Welcome to Planet OSGeo

Help fund QGIS 3D enhancements for digital twins, including glTF export, CityGML, IFC, and performance upgrades. Campaign ends June 30, 2025.

Back to Rome and the Trastevere.

A new beta release of MapGuide Open Source 4.0 is now available.

The main driver for this release is updating an assortment of bundled components:

• PHP updated to 8.3.20
• Apache httpd updated to 2.4.63
• Tomcat updated to 9.0.104

Lecce is in Italy’s southern Apulia region.

In a historic and symbolic step, France has officially endorsed the United Nations' Open Source Principles, becoming the first government to do so, alongside many organizations including the Open Source Initiative, Linux Foundation and the Eclipse Foundation.

Fancy a visit to Puglia? Here is Polignano a Mare, Puglia, Italy.

Vernetzungstreffen für Geoinformatiker:innen, FOSSGIS-Konferenz-Teilnehmende, Mitglieder und Interessierte in der FOSSGIS-Community

Es begann mit einem Anruf einer Onlineteilnehmerin der FOSSGIS 2025, die ihre Begeisterung zur Konferenz zum Ausdruck brachte und nach Vernetzungsmöglichkeiten fragte. Die Idee ein Vernetzungstreffen online zu veranstalten, in dem sich die Teilnehmenden kennenlernen und austauschen, war im Raum.

Für den 04. Juni geplant, startete die Veranstaltung um 18 Uhr. Sieben Teilnehmende waren dabei, lernten sich kennen, erzählten woher sie kommen, womit die sie sich hinsichtlich FOSSGIS, Geoinformatik beschäftigen und suchten und fanden Kontaktpunkte. Oft ist es so, dass Geoinformatiker:innen in ihrer Institution die einzigen oder in einem sehr kleinen Team sind und deshalb den Austausch über die eigene Institution hinaus brauchen. Veranstaltungs- und Aktivitätenhinweise wurden dankbar angenommen.

Katja stellte den Verein und aktuelle Aktivitäten vor und stand für Fragen zur Verfügung.

Alle waren sich einig, dass diese Art Treffen sehr sinnvoll sind und fortgeführt werden sollten, um Interessierte Leute onzuboarden und Vernetzung zu ermöglichen. Auch Themen in Kleingruppen besprechen, wurde als gute Idee bestätigt.

Als Folgetermin ist der 10.09.025, wieder um 18 Uhr vereinbart.
Wiki: https://www.fossgis.de/wiki/Termine/Vernetzungstreffen

Ankündigung Vernetzungstreffen am 10.09.2025 mit Link zum Wiki

Discover how the Pas-de-Calais Archaeological Information System (AIS) combines data integrity, UX design, and open-source innovation to support modern archaeological work in France.

My doctor convinced me to try a two week course of Naproxen and more PT before jumping into steroids. I'm following her advice and also sticking to low impact exercise. I did manage 115 minutes of comfortably hard treadmill running and elliptical pedaling in week 15, which was a big bump up from the previous week. Otherwise, my numbers continue to lack luster.

• 4.9 miles running

• 7 hours, 1 minute all training

• 0 ft D+ running

That 4.9 miles was on a treadmill at a 7% incline. That would have been 1,800 ft of elevation gain on an actual trail. And I went hard on the climbs on my one hilly bike ride.

Friday I felt fatigued. I attributed it to more hard workouts. Sunday I was definitely feeling sick. Sore throat, sinus congestion, headache. Today (Tuesday) I'm feeling 50% recovered from this cold. I hope to get some real exercise tomorrow.

A trailhead above a small reservoir, with a low ridge, and plains extending to the horizon in the background. Fort Collins' Pineridge Open Space.

Trays as Peak District swag. I already have too many. One more?

Building on top of the last release which introduced background tracking, this development cycle focused on polishing functionalities and building on top of preexisting features. The variety of improvements is sure to make our diverse user base and community excited to upgrade to QField 3.6.

Main highlights

One of the most noticeable improvement in this version is the addition of “map preview rendering”. QField now renders partial map content immediately beyond the edge of the screen, offering a much nicer experience when panning around as well as zooming in and out. Long-time QGIS users will recognise the behaviour, and we’re delighted to bring this experience to the field

This upgrade was the foundation upon which we built the following enhancement: as of QField 3.6, using the “lock to position” mode now keeps your position at the very center of the screen while the canvas slips through smoothly. This greatly improves the usability of the function as your eyes never need to spend time locating the position within the screen: it’s dead center and it stays there!

