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Quick Start

This guide explains how to quickly start a project, from importing data and running data calculations to producing standardized maps and exporting a map layout collection.

1. Start a Project from Scratch (General Workflow)​

This section introduces how to create a map project from scratch and complete the workflow: upload data -> load layers -> process and calculate data -> produce and export maps.

1.1 Download and Upload Data​

1.1.1 Vector Data​

Common requirements

  • Coordinate system: EPSG:4326 is recommended.
  • Fields: for Shapefiles, use English field names whenever possible. Chinese field names are not restricted for other formats. Avoid mixing text in numeric fields.
  • Splitting: slice very large datasets in advance, or split them by administrative area or grid.

Upload methods

  1. Drag-and-drop upload: go to Cloud Resource Browser > My Data and drag files or compressed packages into the page.
  2. URL import: paste a remote file or service URL. Temporary URLs with tokens are supported.
  3. Cloud import: select data from object storage or a data lake. This requires an administrator to configure the mount in advance.

After upload, the system will:

  • Parse and validate geometries and fields, then build a spatial index.
  • Automatically identify the coordinate system. If it is missing, you will be asked to confirm or select one.

1.1.2 Raster Data​

Although ESRI can store raster data in a geodatabase, GeoTIFF has become the de facto standard format for raster data. GeoTIFF is recommended: iXGIS can create multi-level pyramids for faster online rendering.

Key points

  • Set NoData values.
  • Build pyramids. The platform can automatically generate caches on first access.
  • For multi-band integer data, configure RGB rendering.

1.1.3 Table Data​

CSV and Excel table files (*.xlsx/*.xls) can be uploaded and converted, but they cannot be edited directly. To edit or manage them as database tables, import them as PostGIS table files (*.pgt) during upload.

1.2 Load Data to the Map​

1.2.1 Create a Map Project​

  1. Choose Project > New project and set the working directory, which is the default storage directory for generated data.
  2. The default map projection for a project is EPSG:3857. Select EPSG:4326 if you need longitude and latitude display.
  3. You can also create a project directly from a template. Data in the template is copied to your cloud resources. iXGIS provides commonly used data and projects such as country-level world data and world terrain.

1.2.2 Add Layers​

  • Cloud Resource Browser: select data files and load them. Multiple data files can be loaded at the same time.
  • Start menu: choose Start > Add Data, select data files, and add them to the project.
  • Online maps: select a default online map. The default is Tianditu imagery.

1.3 Map Production (Styles and Labels)​

1.3.1 Vector Symbols and Styles​

  • Points: icon or shape, size, color, stroke, and opacity. Data-driven styles are supported, such as mapping size or color by field.
  • Lines: color, width, dashed style, arrows, and direction indicators.
  • Polygons: fill color or texture, stroke, gradient, and opacity.
  • Classification and graduated styles: unique value, equal interval, quantile, and natural breaks. Color ramps are available.

1.3.2 Labels and Fonts​

  • Text field selection, font size, font, letter spacing, stroke or shadow, and label avoidance strategy.
  • Conflict detection and duplicate suppression.
  • Multi-scale styles, where different styles are applied at different zoom levels.

1.3.3 Raster Rendering​

  • Single band: grayscale or pseudocolor, stretch methods such as minimum-maximum or standard deviation, and classified color rendering.
  • Multi-band: RGB composition and histogram equalization.
  • Terrain: slope, aspect, and hillshade.

1.3.4 Layout and Map Output​

  • Legend, scale bar, north arrow, copyright information, and map production time.
  • Canvas size and resolution (DPI), with export to PNG, PDF, or SVG.
  • Bookmarks and locked view extents.

1.4 Data Editing and Calculation​

After importing data, you can edit, process, and calculate vector and raster data.

  1. Vector editing: directly edit vector data and save changes in real time. Topology can be built during editing. The editor supports multi-action feature creation, snapping, splitting, construction, and other copy-editing operations.

  2. Raster editing: directly edit raster pixels and save changes in real time. Georeferencing, raster processing, and other operations are supported.

  3. Geoprocessing Toolbox: raster tool groups, vector tool groups, spatial analysis tool groups, analysis tool groups, and data management tool groups are currently available. More GIS tools will be added later.

