wxGUI
wxGUI is a native
Graphical User Interface (GUI) for
GRASS GIS. Its main features include displaying geographical data
in 2D and 3D, calling GRASS GIS modules, and interacting with data.
The GUI is composed of
three main components:
- The Layer Manager includes map layer management, integrated
command-line prompt, and command output window tab.
- The Map Display Window integrates basic tools for
zooming, panning, data querying, and map elements (north arrows,
barscale, etc.). Each display window is associated with its own
set of map layers in the layer manager. The user may start multiple map
displays during a session. The map layers for each display are grouped
under different tabs in the Layer Manager.
- Module dialogs enable running GRASS modules
that can be searched and launched via Tools tab.
The
Layer Manager provides an interactive graphical interface for
creating and managing GRASS displays. There is a toolbar to manage displayed
map layers, a layer tree frame in which map layers for display are organized,
a command output window tab, and interactive command line prompt. On Linux
and Windows platforms, the layer manager also has a menu bar with a set of
pull-down menus for all GRASS GIS functions (analysis, file I/O, GIS
configuration and management); on a Mac, the GRASS functions menu is at the
top of the screen.
Figure: Layer Manager screenshot on Ubuntu
The top left button of the toolbar opens a new Map Display
Window. Each map display has a unique set of layers to display
and region settings. Other toolbar buttons add layers of different
types for display in the selected map display window. There are
additional buttons for saving or opening workspace file, and others.
Map layers are listed in the window frame below the toolbar. Layers can
include raster and vector maps, vector labels, and commands (where any
GRASS command can be written). Layers are displayed as arranged in the layer
tree: the bottom layer is displayed first and the top layer is displayed
last, as if the layers were a series of stacked overlays.
The check box to the left of each layer makes it active or inactive
for display. Only active layers are displayed/redisplayed when the
display button is pressed. Layers can be organized into groups; entire
groups can be activated or deactivated for display. Layer tree
composition can be saved to a workspace file and opened in subsequent
sessions, restoring all layers and their display options.
A right mouse click on a layer or left clicking the button to the right of
the layer opens a dropdown menu with options to remove or rename the layer
(not the actual map), change its display properties (d.rast and d.vect
options such as color, symbol, etc.), show its metadata (r.info, v.info) or
attributes, if applicable.
A left mouse double click on a layer opens GUI for its display options
These options are those for the d.* command for each layer type (d.rast,
d.vect, or d.grid, for example).
Layer Manager Toolbar
-
Start new map display
- Opens a new map display and creates empty layer tree tab in Layer Manager.
-
Create new workspace
- Removes all layers from the layer tree and creates a new, empty tree
where new layers can be added.
-
Open existing workspace file
- Opens an previously saved workspace file, containing a set of display
layers and their option settings.
-
Save current workspace to file
- Saves current set of layers and their options to a workspace
file.
-
Load map layers into workspace
- Loads selected raster or vector maps into current layer tree.
-
Add raster map layer
- Adds raster map to layer tree, see d.rast.
-
Add various raster map layers (RGB, HIS, shaded relief...)
- Opens a dropdown menu that allows user to select to:
-
Add 3D raster map layer
- Adds 3D raster map to layer tree.
-
Add RGB raster layer
- Combines and displays three raster maps defined as red, green,
and blue channels to create an RGB color map,
see d.rgb.
-
Add HIS raster layer
- Combines and displays two or three raster maps defined as hue,
intensity, and (optionally) saturation channels to create a color map,
see d.his.
-
Add shaded relief raster map layer
- Adds shaded relief raster map layer,
see r.relief and
d.shade.
-
Add raster arrows layer
- Adds map of raster cells with directional arrows drawn. Arrow
direction and length are determined by separate aspect/directional map
and (optional) slope/intensity map,
see d.rast.arrow.
-
Add raster numbers layer
- Adds map of raster cells with numbers representing the cell values,
see d.rast.num.
-
Add vector map layer
- Adds a vector map layer,
see d.vect.
-
Add various vector map layers (thematic, chart...)