Reminder, the “lock to position” mode is activated by clicking on the bottom-right positioning button, with the button’s background turning blue when the mode is activated.

The improvements did not stop there. Panning and zooming around used to drop users out of the lock mode immediately. While this had its upsides, it also meant that simple scale adjustments to try and view more of the map as it follows the position was not possible. With QField 3.6, the lock has been hardened. Moving the map around will temporarily disable the lock, with a visual countdown embedded within a toast message informs users of when the lock will return. An action button to terminate the lock is located within the toaster to permanently leave the mode.

Moving on to QFieldCloud, this cycle saw tons of improvements. To begin with, it is now possible to rely on shared datasets across multiple cloud projects. Known as localised data paths in QGIS, this functionality enables users to reduce storage usage by storing large datasets in QFieldCloud only once, serving multiple cloud projects, and also easing the maintenance of read-only datasets that require regular updates.

QFieldSync users will see a new checkbox when synchronising their projects, letting them upload shared datasets onto QFieldCloud.

Furthermore, QField has introduced a new cloud project details view to provide additional details on QFieldCloud-hosted projects before downloading them to devices. The new view includes a cloud project thumbnail, more space for richer description text, including interactive hyperlinks, and author details, as well as creation and data update timestamps. Finally, the view offers a QR code, which allows users to scan it quickly and access cloud projects, provided they have the necessary access permission. Distributing a public project has never been easier!

Beyond that, tons more has made its way into QField, including map layer notes viewable through a legend badge in the side dashboard, support for feature identification on online raster layers on compatible WMS and ArcGIS REST servers, atlas printing of a relationship’s child feature directly within the parent feature form, and much more. There’s something for everybody out there.

Focus on feature form polishing

This new version of QField coincides with the release of XLSForm Converter, a new QGIS plugin created by OPENGIS.ch’s very own ninjas. As its title implies, the plugin converts an XLSForm spreadsheet file (.xls, .xlsx, .ods) into a full-fledged QGIS project ready to be used in QField with a pre-configured survey layer matching the content of the provided XLSForm.

This was a golden opportunity to focus on polishing QField’s feature form. As a result, advanced functionalities such as data-driven editable flag and label attribute properties are now supported. In addition, tons of paper-cut bugs, visual inconsistencies, and UX shortcomings have been addressed. Our favourite one might just be the ability to drag the feature addition drawer’s header up and down to toggle its full-screen state

Spotted in Rome, Italy, next to the Colosseum

Wie funktioniert die Installation von CloudCompare und seine Verwendung für eine PointCoud – wir zeigen Ihnen step by step, wie’s fehlerfrei funktioniert.

El próximo 5 de junio, de 9:00 a 14:00 h, se celebrará en la Sala multiusos de La Harinera, en València Innovation Capital, La Jornada de Infraestructuras de Datos Espaciales en la Administración Local: Del Mapa a la Gestión. Este evento reunirá a diversos ayuntamientos que compartirán sus experiencias en la implementación de tecnologías libres para la gestión municipal.

Programa de la jornada:

• 09:00 – 09:15: Bienvenida y presentación.
• 09:15 – 10:00: Bloque 1: Gestión y organización de la información territorial
  Participan: Ayuntamiento de La Pobla de Vallbona, Ayuntamiento de Picassent.
• 10:00 – 11:00: Bloque 2: Conectividad entre gvSIG Online y otras plataformas de gestión municipal
  Participan: Ayuntamiento de Cullera, Ayuntamiento de Onda, Ayuntamiento de Cartagena.
• 11:00 – 11:40: Pausa para café.
• 11:40 – 13:00: Bloque 3: Proyectos diversos de implantación de IDE en contextos municipales
  Participan: Scolab, Ayuntamiento de Talavera, Ayuntamiento de Albacete.
• 13:00 – 13:30: Novedades: Presentación de nuevas funcionalidades de la Suite gvSIG.
  Mirada al futuro: Inteligencia artificial integrada en gvSIG Online.
• 13:30 – 14:00: Cierre.

Este evento es una oportunidad única para conocer de primera mano cómo diferentes municipios están aplicando las Infraestructuras de Datos Espaciales para mejorar la gestión interna, facilitar el acceso ciudadano y conectar sistemas de información, utilizando herramientas de la Suite gvSIG.

