Overview

The Coverage Builder plugin allows you to automatically create a vector coverage layer to use for atlas generation. It uses an input layer's geometries to determine the coverage extent. It also uses a map from a selected print layout to define the dimensions of the coverage layer rectangles.
Rectangle attribute ids are generated for the coverage layer to be used as inputs for Atlas creation and define the atlas sheets' numbers.
You can create two different types of coverage layer : the regular coverage layer which is particularly suitable for non-linear polygon input layers, or the irregular coverage layer, more adapted to linear shapes.

Create a QGis project

You first need to create a QGis project containing a vector input layer to define the extents of your coverage layer

Create a print layout

Then you create a print layout and add a map object to define the coverage rectangles' dimensions.

Procedure :

Coverage Builder plugin

You're now ready to launch the plugin. Find the menu entry and click on the Coverage Builder button. The following window should appear.

You need to fill in the form before clicking on Create coverage layer(s) to launch the coverage layer generation. Here are the different options :

Generate regular coverage layer
Generate a regular grid covering the entire input layer.
Generate irregular coverage layer
Generate an irregular grid; particularly suitable for linear-shaped input layers.
Extent layer
Choose the (vector) input layer, that defines the extent you want to cover with the atlas.
Layout
Select the print layout which contains the map object that defines the dimensions for the output rectangles.
Refresh layouts list
Refresh the list if you have created a new layout.
Show
Open the selected print layout.
Output directory
Select the directory where output shapefiles will be written, using the "Browse" button. Warning : if a coverage layer has been generated previously, you will need to remove it from the QGIS project before trying to regenerate it, so the files can be overwritten!
Create coverage layer(s)
Build coverage layer(s) and write them to the output directory.

Results examples

The results are written in the specified directory and displayed in the map window.

Result example for a non-linear input layer with regular coverage layer :

And result example for a linear input layer with irregular coverage layer :

Possible corrections to add

Check for any small-areas of the input layer that aren't covered - you may need to edit the output layer by hand.

Navigation