- Opens a dropdown menu that allows user to select to:
-
Add thematic area (choropleth) map layer
(for all vector types)
- Adds layer for thematic display values from a numeric attribute
column associated with a vector map. Options include: thematic display
type (graduated colors or point sizes), methods for creating display
intervals, SQL query of attribute column to limit vector objects to
display, control of point icon types and sizes, control of thematic
color schemes, creation of legend for thematic map, and saving the
results of thematic mapping to a ps.map instructions file for later
printing,
see d.vect.thematic.
-
Add thematic chart layer (for vector points)
- Adds layer in which pie or bar charts can be automatically created
at vector point locations. Charts display values from selected columns
in the associated attribute table. Options include: chart type, layer
and attributes to chart, chart colors, and chart size (fixed or based
on attribute column),
see d.vect.chart.
-
Add group
- Adds an empty group. Layers can then be added to the group.
-
Add grid or vector labels overlay
- Opens a dropdown menu that allows user to select to:
-
Add overlay grids and lines
- Adds layer to display regular grid (for all locations)
see d.grid
-
Add labels layer for vector objects (from existing labels file)
- Add a layer of text from a labels file for vector objects
created with the v.label module.
A labels file can also be created with a text editor,
see d.labels.
-
Add geodesic line layer
- Add layer to display geodesic line for latitude/longitude locations only,
see d.geodesic
-
Add rhumbline layer
- Add layer to display rhumblines (for latitude/longitude locations only),
see d.rhumbline.
-
Add command layer
- Adds a layer in which a GRASS GIS command or command list can be entered.
For a command list use the semi-colon (";") symbol as a separator.
For example:
d.rast soils;d.rast -o roads;d.vect streams col=blue
Note that when an option of the command contains spaces, you need to
"escape" them with the backslash ('\') character, for example:
d.text text=Population\ density
-
Delete selected layer
- Removes selected map layer or map layer group from layer tree.
-
Edit vector maps
- Opens vector digitizer to allow editing selected vector map.
-
Show attribute table
- Opens attribute table manager for selected vector map.
-
Import raster or vector data
-
-
Import raster data
- Import selected raster data into GRASS
using r.in.gdal and load
them into current layer tree.
-
Link external raster data
- Link selected external raster data as GRASS raster maps
(using r.external) and
load them into current layer tree.
-
Set raster output format
- Define external format for newly created raster maps
(see r.external.out
for details)
-
Import vector data
- Import selected vector data into GRASS
using v.in.ogr and load
them into current layer tree.
-
Link external vector data
- Link selected external vector data as GRASS vector maps
(using v.external) and
load them into current layer tree.
-
Set vector output format
- Define external format for newly created vector maps
(see v.external.out
for details)
-
Raster Map Calculator
- Launches Raster Calculator GUI front-end
for r.mapcalc.
-
Graphical Modeler
- Launches graphical
modeler to create models and run them.
-
Georectifier Tool
- Launches GCP
Manager to create, edit, and manage Ground Control
Points.
-
Cartographic Composer
- Launches Cartographic
Composer to create interactively hardcopy map
outputs.
-
Show GUI settings
- Opens dialog to change GUI settings.
-
Show help
- Opens GRASS manual.
The map display window includes toolbar that can be docked and undocked from
the window, a map canvas where a map composition of one or more layers is
displayed, and a statusbar with information about the geographic region of
the maps displayed.
Figure: Map Display screenshot on Ubuntu
Each Map Display Window has a unique layer tree (in the layer manager)
and geographic region setting. At the top of the window is a
toolbar with buttons to manage the map in the display (render, erase, zoom
and pan), for query and and analysis (distance measurement, profile,
and histogram creation), to overlay map elements onto the display (scale,
north arrow, legend, and custom text), and to export or print the display.
In the statusbar, the user can choose to display the geographic coordinates
under the cursor, current geographical region extent, computational region
(including graphical visualization in map display), map display geometry
(number of rows, columns, resolution) and map scale. Checking the
render button in the statusbar will cause the map display to update
automatically any time a map is added to, removed from, or changed in its
layer tree.
It is important to note that zooming in any display will
have no effect on the 'computational region' setting (set
with g.region). Only by selecting
the 'Set current region to match display' item in the zoom menu (in
the map display toolbar) will the current display extents be copied to
the computational region extents.
Map Display Toolbar
-
Re-render display
- Re-renders all active map layers regardless of whether they have changed
or not, see d.redraw.
-
Erase display
- Erases the currently selected map display to a white background,
see d.erase.
