15- Effortlessly Compute New Field Values in PyQGIS with this Step-by-Step Tutorial

If you are struggling with computing new field values in PyQGIS, this step-by-step tutorial is the perfect resource for you. In this tutorial, we will guide you through the process of creating a vector layer, adding an attributed table to it, adding data to its fields, and computing new field values using a for loop. Specifically, we will show you how to compute the density field. Whether you are a beginner or an experienced PyQGIS user, you will find this tutorial helpful in enhancing your skills and improving your data analysis capabilities.

By following the instructions in this tutorial, you will be able to create a vector layer, add data to its fields, and compute new field values using a for loop. We have provided a complete code for your reference. The tutorial is suitable for both beginners and experienced PyQGIS users. Key takeaways from this tutorial include the ability to:

• Create a vector layer with an attributed table

• Add data to the fields of the vector layer

• Compute new field values using a for loop

First, create a vector layer:

from qgis.PyQt.QtCore import QVariant
from qgis.core import edit

vl = QgsVectorLayer("Point", "Cities_Kurdistan", "memory")

pr = vl.dataProvider()

Next, add an attributed table to it:

pr.addAttributes([QgsField("City", QVariant.String),
                  QgsField("Population",  QVariant.Double),
                  QgsField("Area", QVariant.Double),
                  QgsField("Density", QVariant.Double)])
vl.updateFields()

Then, define your data:

my_data = [
    {'x': 44.01, 'y': 36.19, 'City': 'Erbil', 'Population': 2932800, 'Area': 14872},
    {'x': 45.43, 'y': 35.55, 'City': 'Sulaymania', 'Population': 1967000, 'Area': 20143},
    {'x': 42.99, 'y': 36.86, 'City': 'Duhok', 'Population': 1292535, 'Area': 10955},
    {'x': 45.98, 'y': 35.17, 'City': 'Halabja', 'Population': 109000, 'Area': 889}]

After that, add data to the fields:

for rec in my_data:
    f = QgsFeature()
    pt = QgsPointXY(rec['x'], rec['y'])
    f.setGeometry(QgsGeometry.fromPointXY(pt))
    f.setAttributes([rec['City'], rec['Population'], rec['Area']])
    pr.addFeature(f)

vl.updateExtents() 
QgsProject.instance().addMapLayer(vl)

The density field is currently empty, and we will compute it with a for loop:

with edit(vl):
    for f in vl.getFeatures():
        f['Density'] = f['Population'] / f['Area']
        vl.updateFeature(f)

The complete code is:

from qgis.PyQt.QtCore import QVariant
from qgis.core import edit

vl = QgsVectorLayer("Point", "Cities_Kurdistan", "memory")
pr = vl.dataProvider()

# add attributes
pr.addAttributes([QgsField("City", QVariant.String),
                  QgsField("Population",  QVariant.Double),
                  QgsField("Area", QVariant.Double),
                  QgsField("Density", QVariant.Double)])
vl.updateFields()

#define your data
my_data = [
    {'x': 44.01, 'y': 36.19, 'City': 'Erbil', 'Population': 2932800, 'Area': 14872},
    {'x': 45.43, 'y': 35.55, 'City': 'Sulaymania', 'Population': 1967000, 'Area': 20143},
    {'x': 42.99, 'y': 36.86, 'City': 'Duhok', 'Population': 1292535, 'Area': 10955},
    {'x': 45.98, 'y': 35.17, 'City': 'Halabja', 'Population': 109000, 'Area': 889}]

# add data to the fields    
for rec in my_data:
    f = QgsFeature()
    pt = QgsPointXY(rec['x'], rec['y'])
    f.setGeometry(QgsGeometry.fromPointXY(pt))
    f.setAttributes([rec['City'], rec['Population'], rec['Area']])
    pr.addFeature(f)

vl.updateExtents() 
QgsProject.instance().addMapLayer(vl)

# compute "Density":
with edit(vl):
    for f in vl.getFeatures():
        f['Density'] = f['Population'] / f['Area']
        vl.updateFeature(f)

In conclusion, this tutorial provides a comprehensive guide to computing new field values in PyQGIS. We hope that you find this tutorial helpful in enhancing your skills and improving your data analysis capabilities.

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