Stefan Steiniger: Aug-2007: Subjective Evaluation

Stefan Steiniger Version: 24 March 2008 (updated MapWindows data)

Note: this page contains two tables first and exhaustive functionality table and below a short overview table. Help on missing information is appreciated (e.g. download the word doc version and use Word’s „track-changes“ modus)

Desktop GIS

GRASS QGIS* gvSIG SAGA ILWIS KOSMO MapWindow uDig* Functionality (Geographic (Quantum (Generalitat (System for JUMP Family (Integrated GIS (user-friendly Desktop GIS) Resources GIS) Valenciana, Automated Land and Analysis Sistema GeoScientific JUMP OpenJUMP SkyJUMP Pirol JUMP DeeJUMP Water Support uDig JGrass DivaGIS d'Informació Analysis) Information System) Geogràfica) System) Providing Viewing, core GIS Viewing Analyze Analysis, (Raster) ArcView Spatial Editing Raster and GUI (OGC and modelling, Editing & Editing & Editing & Editing & Analysis substitute analysis and GRASS- Analysis replacing functions, FOCUS standards) document visualisation Data Vector Editing Vector OGC for scientific Graphical based on ArcView developing Application potato (focus on conflation Analysis Analysis standards entries advanced visualization User GRASS Decision Framewor genotypes raster) incomplete users Interface Support Systems Data Import/ Reading - All GDAL All GDAL Yes (1.1.0 Yes Yes ECW, All GDAL jpg, tif, jpg, tif, jpg, MrSID jpg, tif, jpg, tif, uses GDAL ECW, All GDAL Export Raster/Images supported supported is limited (through (Through MrSID, supported geoTIFF, geoTIFF, geoTIFF, geoTIFF, MrSID, supported formats, also formats to GRASS and Geotools) JPEG,jpg, formats and png, png, ecw(p), png, ecw(p), png, ecw(p), geoTIFF, formats + voxel support memory) Geotools) jp2, TIF, more ecw(p) MrSID(p) MrSID(p) MrSID(p) JPEG, jpg, BGD, and geoTIFF, jpg2, TIF, others. PNG, GIF, png, gif, img, bmp, img, bmp, jpeg2000 jpeg2000 Reading – Yes (through Yes Yes Yes Yes Shp, DXF, SHP and Shp, FME Shp, FME Shp, FME Shp, FME Shp, FME At least: Shp, DXF, At least: Vector OGR) DGN, DWG, more GML, JML, GML, JML, GML, JML, GML, JML, GML, JML, SHP, DXF DGN, DWG, SHP, GML WKT, WKT, WKT, WKT, WKT, CSV DXF(P). DXF(P), DXF(P), DXF(P), DXF(P), DXF(P), CSV(P) MIF(P) MIF(P) MIF(P) MIF(P) MIF(P), deegree GML3, deegree shp Reading tabular Yes (CSV + Yes No CSV, DBF, DBF, TXT, No CSV No CSV CSV ??? CSV, DBF, DBF, data many more) ODBC, CSV, ODBC MDB CSV(P), HSQLDB, MDB(P) MySQL, PostgreSQ, Oracle Reading – PostGIS, PostGIS PostGIS, PostGIS, PostGIS, PostGIS, Intended PostGIS, PostGIS, PostGIS, PostGIS, PostGIS, no PostGIS, PostGIS(p) Databases PostgreSQL, Oracle, Oracle, Oracle, HSQLDB, Oracle(p), Oracle(p), Oracle(p), Oracle(p), Oracle(p) Oracle ODBC, DB2, DB2, DB2, MySQL, ArcSDE(p) ArcSDE(p) ArcSDE ArcSDE(p) ArcSDE(p) Spatial/ MySQL, ArcSDE ArcSDE ArcSDE Oracle Locator SQLite, Oracle Spatial MYSQL Writing – All GDAL- no yes yes yes GeoTIFF, All GDAL jpg, png jpg, png jpg, png jpg, png, jpg, png uses GDAL jpg, png, All GDAL Raster/Images formats ecw, jpeg, supported tif(p) tif, gif, bmp supported jpeg2000 formats and formats and more more Writing – All OGR- Yes Yes Yes Yes Shp, dxf, SHP and Shp, FME Shp, FME Shp, FME Shp, FME Shp, FME At least: Shp, Dxf, At least: Vector formats (Shape) (Shape) (Shape) (Shape) GML more GML, JML, GML, JML, GML, JML, GML, JML, GML, JML, SHP, DXF SHP (through WKT, WKT, WKT, WKT, WKT, OGR) MIF(p), MIF(p), MIF(p), MIF(p), MIF(p), DXF(p) DXF(p) DXF(p) DXF(p) DXF(p), SVG SVG deegree (without (without GML3, attributes) attributes) deegree Shp, SVG (without attributes)

