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Welcome to the GeoDMS Academy

introduction

Welcome to the wonderful world of the Geo Data and Model Software (GeoDMS).

The GeoDMS is an open source GIS modelling framework which can be used to make fast calculations in a controlled, transparent and reproducible way on large (geographical) datasets.

The software is continuously in development and is, amongst others, being used by the The Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency, the Joint Research Centre of the European Commission, the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam and multiple Dutch municipalities.

features

The GeoDMS is especially suitable for applications with one or more of the following characteristics:

• modelling/analysing large geographical datasets, such as large grids, building registers, or road networks;
• combining multiple calculation steps to reach a certain result;
• parameterise calculation schemes to perform scenario analyses and compare their results;
• discrete allocation under capacity restrictions, accessibility and network calculations/assignments;
• being able to reproduce and understand what you calculated last week and transfer your model logic to your successor.

The GeoDMS is less suitable to:

• make a fast (simple) thematic map. Desktop GIS applications like QGIS or ArcGIS are more suitable for this purpose;
• manage data; a database (management system) or version management system is more useful for this.

GUI and scripts

Working and modelling with GeoDMS consists of two components: the GeoDMS GUI graphical user interface (GUI) and a text editor. With the GeoDMS GUI you open a GeoDMS configuration file. In such a file, commands to read data, expressions to perform analyses, visualisation styles to show data and export outputs are specified.

In desktop GIS applications (QGIS, ArcGIS), analysing and modelling can be done with menu functions. In the GeoDMS, all analysis steps need to be scripted. This academy focuses on how to read, understand and write these scripts, the key concepts of the GeoDMS and the grammar of the GeoDMS language. The User Guide can be used as a guide and reference on how to work with the GeoDMS GUI.

outline of this academy

This GeoDMS Academy is structured to enable you to accumulate knowledge when you work through it front to back, or you can just dive into certain topics when you are already acquainted with the topic discussed in earlier modules.