ArchGIS

ArchGIS is an extension for Arch Linux that expands it with the most common spatial libraries (GDAL, GEOS and PROJ) and tools (Python, R, Julia and Docker) for reading, processing, analyzing, visualizing and storing spatial data sets. The installation of the ArchGIS extension requires a proper Arch Linux installation with a desktop environment (e.g. Gnome) as starting point. The desktop environment is required as ArchGIS also contains GUI applications (JupyterLab, RStudio, QGIS). To set up a fresh Arch Linux installation, follow these instructions: Setting up Arch Linux for ArchGIS

Note: ArchGIS is designed to be installed by user with sudo rights, but not as root itself. If no user with root privileges exists yet, create one and log in with the newly created user before proceeding with the installation:

# Replace <username> with the user name:
useradd -m <username>
passwd <username>
usermod -a -G wheel,audio,video,optical,storage,power <username>

# Enable `sudo` for the wheel group:
visudo
> uncomment: %wheel ALL=(ALL) ALL
> write and quit: :wq

Installing ArchGIS

Clone the repository from github and run the installer script:

git clone https://github.com/munterfi/archgis.git
cd archgis
sudo ./install.sh

This will take a few minutes: Time for a coffee :) (archgis-info, RStudio, jupyterlab)

Testing ArchGIS

To print information about the installed ArchGIS version, type:

archgis-info
>     _             _      ____ ___ ____  
>    / \   _ __ ___| |__  / ___|_ _/ ___| 
>   / _ \ | '__/ __| '_ \| |  _ | |\___ \ 
>  / ___ \| | | (__| | | | |_| || | ___) |
> /_/   \_\_|  \___|_| |_|\____|___|____/ 
>                                         
> Version:    0.1.0
> GDAL:       3.0.4-4
> GEOS:       3.8.0-1
> PROJ:       6.3.1-1
> Location:   /opt/archgis
> Profile:    /etc/profile.d/archgis_profile.sh
> Author:     Merlin Unterfinger
> License:    GNU General Public License 3.0
> 

In order to test the ArchGIS installation run the test script:

archgis-test

This command uses earthquake data from the USGS Hazard feed and country polygons from Natural Earth, which have been downloaded during the installation of ArchGIS. These data sets are then read in by Python, R and Julia using GDAL to check the binding to this library. Then CRS transformations are performed using PROJ and spatial intersections using GEOS. If the test finishes successfully, the spatial libraries are installed properly and the bindings to Python, R and Julia are correct.

Updating ArchGIS

To update ArchGIS including the Python, R and Julia packages run the updater script as root:

sudo archgis-update

Since Arch Linux has a very active community, updates should be carried out regularly.

Examples

Docker: PostGIS, OSRM JupyterLab: Choose spatial

References

• Arch Linux
• GDAL
• PROJ
• GEOS