-
Pointer
- Select arrow cursor for map display.
-
Select features from vector map
- Interactively select features from given vector map. Selection
can be stored to a new vector map,
see v.what
and v.extract.
-
Query raster/vector maps
- Query selected raster, RGB raster (all three map channels will be
queried), or vector map(s) using the mouse. Map(s) must be selected
before query. Vector charts and thematic vector maps cannot be
queried. The results of the query will be displayed in a dialog.
See r.what, v.what.
-
Pan
- Interactive selection of a new center of view in the active
display monitor. Drag the pan cursor while pressing the left mouse
button to pan. Panning changes the location of the region displayed
but not the size of the area displayed or the resolution. Panning
does not affect the computational region for other GIS
processes, see g.region.
-
Zoom in
- Interactive zooming with the mouse in the active display monitor.
Drawing a box or just click with the mouse (left button) and zoom-in
cursor causes the display to zoom in so that the area defined by the
box fills the display. The map resolution is not changed. Clicking
with the zoom-in cursor causes the display to zoom in by 30%, centered
on the point where the mouse is clicked. Zooming resets the display
region extents (both size and location of area displayed). It
does not affect the computational region for other GIS
processes, see g.region.
-
Zoom out
- Interactive zooming with the mouse in the active display monitor.
Drawing a box or just click with the mouse (left button) and zoom-out
cursor causes the display to zoom in so that the area displayed
shrinks to fill the area defined by the box. The map resolution is not
changed. Clicking with the zoom-out cursor causes the display to zoom
out by 30%, centered on the point where the mouse is clicked. Zooming
resets the display region extents (both size and location of area
displayed). It does not affect the computational region for
other GIS processes,
see g.region.
-
Zoom to selected map(s)
- Set zoom extent based on selected raster or vector maps. Zooming
resets the display region extents (both size and location of area
displayed). It does not affect the computational region
for other GIS processes,
see g.region.
-
Zoom to computational region extent
- Set zoom extent based on the current computational region extent,
see g.region.
-
Return to previous zoom
- Returns to the previous zoom extent. Up to 10 levels of zoom back are
maintained, see g.region.
-
Various zoom options
- Opens a dropdown menu that allows user to:
- Zoom to default region
- Zoom to saved region. Zooms to previously
saved named region.
- Set computational region extent from display.
The computational region (the mapset's WIND file)
is set to match the current display extent (does not change
the resolution), see g.region.
- Set computational region extent interactively.
The computational region is set simply by drawing a box with
the left mouse button on Map Display.
- Set computational region from named region.
This option doesn't affect display zoom.
- Save display geometry to named region
- Save computational region to named region
-
Analyze menu
- Opens a dropdown menu with:
-
Measure distance
- Interactive measurement of lengths defined with the mouse. The
length of each segment and the cumulative length of all segments
measuered is displayed in the command output window frame. Lengths are
measured in the current measurement unit. Double-click to switch off measuring.
-
Measure area
- Interactive measurement of area defined with the mouse. Area is
measured in the current measurement unit. Double-click to switch off measuring.
-
Profile surface map
- Interactively create profile of a raster map. Profile transect is
drawn with the mouse in map display. The profile may be of the
displayed map or a different map. Up to three maps can be profiled
simultaneously.
-
Create bivariate scatterplot of raster maps
- Interactively create bivariate scatterplot of raster
maps.
-
Create histogram of raster map
- Displays histogram of selected raster map or image in new
window.
-
Create histogram with d.histogram
- Displays histogram of selected raster map or image in new
window,
see d.histogram.
-
Vector network analysis tool
- See tool's manual page.
-
Add overlay
- opens a dropdown menu that allows user to
-
Add raster map legend
- Adds layer to display with legend of selected raster map,
see d.legend.
-
Add scalebar
- Adds layer to display a scalebar. Options
include scalebar placement (using screen coordinates or a mouse),
scalebar format, and scalebar colors,
see d.barscale.
-
Add north arrow
- Adds layer to display a north arrow. Options
include north arrow placement (using screen coordinates or a mouse),
north arrow style and color,
see d.northarrow.
-
Add text layer
- Adds layer to display a line of text using default GRASS font
(selected with d.font). Options
include: text placement (screen coordinates); and text size, bolding,
and color, see d.text.
