[GRASSLIST:6352] GRASS-DOC list inactive?

GRASS GRASS user
1

Hi List-

I'm new to grass and have a couple of questions that I don't see
answered in the archive.

1) Is the grass-doc list down or inactive? I saw a request for
volunteers at http://grass.itc.it/gdp/index.php and joined the list but
haven't seen any activity and the archives show the last activity in
2003 I believe.

2) I just ordered M. Neteler, H. Mitasova, 2004. Open Source GIS: A
GRASS GIS Approach. Second Edition because I'm sure the book will be a
great resource for a newbie like me, but my question about it is this:
can I expect to find examples and tutorials that hold my hand
step-by-step in performing some number of the things that grass can do?

I tried the online documentation and tutorials (everything that one can
get to from the grass web pages) and although I'm sure they would be
very helpful for someone well-versed in GIS software in general (not yet
true for me), I was totally bewildered by them. I have grass installed
and running with no problems. I just don't know what to do with it or
how to do it. I tried just fiddling around with it hoping that by doing
so, it would become clear what this and that are for, but it wasn't
helpful to me (just dense I guess). I think I need data sets and
examples that tell me exactly what to do (step by step) in order to
accomplish this or that and then perhaps even some sort of conceptual
explanation of what this is good for. Will the book help me with that?
If not, can someone recommend a general GIS learning resource for
someone relatively unfamiliar with it? I'd be very grateful.

TIA.

--
-Kevin
http://www.gnosys.us

2

On a somewhat related note...I too am new to GRASS. I've been trying to work with the Spearfish57 dataset in GRASS 6.0.0 (Cygwin) downloaded from the GRASS webpage. When I try to import or display the raster datasets (Display Raster Map or Import Raster Map) they do not show up in the GUI dialog box (both the PERMANENT and user folders show up, but nothing is visible in them). I've tried to open/import through the command window too, (e.g., d.rast elevation.dem) but also no luck. Anybody have any ideas? Do I need to convert the data or something?

Chris

----- Original Message ----- From: "Kevin" <lists@gnosysllc.com>
To: <GRASSLIST@baylor.edu>
Cc: <grass-doc@it-zone.org>
Sent: Wednesday, April 06, 2005 11:19 AM
Subject: [GRASSLIST:6352] GRASS-DOC list inactive?

Hi List-

I'm new to grass and have a couple of questions that I don't see
answered in the archive.

1) Is the grass-doc list down or inactive? I saw a request for
volunteers at http://grass.itc.it/gdp/index.php and joined the list but
haven't seen any activity and the archives show the last activity in
2003 I believe.

2) I just ordered M. Neteler, H. Mitasova, 2004. Open Source GIS: A
GRASS GIS Approach. Second Edition because I'm sure the book will be a
great resource for a newbie like me, but my question about it is this:
can I expect to find examples and tutorials that hold my hand
step-by-step in performing some number of the things that grass can do?

I tried the online documentation and tutorials (everything that one can
get to from the grass web pages) and although I'm sure they would be
very helpful for someone well-versed in GIS software in general (not yet
true for me), I was totally bewildered by them. I have grass installed
and running with no problems. I just don't know what to do with it or
how to do it. I tried just fiddling around with it hoping that by doing
so, it would become clear what this and that are for, but it wasn't
helpful to me (just dense I guess). I think I need data sets and
examples that tell me exactly what to do (step by step) in order to
accomplish this or that and then perhaps even some sort of conceptual
explanation of what this is good for. Will the book help me with that?
If not, can someone recommend a general GIS learning resource for
someone relatively unfamiliar with it? I'd be very grateful.

TIA.

--
-Kevin
http://www.gnosys.us

3

Chris, sounds like you need to set your region with g.region rast=your_map, or you can do this from the pulldown menu (GIS>Region>Manage region). The region is kind of your window to the location you are in. If the window isn't pointed at your data, you can't see it, or do much work with it.

G'luck
-Ian

On Apr 6, 2005, at 12:13 PM, Chris Widga wrote:

On a somewhat related note...I too am new to GRASS. I've been trying to work with the Spearfish57 dataset in GRASS 6.0.0 (Cygwin) downloaded from the GRASS webpage. When I try to import or display the raster datasets (Display Raster Map or Import Raster Map) they do not show up in the GUI dialog box (both the PERMANENT and user folders show up, but nothing is visible in them). I've tried to open/import through the command window too, (e.g., d.rast elevation.dem) but also no luck. Anybody have any ideas? Do I need to convert the data or something?

Chris

----- Original Message ----- From: "Kevin" <lists@gnosysllc.com>
To: <GRASSLIST@baylor.edu>
Cc: <grass-doc@it-zone.org>
Sent: Wednesday, April 06, 2005 11:19 AM
Subject: [GRASSLIST:6352] GRASS-DOC list inactive?

Hi List-

I'm new to grass and have a couple of questions that I don't see
answered in the archive.

1) Is the grass-doc list down or inactive? I saw a request for
volunteers at http://grass.itc.it/gdp/index.php and joined the list but
haven't seen any activity and the archives show the last activity in
2003 I believe.

2) I just ordered M. Neteler, H. Mitasova, 2004. Open Source GIS: A
GRASS GIS Approach. Second Edition because I'm sure the book will be a
great resource for a newbie like me, but my question about it is this:
can I expect to find examples and tutorials that hold my hand
step-by-step in performing some number of the things that grass can do?