Modalidad de asistencia:

• Presencial: Aforo limitado. ¡Quedan pocas plazas disponibles!
• Streaming: Retransmisión en directo a través del canal de YouTube de gvSIG.

Inscripción gratuita:

Para asistir, es necesario completar el formulario de inscripción disponible en el siguiente enlace:

Formulario de inscripción

No pierdas la oportunidad de participar en esta jornada y conocer las experiencias de otros ayuntamientos en la implementación de tecnologías libres para la gestión municipal.

¡Te esperamos el 5 de junio en València!

Today marks the initial release of our brand-new QGIS plugin, XLSForm Converter.
As the name suggests, the plugin converts XLSForm survey files into ready-to-use QGIS projects with a preconfigured survey attribute form.

Migrating to QField was never easier!

Even more exciting is that the converted QGIS project includes all the necessary settings for use with QField, thanks to a nifty QFieldCloud integration. With just a single checkbox, you can upload your generated project to the cloud and begin gathering data—either as a standalone surveyor or collaboratively as part of a team.

We believe this provides a fantastic solution for organisations and groups familiar with XLSForm—or already working with templates—who want to leverage QGIS-powered QField to conduct spatial surveys.

Plugin highlights

The plugin adds an algorithm to QGIS’ processing toolbox that converts a XLSForm file – Microsoft Excel’s .xls or .xlsx as well as LibreOffice Calc’s .ods – into a QGIS project containing a main survey layer and a basemap.

The layer’s geometry type will reflect the first geometry-driven question type found in the XLSForm, namely a point geometry for geopoint, a line geometry for geotrace, or a polygon geometry for geoshape.

For XLSForm repeat blocks, the algorithm generates additional layers and configures parent-child relationships to bind them to the main survey layer. These layers are hidden from the layer tree by default, keeping the project simple and user-friendly—even for users unfamiliar with QGIS.

For questions that capture media content—such as photographs, videos, and audio clips—the converter sets up the project so users can easily record them in QField with a single tap.

Pro tip: Since the converter is an algorithm, you can use it to build complex, model-driven survey projects via the QGIS Processing Modeler. You can also run conversions in headless environments using qgis_process. The possibilities are endless!

QFieldCloud-facilitated deployment to QField

As mentioned earlier, the converted project can immediately be used in QField to conduct surveying. The best way to deploy these projects to your QField-running devices is via QFieldCloud. The algorithm comes with a parameter that – when checked – will automatically upload the generated project to QFieldCloud.

That functionality requires the QFieldSync plugin to be installed and enabled in QGIS. Just log in to your QFieldCloud account via QFieldSync, and let the algorithm take care of the rest. It’s magical! If you haven’t yet tried QFieldCloud, this might be a good time to do so by signing up for a free community account.

Of course, you’ll always be able to copy these projects manually onto devices via USB cable or the numerous file import options available in QField.

XLSForm-what?

XLSForm is a form standard designed to simplify the authoring of forms using spreadsheet programs like LibreOffice Calc or Microsoft Excel. They are simple to get started with and allow for the authoring of complex forms in no time. The syntax is beginner-friendly, and the building of surveys by adding rows onto a spreadsheet is surprisingly intuitive.

The standard has been widely adopted across various sectors, including public health, humanitarian relief, disaster response, local governance, and non-profit organisations.

Over here at OPENGIS.ch, we believe this plugin can be instrumental to preexisting operations and projects interested in migrating to a QField surveying environment where spatial considerations are front and center. If you are interested in discussing this further, do not hesitate to contact us.

Spotted outside the Queen’s Park Farmers’ Market, London.

I was sitting near the entrance to the Carmel Market (shuk) in Tel Aviv and I spotted this map of Israel made out of iron plates. Felt significant to me but I understand others won’t agree.

Elizabeth spotted this in Delhi, apparently it is some kind of musical instrument. It looks a bit like a cross between a drum and a xylophone, if anyone knows better please correct me in the comments.

Enhance user management in Mergin Maps with the Python API: automate user creation, manage roles, and integrate processes seamlessly.

«Montevimap se renueva y mejora el acceso a la información territorial disponible para la generación de políticas públicas e investigación, así como para consulta por parte de la ciudadanía.»

https://www.montevideo.gub.uy/noticias/mas-accesibilidad-para-los-datos-territoriales-de-montevideo

QField has officially hit 1 million downloads – thanks to you!

