Visual impact
Projects, terrain and mitigation
Calibrated views for wind, solar, agrivoltaics and landscape assessment.
OPEN-SOURCE QGIS PLUGIN · STABLE · AVAILABLE IN QGIS
Put geographic data into perspective inside QGIS.
Give your vector maps another dimension in QGIS.
QCALVIEW makes perspective another way to read geographic data. Start with a schematic view, then calibrate the viewpoint against a photograph when you need to compare mapped information with a real view. Stay in QGIS until the task genuinely requires something else.
40.21 · available from the standard QGIS repositoryStable releaseAvailable from the QGIS Plugin ManagerQGIS 3.44 + QGIS 4.xDocumentation ↗
THE IDEA
“The map is not the territory.”
Alfred Korzybski - Science and Sanity (1933) Null-A echo - “The word is not the thing itself.” - A. E. van Vogt, The World of Null-A
Maps abstract, organise and measure geographic information. Photography records a situated view. You can attach photographs to points on a map, but the relationship usually stops there: the mapped data itself is not projected into the image. QCALVIEW adds the missing spatial link between mapped information, an observer and what can be seen from that position.
Map
Geographic data already organised in QGIS.
Viewpoint
Observer position, orientation and projection.
Perspective
Terrain and mapped data read in the observer's field of view.
Photo
Calibrated visual background when correspondence with a real view matters.
From approximation to precision.
Not every visual question deserves a full modelling pipeline. But a quick answer should not trap you in “close enough” either. QCALVIEW is designed so the same workflow can move from an indicative sketch to a carefully calibrated perspective as the level of evidence increases.
Explore
Understand the spatial question with a quick schematic or indicative view.
Align
Anchor the observer, orientation, field of view and photography when used.
Control
Bring terrain, geometry, distance, scale and occlusion into the visual reading.
Escalate when needed
Save the calibration settings to the attribute table or a CSV file, then move to specialist modelling only when the next question genuinely requires it.
Keep geographic data where it belongs. QCALVIEW brings perspective into QGIS itself.
QGIS already manages coordinate systems, transformations and heterogeneous spatial layers, often on the fly. For many visual questions, exporting the project to another application means rebuilding capabilities that are already present in the GIS. QCALVIEW keeps the visual step connected to that source data for as long as it makes sense.
COMMON PIPELINE
GIS → export → rebuild / convert → specialist software → specialist operator → visual answer
QCALVIEW APPROACH
GIS → viewpoint → required level of control → visual answer → specialist software only if the next question requires it
CURRENT CAPABILITIES
Add geographic data to your photographs, not only metadata.
ORIENT & CALIBRATE
Establish the view.
- Viewpoint & photo calibration Position, azimuth, pitch, roll, field of view and camera parameters.
- Projection models Pinhole / rectilinear, cylindrical and equirectangular workflows.
- Viewer Inspect the result interactively while keeping the observer parameters explicit.
PROJECT & INTERPRET
Read geographic data from the observer.
- Projected GIS layers Bring selected vector information into the perspective view.
- Terrain, horizon & occlusion Use elevation, relief and masks to constrain visibility.
- Schematic representations Use extrusions, patterns and stylised objects with or without a source photo.
WORK & DECIDE
Keep the visual question active.
- Interactive monoplotting Navigate between map and perspective coordinates for interpretation and control.
- Live working sessions Edit mapped hypotheses and read their visual consequence during reviews and meetings.
- Export Produce views and overlays for sketches, checks, communication or downstream production.
USE CASES
One projection engine. Many ways to read a place.
QCALVIEW was forged in landscape and renewable-energy work, but its core question is broader: what does mapped information look like from a chosen viewpoint?
Planning & heritage
Mapped change from a real viewpoint
Relate plans, routes, structures and hypotheses to the places where they are perceived.
Geomatics & research
Map ↔ view interpretation
Connect GIS layers, field observations and photography without leaving the QGIS workflow.
QUICK ANSWERS
QCALVIEW, in practical terms.
Direct answers to the questions people usually ask before installing or testing the plugin.
What is QCALVIEW?