Writing tabular CSV no no no no DBF, TXT, copy to copy to copy to copy to copy to ??? Excel copy to data CSV Excel Excel table Excel table Excel table Excel table Excel table table possible possible possible possible possible possible Writing - PostGIS (p, PostGIS PostGIS, PostGIS, PostGIS, Postgis, Intended PostGIS PostGIS PostGIS PostGIS PostGIS no MySQL, PostGIS(p), Databases limited) Oracle, Oracle, Oracle, Oracle (p;limited) (p;limited) (p;limited) (p;limited) (p;limited) Oracle, MDB(p) DB2, DB2, DB2, Spatial Postgres ArcSDE ArcSDE ArcSDE Vector Data Drawing and yes, also 3D yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes Creation and Editing tools vector Editing (Points, Lines, support Polygons) Attribute yes, via SQL No no no no yes yes No Yes (limited) No Yes (limited) Yes (limited) ??? yes Yes Calculator Q/A: Quality yes No yes yes yes Yes (lines) no yes yes yes yes yes ??? yes no Assurance Tools Join tables In database No no no no yes yes No yes No yes No ??? yes no (GRASS 6.3 v.db.join) Others Vector Various TIN creation, --- Constrained Constrained Constrained --- ??? Topology Vector network vector contour lines drawing drawing drawing rules, analysis analysis; and raster from raster tools tools tools constrained (clip, buffer, Linear analysis and more drawing etc.) and referencing tools tools raster System analysis (LRS); LiDAR through data analysis plug-ins. Printing yes yes yes yes yes yes Yes Yes(p) Yes(p) Yes(p) Yes(p) Yes(p) Yes Yes Yes Queries yes Yes limited yes no attribute Intended Attribute Attribute Attribute Attribute Attribute ??? Attribute Attribute queries, queries, queries, queries, queries, queries, queries, queries spatial spatial spatial spatial spatial spatial spatial queries queries queries queries queries queries queries Database yes yes no no no Intended no No no no no no no no Queries (SQL) (except SIGLE) Styling / Point styles color, size, color, size, Full SLD Full SLD Full SLD Color, size, Color, size, Color, Color, size, Color, size, Color, size, Color, size, ??? Full SLD Color, size, Mapping shape, fill shape, fill complianc compliance complianc shape, shape, size, shape (p) shape (p) shape (p) shape (p) compliance shape, pattern pattern e e image outline, fill shape (p) image style, image Line styles color, width color, Full SLD Full SLD Full SLD Color, Color, size, Color, Color, width Color, Color, width Color, width ??? Full SLD Color, size, width, complianc compliance complianc width, line style width width compliance line style pattern e e transparenc y Polygon styles color, outline, color, Full SLD Full SLD Full SLD Color, Color, color, color, color, color, color, ??? Full SLD Color, fill outline, fill, complianc compliance complianc outline, fill outline, fill outline, fill outline, fill outline, fill outline, fill outline, fill compliance outline, fill pattern e e patterns, style patterns patterns patterns patterns, patterns patterns. transparenc transparency y Text labeling Yes (simple Yes (simple Full SLD Full SLD Full SLD Yes Yes Yes Yes (simple Yes (simple Yes (simple Yes (simple Yes Full SLD Yes (simple) labeling) labeling) complianc compliance complianc (rotation, (simple labeling) labeling) labeling) labeling) (simple) compliance e e color, font, labeling) height) Thematic Charts Bar, Pie Bar, Pie no no no no Bar and pie Bar, pie Bar, pie Bar, pie Bar, pie, line Bar, pie Bar, pie no no mapping charts, charts charts charts (p) charts (p) charts (p) charts (p) charts (p) charts, Graduated (developed point Symbol, but not density Ranges included yet) Classification equal range, equal range Quantile, Quantile, no equal Graduated Equal Equal range Equal Equal range Equal range ??? Equal range Equal interval, and equal equal range, color/ range (SIGLE: range range, std_deviation, quantiles interval, interval, natural symbol, quantile) continuous quartiles, custom custom breaks, lookup table ramps, custom_break quantiles custom- s defined Vector based Interpolation IDW, Splines GRASS no GRASS no yes (gvSIG Triangulation, no No no IDW, no Kriging Point Some Spatial (2D and 3D functions functions + Sextante) IDW, Krieging (p) and co- interpolatio available Analysis Tools RST, B- via GRASS Shepard, kriging n through Splines) Plugin Spline, plug-ins Kriging Spatial Link to R- no no GRASS no Sum, mean, Geostatistical no no no Mean, no Geo- no Basic raster Statistics stats functions variance... analyses Variance,... statistical statistics(p) analyses buffer yes GRASS Yes with Grass no yes no yes yes yes Yes yes ??? yes yes (p) functions Axios functions via GRASS plugin and Axios Plugin plugin Join yes no no no no yes no no yes ??? yes yes ??? yes yes (p) geometries by attributes aggregate yes GRASS no GRASS no yes no no yes ??? yes yes ??? yes yes (p) /join attributes functions functions spatially via GRASS Plugin Spatial no no no no no yes (gvSIG Variogram no no no Variogramm, no ??? no no Correlation + Sextante) modeling Pearson Analysis Test, Spearman Test, Kendall’s Tau Test (p) Other union (= Union, Union, split, no clip, Clipping, union (= union (= union (= Grid tools, union (= ??? Merge, Union, dissolve), split, intersect, difference, intersection, dissolve), dissolve), dissolve), union (= dissolve), dissolve, merge, centroid intersect, reproject intersect, union, centroid centroid centroid dissolve), centroid clip, centroid, calculation reproject convex hull, merging, calculation calculation, calculation, centroid calculation, intersection intersection union centroids and , convex thiessen convex hull calculation, thiessen , difference, , (dissolve), more hull polygons convex hull polygons convex hull, differences merge, xy (limited), (limited), spatial join (p) shift, convex hull convex hull reproject Multi- Yes/no yes yes yes yes yes yes yes no yes no yes yes ??? yes yes language support Languages see here 26 EN, FR, EN, FR, IT, EN, DE, FR EN, ES, VA, EN, DE --- EN, Fi, DE, --- EN, DE EN, Fi, DE, ??? EN, ES, PT CS, DE, EL, IT, DE, ES DE, ES GL, CZ, DE, FR, ES, P, IT FR, ES, P, IT EN, ES, FA, EU, FR, IT, FR. IT, JP, PT, CN, PL, NL, PT, TH, RO ZH-CHS/ZH- CN Supported WMS, since WMS, WFS, WMS, WMS, WFS, WMS, WMS (1.1, SFS, SFS, WMS, SFS, WMS, SFS, WMS, SFS, WMS, under WMS, SFS, WMS (P), OGC GRASS 6.3 SFS (via WFS, WFS-T, WFS, 1.1.1, WMS, GML, GML, GML, GML, develop- SLD (under WFS (P) standards WFS, GML PostGIS) , WFS-T, SLD, GML, WFS-T, 1.3.0), GML, WFS(p) WFS(p) WFS(p) WFS(p), ment developme (via OGR) GML (via SLD, SFS, Filter SLD, WFS, WCS WFS(p) SLD, WFS, WCS nt WFS, OGR) GML, SFS, GML, SFS, (1.0, 1.0.0), WPS, GML) Filter Filter WCS (2.0), Filter (1.0) Support of yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes(p) yes(p) UTM – geo yes (p, yes(p) yes yes yes different yes(p) limited) Projections/ Coord. Reference Systems Data Histograms yes yes no no yes yes No No No No yes (p) No ?yes? no No Exploration Tools classification yes GRASS no GRASS yes yes (gvSIG Yes No No No k-means No ??? no no functions functions + Sextante) via GRASS Plugin Topology yes GRASS no no no Yes (lines) TIN Yes: line Yes: Planar Yes: line Yes: Planar Yes: Planar No Quality TIN creation creation functions (lines and noder, graph, line noder, graph, line graph, line controls, and viewing via GRASS polygons polygonize noder, polygonizer noder, noder, topology ability Plugin intended) r polygonizer polygonizer polygonizer rules

