Is it possible to extrude a vector layer with QGIS 2.16 Globe plugin?

Remember Extruding Vectors in QGIS 2.16? A Trip Down 3D Memory Lane

QGIS, that trusty open-source GIS software we all know and love, has been letting us play with spatial data for ages. And one thing folks were always curious about, especially back in the QGIS 2.16 days, was how to make those vector layers pop in 3D using the Globe plugin. So, could you actually extrude those vectors back then? Let’s take a look back.

QGIS 2.16 and Globe: A Budding 3D Affair

Back in 2016, QGIS 2.16 arrived with a spruced-up Globe plugin. The buzz? It was supposed to let you extrude objects! Naturally, everyone who wanted to turn their 2D maps into something a bit more exciting was all over it. Think instant building visualizations – pretty cool, right?

Making Vectors Reach for the Sky (Kind Of)

The idea was simple enough. You’d right-click your layer, head into “Properties,” and hunt down the “Globe” settings. There, you could tell QGIS how high to stretch those vectors, usually by pointing it to a field in your data that held height info. I remember fiddling with expressions like 10*z or 10*height trying to get things just right.

The Hiccups and Headaches

Now, here’s where things got a little… interesting. While the Globe plugin promised extrusion, getting it to work smoothly was another story. Sometimes it worked like a charm, other times… not so much. It could be a bit finicky, to be honest. The Globe plugin, while cool in concept, didn’t always play perfectly with the rest of QGIS. It was like it had its own way of doing things, especially when it came to grabbing and showing off those vector features.

QGIS Today: 3D All Grown Up

Fast forward to today, and QGIS has seriously leveled up its 3D game. The newer versions (3.x and beyond) have way more robust and user-friendly tools for 3D visualization. Forget hunting for plugins – now you’ve got a dedicated 3D map view just waiting for you under the “View” menu.

And the best part? It’s all integrated seamlessly. In the layer styling panel (View -> Panels -> Layer Styling Panel), you can tweak those extrusion properties to your heart’s content.

Here’s what makes the newer QGIS versions so much better:

• A Real 3D View: A dedicated space for 3D, right there in QGIS. No more clunky plugins!
• 3D Shapes Galore: Render points as spheres, cylinders, you name it. You can even import your own 3D models.
• Total Control: Use your data (or fancy expressions) to control everything – height, size, even rotation.
• Share Your Creations: Export your 3D scenes as glTF files and bring them into other 3D software like Blender.

Globe Plugin Alternatives

If you were stuck with QGIS 2.16 and the Globe plugin wasn’t cutting it, there were a few other options to explore:

• qgis2threejs: This plugin let you create 3D visualizations that you could show off in a web browser. Pretty neat for sharing your work!
• NVIZ (from GRASS GIS): A more advanced tool that could be linked to QGIS for some serious 3D visualization power.

Final Thoughts

So, yeah, QGIS 2.16’s Globe plugin tried to give us vector extrusion, but it was a bit of a mixed bag. If you’re still rocking QGIS 2.16 (and I hope you’ve upgraded by now!), plugins like qgis2threejs might be worth a look. But honestly, the modern versions of QGIS make 3D visualization so much easier and more powerful. It’s like night and day! If you’re serious about 3D in QGIS, it’s time to make the jump. You won’t regret it.