QField Basics: Create and Edit Data

Introduction

QField is open-source mobile GIS software that lets you use projects created in QGIS on smartphones and other devices.

This article explains the basic operations of QField and how to create and edit data.

For how to install QField and prepare a project, see the following article.

QField basics

This section covers the basics of using QField: how to open a project, how to work with the map, and how to show and hide layers.

Open a project

When you launch QField on a mobile device running iOS or Android, the home screen appears.

From the home screen, you can open a project from any of the following locations:

• QFieldCloud projects
• Local files
• Recent projects

This example opens a project prepared as a local file.

When the project opens, the map appears.

Navigate the map

Touch the map with your finger to use it just as you would in a typical map app. The basic gestures are as follows.

To pan the map, slide your finger across the screen.

To show your current location, tap the Location button at the bottom right.

To zoom in, tap the + button on the right, or spread two fingers apart on the screen.

To zoom out, tap the - button on the right, or pinch two fingers together on the screen.

Open the Side Dashboard and work with layers

Tap the Dashboard button at the top left to open the Side Dashboard.

A panel opens on the left and lists the layers. As in QGIS, tap the eye icon to show or hide a layer.

You can also tap Return home at the bottom left to go back to the home screen.

Press and hold a layer to use other handy functions, such as the Opacity slider, Zoom to layer, and Show features list.

Create data

Next, this section explains how to create a new feature in a layer. The example uses a polygon layer.

In the Side Dashboard, tap the layer you want to edit (A_sakura in this example), then tap the pencil button. The layer enters digitize mode.

Create the geometry

In digitize mode, the input cursor appears as a crosshair, fixed at the center of the screen by default. Move the map to place the crosshair where you want to add a vertex.

With the Lock to position button, you can also lock the crosshair to your current location.

Now start drawing the polygon. Place the crosshair where you want to add a vertex, then tap the + button at the bottom right of the screen to add it.

Next, place the crosshair where you want to add the next vertex and tap the + button at the bottom right of the screen again.

Continue in the same way. When you finish drawing the polygon, tap the green check button. The polygon is now complete.

If you make a mistake while drawing, tap the - button to delete the last point you entered. To cancel the drawing, tap the X button.

Enter attribute values

When you finish drawing the geometry, a panel for entering attribute values appears. Enter the values, then tap the check button at the top left of the panel.

The feature is now created.

Edit data

To edit existing data, first tap the feature you want to change on the map.

The features around the tapped location are highlighted in yellow and listed in the panel. Select the feature you want to edit from the panel.

When you select a feature, it is highlighted in pink on the map, and its attributes appear in the panel on the right.

Edit attribute values

Tap the Edit attributes button at the top of the panel.

You can now edit the attribute values freely. When you finish, tap the check button to confirm the changes.

Edit the geometry

Tap the Edit geometry button at the top of the panel.

The vertices of the geometry appear as red circles. To edit a vertex, tap its red circle on the map to select it. Then drag it on the screen to move it, or tap the - button to delete it.

To add a vertex, tap the diamond mark between two vertices of the feature, or tap the + button.

When you finish editing the geometry, tap the green check button at the bottom right of the screen to confirm the changes.

Switch editing tools

When you edit data, Vertex Tool is selected by default. Use it to edit the vertices of a geometry. You can also switch to other editing tools as needed.

While you edit, the ... button appears at the bottom right of the screen. Tap it to switch to other editing functions for your purpose, such as Split Tool and Erase Tool.

End digitize mode

When you finish creating or editing the layer, open the Side Dashboard and switch to Browse mode to end editing.

Conclusion

This article explained the basic operations of QField and the steps for creating and editing data. Use QField to make data collection and updates in the field more efficient.

The operations covered here are the basics. To learn more about the data editing features, see the official documentation.