I tried the online documentation and tutorials (everything that one can
get to from the grass web pages) and although I'm sure they would be
very helpful for someone well-versed in GIS software in general (not yet
true for me), I was totally bewildered by them. I have grass installed
and running with no problems. I just don't know what to do with it or
how to do it. I tried just fiddling around with it hoping that by doing
so, it would become clear what this and that are for, but it wasn't
helpful to me (just dense I guess). I think I need data sets and
examples that tell me exactly what to do (step by step) in order to
accomplish this or that and then perhaps even some sort of conceptual
explanation of what this is good for. Will the book help me with that?
If not, can someone recommend a general GIS learning resource for
someone relatively unfamiliar with it? I'd be very grateful.

TIA.

--
-Kevin
http://www.gnosys.us

4

Kevin

There are some sample datasets on the Grass website in dwonload section,
but if it is not much help for you I'm affraid you want find anymore.

What I may advice is to get familiar with papers from
http://www.ing.unitn.it/~grass/conferences/GRASS2002/home.html
http://gisws.media.osaka-cu.ac.jp/grass04/
so you could get some information on how and in what fileds Grass could be
used.

Also check out the "newsletter" on Grass site.

If not, can someone recommend a general GIS learning resource for
someone relatively unfamiliar with it? I'd be very grateful.

If I may pretend a wise guy here - GIS is not something one can learn from a
book. GIS is a system, a framework for your enterprise. And depending on
your goal it will be different. GIS is not the same for a geographer,
archeologist and biologist. Also, it is always very different in each
particular application - say ArcInfo or Grass. But if you need some general
guiding for begining I bet the "GRASS GIS Approach" will be a much use
for you. And for real learning - give yourself a task which could helped by
means of GIS and try to accomplish it. You'll learn a tone :).

Cherio
Maciek

----- Original Message ----- From: "Kevin" <lists@gnosysllc.com>
To: <GRASSLIST@baylor.edu>
Cc: <grass-doc@it-zone.org>
Sent: Wednesday, April 06, 2005 8:19 PM
Subject: [GRASSLIST:6352] GRASS-DOC list inactive?

Hi List-

I'm new to grass and have a couple of questions that I don't see
answered in the archive.

1) Is the grass-doc list down or inactive? I saw a request for
volunteers at http://grass.itc.it/gdp/index.php and joined the list but
haven't seen any activity and the archives show the last activity in
2003 I believe.

2) I just ordered M. Neteler, H. Mitasova, 2004. Open Source GIS: A
GRASS GIS Approach. Second Edition because I'm sure the book will be a
great resource for a newbie like me, but my question about it is this:
can I expect to find examples and tutorials that hold my hand
step-by-step in performing some number of the things that grass can do?

I tried the online documentation and tutorials (everything that one can
get to from the grass web pages) and although I'm sure they would be
very helpful for someone well-versed in GIS software in general (not yet
true for me), I was totally bewildered by them. I have grass installed
and running with no problems. I just don't know what to do with it or
how to do it. I tried just fiddling around with it hoping that by doing
so, it would become clear what this and that are for, but it wasn't
helpful to me (just dense I guess). I think I need data sets and
examples that tell me exactly what to do (step by step) in order to
accomplish this or that and then perhaps even some sort of conceptual
explanation of what this is good for. Will the book help me with that?

TIA.

--
-Kevin
http://www.gnosys.us

5

I'm new to grass and have a couple of questions that I don't see
answered in the archive.

1) Is the grass-doc list down or inactive? I saw a request for
volunteers at http://grass.itc.it/gdp/index.php and joined the list
but haven't seen any activity and the archives show the last activity
in 2003 I believe.

which is why volunteers are needed I guess.

2) I just ordered M. Neteler, H. Mitasova, 2004. Open Source GIS: A
GRASS GIS Approach. Second Edition because I'm sure the book will be a
great resource for a newbie like me,

It is a very good book, introduces GIS concepts for beginners to the
field as well as the GRASS software. It covers GRASS 5.4, so site and
vector commands are different but raster and general GIS structure are
the same. GRASS 6 is not even one month old, so you will have to rely on
online docs for new features.

but my question about it is this:
can I expect to find examples and tutorials that hold my hand
step-by-step in performing some number of the things that grass can
do?

I tried the online documentation and tutorials (everything that one
can get to from the grass web pages) and although I'm sure they would
be very helpful for someone well-versed in GIS software in general
(not yet true for me), I was totally bewildered by them. I have grass
installed and running with no problems. I just don't know what to do
with it or how to do it. I tried just fiddling around with it hoping
that by doing so, it would become clear what this and that are for,
but it wasn't helpful to me (just dense I guess).

Lorenzo's intro to GRASS PDF he ships with his Mac OSX binaries is very
good; maybe he is willing to make that linkable from the GDP webpage
with with other tutorials?

I think I need data sets and examples that tell me exactly what to do

The Spearfish dataset (Mt Rushmore) is the standard GRASS example data:
http://grass.itc.it/download/data.php

(step by step) in order to accomplish this or that and then perhaps
even some sort of conceptual explanation of what this is good for.

see my article in Vol 1 of the revived GRASS newsletter series.
http://grass.itc.it/newsletter/index.php
:slight_smile:

Will the book help me with that? If not, can someone recommend a
general GIS learning resource for someone relatively unfamiliar with
it? I'd be very grateful.

The book will be useful to you.

Hamish