-
Save display to graphic file
- Save the visible image in map display to different raster graphic formats.
-
Print map
- Prints map on system native printer or PostScript device;
saves visible map display (including PostScript text and labels) to PDF
or EPS file.
- Map display mode
- Opens a dropdown menu for selecting different display mode
- 2D view
- Normal GIS display. All active layers are composited and displayed
in 2D mode.
- 3D view
- Experimental replacement for NVIZ. Displays all active layers in
3D perspective using OpenGL. A new control panel opens to manage the
3D view. 3D view can be zoomed, panned, rotated, and tilted. The
vertical exaggeration of rasters and 3D vectors can be set. Various
color and lighten settings are possible. Not yet functional for
Windows platforms
- Vector digitizer
- Puts display into vector digitizing mode and opens a new digitizing
toolbar. The user can digitize a new vector map or edit an existing
map.
- Raster digitizer
- Puts display into raster digitizing mode and opens a new digitizing
toolbar. The user can digitize a new raster map or edit an existing
map.
Layer Manager
- Ctrl+Tab
- Switch 'Layers' and 'Console' tab
- Ctrl+Q
- Quit
- Ctrl+R
- Render map in all map displays
Workspace
- Ctrl+N
- Create new workspace
- Ctrl+O
- Load workspace from file
- Ctrl+S
- Close workspace
Layers
- Ctrl+Shift+L
- Add multiple raster or vector map layers to current map display
- Ctrl+Shift+R
- Add raster map layer to current map display
- Ctrl+Shift+V
- Add vector map layer to current map display
- Ctrl+W
- Close current map display
Console
- Tab
- Show command tooltips
- Esc
- Hide command tooltips
- Ctrl+Space
- Show auto-complete suggestions
- Up/Down
- List command history
- Enter
- Run command
- Ctrl++
- Increase font size (numerical keyboard plus key)
- Ctrl+-
- Decrease font size (numerical keyboard minus key)
- Ctrl+mouse wheel
- Increase or decrease font size
Map Display
- F11
- Fullscreen mode (toggle on/off)
- Ctrl+W
- Close map display
- Ctrl+R
- Render map (re-renders map)
- F5
- Render map (re-renders map)
By default, the GUI is always started, but if only the command line (shell) is
running, the GUI can be also started manually using:
If the wxGUI is not the default user interface, it can defined as default by
typing at the GRASS GIS command line:
Alternatively, it may be defined in the main configuration file
(
$HOME/.grass8/rc on GNU/Linux and macOS,
%APPDATA%\Roaming\GRASS8\rc
on MS Windows) using the
GUI variable set to
wxpython
(
GUI: wxpython) or by the environmental variable
GRASS_GUI.
To start with a previously saved workspace file:
The user can also start GRASS from the shell command line with the wxGUI
specifying the --gui switch:
The GUI can be quit by selecting the 'File > Quit GRASS GIS' menu item
which gives options to close only GUI or to quit GRASS GIS entirely
if GRASS GIS is running with a command line (a shell in a terminal application).
Exiting the shell (typically by the exit command) ends the GRASS session
including any running GUIs.
wxGUI is a native
Graphical User Interface (GUI) for
GRASS GIS written in
Python
using
wxPython library.
wxGUI components
wxGUI module dialogs
wxGUI toolboxes (menu customization)
See also wxGUI wiki
page
(especially various video
tutorials),
and Quick
wxGUI Tutorial.
Martin Landa, FBK-irst (2007-2008), Trento, Italy, and Czech Technical University in Prague, Czech Republic
Michael Barton, Arizona State University, USA
Daniel Calvelo Aros
Jachym Cepicky
Markus Metz, Germany
Anna Kratochvilova, OSGeoREL, Czech Technical University in Prague, Czech Republic
Vaclav Petras, OSGeoREL, Czech Technical University in Prague, Czech Republic
Stepan Turek, OSGeoREL, Czech Technical University in Prague, Czech Republic
Tereza Fiedlerova, OSGeoREL, Czech Technical University in Prague, Czech Republic
Matej Krejci, OSGeoREL, Czech Technical University in Prague, Czech Republic
Icons created by
Robert Szczepanek, Poland (
Git repository)
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© 2003-2023
GRASS Development Team,
GRASS GIS 8.3.dev Reference Manual