Using QGIS Atlas outside of Print Composer?

Question

I wonder if it is already possible to use the Atlas Panel outside of Print Composer like it would be in ArcGIS with Data Driven Pages. I often use Data Driven Pages to screen through an entire area in order to edit/fix the results of a vectorized classification. Basically I use an index table to check every box of my classification. However, since I'd like to migrate to a free software, I would love to be able to do the same on QGIS.

I wonder if this is already possible of if there is any plugin that would make it possible to use an index table as an auxiliary file to do the screening of an entire raster.

Answer 1

QGIS does not have an exact equivalent to the ArcGIS feature "Data Driven Pages."

Here are some QGIS features that allow you to quickly pan from one location to another:

Built-in features

• View extent in map canvas

  In an atlas in the Print Layout, you can select a map and click "View extent in map canvas" in the item properties. This will zoom and pan the map canvas to the extent shown in the map item.

  

  I mention this method because it's the closest direct equivalent to the feature you asked for, but it's not the most convenient way of panning the map between features, because you have to keep switching between windows. I think you'll find one of these other methods more useful.

• Spatial Bookmarks

  Spatial Bookmarks allow you to “bookmark” a geographic location and return to it later. (see the user manual for additional information)

  Once a spatial bookmark is created you can zoom to it by clicking on it in the list of bookmarks in the same panel. You can create bookmarks manually by zooming to an area of interest and clicking "Add Bookmark" in the Bookmark Panel. You can also create a list of bookmarks by creating a text file with the extension XML, in this format:

  <!DOCTYPE qgis_bookmarks>
  <qgis_bookmarks>
    <bookmark>
      <id>1</id>
      <name>New bookmark</name>
      <project></project>
      <xmin>...</xmin>
      <ymin>...</ymin>
      <xmax>...</xmax>
      <ymax>...</ymax>
      <sr_id>...</sr_id>
    </bookmark>
  </qgis_bookmarks>
  

  Duplicate the section between the <bookmark> and </bookmark>tags as many times as you want to create spatial bookmarks. Substitute xmin/xmax/ymin/ymax/srid values for each spatial extent between the corresponding tags. The easiest way to do this is to create a couple of bookmarks manually, export them as an xml file, edit the xml file to include your additional bookmarks, and import the edited file.

• Zoom to Feature

  Open the attribute table for the "index" layer. Dock the attribute table. Select the first feature in the table, and click the "zoom to feature" button. Repeat with the next feature.

  

Plugins

If the built-in features of QGIS are not adequate, try some of the many plugins that other QGIS users have developed to supplement the built-in features of QGIS.

To install a plugin, go to the Plugins menu > Manage and install plugins... > find the plugin (eg by typing the name of the plugin into the search bar) > Install plugin.

• Power Pan plugin

  PowerPan lets you explore an area inch by inch.

  PowerPan gives you four buttons to pan around in the four cardinal directions, with the option of setting the horizontal and vertical overlap amounts between consequent views.

• zoomtopaste plugin

  Zoom to a specified point on the map from the Clipboard comma delimited Example: copy "5744021,3503546" (without quotes) out of any other program with "Crtl C" to the clipboard and Qgis zooms to the xy coordinates

  Zoom to a specified point on the map from the Clipboard comma delimited

• Lat Lon Tools plugin

  Tools to capture and zoom to coordinates using decimal, DMS, WKT, GeoJSON, MGRS, and Plus Codes notation. Provides external map support, MGRS & Plus Codes conversion and point digitizing tools. ... The plugin has the following tools. ... 6) Use a list of points for rapid zooming created from a file, direct input, or captured from the map.

• Feature Iterator plugin (This plugin is not currently available for QGIS 3, but I mention it in case you're using QGIS 2.x, or in case the plugin developer updates it for QGIS 3.)

  This plugin's purpose is to iterate over a vector layer's features, having the possibility to remove each feature during a step-by-step iteration. One can also define a pair attribute-value that will filter the features to be iterated. During iteration, viewport will be panned to where the feature is, using the same zoom level defined by user.

Answer 2

I had also been looking for this feature and found a nice plugin to move between features in a certain layer in your map window: "Go 2 next feature"

This plugin allows to select a layer and jump from a feature to another. It's possible to select an attribute of the the layer (usually an ID) and follow it. Press "F8" to go to the next feature. It's possibile to use a PAN function or a Zoom function(usefull for poligons and lines). The plugin was created for checking the position of every single feature of a layer without using the attribute table.