
360 Interactively create profile of a raster map. Profile transect is
361 drawn with the mouse in map display. The profile may be of the dis‐
362 played map or a different map. Up to three maps can be profiled
363 simultaneously.
364 Â Create bivariate scatterplot of raster maps
366 Interactively create bivariate scatterplot of raster maps.
367 Â Create histogram of raster map
369 Displays histogram of selected raster map or image in new window.
370 Â Create histogram with d.histogram
372 Displays histogram of selected raster map or image in new window,
373 see d.histogram.
374 Â Vector network analysis tool
376 See tool’s manual page.
377 Â Add overlay
379 opens a dropdown menu that allows user to
380 Â Add raster map legend
382 Adds layer to display with legend of selected raster map, see
383 d.legend.
384 Â Add scalebar
386 Adds layer to display a scalebar. Options include scalebar place‐
387 ment (using screen coordinates or a mouse), scalebar format, and
388 scalebar colors, see d.barscale.
389 Â Add north arrow
391 Adds layer to display a north arrow. Options include north arrow
392 placement (using screen coordinates or a mouse), north arrow style
393 and color, see d.northarrow.
394 Â Add text layer
396 Adds layer to display a line of text using default GRASS font
397 (selected with d.font). Options include: text placement (screen
398 coordinates); and text size, bolding, and color, see d.text.
399 Â Save display to graphic file
401 Save the visible image in map display to different raster graphic
402 formats.
403 Â Print map
405 Prints map on system native printer or PostScript device; saves
406 visible map display (including PostScript text and labels) to PDF
407 or EPS file.
408 Map display mode
410 Opens a dropdown menu for selecting different display mode
411 2D view
413 Normal GIS display. All active layers are composited and displayed
414 in 2D mode.
415 3D view
417 Experimental replacement for NVIZ. Displays all active layers in 3D
418 perspective using OpenGL. A new control panel opens to manage the
419 3D view. 3D view can be zoomed, panned, rotated, and tilted. The
420 vertical exaggeration of rasters and 3D vectors can be set. Various
421 color and lighten settings are possible. Not yet functional for
422 Windows platforms
423 Vector digitizer
425 Puts display into vector digitizing mode and opens a new digitizing
426 toolbar. The user can digitize a new vector map or edit an existing
427 map.
428 Raster digitizer
430 Puts display into raster digitizing mode and opens a new digitizing
431 toolbar. The user can digitize a new raster map or edit an existing
432 map.
433 Keyboard short-cuts
435 Layer Manager
436 Ctrl+Tab
437 Switch ’Layers’ and ’Console’ tab
438 Ctrl+Q
440 Quit
441 Ctrl+R
443 Render map in all map displays Workspace
444 Ctrl+N
446 Create new workspace
447 Ctrl+O
449 Load workspace from file
450 Ctrl+S
452 Close workspace Layers
453 Ctrl+Shift+L
455 Add multiple raster or vector map layers to current map display
456 Ctrl+Shift+R
458 Add raster map layer to current map display
459 Ctrl+Shift+V
461 Add vector map layer to current map display
462 Ctrl+W
464 Close current map display Console
465 Tab
467 Show command tooltips
468 Esc
470 Hide command tooltips
471 Ctrl+Space
473 Show auto-complete suggestions
474 Up/Down
476 List command history
477 Enter
479 Run command
480 Ctrl++
482 Increase font size (numerical keyboard plus key)
483 Ctrl+-
485 Decrease font size (numerical keyboard minus key)
486 Ctrl+mouse wheel
488 Increase or decrease font size
489 Map Display
491 F11
492 Fullscreen mode (toggle on/off)
493 Ctrl+W
495 Close map display
496 Ctrl+R
498 Render map (re-renders map)
499 F5
501 Render map (re-renders map)
502 Starting the graphical user interface
504 If the wxGUI is not the default user interface, it can defined as
505 default by typing at the GRASS GIS command line prompt:
506 g.gui -u wxpython
507 Alternatively it may be defined in GISRC file ($HOME/.grass7/rc on
508 GNU/Linux, $APPDATA\GRASS7\rc on MS Windows) by GUI variable
509 GUI: wxpython
510 or by the environmental variable GRASS_GUI.
511 The GUI can be quit by selecting the ’File -> Exit GUI’ menu item. On
513 MS Windows when GRASS is launched without an interactive command line
514 this will end the entire GRASS session. In other cases the terminal
515 window will remain running; type exit at the command prompt to end the
516 GRASS session.
517 The GUI can be restarted from the GRASS command line prompt by typing
519 g.gui
520 or
521 g.gui wxpython
522 To restart with previously saved workspace file:
523 g.gui wxpython workspace=file.gxw
524 The user can also start GRASS from the shell command line with the
526 wxGUI specifying the --gui switch:
527 grass78 --gui
528 Background information
530 wxGUI is a native Graphical User Interface (GUI) for GRASS GIS written
531 in Python using wxPython library.
532
534 wxGUI components
535 wxGUI module dialogs wxGUI toolboxes (menu customization)
536 See also wxGUI wiki page (especially various video tutorials), and
538 Quick wxGUI Tutorial.
539
541 Martin Landa, FBK-irst (2007-2008), Trento, Italy, and Czech Technical
542 University in Prague, Czech Republic
543 Michael Barton, Arizona State University, USA
544 Daniel Calvelo Aros
545 Jachym Cepicky
546 Markus Metz, Germany
547 Anna Kratochvilova, OSGeoREL, Czech Technical University in Prague,
548 Czech Republic
549 Vaclav Petras, OSGeoREL, Czech Technical University in Prague, Czech
550 Republic
551 Stepan Turek, OSGeoREL, Czech Technical University in Prague, Czech
552 Republic
553 Tereza Fiedlerova, OSGeoREL, Czech Technical University in Prague,
554 Czech Republic
555 Matej Krejci, OSGeoREL, Czech Technical University in Prague, Czech
556 Republic
557 Icons created by Robert Szczepanek, Poland (Git repository)
558 Main index | Topics index | Keywords index | Graphical index | Full
560 index
561 © 2003-2020 GRASS Development Team, GRASS GIS 7.8.5 Reference Manual
563GRASS 7.8.5 wxGUI(1)