GIS data

What do I mean by GIS data? By vector data, I mean points, lines, and polygons. The most common file format is a Shapefile (multiple files make up a Shapefile). By raster data, I mean (georeferenced) bitmaps. The most common file format is GeoTIFF.

Download the QGIS sample dataset from https://github.com/PacktPublishing/QGIS-Quick-Start-Guide/blob/master/qgis_sample_data.zip. Extract it to a working directory on your computer.

In QGIS, you should now be able to see this data in the Browser panel, as shown in the following screenshot:

Browser panel

Loading data

Loading data into QGIS can be done in several ways. Three of the most common ways are as follows:

• You can drag data directly from a folder (Windows OS) straight...