Let’s not beat around the bush: QField has hit 1+ million downloads. What started as an ambitious open-source project has transformed into a global tool that’s changing how professionals collect spatial data in the field. This big milestone is the result of years of dedication, with over 50,000 hours invested by our team. Our GeoNinjas contributed 14% of QGIS, while also driving open-source projects like ModelBaker and SwissLocator.Thank you for making GIS nerds the unsung heroes of fieldwork everywhere. Here’s to changing the world, one field at a time!

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From Switzerland to the world!

Born in the Swiss Alps, raised by open-source, and now roaming the globe, QField has gone international! What started in Switzerland is now in the hands of field mappers, researchers, and GIS pros on six continents. Thank you for taking QField worldwide!

Mapping the world one field at a time.

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The numbers tell a story

One million downloads might sound like just a number, but for us, it represents something much bigger. It’s 1’000’000 times someone chose an innovative, flexible mobile mapping solution. It’s 1’000’000 instances of fieldwork made easier, more efficient, and more accurate.

From humble beginnings to over 1 million downloads, QField has officially gone from “little app that could” to “open-source overachiever.” Thanks to the power of open source (and probably some caffeine).

QField has hit 1 million downloads in over 150 countries.

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QField’s top user countries

QField’s passport is full! We’re blown away by how far our geospatial tool has travelled: from mountaintops to city blocks, you’re mapping it all. Our amazing global user community is making QField a true #DigitalPublicGood. A map made in heaven!

Mapping knows no borders, just like QField’s growing community.

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More than just an app

This cross-platform flexibility helps professionals collect GIS data anywhere, anytime. QField goes wherever you do. Android? Check. iOS? Check. Desktop? Check. If it has a screen, we’re probably on it. Collect GIS data anywhere, anytime.

QField isn’t just software, it’s a community-driven project that turns complex geospatial challenges into precise, actionable data. Every download represents a connection to our core mission: making professional-grade mobile GIS accessible, reliable, and straightforward.

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QField’s Journey: Mapping our milestones

Our roadmap is packed with milestones and highlights that will continue to push the boundaries of mobile GIS.

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QField to QFieldCloud 

You can play a key role in the sustainable growth of QField, the open-source digital good. Your support  can take many forms, like contributing… or:

This not only streamlines and enhances your fieldwork but also gives you access to the full QField ecosystem with all its advantages. At the same time, you directly contribute to the continuous improvement of QField, ensuring its impact grows for everyone.

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Gregory spotted this towering metal map within a service station, showing the network of major roads. Just to show how large it is here is Gregory, who happens to be wearing a strangely projected map t-shirt.

That’s the end of our little series of Gregory’s pictures from his visit to South Africa, we look forward to his next big trip “Living with Dragons in ….”

Thanks Gregory

El Plano de Toledo del Greco, elaborado con gvSIG, en el Museo del Prado

Hoy he recibido una llamada que me ha emocionado. Era Cesáreo Bas Vivancos, ya jubilado tras muchos años de docencia en la Universidad Miguel Hernández. En las 11as Jornadas Internacionales de gvSIG, realizadas en 2015, presentó el excelente trabajo llevado a cabo para disponer de una nueva edición del plano de Toledo, elaborado por el Greco, digitalizada y que pudiera estar disponible para todo el mundo.

Cesáreo, decía, me llama para contarme que en el Museo del Prado, en la Galería Central del edificio Villanueva se reúnen, por primera vez desde su dispersión, ocho de las nueve obras que el Greco realizó para la iglesia del Monasterio de Santo Domingo el Antiguo de Toledo. Y que ahí está el Plano de Toledo, el elaborado con gvSIG. En el Museo del Prado.

The Sightings board at Kruger National Park. Markers for Rhinos are removed so that poachers don’t get that information.

Vom 16. - 18. Mai 2025 haben sich 23 FOSSGIS- und OpenStreetMap-Begeisterte zum Arbeitstreffen im Linuxhotel getroffen.

Das Treffen begann am Freitagabend mit dem traditionellen Pizzaesssen.
Wie auch schon beim vorigen Treffen gab es nach dem Frühstück am Samstag und Sonntag eine kurze Session, in der zu besprechende Themen gesammelt und ein Zeitplan für den Tag erarbeitet wurden. So lief auch dieses Treffen wieder sehr strukturiert und effizent ab.

