Add a new field to attribute table in QGIS | burdGIS

Editing mode in QGIS can be really useful. Here we look at how to add a new field to an attribute table, fill in some values and style our layer thematically with the new values. To do this we use categorized symbology.
If you enjoyed this video you can support the channel and buy me a coffee using this link:
paypal.me/burdGIS
🌐 Visit our site 🌐
www.burdgis.com
🌐 Take an online GIS course 🌐
www.udemy.com/an-introduction...
🌐 Find us on facebook 🌐
/ burdgis

[@burdGIS]

Are you just getting started with #GIS and #QGIS? This online course will teach you the basics and then you can come back to the #burdGIS channel to improve your skills! :) www.udemy.com/course/an-introduction-to-gis-and-qgis/?referralCode=E39701D884A9EB2B5831

[@ashleytendai2929]

Thank you so much its very clear and straight forward

[@burdGIS]

Glad to hear you found it helpful Ashley :-)

[@cycleSCUBA]

Great advice. I need to label my polygons and all i could do is use the id to label it but these are just numbers. Now that you've shown me how to add a field to the attributes i can label then alphanumerically. Thanks 👍

[@burdGIS]

Glad you liked it 🙂 Please share with your network

[@TheMadPhoto]

Thanks a lot, just what I was looking for

[@burdGIS]

Glad it helped :)

[@stefan-florinvoicu4907]

Thank you!

[@Levelingup-dq5ui]

thank you this video really helped me complete my project your the best😍

[@burdGIS]

Glad I could help Sangay! :-)

[@solsibiya1819]

Thanks

[@USSO288C]

Thanks for your video. I'd like to know if you have a large dataset from Excel, is there a simple way to populate it instead of typing it in all cells?

[@burdGIS]

Yes. If the table in excel has coordinates you can bring it in as a delimited text later. If the excel table has no geometry you can join it to a later with geometry so long as they have a common field on which to perform the table join

[@colinhawke9993]

Hi. I find your video's really useful but can't find the answer to a query I have and wonder if you can help. I have a data layer of trees that I have inspected with various attributes. Over time some of these trees will die or be felled. For my reports I only need to show those trees still standing but don't want to delete the data. I thought about adding a field called 'Archived' and then using a rule based symbol and label to filter out and not show those archived. However I have been unsuccessful. Any suggestions please? Many thanks.

[@burdGIS]

Hi Colin, thanks for watching. What you have described sounds like it would work. I do this for a tree surveying client of mine. Rule-based symbology is one option but you could also filter the data on that attribute as well. If you're having difficulty I'd be happy to jump on a video call with you for 15 minutes and get it fixed.

[@EmmaJaworski]

Question: i found the editing tool like you showed in the video (the yellow one that looks like a pencil), but for me it's greyed out so i cant click on it. How do i fix that and become able to edit the attribute table?

[@burdGIS]

Hi Emma, thanks for the question. Please make sure you have the layer in question selected in the layers panel. Also check your datasource. Is the data read only? Does it come from a database. If it is just a local file and the above suggestions don't work let me know and I'm sure we can get to the bottom of it.

[@c1406]

Hello! How can I use the field calculator to replace all the null values for a particular text?

[@burdGIS]

Hi claudio, thanks for the question. I recently posted a video on this. You can find it here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/fJPRoXSieLWFrpo Let me know if you have any further questions!

[@GEORGE.M.M]

Hey great tutorial, I'm new to QGIS, and I am tasked with creating a map with several subdivisions in AutoCAD and would like to import the map into QGIS and assign features such as name and population to the map within the attribute table; What would the best workaround be for this dilemma? Thanks in advance.

[@burdGIS]

Hi George and thanks for the question. CAD GIS can be tricky and it really depends a lot on how the CAD has been set up initially as to what is possible. There are some free plugins for QGIS that can help with this (I haven't looked into them for a few years so they're likely much improved from when I last checked). ArcGIS also has CAD GIS options and one other option I know of is FME (licensed software). You may want to search for free and open source software equivalent to FME as there might be newer stuff out there I don't know of. Also do the newer version of AutoCAD have any GIS plugins?

[@GEORGE.M.M]

@@burdGIS Thanks for the feedback, I have found having regions as closed polylines or curves, or hatch, allows for data attributes once loaded in qgis to provide a base to add attributes such as population. but i will look into your feedback as my method can be time consuming. thanks again!

[@burdGIS]

Thanks for the update George. Interesting to know that attributes can be set up for certain feature types. LEt me know how you get on.

