Post

Basemap In QGIS3

Posted
By Hillson Ghimire 𝕏 4 min read

Basemaps are brilliantly helpful and anyone coming from ArcGIS software are a lot familiar with beautiful basemaps. Basemaps are often presented through different webservices: TMS, WMS, WMTS, ESRI ArcGIS Services or simply as XYZ tiles (see differences ). This goal can be achieved in QGIS either through plugin like QuickMapServices or using inbuilt feature XYX Tile

Process I - By Adding Plugin Support

QuickMapService plugin installation is very straightforward.

GoTo: plugins | manage and install plugins… and search for QuickMapServices plugin. Desktop View

After installing it, we’re all set to go.

Process - II By Adding new connection in XYZ Tiles

QGIS3 has a built in XYZ tiles support. GoTo: Layer | Add Layer | Add XYZ Layer

Desktop View

Select New to make New XYZ Connection. In the connection details options enter the Name and URL of XYZ server.

Example, for OSM:

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Name: OpenStreetMap
URL : https://tile.openstreetmap.org/{z}/{x}/{y}.png

Under Authentication, if there are any authentication information required enter them.

If you prefer to use script to add multiple basemaps, Copy and Paste the following script in QGIS Python Console to get most of the basemaps from different providers. This script by Klas Karlsson automates adding XYZ Tiles in QGIS3.