Diskutiert wurden Themen zur FOSSGIS- und OpenStreetMap-Community wie Öffentlichkeitsarbeit, Präsenz auf Messen, Beitrag von FOSSGIS und OSM zur digitalen Souveränität, Vor- und Nachbereitung der FOSSGIS-Konferenz und vieles mehr. Auch technische Themen kamen nicht zu kurz, so wurde über Möglichkeiten gesprochen, GPS-Korrektursignale über SSRoverDAB+ mittels low-cost-Hardware zu empfangen, was zentimetergenaue Satellitenpostionsdaten für die breite OSM-Community verfügbar machen könnte. Ein weiteres Thema war das Model Context Protocol (MCP), das die Integration von Künstlicher Intelligenz mit externen Tools und Datenquellen ermöglicht. Damit könnten einerseits die OSM-Daten leichter und effizienter genutzt werden. Andererseits könnte das jedoch auch KI-generierte Edits möglich machen, die von denen echter User kaum zu unterscheiden wären. Letzteres könnte tiefgreifende Konsequenzen für die OSM-Community haben, dieses Thema bietet sicher auf zukünftigen Treffen reichlich Diskussionsstoff.

Die Teilnehmenden schauen auf ein angenehmes, produktives Treffen mit großartigen Teilnehmer:innen, die nicht nur tolle inhaltlche Beiträge lieferten, sondern auch bei der Organisation kräftig mit anpackten, zurück. Besonderer Dank gilt Katja, Marc und Jochen für die hervorragende Moderation der Sessions und dem Versorgungsteam für die Verköstigung. Und ohne die fantastische Unterstützung des Linuxhotels wäre auch dieses Treffen nicht möglich gewesen.

Die umfangreichen Ergebnisse der Besprechungen sind auf der Wiki-Seite des Treffens festgehalten. Selbstvertsändlich konnten Teilnehmehmende auch bei diesem Treffen weiter an ihren Projekten arbeiten: https://www.fossgis.de/wiki/FOSSGIS_OSM_Communitytreffen_2025_Nummer_23#Bericht/Ergebnisse

Das nächste FOSSGIS-OSM-Communitytreffen findet vom 19.09.-21.09.2025 im Linuxhotel statt: https://www.fossgis.de/wiki/FOSSGIS_OSM_Communitytreffen_2025_Nummer_24

Fotoeindrücke

Themensammlung und Zeitplan

Gruppenfoto

Frühlingshafter Panoramablick auf die Ruhr hinter dem Linuxhotel

Location: Remote, preferably in Switzerland or with at least 4 h overlap with CEST office hours

Employment Type: Full-time (80-100%)

About OPENGIS.ch:

OPENGIS.ch is a dynamic team of Full-Stack GeoNinjas delivering tailored open-source geodata solutions to Swiss and international clients. We are passionate about using and developing open-source tools, providing flexibility, scalability, and future-proof solutions, and we play an active role in the open-source geospatial community. Our agile, distributed team thrives on collaboration, diversity, and mutual support.

Job Description:

We are looking for a skilled and motivated C++ and Python Developer to join our industry solutions team. In this role, you will contribute to QGIS core development (C++), build QGIS plugins (Python), and deliver custom solutions for our clients. You’ll help design, develop, and maintain robust applications that address real-world geospatial challenges. If you enjoy working in a collaborative, client-focused environment and value code quality, we’d love to meet you!

Key Responsibilities:

• Develop, test, and maintain QGIS and related applications using C++, Python, PostgreSQL, and other technologies.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to design and deliver new features.
• Ensure application quality, stability, and maintainability.
• Troubleshoot, identify, and resolve bottlenecks and bugs.
• Contribute to code quality, organisation, and automation through CI/CD best practices.
• Optionally, engage directly with clients to understand and address their needs.

Your Profile:

• Strong experience with C++, Python, and SQL.
• Proficient in desktop application development (Qt is an advantage).
• Experience with Linux, Docker (Compose), Git, CI/CD, PostgreSQL, and REST APIs.
• Familiarity with geospatial concepts and web GIS is a plus; training will be provided if needed.
• Solid understanding of software deployment, containerization, and continuous integration.
• Excellent problem-solving skills and ability to work independently.
• Collaborative mindset and good communication skills.
• Fluent in English; knowledge of German, French, or Italian is a significant advantage.
• Living in Switzerland is an advantage.

