Create mid point from line layer

Question

Apologies if this has been asked before and I’ve missed it with my searches. In QGIS I am trying to create a new point layer based on the mid point of a line layer (and keep all the feature attributes in the table).

For example, one line feature becomes one point, located on the mid/center point of the line. Points to lines only seems to work on nodes, and Create points along lines only seems to work at fixed distances?

Answer 1

If python is Ok for you, you can easily do that with that code snippet. Copy/paste this code in the editor of the python console, select your line layer and run the script!

layer = iface.activeLayer()

temp = QgsVectorLayer("Point?crs=epsg:2154", "result", "memory")
temp.startEditing()

attrs = layer.dataProvider().fields().toList()
temp_prov = temp.dataProvider()
temp_prov.addAttributes(attrs)
temp.updateFields()

for elem in layer.getFeatures():
    feat = QgsFeature()
    geom = elem.geometry().interpolate(elem.geometry().length()/2)
    feat.setGeometry(geom)
    feat.setAttributes(elem.attributes())
    temp.addFeatures([feat])
    temp.updateExtents()

temp.commitChanges()
QgsMapLayerRegistry.instance().addMapLayer(temp)

This code also take care about keeping the attributes of the line Layer. Here is my result on a set of line :

Answer 2

You can use the GDAL/OGR tool: Create points along lines.

Make sure you specify 0.5 as the distance. This calculates the fraction of the total length (not the distance) as the tool incorporates the ST_Line_Interpolate_Point function.

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Here is the default settings shown for me using QGIS 2.18.2 for Win7 64-bit:

The attributes are also carried over to the output point layer.

Answer 3

I would suggest you use MMQGIS plugin that will allow you to find the mid point of the layer.

This provide a great resource to learn more about the plugin and the features. You would need to add the plugin via the repository in QGIS Describes use of MMQGIS, a set of Python vector map layer plugins for Quantum GIS