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"""
This script should be run from the Python consol inside QGIS.
It adds online sources to the QGIS Browser.
Each source should contain a list with the folowing items (string type):
[sourcetype, title, authconfig, password, referer, url, username, zmax, zmin]
You can add or remove sources from the sources section of the code.
Script by Klas Karlsson
Sources from https://qms.nextgis.com/
Licence GPL-3
Regarding the terms of use for these background maps YOU will need to verify that you
follow the individual EULA that comes with the different services,
Most likely they will restrict how you can use the data.
"""
# Sources
sources = []
sources.append(["connections-xyz","Google Maps","","","","https://mt1.google.com/vt/lyrs=m&x=%7Bx%7D&y=%7By%7D&z=%7Bz%7D","","19","0"])
sources.append(["connections-xyz","Google Satellite", "", "", "", "https://mt1.google.com/vt/lyrs=s&x=%7Bx%7D&y=%7By%7D&z=%7Bz%7D", "", "19", "0"])
sources.append(["connections-xyz","Google Terrain", "", "", "", "https://mt1.google.com/vt/lyrs=t&x=%7Bx%7D&y=%7By%7D&z=%7Bz%7D", "", "19", "0"])
sources.append(["connections-xyz","Google Terrain Hybrid", "", "", "", "https://mt1.google.com/vt/lyrs=p&x=%7Bx%7D&y=%7By%7D&z=%7Bz%7D", "", "19", "0"])
sources.append(["connections-xyz","Google Satellite Hybrid", "", "", "", "https://mt1.google.com/vt/lyrs=y&x=%7Bx%7D&y=%7By%7D&z=%7Bz%7D", "", "19", "0"])
sources.append(["connections-xyz","Stamen Terrain", "", "", "Map tiles by Stamen Design, under CC BY 3.0. Data by OpenStreetMap, under ODbL", "http://tile.stamen.com/terrain/%7Bz%7D/%7Bx%7D/%7By%7D.png", "", "20", "0"])
sources.append(["connections-xyz","Stamen Toner", "", "", "Map tiles by Stamen Design, under CC BY 3.0. Data by OpenStreetMap, under ODbL", "http://tile.stamen.com/toner/%7Bz%7D/%7Bx%7D/%7By%7D.png", "", "20", "0"])
sources.append(["connections-xyz","Stamen Toner Light", "", "", "Map tiles by Stamen Design, under CC BY 3.0. Data by OpenStreetMap, under ODbL", "http://tile.stamen.com/toner-lite/%7Bz%7D/%7Bx%7D/%7By%7D.png", "", "20", "0"])
sources.append(["connections-xyz","Stamen Watercolor", "", "", "Map tiles by Stamen Design, under CC BY 3.0. Data by OpenStreetMap, under ODbL", "http://tile.stamen.com/watercolor/%7Bz%7D/%7Bx%7D/%7By%7D.jpg", "", "18", "0"])
sources.append(["connections-xyz","Wikimedia Map", "", "", "OpenStreetMap contributors, under ODbL", "https://maps.wikimedia.org/osm-intl/%7Bz%7D/%7Bx%7D/%7By%7D.png", "", "20", "1"])
sources.append(["connections-xyz","Wikimedia Hike Bike Map", "", "", "OpenStreetMap contributors, under ODbL", "http://tiles.wmflabs.org/hikebike/%7Bz%7D/%7Bx%7D/%7By%7D.png", "", "17", "1"])
sources.append(["connections-xyz","Esri Boundaries Places", "", "", "", "https://server.arcgisonline.com/ArcGIS/rest/services/Reference/World_Boundaries_and_Places/MapServer/tile/%7Bz%7D/%7By%7D/%7Bx%7D", "", "20", "0"])
sources.append(["connections-xyz","Esri Gray (dark)", "", "", "", "http://services.arcgisonline.com/ArcGIS/rest/services/Canvas/World_Dark_Gray_Base/MapServer/tile/%7Bz%7D/%7By%7D/%7Bx%7D", "", "16", "0"])
sources.append(["connections-xyz","Esri Gray (light)", "", "", "", "http://services.arcgisonline.com/ArcGIS/rest/services/Canvas/World_Light_Gray_Base/MapServer/tile/%7Bz%7D/%7By%7D/%7Bx%7D", "", "16", "0"])
sources.append(["connections-xyz","Esri National Geographic", "", "", "", "http://services.arcgisonline.com/ArcGIS/rest/services/NatGeo_World_Map/MapServer/tile/%7Bz%7D/%7By%7D/%7Bx%7D", "", "12", "0"])
sources.append(["connections-xyz","Esri Ocean", "", "", "", "https://services.arcgisonline.com/ArcGIS/rest/services/Ocean/World_Ocean_Base/MapServer/tile/%7Bz%7D/%7By%7D/%7Bx%7D", "", "10", "0"])
sources.append(["connections-xyz","Esri Satellite", "", "", "", "https://server.arcgisonline.com/ArcGIS/rest/services/World_Imagery/MapServer/tile/%7Bz%7D/%7By%7D/%7Bx%7D", "", "17", "0"])
sources.append(["connections-xyz","Esri Standard", "", "", "", "https://server.arcgisonline.com/ArcGIS/rest/services/World_Street_Map/MapServer/tile/%7Bz%7D/%7By%7D/%7Bx%7D", "", "17", "0"])