Application Questions:

• What is your experience with software development and C++ APIs?
• Can you describe a project where you used Python, maybe to interact with REST APIs?
• What is your experience or familiarity with geospatial concepts, tools, or data formats?
• What is the most recent thing you learned out of personal interest?

How to Apply:

If you are excited about this opportunity and meet the qualifications, please apply at opengis.ch/jobs

Join OPENGIS.ch and help us shape the future of open-source geospatial solutions!

Gregory said “The contour letters in Cape Town – I don’t know if that counts as a map, but each one was a specific local mountain” Yes, that definitely counts!

Neat use of contours?

Thirteen and fourteen were another two weeks of tempo-focused training with minimal running. The 13th included a long day of hiking and trail maintenance work. Lots of time on my feet in the company of other trail runners. It was a bit like a trail race in that way, but much easier.

• 4.5 miles running

• 13 hours, 51 minutes all training

• 289 ft D+ running

Week 14 was a planned rest week, and somewhat lighter.

• 4.5 miles running

• 8 hours, 8 minutes all training

• 361 ft D+ running

Even though my left Achilles tendon won't let me run much, and working out indoors isn't very effective or satisfying, I've been managing to increase my training volume by doubling up on workouts. Both weeks were similarly structured. I biked and did a heated "power" Vinyasa yoga class at the gym on Monday, with some hot tubbing afterwards. Wednesdays I did a short tempo run outside at Pineridge Open Space and then went back into the gym for another tempo session on an elliptical trainer and some sets of back squats or box step-ups and jumps. This was my biggest day each week. Thursdays I paired an hour long lunchtime bike ride with an evening Pool HIIT (high intensity interval training) class and a sauna session. Fridays I went back to the gym for an hour long tempo workout on the elliptical and more soaking of my lower legs. This all adds up to 75 minutes of effort at 8-8.5 out of 10 RPE (rate of perceived exertion). I'd like to be at 90 minutes, but I'm doing the best I can.

I'm going to see my doctor tomorrow and inquire about an intervention for my chronically inflamed Achilles. The steroids I took last fall to treat my pinched femoral nerve and associated back pain also cured, as a side effect, the last nagging irritation in my right Achilles (that flared in July 2024 and ended my running plans for the year). I don't believe my left is seriously injured, and that it can bear more stress if I can get the inflammation down. I may be referred to a specialist about this.

The other specialists I'm seeing soon are the folks at a local eye wear shop to get sporty, photochromic prescription sunglasses. I tried and failed with contact lens in April. I can get them on my eyes easily enough, but I can't get them out by myself for the same reason that I have always struggled with opening produce bags at the grocery store: faint fingerprints. I just can't get a grip on the contacts. If the local shop doesn't have what I need, I may try sending my prescription to Julbo, the French company. I've been considering the company's reactive glasses for a while, and Bryon Powell's recommendation here is convincing.

I'll wrap up this longish recap with more about the trail work day. There is no trail running without trails (that would be fell running), and trails need regular care and maintenance. If trails are eroded, not passable, or persistently muddy, people will route around them and create new social trails. This leads to trail "braiding" and degradation of the natural landscape and ecosystem damage. Here in arid Colorado, vegetation grows slowly, and the landscape recovers slowly from injury. In Lory State Park, the situation is compounded by soils that turn into peanut butter when saturated.

Gnar Runners, the local running events org that manages Quad Rock and other races in Lory State Park, organizes a trail work day at Lory each spring and fall. I've been participating in the spring one for the last five years. As more and more trail races require proof of trail work or other volunteering, the number have grown. This year there were 24 of us. Ten were meeting requirements of the upcoming High Lonesome event in the Sawatch Range. The Bear 100 also requires eight hours of trail work or volunteering. A lot of us would do this even if it was not required. It feels right and good to take care of a place that you enjoy and depend on.

It's also fun to make new friends and share running stories and plans. Brad Bishop and Nick Clark, the Gnar team, have directed and run more ultra marathons than I ever will and I always learn something new from them. Nick's a legend of the sport, after all. It's like I'm cleaning trail drains with Larry Bird. And some years, like this one, elite contemporary racers come out to work alongside the mere mortals. It'll be extra fun to follow the Western States Endurance Run this year, knowing somebody who is aiming for the podium.

