QGIS to update MapInfo model

Can I use QGIS for a model originally developed in MapInfo? The answer is, yes.

TUFLOW models can use a combination of MapInfo MIF/MID and QGIS SHP files. The existing MapInfo files can be left in their current form and new updates can be added using SHP format.

Follow these steps:

1. Open QGIS.
2. Familarise yourself with the projection of the MapInfo files used by the model. You can do this using QGIS:
   • Drag a mif file from the existing model into the Map Window of QGIS. The will open it for viewing. Editing the read only file in QGIS is not possible.
   • Right click the MapInfo File in the QGIs Layer Panel and select Properties.
   • Select "Information" and review the CRS details.
3. Initialise your QGIS session using the TUFLOW Plugin:
   • Select Plugins >> TUFLOW >> Edditing > Create/Configure TUFLOW Project.
   • Select the open MapInfo file via the Source Project Layer drop menu. this will populate the Projection infromation for you.
   • Select the folder that contains the TUFLOW model.
   • Select the TUFLOW Executable location.
   • Tick TUFLOW Classic / HPC
   • Tick Save Default Settings
   • Tick Create Model Folder Structure. This will add any missing folders to the existing folder structure (eg. TUFLOW/gis)
   • Tick Create Template Files. This will create the QGIS empty template files for any future additons to the model.
4. Open the two TCF Files:
   • TUFLOW/runs/Create_Empties.tcf; and
   • The TCF for the existing TUFLOW model using the MapInfo format inputs.
5. Copy the following command line to clipboard from Create_Empties.tcf: SHP Projection == ..\model\gis\Projection.prj
6. Paste the command to the TCF for the existing TUFLOW model using the MapInfo format inputs below, MI Projection ==
7. Save the command below SHP Projection == ..\model\gis\Projection.prj in the MapInfo model TCF file.
8. Also in the MapInfo model TCF file, change the command GIS Format == MIF to GIS Format == SHP MI Projection == ..\model\mi\Projection.mif ! Sets the GIS projection for the TUFLOW Model Write Empty GIS Files == ..\model\gis\empty

• Use the same projection as MapInfo files and add SHP Projection == ..\model\gis\Projection.prj to the MI Projection command. Both should be included in the model.
• Replace GIS Format == MIF with GIS Format == SHP. This will apply to check files and results.
• Create empty TUFLOW files with Write Empty GIS Files == ..\model\gis\empty. These will automatically generate SHP format files when GIS Format == SHP is specified.

If changes need to be made to existing MapInfo layers, use QGIS to convert MIF to SHP by either:

• Exporting MIF files to shapefiles.
• Copying MIF features (points, lines and polygons separately) into a TUFLOW empty file in shapefile format.

After the conversion, attributes should be checked if they were transferred correctly.

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