On the fly no under no no no no No No No No no No No no no topology developme editing nt Triangulation yes no no no no no Yes Yes(p) Yes(p) Yes(p) yes Yes(p) No no no (planar) Generalization Line Yes, Douglas- GRASS In GRASS no yes (gvSIG Yes Yes Yes (Douglas Yes Yes (Douglas Yes (Douglas ??? Yes Yes Tools simplification Peucker Alg., functions available functions + Sextante) (Douglas Peucker) (Douglas Peucker) Peucker) (Douglas (Douglas Lang Alg., via GRASS plugins Peucker) Peucker) Peucker) Peucker), via Close Vertex Plugin plug-in (p) Elimination, Reuman- Witkam Alg., Boyle’s Forward- Looking Algorithm. others smoothing ------Snakes line --- Snakes line Snakes line ??? Some algroithms: smoothing smoothing smoothing others via McMaster and and and plug-ins Distance- displacement displacement displacement Weighting (p), building (p), building (p), building Alg., generalizatio generalizatio generalizatio Chaiken’s n tools (p), n tools (p), n tools (p), Alg., Interpol. by Cubic Hermite splines; Snakes for smoothing, network gen. & displacement 3D-Views yes GRASS no Yes, In no no yes no no no 2.5D model no yes Under yes functions developme (p) developme via GRASS nt nt Plugin DEM-Tools Terrain yes GRASS no GRASS yes (gvSIG yes no no no Delauney no ?No? Under TIN for API; creation (TIN) functions functions + Sextante) triangulation developme TIN viewer/ via GRASS (p) nt creator (p) Plugin Terrain yes GRASS no GRASS yes (gvSIG yes no no no under no ?Yes? Under Yes (p) analysis functions functions + Sextante) development developme (slope, via GRASS nt aspect,..) Plugin Viewsheds yes GRASS no GRASS yes (gvSIG yes no no no no no ?Yes? no functions functions + Sextante) via GRASS Plugin other Curvatures, Numerous ------Contour --- ??? contour and hydrology morphometri lines flowline tools, c and generation, hydrologic hydrologic hillshade, models, terrain watershed topographic parameters, analysis index, etc. pre- processing, profiles, insolation and more Image Histogramming yes GRASS no GRASS yes yes no no no no no yes ImageJ no Analysis Tools functions functions integration via GRASS under Plugin developme nt Geo- yes ??? no GRASS yes yes no no no no no yes under yes Referencing functions developme nt Ortho- yes no no GRASS no yes no no no no no yes under Under rectification functions developme development nt Filter yes GRASS no GRASS yes yes no no no no no ?yes? under Under operations functions functions developme developmen via GRASS nt t Plugin other Orthophoto Cluster ------??? ??? creation, analysis, segmentation, supervised pattern classification, analysis, time segmentation series , pattern analysis, vegetation indices, time series and more Scripting Bash, Python, Python Groovy BeanShell Jython Python, BeanShell BeanShell BeanShell BeanShell BeanShell ILWIS no C#, VB.Net Functionality Perl command Jython(p) Jython(p) Jython Jython(p) Jython(p) Scripting shell, (other Language languages intended) GRASS 6.3 QGIS 0.9 Version Version 1.1 SAGA 2.0.2 Version Version 1.2D Release 89 Version 3.4 Version 1.1 Version 4.5 1.1-RC12 (September 1.2 (July 2007) (June 2007) RC2 (April 2007) since then 2008) open sourcing, before shareware