Three humans clustered around a spot on a trail through a grassy valley under a morning sky dotted with clouds.

A week of collaboration in Raleigh The GRASS Developer Summit 2025 brought together more than 30 contributors from around the world for six days of focused collaboration in Raleigh, North Carolina. Held May 19–24 at North Carolina State University, the event served as the main annual gathering of the GRASS community, providing space for developers, researchers, and users to connect, share ideas, and move the project forward. Highlights The week featured a mix of hands-on hacking, roadmap discussions, and topic-based working sessions.

You have to go on a vineyard tasting experience if you are visiting South Africa and you need a map to help you find your way!

Tecnologías libres y experiencias reales con la Suite gvSIG

Las Naves (València)
5 de junio
De 9:00 a 14:00 h

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Presentación General

Esta jornada tiene como objetivo mostrar experiencias reales de implantación de Infraestructuras de Datos Espaciales (IDE) en el ámbito municipal, utilizando tecnologías libres como la Suite gvSIG. A través de casos concretos, se abordará cómo diferentes ayuntamientos han estructurado y aprovechado la información geográfica para mejorar la gestión interna, facilitar el acceso ciudadano y conectar sistemas de información.

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09:00 – 09:15
Bienvenida y presentación institucional

9.15 a 10.00

Bloque 1: Gestión y organización de la información territorial. Participan:

• Ayuntamiento de La Pobla de Vallbona
• Ayuntamiento de Picassent

10.00 a 11.00

Bloque 2: Conectividad entre gvSIG Online y otras plataformas de gestión municipal. De la gestión de expedientes a la de cementerios.Una visión de la suite gvSIG en la administración local: diputaciones, ayuntamientos, mancomunidades, intendencias. Participan:

• Ayuntamiento de Cullera
• Ayuntamiento de Onda 
• Ayuntamiento de Cartagena

11:00 a 11:40
Coffee Break

11.40 a 13.00 

Bloque 3: Proyectos diversos de implantación de IDE en contextos municipales. Participan:

• Scolab –    La Suite gvSIG como motor de cambio en la administración local
• Ayuntamiento de Talavera
• Ayuntamiento de Albacete

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13.00 a 13.30

Novedades: Presentación de nuevas funcionalidades de la Suite gvSIG

Mirada al futuro: Inteligencia artificial integrada en gvSIG Online

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13.30 a 14:00

Cierre

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¿Te interesa conocer cómo las tecnologías libres están transformando la gestión municipal? No pierdas la oportunidad de asistir a la jornada “Tecnologías libres y experiencias reales con la Suite gvSIG”.

Descubre casos reales de ayuntamientos que ya están aprovechando la Suite gvSIG para mejorar su gestión territorial, conectar sistemas y facilitar el acceso ciudadano. Además, podrás conocer las últimas novedades, incluyendo la integración de inteligencia artificial en gvSIG Online.¡No te quedes fuera!

Inscríbete ya y reserva tu plaza.

I’ve been working around sea ice for close to two decades on and off – and have had the privilege of being up close and personal with floating chunks of frozen ocean in both the Arctic and Antarctic. An enduring geophysical question about sea ice is “how much ice floats on the ocean?” Sea ice,… Read More »Identifying deformed sea ice using geomorphons

Last year Gregory Marler (aka on social media as Living with Dragons) went to South Africa, he found lots of mappy stuff to share with us, so good that I thought `I would make a short series of his pics.

This one is a tactile map at the top of Table Mountain https://www.openstreetmap.org/node/287085527#map=19/-33.958275/18.403714 (Greg is a long-time contributor to OSM and added links to all of the locations)

Lose Hill is situated in the Peak District on a nice trail from Mam Tor. This hill offers a 360-degree landscape.

Reinder spotted this book cover, the title is “The Signal to Surrender”.

Reinder explained “It’s not a perfect copy – but still attractive though, according to me. The design is by none other than the great Dutch graphic artist Dick Bruna. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dick_Bruna

Personally I think the book title is a little too stark and something softer would have worked better but the map relief style is excellent

Our followers will recognise the view from a few days ago with my Hip Flask. Now here is the OS Picnic Blanket standing on a proper map in the wilderness of the Peak District.

We are thrilled to announce that the GeoServer 3 crowdfunding campaign has not only met but exceeded its funding target! This remarkable achievement is a testament to the unwavering support and commit...

