Functionality differences between ArcGIS and QGIS

Ayesha Rana Anwar

ayesha.anwar007@gmail.com

Department of Space Science,

University of the Punjab, Lahore

Sequence

Introduction

Open Source Software and Commercial Software

QGIS and ArcGIS

Data and Methodology

Topological Functionalities

Cartographic Capabilities

Network Analysis

Results and discussions

Conclusion

Introduction

Open Source Software

Easy access to its source code.

Source code can be read, modified and improved by developer or volunteer.

Low cost or free software.

Doesnt need expensive hardware or software to run it.

Open source software includes:

GRASS GIS

MapWindow GIS

QGIS

SAGA GIS etc

Commercial Software

Not freely available.

License is restricted.

Source codes are kept in secret from external people.

Source code can be changed only by the company or person who developed it.

The restrictions are imposed on it through a document called EULA (End-user license agreements).

The results are reliable.

Commercial Software

Commercial software includes:

AutoCAD

ArcGIS

ArcWeb etc.

QGIS

It is open source software.

It is freely available. It can be installed on

different operating systems.

It is not licensed software.

It is developed by all over the world programmers.

VS ArcGIS

It is commercial software.

It is not freely available.

It can only be installed on window system.

It is single user licensed software.

It is deployed in secure environment of Esri.

Data and Methodology

Three functionality differences between ArcGIS and QGIS discussed here

Topological Functionalities

Cartographic capabilities

Network analysis.

Dataset Format Source

Land marks of Lahore Shapefile ESRI

Roads of Lahore Shapefile ESRI

Area of Lahore Shapefile ESRI

Pakistans Provinces boundary

Shapefile DIVA GIS

Topological Functionalities

Topology expresses the spatial relationships between adjacent vector features in same shapefile or different shapefiles.

Topological rules are used for detecting errors and correcting digitized data.

Necessary for some types of spatial analysis.

Different Topological rules in ArcGIS and QGIS.

Topological Functionalities

Shapefile of Pakistans provinces boundary was used to compare topological functionalities of ArcGIS and QGIS.

must not have gaps topological rule was used.

Topology Topology result in ArcGIS Environment.

Topology result in QGIS Environment.

Cartographic Capabilities

A map is scaled representation of cultural and natural features on earth.

To compare mapping capabilities, maps were made in both Esris ArcGIS environment and QGIS environment.

Mapping

Basemap of Lahore in ArcGIS Environment.

Basemap of Lahore in QGIS Environment.

Network Analysis

A network is combination of nodes and arcs.

Network analysis is set of analysis techniques used with network.

Many applications in GIS used network analysis.

To compare network analysis shortest path was measured in both ArcGIS and QGIS.

Network Analysis Shortest Distance in ArcGIS Environment.

Shortest Distance in QGIS Environment.

Results and Discussion

Topology results in ArcGIS Environment.

To apply topology have to make database.

Rings in Baluchistan and KPK marked as errors.

Value of cluster tolerance in arc map is limited to 0.0000009. So very small gaps along AJK, GB and Kashmir are not marked as errors.

Topological functionalities results

Topology results in QGIS Environment.

Topology can simply apply by Topology Checker Plugin.

In QGIS topology "must not have gaps" didnt consider ring polygons/ donuts polygons as topological errors.

Very small gaps along AJK, GB and Kashmir are marked as errors.

Cluster tolerance doesnt effect the topological errors. QGIS topology checker is not good enough.

Topological functionalities results

Basemap of Lahore in ArcGIS Environment.

There are more native

cartographic output options with ArcGIS.

Different data frames can be added and linked.

ArcGIS software has lot of advanced mapping functionalities.

Cartographic capabilities results

Basemap of Lahore in QGIS Environment.

Different data frames cant be linked.

QGIS doesnt have advanced mapping functionalities as compare to ArcGIS.

Cartographic capabilities results

Network analysis results

The resultant output was almost same but one can calculate the shortest path in QGIS software easily with the help of Road Graph plugin but in ArcGIS one cant calculate without making geodatabase.

Shortest path in ArcGIS Shortest path in QGIS

Conclusion QGIS is an open source software and it is easy to access as

compare to commercial software ArcGIS.

Although a continuous development of plugins in QGIS but at present time it is not as much developed as ArcGIS is.

QGIS has less processing time and better rendering capabilities.

ArcGIS is preferred on QGIS because ArcGIS has better spatial topological analytical capabilities than QGIS.

In QGIS topological results are not effected by the cluster tolerance.

ArcGIS software has lot of advanced mapping functionalities than QGIS software like maplex labeling engine.

ArcGIS has more reliable results than QGIS.

In ArcGIS and QGIS environments shortest route can be calculated by using network analyst and road graph plugin respectively.

ArcGIS other than shortest and fastest route generation there are many other modules available which are not present in QGIS software, i.e;

New Surface Area

Closet Facility

New OD Cost Matrix

New Vehicle Routing Problem

New Location-Allocation

Closet facility in ArcGIS calculated in ArcGIS Environment

Thank you for your kind attention