*) strong development activities

Adapted Cadcorp SIS(TM) Feature Table (short version of table above)

(p) = functionality provided via external plugin

Desktop GIS Functionality GRASS QGIS* uDig* (user-friendly Desktop gvSIG SAGA ILWIS KOSMO MapWindow (items taken from (Geographi (Quantum GIS) (Generalitat (System for JUMP Family (Integrated GIS Cadcorp SIS c Resources GIS) Valenciana, Automated Land and product sheet) Analysis Sistema GeoScientifi JUMP OpenJUMP SkyJUMP Pirol JUMP DeeJUMP Water Support d'Informació c Analysis) Information UDig Jgrass DivaGIS System) Geogràfica) System Vector Read Yes Yes yes yes yes SHP, DXF, SHP and Shp, FME Shp, FME Shp, FME Shp, FME Shp, FME At least: Shp, DXF, At least: SHP, Data (through DGN, more GML, GML, GML, GML, JML, GML,JML, SHP, DXF DGN, DWG, DXF(P), OGR) DWG, GML JML, JML, JML, WKT, WKT, CSV CSV(P), WKT, WKT, WKT, MIF(p) MIF(p), Waypoint+(P) MIF(p) MIF(p) MIF(p) DXF(p) DXF(p), DXF(p) DXF(p) DXF(p) deegree GML3, deegree Shp Write Yes Yes yes yes yes SHP, DXF, SHP and Shp, FME Shp, FME Shp, FME Shp, FME Shp, FME At least: Shp, DXF At least: SHP (through GML more GML, GML, GML, GML, JML, GML,JML, SHP, DXF OGR) JML, JML, JML, WKT, WKT, WKT, WKT, WKT, MIF(p) MIF(p), MIF(p) MIF(p) MIF(p) DXF(p) DXF(p), DXF(p) DXF(p) DXF(p) SVG deegree SVG GML3, deegree Shp Raster Read Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes ECW, All GDAL tif, tif, jpg, tif, tif, uses GDAL ECW, MrSID, At least: Data (through (through (through (through (through MrSID, supported GeoTIFF, GeoTIFF, mrSID GeoTIFF, GeoTIFF, geoTIFF, JPEG, GDAL) GDAL) Geotools Geotools Geotools JPEG,jpg, formats png, jpg, png, jpg, png, jpg, png, jpg, JPEG, jpg, GeoTIFF, ) ) ) jp2, TIF, ecw(p) ecw(p), ecw(p), ecw(p), jp2, TIF, ECW, geoTIFF, mrSID(p) mrSID(p) mrSID(p) png, gif, ArcInfo GRID; PNG, GIF, img, bmp, all GDAL img, bmp, jpeg2000 supported jpeg2000 Write Yes GRASS Yes Yes Yes ECW, All GDAL png, jpg png, jpg png, jpg png, jpg, png, jpg Uses GDAL Jpg. Png, tif, At least: (through data (through (through (through MrSID, supported tif(p) gif, bmp JPEG, GDAL) through Geotools Geotools Geotools JPEG,jpg, formats GeoTIFF, GRASS ) ) ) jp2, TIF, ArcInfo GRID; Plugin geoTIFF, all GDAL jpeg2000 supported Database PostGIS R,W (p, R, W R,W R,W R,W R,W R, W(p) R, W(p) R, W(p) R, W(p) R, W(p) No R, W R+W(p) Lin limited) ks ArcSDE --- No R,W R,W R,W R(p) R(p) R R(p) R(p) No R (under No (r: read, development w: write) ) Oracle R No R,W R,W v R,W R(p) R(p) R(p) R(p) R(p) No R,W No OGC Compliant / WMS, WMS, WMS, WMS, WMS, WMS, WFS, SFS, SFS, SFS, SFS, WMS, SFS, under WMS, SFS, WMS (P), supported (WFS since WFS, WFS, WFS, WFS, WCS, CSW, WMS, WMS, WMS, GML, WMS, developme SLD WFS (P) OGC GRASS SFS (via WFS-T, WFS-T, WFS-T, Filter, WFS- GML, GML, GML, WFS(p) GML, nt (under standards 6.3), GML PostGIS) SFS, SFS, GML SFS, G WFS(p) WFS(p) WFS(p) WFS(p), WFS, WCS development (via OGR) , GML GML GML SLD : WFS, WPS, (via GML) OGR) Thematic Bar Charts, yes no no yes Bar/pie yes (p) Yes (p) Yes (p) Yes (p) Yes (p) Yes no only labels; Mapping Pie Charts, (charts (simple) charts, (simple, others in (e.g. Bar Chart • Graduated QGIS > graduated bar, pie, development Graduated Symbol • Symbol, 0.9.0) symbol/ labels, point Individual Value • Pie Ranges color, labels density) Chart • Label • Ranges • Dot Density) Printing yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes (p) Yes (p) Yes (p) Yes (p) Yes (p) Yes Yes Yes (improved OpenOffice Connector under development ) Developer API yes yes yes yes yes no yes yes Yes Yes Yes Yes No Yes Yes Scripting Bash, Python Available Beanshell no Jython Python, Beanshell Beanshell Beanshell Beanshell Beanshell ILWIS No C#, VB.Net Functionalit Python, Console Groovy console Jython(p) Jython(p) Jython Jython(p) Jython(p) Scripting y Perl (p) plugin Language Coordinate Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes yes yes yes(p) Yes(p) Yes(p) Yes(p) Yes Yes Yes Yes Transformations/ Projections Data creation Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes yes yes yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes and Editing (The creation of new 2D graphics including lines, polylines and freehand lines. Area tools include areas, multiareas, ellipses, circles, and rectangles. Point tools include points, multi-points, and shapes. Also, familiar CAD–like precision tools such as snap and typed coordinate input.) GPS support Yes Yes (p) Yes(p) Yes(p) no no yes no No No Yes (p, No Yes No (under Yes NMEA file development support) ) Topology Yes GRASS No GRASS No yes (lines) No Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes No No (under TIN creation creation and functions functions (only TIN) (limited) (limited) (limited) (limited) (limited) development per API; editing via ) viewing/ (Creation of link,node, GRASS creation via chain and polygon Plugin plug-in topology) Advanced data yes yes yes yes no yes (gvSIG yes Yes Yes Yes Yes (except Yes No Yes Yes creation & (especially + (except (except (except offsets) (except (except editing in new Sextante) offsets) offsets) offsets) offsets) generalisation) (including item wxGRASS snapping, creating digitizer) offsets, line generalisation, trimming, rotating, etc.)

Advanced Yes GRASS no GRASS yes yes (gvSIG yes No Thiessen No Grid analysis, Thiessen No no Yes thematic functions functions + polygons contour polygons (contour and mapping via Sextante) (for mapping (for flowline (Including Thiessen GRASS specific specific generation) polygon analysis, grid Plugin cases) cases) analysis, contour mapping and flow-line generation.) Creation of 3D Yes GRASS no GRASS no yes (gvSIG yes No No No Delauney No Yes No (under Yes views & terrains functions functions + Triangulatio development (3D plugin, (Creation of via Sextante) n ) TIN for API triangulated irregular GRASS only, networks (TINs) and Plugin hillshade) digital terrain models (DTMs), relief shading and surface draping of raster images and vector data for 3D visualisation purposes. Includes support for constrained Delaunay triangulation, allowing TINs to be created from a collection of surveyed elevations, with optional breaklines and bounding areas.) Viewshed and yes GRASS no GRASS no yes (gvSIG yes No No No No No Yes No Yes terrain analysis functions functions + (watershed (provides line-of-sight via Sextante) analysis and calculations used to GRASS terrain determine all areas on Plugin analysis) DTM data that are visible from a chosen location, plus slope, aspect, and gradient grid analysis.)