Merging two vector layers with nearby features in QGIS

Question

I am using QGIS 2.18

I have two shapefiles containing bus stops

the first file(old_stops) has 144 stops, the second (new_stops) has 5.

There are 3 stops in the new_stops file that are practically the same as 3 of the ones in old_stops- so only 2 new stops have to be added. So if I combine them, I should get 146 stops.

However, being a point shapefile, and because data was collected by different users, the 3 stops in old_files lie just a few meters away from the corresponding one in new_stops, and also have slightly different names

Because of this, a union results into 149 stops.

Now because it is a question of just a few stops, I can delete stops manually. However, I want to know if there is an automated process to do this for posterity.

To summarise: I am looking for an operation that can combine two layers,whilst setting a tolerance level of a few meters. That way, if a pair of features from each layer lie within the tolerance, it will choose the features of one of the shapefiles(which can be specified)

The easiest way I can think of(for large data) is: 1.creating a buffer layer around the old stops, 2. then select by location of all the stops in new_stops that lie within/overlap/touch the buffer layer, 3 deleting those selected features in new_stops 4. union of the modified with the old_stops

Is there an easier way?

Answer 1

You could use Extract by location tool, which is in Processing toolbox | QGIS geoalgorithms | Vector selection tools.

The setting would be:

• Layer to select from: your new_stops
• Additional layer (intersection layer): your old_stops
• Geometric predicate: disjoint
• Precision: your tolerance

This will output a new layer Extracted (location) with new_stops which is away from your old_stops (minimum distance as set as precision).

Then, you can merge Extracted (location) with the old_stops layer.