QCALVIEW is an open-source QGIS plugin that projects geographic data into an observer-based perspective. It can work as a schematic GIS view or use a calibrated photograph as the visual background.
Is QCALVIEW a photomontage tool?
QCALVIEW supports photo-overlay and visual-simulation workflows by placing mapped geometry, terrain and project elements into calibrated images. It can prepare and accelerate photomontage work, while specialist 3D or image-production software remains appropriate when a final deliverable requires it.
Can it be used for wind, solar and agrivoltaic projects?
Yes. QCALVIEW was initially developed around renewable-energy and landscape workflows: wind turbines, photovoltaic and agrivoltaic layouts, visual-impact assessment, panoramic viewpoints, screening measures and visibility checks.
Does QCALVIEW work without a photograph?
Yes. Photography is optional. A viewpoint, terrain and GIS data are enough to build a schematic perspective; a photograph can then be added when correspondence with the real view matters.
Does QCALVIEW require a terrain model?
Yes for rendering. A DEM, DTM or DSM raster must be explicitly selected in QCALVIEW. Merely having a raster loaded in the QGIS project is not sufficient.
Where do I install QCALVIEW?
QCALVIEW 40.21 is the current stable public release for QGIS 3.44 and QGIS 4.x. It is available directly from the standard QGIS Plugin Repository.
DOCUMENTATION
Learn the workflow. Then make it your own.
The documentation covers calibration, terrain, projected layers, projection models, the viewer, export and practical workflows. Tutorials will continue to expand as the public documentation evolves.
MANUAL
VIDEO DEMONSTRATIONS
See QCALVIEW in use.
Open the ArcTan° YouTube channel ↗
User Manual
Photo & viewpoint, calibration, terrain, projected layers, projections, viewer and export.
TUTORIALSTutorials (Coming soon)
Photo calibration, wind panorama, screening hedge, solar sketch and occlusion checks.
VIDEO DEMONSTRATIONS
See QCALVIEW in use.
Open the ArcTan° YouTube channel ↗
LATEST RELEASE
QCALVIEW 40.21
40.21 is published on the standard QGIS repository channel. It can be installed directly from the official QGIS Plugin Repository without enabling experimental plugins. QCALVIEW continues to evolve, and users should still check project data, coordinate reference systems and projection parameters carefully when using visual simulation workflows.
AVAILABLE IN QGIS
Plugin version 40.21
Stable release
QGIS 3.44 + QGIS 4.x
Free & open-source · GNU GPL v3+
INSTALL FROM QGIS
No ZIP download is required for normal installation.
- 01
Open Plugins > Manage and Install Plugins...
- 02
Open All and search for QCALVIEW.
- 03
Select QCALVIEW from the results.
- 04
Select QCALVIEW and click Install Plugin.
40.21 AT A GLANCE
- Calibrated viewpointsPosition, orientation, field of view and photographic calibration.
- Projected GIS layersPut vector geometries, symbols, patterns and schematic objects into the observer's view.
- Terrain and occlusionUse elevation, relief, horizon and depth to control what is visible.
- Rectilinear and panoramic workflowsWork with pinhole / rectilinear, cylindrical and equirectangular projections.
- Live work inside QGISEdit mapped hypotheses, refresh the perspective and use the view during reviews and meetings.
BEFORE USING QCALVIEW
Terrain and coordinate systems matter.
A terrain raster is required for rendering. Before generating a preview or export, explicitly select a DEM / DTM / DSM in QCALVIEW's terrain settings; merely loading a raster in the QGIS project is not sufficient. Use a suitable projected metric CRS for the working area and verify that viewpoints, vector layers and terrain are correctly referenced.
Make bug reports reproducible.
When reporting a problem, include the QGIS and QCALVIEW versions, operating system, project CRS, relevant layer and terrain CRS, projection mode, and a short description or screenshot showing the expected and observed result.
STABLE CORE · EVOLVING ADVANCED TOOLS
The pinhole / rectilinear workflow is currently the most mature. Panoramic behaviour, complex SVG rendering, live refresh and performance on heavy scenes are still being refined. Production outputs should be visually checked by the operator.
Read the current limitations ↗