[@fiippps]

hello burdGIS, thanks for the video. I am able to move the labels on my layer, but one problem is appearing and i just can't figure out why... I have a layer showing different forest kinds of forest tillering, the labels are pretty simple (a1, b2, z1, etc.). Now when i get to move the very first label every other of the 20 labels jump to a random spot in there polygon (which wouldnt be a big problem, because i could just move all of the labels), BUT when all of the labels are doing there "initial jump" 3 of my labels are just disappearing into the void. i cant seem to find them afterwards. I hope You can help. Greetings from Germany

[@fiippps]

So i accidently posted this under the wrong video. I have been binge watching your account :-) I came closer to a solution, i know now that my labels are NOT jumping, QGIS is just not showing me labels twice or three times if they happen to have the same name from the attribute table, which i dont know how to fix. f.e. i have three different polygons called "3". QGIS will only show me one of those "3". Do you know how i can fix that?

[@burdGIS]

Please could you send me.your project or I'm open to a zoom call too. You can find my contact details at www.burdgis.com/contact

[@burdGIS]

Binge watching is actively encouraged :) There should be a setting in the layer's label options to repeat labels or just label one of a multipart feature. You can see the setting here: kzbin.infoUgyx1GF7xAcbIfVyZPF4AaABCQ?app=desktop

[@ste6826]

Using the term 'farm fields' would help to make it less confusing.

[@burdGIS]

Haha yes you're not wrong ste. It only dawned on me afterwards 😂

[@MrClevermind]

How can I add the attributes the column automatically? Without do it manually? Thank you for learning us this trick ☺️😊.

[@burdGIS]

Hi and thanks for watching. I'm not sure I know what you mean by automatically. Have you tried joining a table to your existing features? This video might help kzbin.info/www/bejne/jXe6e2hmjquhsKs

[@davidkatungula9205]

How can I add coordinates in my print composer?

[@burdGIS]

The coordinates from the points on your map?

[@utubemania9079]

Hello, what is written in comment? And one question please why my attribute table is not showing id and name it's just showing 'Actions' though I can flash feature but table doesn't show their names what I added during digitization. How to fix it please?

[@burdGIS]

Hi utubemania, how did you add the names during digitisation? Can you email me a screenshot of what your table looks like?

[@utubemania9079]

@@burdGIS ok please give me your Email id.

[@burdGIS]

You can find my email address on my website here: www.burdgis.com/contact/ Cheers!

[@PLBL]

For some reason, I am unable to edit the value in the cell once I create a new column... When I double click, nothing happens. Any ideas?

[@burdGIS]

Hi Philippe. Did you get any further with this? Have you tried double clicking and then just starting to type? Sometimes the cursor doesn't show up for me.

[@travisparker150]

By any chance is there a way to add an entire column of data to the attribute table? I have data for my shapefiles in a column in Excel and it would be great to transfer it all over rather than re-typing each value. Do you know if there is a way to do this? Thanks, Travis

[@burdGIS]

Thanks for the question Travis. If you can email your data or a subset to me that would be great. My details are at www.burdgis.com/contact

[@travisparker150]

@@burdGIS I was able to find a fix today: Save as .csv, then upload the table to the project (using "Add delimited text layer" if numeric data type is important), then use the "Add vector join" tool to add the new columns. Hopefully this will be useful if anyone else has the same issue. Thanks!

[@burdGIS]

Yes! Good work Travis. Sounds like a suitable workflow. And for anyone looking there's a good csv video here ;-) kzbin.info/www/bejne/pnzCc3eunc9rack

[@kleeishere8045]

@@travisparker150 Big help Travis! Thanks alot!

[@Hansipansieiki]

I got a problem, when i try to make a new field i cant choose a Type

[@burdGIS]

Hi Hans, did you solve this? Please feel free to email me if not.

[@solsibiya1819]

How do you edit an attribute table with data already

[@burdGIS]

Just open the attribute table and then activate editing (the little yellow pencil button) and make allt he edits you like! :-)

[@edeymon8919]

​@@burdGIS why the yellow pencil is grey ?

[@burdGIS]

This means the layer is not editable. If it is a .csv file that has been imported I don't think editing will be available or if it is a read only file for some other reason. Hang your cursor over the layer in the layers panel to find out where it is stored and what format (filetype) it is.

[@MsianAmoi]

biggest dilemma in spatial tool is what colour to choose (emmmmmm..)

[@burdGIS]

A major problem that eats up countless hours :-) Don't forget to account for people with colour blindness too! www.color-blindness.com/coblis-color-blindness-simulator/