10/12/2015 qgis - Converting point sets to polygon boundaries - Geographic Information Systems Stack Exchange

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Converting point sets to polygon boundaries

I'm trying to convert sets of points to their respective polygon boundaries. I think this is something like a Voronoi diagram or Convex Hull,
but not quite. I'm sure there's a technical term for it, but I'm a beginner to GIS.

It's probably best illustrated with the following image:

So, given 4 sets of points (each set in its own colour), what are the four polygons surrounding each respective set of points such that the
spacing between polygons maximizes the margins and all the polygons meet together?

Here's a simplified example with 3 points:

• A,43.656943,-79.393928,blue
• B,43.66663,-79.402682,green
• C,43.656447,-79.408004,green
You'll have to view the following graphic for it to make sense:

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10/12/2015 qgis - Converting point sets to polygon boundaries - Geographic Information Systems Stack Exchange
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Essentially, each point has a colour and you expand a buffer of a certain distance out from it to start.

The hard part is when there’s a collision with other points (their boundaries) and where to compute that boundary. The result is a set of
polygons (one for each colour/set).

Thanks!

qgis polygon convex-hull geometry-conversion voronoi-thiessen

edited Jan 15 at 3:07 asked Nov 2 ’12 at 23:56

J
*
gcarrillo DFx
7,196 2 14 47 107 1 5

1 Can you post some sample data? That way we could test solutions :) - R.K. Nov 3 ’12 at 1:58

I added an example above. I hope that helps. - DFx Nov 3 '12 at 2:30

possible duplicate of Thiessen polygons in QGIS - blah238 Nov 3 '12 at 3:46

1 Okay I think what I have to do, is take all points of all colours and perform Voronoi on them. After that,
merge the resulting polygons together which have the same colours. At the end I should have my set of
polygons (one for each colour). I'm not sure how to do that exactly in QGIS though... - DFx Nov 3 '12 at
4:15

1 What precisely do you mean by "spacing maximizes the margins"? The answer to that determines the
solution. - whuber4 Nov 4 '12 at 20:51

2 Answers

From your point layer

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you can create Voronoi plogyons

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10/12/2015 qgis - Converting point sets to polygon boundaries - Geographic Information Systems Stack Exchange
Vector Raster Database CadTools Analysis Web Help
Analysis Tools
Coordinate Capture && tA Q >
Data Management Tools
Dxf2Shp 000
Geometry Tools Check geometry validity
Geoprocessing Tools
$ Export/Add geometry columns
GPS Polygon centroids
Research Tools
Delaunay triangulation
Road graph
Voronoi Polygons
Spatial Query
1
§§ Simplify geometries
Densify geometries
Multipart to singleparts
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gp Polygons to lines
Lines to polygons

l«f Extract nodes

Which would result in this

Then create a mask from Delauney triangulation process

Check geometry validity

jjE Export/Add geometry columns
$ Polygon centroids

% Delaunay triangulation
Voronoi Polygons
Simplify geometries
Densify geometries
•J Multipart to singleparts
Singleparts to multipart
gp Polygons to lines
Lines to polygons
gp Extract nodes

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10/12/2015 qgis - Converting point sets to polygon boundaries - Geographic Information Systems Stack Exchange

And then clip the Voronoi polygons layer with it.

Would that be good enough?

You can also try combining your Delauney triangulation mask with a buffer of your point
layer

and use that to clip your Voronoi polygons instead

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edited Nov 3 '12 at 4:26 answered Nov 3 '12 at 4:19

I R.K.
_1 13.3k 3 33 86

4 You could also just run a DISSOLVE (from the Vector->Geoprocessing menu) on your Delauney or Voronoi
polygons to give you the merged polygons you are trying to represent. - RyanDalton Nov 3 '12 at 5:01

+1 - beat me to it ... nice thinking on the merged buffer, and with the @RyanDalton's dissolve suggestion
this should answer the original question! - Simbamangu Nov 3 '12 at 5:27

This is awesome - thanks R.K.I - DFx Nov 3 '12 at 13:10

Voronoi polygons with a dissolve will give you the first part. Starting with your points, each set
should have its own unique identifier ('col' in this example). Three col values with a set of points:

o
o
o
o o
o o o
o o o
o
o
o
o

Vector|Geometry tools|Voronoi Polygons with a 20% buffer gives you the 'boundary between

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10/12/2015 qgis - Converting point sets to polygon boundaries - Geographic Information Systems Stack Exchange

points':

Using 'col' as the dissolve variable with Vector|Geoprocessing tools|Dissolve gives you merged
polygons around each set of points:

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o
o
o o
o o o
o o o
o
o
o
o

Vector|Geoprocessing tools|Convex hulls can give you a convex boundary around your points,
which you can use to clip the dissolved boundaries:

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However, from your first example you seem would need to clip with a concave hull (plus some
buffer distance?); concave hull is a function I've been unable to find; PostGIS does have the
function.

answered Nov 3 '12 at 5:25

LI Simbamangu
6,010 1 14 56

Awesome - thanks this is a great answer. I'm just giving it to R.K. because of the more in depth
instructions, but I really appreciate it! - DFx Nov 3 '12 at 13:10

@DFx - no worries, would be curious to see what method you end up with finally (perhaps edit your original
question with the full solution sometime). - Simbamangu Nov 3 '12 at 13:47

@Simbamangu i can understand your answer but i have a small doubt in this.When i try to convert the
polygons based on color it is converting but only as a single color polygon .what is the mistake with this? -
Arun Aug 14 '13 at 7:41

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