1.5 Common Task Examples (5-10 Minutes)​

  1. Population density thematic map:

    • Load county boundaries and a population table -> spatial join -> classified color rendering -> export PNG.

  2. Ecological buffer assessment:

    • Create 5 km buffers around protected points -> overlay with construction projects -> output a list of affected features.

  3. Slope and aspect map:

    • Load a DEM -> generate slope and aspect -> apply classified rendering -> overlay contour lines.

2. Start Creating an Environmental Impact Assessment Report Form Project​

This section uses a sample environmental impact assessment report form for a section-steel supporting equipment project as an example. It describes how to use iXGIS to draw map layouts for a construction project report form from blank data, including the plant boundary, project area, monitoring points, and sensitive receptors.

2.1 Draw the Project Location and Area Map​

After logging in to iXGIS, create a project first. You can create an empty project or use a template provided by the platform as needed.

If you create an empty project, the default background map is Tianditu imagery. You can choose the required maps from the background map tools on the toolbar. In addition to Tianditu imagery, road network and annotation layers are usually added.

2.2 Draw the Project Location​

Locate the project in the data view using the project center coordinates. In this example, the project center is 114 degrees 6 minutes 36.640 seconds east longitude and 36 degrees 43 minutes 1.949 seconds north latitude. Use the coordinate location tool on the toolbar, select the degrees-minutes-seconds format as needed, and enter the project coordinates to locate the position. After the location is found, draw a project location point; otherwise, the location marker disappears when you close the coordinate location tool. If you are using an empty project, create a point vector file before drawing the point. If you are using a template project, select the target layer directly from the vector editing toolbar and draw on it. The same approach applies to drawing other data later.

After drawing the project location point, add fields in the layer attribute table and enter a name for the point.

Click the layer symbol icon in Project Management to change the icon style. The iXGIS symbol library includes standard cartographic symbols. You can also save custom cartographic symbols in the system for reuse in other projects.

Configure labels to display the point name on the layer. Use the label editor to modify the label style.

When finished, the project location point should be visible with the selected symbol and label.

2.3 Draw the Project Plant Boundary and Workshop​

First create a polygon vector file, or use an existing layer in a template project.

In the vector editing toolbar, select the layer and use the polygon tool to draw the plant boundary and workshop polygons. Use tracing and snapping to align the new polygons accurately with existing boundaries and points.

Name each polygon and configure label names using the same method described in Section 2.2.

After drawing, check that the plant boundary and workshop polygons are visible, named, and labeled correctly.

2.4 Draw Monitoring Points​

Monitoring points are point features. Draw the points, name them, set symbols, and configure labels using the same steps described in Section 2.2.

After drawing, verify that all monitoring points are displayed with the intended symbols and labels.

2.5 Draw Nearby Villages​

Nearby villages are polygon features. Draw them using the same workflow described in Section 2.3.

After drawing, verify that each village polygon is displayed, named, and labeled correctly.

2.6 Produce and Export the Map​

After drawing is complete, produce a final map and export it as an image so it can be used in the environmental impact assessment document. This section describes how to create the map layout and export the image.

2.6.1 Map Production​

First switch to the map production tab, create a new layout, and enter a layout name. You can also use a layout template from the project map layout collection in a template project.

Use the Select element tool on the map production toolbar to select elements in the map and configure their properties. Use the Pan tool on the toolbar to adjust the map size and position. iXGIS supports inserting multiple maps into one map layout collection, so select the map you want to adjust with the Select element tool before using the Pan tool. Otherwise, the Pan tool cannot be used.

2.6.2 Hide Unneeded Map Elements​

After selecting a map or legend with the Select element tool, configure layers or elements in the element properties panel on the right. Hide layers or elements that should not be displayed and keep only the required map content and elements visible.

2.6.3 Add Map Elements​

Find the required map elements on the map production toolbar and add them to the layout. After adding them, use the Select element tool to select each element and configure its properties.

2.6.4 Export Image​

After completing the map layout, choose Export Image from the map production toolbar, modify the image resolution and name, and confirm the export. Images are exported in PNG format by default. You can modify the exported image resolution. A value of 300 DPI usually produces a clear print-ready image.

The final output should be a complete map image ready for insertion into the environmental impact assessment document.