GeoProfiler v0.2 – Help

Overview

GeoProfiler helps you build geological profiles by integrating topography and georeferenced geological data (points, attitudes, lines, polygons) into a reproducible workflow.

It is part of qgSurf and evolves from the standalone qProf plugin, with a largely rewritten architecture.

Quickstart (2 minutes)

If you just want to create a geological profile quickly:

1. Create a topographic profile

• Digitize a trace or load a line layer
• Select a DEM
• Run → Generate 3D profile

2. Select the working profile

• Load the 3D line layer into QGIS
• Run → Choose working 3D profiles layer

3. Add geological data

• Points → Point projections
• Attitudes → Attitude projections
• Faults → Line intersections
• Outcrops → Polygon intersections

4. Plot

• Run → Plot

5. (Optional) Save your work

• Export geoprofile
• Save graphical parameters

Minimal requirements

• A DEM
• A line (or a digitized trace)

Quick Example (field use)

Digitize a profile across an Apennine ridge, select a DEM, and generate the 3D profile. Then project bedding attitudes and intersect mapped fault traces. Plot the profile to visualize the relationships between stratification and tectonic structures.

Workflow Overview (visual)

[Trace (2D/3D)]        [DEM]
        │                │
        └──────┬─────────┘
               ▼
     Generate 3D profile
               │
               ▼
     [3D profile layer]
               │
               ▼
 Choose working profile
               │
               ▼
   Add geological data
   ├─ Points (projection)
   ├─ Attitudes (projection)
   ├─ Lines (intersection)
   └─ Polygons (intersection)
               │
               ▼
            Plot
               │
       ┌───────┴────────┐
       ▼                ▼
Export geoprofile   Save style
       │                │
       └──────┬─────────┘
              ▼
       Import geoprofile

Core Concept

GeoProfiler is built around two geometric elements:

• Topographic line → the 3D profile trace sampled from the DEM
• Profile plane → a vertical plane orthogonal to the profile trace

Data behavior

• Projected data
  • Points
  • Geological attitudes
  projected onto the profile plane
• Intersecting data
  • Lines (faults)
  • Polygons (outcrops)
  intersect the topographic line

Mental Model (important)

All outputs depend only on:

• profile geometry
• geological data
• graphical parameters

1. Creating Topographic Profiles

Profiles are stored as 3D line layers in a GeoPackage.

Define the trace

• Load from an existing layer
• Or digitize in canvas

Define elevation

• Select DEM

Generate profile

• Creates 3D line(s)

Parallel profiles

• Number must be odd (1, 3, 5, …)
• Generated symmetrically around the base trace

2. Working Profile Layer

Load the 3D line layer into QGIS and select:

Choose working 3D profiles layer

This defines the reference geometry for all operations.

3. Geological Data Integration

3.1 Point projections

Inputs:

• Point layer
• Elevation field
• Maximum distance from profile

3.2 Attitude projections

Inputs:

• Point layer
• Dip direction (or strike, RHR)
• Dip angle

Output:

• Marker + segment representing plane–profile intersection

3.3 Line intersections

• Input: line layer
• Output: points along the topographic profile

3.4 Polygon intersections

• Input: polygon layer
• Output: categorized intersections along the profile

4. Graphical Parameters

Controls the appearance of the plot:

• Figure size
• Vertical exaggeration
• Elevation limits
• Colors, markers, labels

Persistence

• Save parameters
• Reload parameters

5. Plot

Run:

Plot

• Uses default parameters if none are defined
• Automatically reflects any change in data or graphical parameters

6. Export and Import (Reproducibility)

Key idea

• Export stores data
• Graphical parameters are stored separately

Export geoprofile

Use:

Export geoprofile

This saves:

• projected points
• projected attitudes
• line intersections
• polygon intersections

Typically into a GeoPackage or database structure.

Import geoprofile

Use:

Import geoprofile

This allows you to:

• reload previously computed data
• restore a working session
• re-plot without recomputing

Why this matters

• Reproducible workflows
• Reusable datasets
• Shareable results
• Independent styling

7. Current Limitations

• No GPX input
• No slope calculation

Design Philosophy

GeoProfiler is designed to be:

• Reproducible
• Modular
• Flexible (supports non-linear and parallel profiles)