Beyond Atlas: Automating Map Production with PyQGIS

Map production is still often a manual step at the end of a GIS analysis workflow. QGIS Atlas and expressions provide powerful tools to automate the printing process. However, there are limits to this approach, for instance when more advanced, data-driven customization is required. This is where we can benefit from using Python and the PyQGIS API to automate printing tasks in QGIS.

We will start with a brief recap of QGIS printing layouts and the Atlas feature. Then, we will explore how to use PyQGIS and QGIS print layout templates to automate the printing process. Using structured data (e.g. from a database or a CSV file), we can configure layouts and run batch printing jobs with a single script.

The session includes a live demo in the QGIS Python console, along with an outline of how to write code that loads different print templates, accesses layout items via their IDs, dynamically modifies content, configures print jobs, and exports maps.

The talk concludes with a discussion of when a PyQGIS based printing approach is preferable to the Atlas feature, and how it can be integrated into a QGIS workflow.