* Missing Fetch Python Plugins

Fetch Python Plugins hilang

Saya telah pos isu ini di Forum rasmi QGIS tapi sehinggi kini masih belum dapat maklumbalas. Banyaknya implikasi: tiada siapa yang berminat, tiada siapa yang ambil kisah, tiada siapa tahu bagaimana nak atasinya atau ada yang tahu tapi tidak berminat berkongsi ilmu. Perkara ni terjadi pada kedua-dua versi Master dan Stable apabila dikemaskini, iaitu menu Fetch Python Plugins menu terhilang. Akhirnya saya jumpa cara mengatasinya: Pilih kesemua plugin dibawah Manage Plugin dan "Fetch Python plugin" akan muncul kembali. Senang saja!

Missing Fetch Python Plugins

I posted this issue at the official QGIS Forum but so have not got any reply. This could imply many possibilities: nobody is interested, no one could care less, no one knows how to deal with it or some one knows but not willing to share that knowledge. I noticed it happens in both the Master and Stable version when a version upgrade happens, that is, the Fetch Python Plugins menu disappears. Eventually I found the answer: Select all plugins under Manage Plugin and "Fetch Python Plugins" re-appears. Simple as that!

* Training: QGIS promoted to state town planning departments

QGIS dipromosi ke jabatan perancang bandar negeri

Semalam merupakan hari yang penting bagi QGIS kerana saya dapat menghadiri Mesyuarat Pengurusan dan Pemantauan Data yang dihadir oleh semua wakil perancang negeri dan pejabat projek. Saya memaklumkan bahawa bahagian kami tahun ini telah memberi latihan QGIS kepada beberapa orang dan prioriti tahun depan adalah untuk melatih QGIS bagi kesemua pejabat projek seperti dimohon oleh pengarah masing-masing. Oleh krana jabatan perancangan bandar dan desa negeri terletak luar pentadbiran persekutan tambah pula, bajet adalah terhad, wakil-wakil perancang negeri diberitahu kami masih sudi melanjutkan latihan QGIS dengan syarat mereka sanggup menganjurkan kursus latihan QGIS lalu meminta mereka merujuk blog ini untuk mendapatkan maklumat tambahan. OK, tindakan seterusnya terletak luar kawalan kami.

QGIS promoted to state town planning departments

Yesterday was a crucial day in favour of QGIS because I attended a Data Mgt and Monitoring Meeting attended by all state planning and project office representatives. I made known that our division this year had trained a number of people in QGIS and that priority will be given next year to train QGIS to all project offices as requested by the respective directors. Since state planning department do not come under federal administration coupled with limited budget, state planning representatives were informed we are still willing to train them in QGIS if they can sponsor the QGIS training course and told them to refer to this blog site for further information. OK, I've already kicked the ball to the other side.

Raster classification with DTclassifier

Printscreen from GIS Lab

Klasifikasi raster menggunapakai DTclassifier

Sebelum sesi pertanyaan antara pelajar-pelajar di UTM Skudai, terdapat pelajar yang berminat dengan klasifikasi raster bagi gunatanah. Mereka bertanya sekiranya QGIS boleh membantu maka saya terus membuat sedikit kerja rumah dan jawapannya terdapat di GIS Labs Rusia. Ya, saya tabik si bijaksana di GIS Labs. Seperti saya kata dulu, kalau tak tanya, tak akan dapat jawapan (atau membuat carian Internet). Bagaimana pun, pengguna perlu memasangkan QGIS 1.8 atau lebih tinggi bermakna versi Master dan saya kira tak sukar untuk dilaksanakan. Panduan Pengguna disini adalah jelas dan mudah faham tetapi saya mengakui masih belum saya mencubanya. Ada yang berminat?

Raster classification with DTclassifier

Before my Q&A session with students at UTM Skudai, some student showed interest in raster classification of landuse. They asked me if QGIS could help so I did some homework and found the answer at the Russian GIS Labs. Yes, I take my hats off to the whiz kids at GIS Labs. Like I said, you won't know until you ask (or make some Interent search). However, users need to install the QGIS 1.8 or higher which is the Master version and that should not be difficult. I found the User Manual here clear and understandable although I admit I have not tried it yet. Anyone interested?

Talk: UTM Skudai gets exposed to Quantum GIS

Taklimat: UTM Skudai didedahkan kepada Quantum GIS

Hari ini, saya telah dijemput oleh Fakulti Alam Bina, UTM Skudai, Johor untuk memberi taklimat memperkenalkan GIS melalui Quantum GIS. Ianya dihadiri oleh pelajar asing dan tempatan, oleh itu, dibentang dalam bahasa Inggeris. Pada sesi pertanyaan, saya rasa terdapat minat mengenai open source GIS pada peringkat server dan menerangkan bahawa dalam keadaan Open Source terdapat sedikit perbezaan dengan proprietari GIS lalu menjelaskan fungsi PostgreSQL-PostGIS sebagai pangkalan data geospatial di  peringkat server dan pengguna mencapai data dari server di peringkat desktop menggunakan Quantum GIS dimana output adalah sama. Sekiranya pengguna mahir memasang dan konfigur server, kos adalah percuma, sudah pasti, dengan andaian semua peralatan telah diperolehi. Saya tidak heran maklumbalas seperti tersebut disuarakan sebab terdapat orang yang melihat setup gis server dari sudut pemahafahaman yang mereka sudah biasa. Saya berpuashati telah mempromosi QGIS dikalangan pelajar termasuk pensyarah yang ada belum pernah dengar QGIS, semoga QGIS akan cepat bersebaran di wilayah selatan Semenanjung  Malaysia.

