QGIS 3.34 New Features: 3D Tiles and PLATEAU

Introduction

QGIS 3.34 “Prizren,” a new version of QGIS, was released on November 5, 2023.

QGIS 3.34 adds many features, which fall into three areas: 3D data, raster data, and vector data.

This article introduces the features added in this update, grouped by these three areas.

This article is a revised version of the “QGIS Blog” content that was published on the MIERUNE Inc. website.

3D data

Loading 3D Tiles in QGIS

The headline feature of QGIS 3.34 is that QGIS can now load 3D Tiles (3D model data), the format used by CesiumJS, directly. With 3D Tiles support, you can display digital twin models in QGIS, starting with the 3D data provided by Project PLATEAU.

To load 3D Tiles, select Scene in the Data Source Manager, click the New button under Connections, and specify the URL where the 3D Tiles are hosted. This adds a new 3D Tiles data source.

Raster data

Highlight selected pixels in raster data

Starting with QGIS 3.34, Identify Features highlights the selected pixel on the map for raster data too, as it already does for vector data.

Show the row and column numbers of a selected raster pixel

When you select raster data with Identify Features, QGIS now shows the row and column numbers of the selected pixel (the number of pixels counted from the top-left pixel).

Show band descriptions when styling a raster

When you style raster data with multiple bands, QGIS now shows a description of each band.

Vector data

Set the highlight color for selected features per layer

In earlier versions, you could not choose a separate highlight color for selected features on each layer. In QGIS 3.34, you can choose the highlight color for each layer on the style settings screen.

Hide vector layer labels with one click

In earlier versions, you had to show or hide the labels of a vector layer on the style settings screen. In QGIS 3.34, you can do it with one click on the map.

Automatically output row and column numbers in grids

Grids created in QGIS now output the row number (counting from the top) and the column number (counting from the left) of each cell.

Overwrite results with Save vector features to file

The Save vector features to file tool can now overwrite features in an existing file.

You can overwrite not only the file but also a single layer, which makes data management much easier.

How to upgrade

The article below explains in detail how to upgrade QGIS. Have a look at it as well.

Conclusion

The headline feature of QGIS 3.34 is, above all, that QGIS can now load 3D Tiles. Until now, checking 3D Tiles meant opening a browser and loading the data in CesiumJS. Now that QGIS can load them, creating 3D data and developing with it should become much easier. Another welcome change is that Save vector features to file can overwrite output, which makes data and file management easier. QGIS 3.34 adds many other features too, so if you are curious, try the latest QGIS!

For details on this update, see the changelog.