sources.append(["connections-xyz","Esri Terrain", "", "", "", "https://server.arcgisonline.com/ArcGIS/rest/services/World_Terrain_Base/MapServer/tile/%7Bz%7D/%7By%7D/%7Bx%7D", "", "13", "0"])
sources.append(["connections-xyz","Esri Transportation", "", "", "", "https://server.arcgisonline.com/ArcGIS/rest/services/Reference/World_Transportation/MapServer/tile/%7Bz%7D/%7By%7D/%7Bx%7D", "", "20", "0"])
sources.append(["connections-xyz","Esri Topo World", "", "", "", "http://services.arcgisonline.com/ArcGIS/rest/services/World_Topo_Map/MapServer/tile/%7Bz%7D/%7By%7D/%7Bx%7D", "", "20", "0"])
sources.append(["connections-xyz","OpenStreetMap Standard", "", "", "OpenStreetMap contributors, CC-BY-SA", "http://tile.openstreetmap.org/%7Bz%7D/%7Bx%7D/%7By%7D.png", "", "19", "0"])
sources.append(["connections-xyz","OpenStreetMap H.O.T.", "", "", "OpenStreetMap contributors, CC-BY-SA", "http://tile.openstreetmap.fr/hot/%7Bz%7D/%7Bx%7D/%7By%7D.png", "", "19", "0"])
sources.append(["connections-xyz","OpenStreetMap Monochrome", "", "", "OpenStreetMap contributors, CC-BY-SA", "http://tiles.wmflabs.org/bw-mapnik/%7Bz%7D/%7Bx%7D/%7By%7D.png", "", "19", "0"])
sources.append(["connections-xyz","OpenTopoMap", "", "", "Kartendaten: © OpenStreetMap-Mitwirkende, SRTM | Kartendarstellung: © OpenTopoMap (CC-BY-SA)", "https://tile.opentopomap.org/%7Bz%7D/%7Bx%7D/%7By%7D.png", "", "17", "1"])
sources.append(["connections-xyz","Strava All", "", "", "OpenStreetMap contributors, CC-BY-SA", "https://heatmap-external-b.strava.com/tiles/all/bluered/%7Bz%7D/%7Bx%7D/%7By%7D.png", "", "15", "0"])
sources.append(["connections-xyz","Strava Run", "", "", "OpenStreetMap contributors, CC-BY-SA", "https://heatmap-external-b.strava.com/tiles/run/bluered/%7Bz%7D/%7Bx%7D/%7By%7D.png?v=19", "", "15", "0"])
sources.append(["connections-xyz","Open Weather Map Temperature", "", "", "Map tiles by OpenWeatherMap, under CC BY-SA 4.0", "http://tile.openweathermap.org/map/temp_new/%7Bz%7D/%7Bx%7D/%7By%7D.png?APPID=1c3e4ef8e25596946ee1f3846b53218a", "", "19", "0"])
sources.append(["connections-xyz","Open Weather Map Clouds", "", "", "Map tiles by OpenWeatherMap, under CC BY-SA 4.0", "http://tile.openweathermap.org/map/clouds_new/%7Bz%7D/%7Bx%7D/%7By%7D.png?APPID=ef3c5137f6c31db50c4c6f1ce4e7e9dd", "", "19", "0"])
sources.append(["connections-xyz","Open Weather Map Wind Speed", "", "", "Map tiles by OpenWeatherMap, under CC BY-SA 4.0", "http://tile.openweathermap.org/map/wind_new/%7Bz%7D/%7Bx%7D/%7By%7D.png?APPID=f9d0069aa69438d52276ae25c1ee9893", "", "19", "0"])
sources.append(["connections-xyz","CartoDb Dark Matter", "", "", "Map tiles by CartoDB, under CC BY 3.0. Data by OpenStreetMap, under ODbL.", "http://basemaps.cartocdn.com/dark_all/%7Bz%7D/%7Bx%7D/%7By%7D.png", "", "20", "0"])
sources.append(["connections-xyz","CartoDb Positron", "", "", "Map tiles by CartoDB, under CC BY 3.0. Data by OpenStreetMap, under ODbL.", "http://basemaps.cartocdn.com/light_all/%7Bz%7D/%7Bx%7D/%7By%7D.png", "", "20", "0"])
sources.append(["connections-xyz","Bing VirtualEarth", "", "", "", "http://ecn.t3.tiles.virtualearth.net/tiles/a{q}.jpeg?g=1", "", "19", "1"])
# Add sources to browser
for source in sources:
   connectionType = source[0]
   connectionName = source[1]
   QSettings().setValue("qgis/%s/%s/authcfg" % (connectionType, connectionName), source[2])
   QSettings().setValue("qgis/%s/%s/password" % (connectionType, connectionName), source[3])
   QSettings().setValue("qgis/%s/%s/referer" % (connectionType, connectionName), source[4])
   QSettings().setValue("qgis/%s/%s/url" % (connectionType, connectionName), source[5])
   QSettings().setValue("qgis/%s/%s/username" % (connectionType, connectionName), source[6])
   QSettings().setValue("qgis/%s/%s/zmax" % (connectionType, connectionName), source[7])
   QSettings().setValue("qgis/%s/%s/zmin" % (connectionType, connectionName), source[8])
# Update GUI
iface.reloadConnections()

Desktop View

GIS, QGIS
XYZ Tile Web Basemap
This post is licensed under CC BY 4.0 by the author.