Talk: UTM Skudai gets exposed to Quantum GIS

Today, I was invited by the Faculty of Built Environment, UTM Skudai, Johor to give a talk on An Introduction of GIS - The Quantum GIS way. It was attended by both foreign and local students, thus, the talk was given in English language. After the talk under Q&A, I got the feeling that there was further interest in an open source GIS at the server level so I explained that in Open Source the situation is slightly different from proprietary GIS and illustrated the case of PostgreSQL-PostGIS fuctioning as the geospatial database at the server level and the user retrieves data from the server to the desktop level using Quantum GIS where the output is still the same and if the user was familiar with the installation and configuration of the server, cost would be nill assuming of course the hardware was already available. I am not surprised because some people still see the gis server setup from a proprietary point-of-view which they have been familiar with. Well, I've done my part to promote QGIS among the students as well as the lecturers whom too never heard of QGIS, hopefully the word of QGIS will spread in the southern region of Peninsular Malaysia.

Training: Ministry of Education get trained in QGIS, Round 2

Latihan: Kementerian Pelajaran Malaysia dapat latihan QGIS, Kali Kedua

Setelah memberi latihan QGIS kepada Kementerian Pelajaran Malaysia (KPM), mereka berpendapat QGIS memenuhi keperluan mereka lalu menghubungi kami untuk mendorongkan mereka dalam penyediaan pangkalan data GIS KPM.  Saya amat mengagumi kumpulan ini kerana mereka amat postif dan sedia menerima maklumbalas  tajam semasa pendekatan KPM dalam perancangan kemudahan pelajaran dikupas dan dibidas kiri kanan agar lebih baik disedari kesilapan masing-masing disesi latihan supaya mereka tidak membuat kesilapan serius pada masa depan yang boleh memalukan Menteri mereka semasa berhadapan dengan ahli Parliamen. Kami telah terangkan bahawa setiap keputusan bagi kriteria dan parameter merupakan pisau bermata dua. Dalam ini terpaksa kami menggorek justifikasi bagi keputusan sehingga ke akar umbi barru saja mereka lebih jelas mengapa kami amat kritikal dan tidak suka pada alasan yang kabur  kerana ianya juga hanya menghasilkan output yang kabur. Saya pasti pendedahan kami tidak akan dapat sampai ke tahap ini andainya mereka telah menentang maklumbalas 'pedih' dan yang mana kami telah jelaskan terlebih dahulu "You may not like to hear what we have to say". Kesimpulannya, sesi latihan tersebut berakhir dengan jayanya bagi kedua-dua pihak.

Training: Ministry of Education get trained in QGIS, Round 2

Having given the initial QGIS training to Ministry of Education (MOE), they found that it fulfilled their needs and have now called us again over the past 2 days and night but this time to guide them in the preparation of their geodatabase. I admire them because this bunch are very positive and acknowledged our findings as we pried open their approach towards education planning of educational facilities and shot them down left and right in an attempt to make them see their mistakes now in this training session so that they won't make blunders in the future and give their Minister an embarrassing moment when he has to face the Parliament MPs. We explained how every decision in GIS they put forth in deciding their criteria and parameter has a two-edge sword effect and we made them clearly justify down to the very core. It made them understand why we were so critical because we did not want vagueness because that will only lead to vague and questionable outputs. I am sure we would not have got this far with MOE had they put up resistant to our "painful" feedbacks which I told them at the start "You may not like to hear what we have to say" and the training concluded I would say extremely well for both of us.

Talk: MyGOSSCON 2011 : Update 2

Talk: MyGOSSCON 2011 : Update 2

My talk was entitled "Sustaining innovations for the public sector". The argument of my case was that Open Source Software (OSS) can win hands down against proprietary software where it concerns cost-saving but it takes more than that ensure its sustainability in the public sector. Elements such as prejudice which has nothing to do with technicalities and government policies need to be addressed in a better perspective. The hidden potentiality of OSS needs to be highlighted because too long the popular use of properiety software has mindset users not to look beyond. Fears and apprehension must be answered with convincing justifications that sceptics can relate to. Without a doubt, the development of an OSS community specific to a particular OSS needs to be quickly established, preferably acceptable to the local lingo and generate a homely atmosphere. This should eventually nurture local interest and an Internet reference point is needed where cyber help and advice can be easily obtained day and night . Training a diversified group of people helps widen the community base and strengthen the multi-functional use of the OSS. Adovcates do not last forever, thus, the importance of finding a successor to maintain continuity in the adoption of an OSS. Others strategies include the need to expose and encourage potential users to use OSS early so that they arel not be misled into believing that softwares only centre around proprietary software but that there are many OSS out there that can give propreitary software a run for their money. Got myself a book to read and t-shirt as souvenirs for giving that talk :-D .The PDF version of my slideshow can be  downloaded here.