I found this t-shirt in a Store in Rome

GeoSpatial Techno is a startup focused on geospatial information that is providing e-learning courses to enhance the knowledge of geospatial information users, students, and other startups. The main approach of this startup is providing quality, valid specialized training in the field of geospatial information.

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GeoServer Installation and Upgrade Guide

In this session, we will install GeoServer on Windows using the Web Archive installation method and upgrade to a new version, while retaining existing data.

If you want to access the complete tutorial, click on the link.

Introduction

GeoServer is a versatile, Java-based application compatible with various operating systems, provided a suitable Java Virtual Machine (JVM) is available. The latest versions of GeoServer have been tested with both Oracle JRE and OpenJDK.

The GeoServer WAR file is a platform-independent web archive designed for deployment on application servers. Apache Tomcat is the recommended servlet container due to its robust integration capabilities and comprehensive documentation. This setup allows multiple web applications to run concurrently, enabling GeoServer to operate alongside other Java-based services, enhancing server versatility.

Note. This guide outlines the installation of GeoServer 2.25.x using Java 17 and Apache Tomcat 9, followed by upgrade instructions. To ensure you have the latest release, please visit this link and avoid using older versions of GeoServer.

Preparing for Installation

Before proceeding, follow the steps below:

• Backup the existing GeoServer folder (if upgrading).

  The folder webapps/geoserver/data is the data directory containing your configuration settings you wish to preserve.

  The folder webapps/geoserver/WEB-INF/lib contains the deployed GeoServer web application, along with an extensions you have manually installed.

• Check the Modules tab under the Server Status page to see all installed extensions.
• Uninstall previous versions of Java and Apache Tomcat.

Installing Java Development Kit (JDK)

To download JDK 17, navigate to adoptium.net and select:

• Operating System: Windows
• Architecture: x64
• Package Type: JDK
• Version: 17-LTS

Download the .msi file and run it as an administrator. During installation, accept default settings and complete the setup.

Installing Apache Tomcat

To download and install Apache Tomcat software, navigate to tomcat.apache.org and select Tomcat 9 from the Download section.

Choose the 32-bit/64-bit Windows Service Installer and run it as an administrator.

During setup:

• Configure the ports (default recommended).
• Set a secure username and password for administration (avoiding common defaults like admin or tomcat).
• The installer should auto-detect the installed JDK; if not, the user manually selects the Java installation path.

To configure JVM memory allocation, navigate to C:\Program Files\Apache Software Foundation\Tomcat 9.0\bin and run Tomcat9w.exe as an administrator.

In the Java tab, the user sets:

• Initial Memory Pool: 512 MB
• Maximum Memory Pool: 1024 MB

• Java Options: As required for running on Java 17.

       --add-exports=java.desktop/sun.awt.image=ALL-UNNAMED
       --add-opens=java.base/java.lang=ALL-UNNAMED
       --add-opens=java.base/java.util=ALL-UNNAMED
       --add-opens=java.base/java.lang.reflect=ALL-UNNAMED
       --add-opens=java.base/java.text=ALL-UNNAMED
       --add-opens=java.desktop/java.awt.font=ALL-UNNAMED
       --add-opens=java.desktop/sun.awt.image=ALL-UNNAMED
       --add-opens=java.naming/com.sun.jndi.ldap=ALL-UNNAMED
       --add-opens=java.desktop/sun.java2d.pipe=ALL-UNNAMED
  

Switch to the General tab, and set Startup Type to Automatic, and start the Tomcat service.

Deploying GeoServer

Download the latest GeoServer WAR file from geoserver.org.

Extract the .war file and copy it to C:\Program Files\Apache Software Foundation\Tomcat 9.0\webapps.

To start GeoServer:

• Navigate http://localhost:8080/manager.
• Login with the Tomcat credentials.
• Click Start next to the GeoServer application.

The user accesses GeoServer at http://localhost:8080/geoserver and logs in using the default credentials:

• Username: admin
• Password: geoserver

Upgrading GeoServer

Stop GeoServer via the Tomcat Manager App, then replace the existing webapps/geoserver/data directory with the one from your backup.

Reinstall any compatible extensions for the new version, and restart GeoServer and verifies functionality.

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In this session, we took a brief journey to installation of GeoServer using the Web Archive method. If you want to access the complete tutorial, click on the link.

Reference:

• Web archive (User Manual)
• Java Considerations (User Manual)