QGIS Integration Guide - Lynker Spatial Tiles

Overview

QGIS is a free, open-source Geographic Information System that supports vector tile layers. This guide covers multiple methods for accessing Lynker Spatial tiles in QGIS.

Method 1: Vector Tile Layer (Recommended)

This is the native QGIS approach for PMTiles data. Requires QGIS 3.14+.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Open the Vector Tile Layer Dialog
Go to Layer → Add Layer → Add Vector Tile Layer

You should see the "Add Vector Tile Layer" dialog
Create a New Connection (if needed)
In the Vector Tile connection dropdown, click New

Fill in the following details:
- Name: Lynker Spatial Tiles
- URL: https://tiles.lynker-spatial.com/api/tiles/lynker-spatial-modeling-fabric/{z}/{x}/{y}
- Type: Z/X/Y
Add Authentication Header
In the same connection dialog, you'll need to add your Bearer token. Click on "HTTP Headers" or similar option:

Header Name: Authorization Header Value: Bearer YOUR_ACCESS_TOKEN

Important: Newer versions of QGIS may require you to use the Credentials system instead. Look for "Authentication" settings.
Save Connection
Click OK to save the connection
Select Data Source
Back in the main "Add Vector Tile Layer" dialog, select your new connection from the dropdown and click Add

Method 2: XYZ Tiles (Raster)

If vector tiles are not working, you can convert to raster tiles using a tile server.

Using a Tile Server Proxy

Set up a local or remote tile server that serves raster tiles from the PMTiles:

# Example with tileserver-gl
docker run -it -v $(pwd):/data -p 8080:80 maptiler/tileserver-gl

# Configure with Lynker tiles:
# In maptiles.json:
{
  "services": {
    "data": {
    "tilejson": "https://tiles.lynker-spatial.com/catalog",
      "headers": {
        "Authorization": "Bearer YOUR_TOKEN"
      }
    }
  }
}

# Then in QGIS, use: http://localhost:8080/data/{z}/{x}/{y}.png
        

Method 3: Direct URL with GDAL Virtual File System

For expert users, you can use GDAL's virtual file system capabilities.

/vsicurl?access_token=YOUR_TOKEN&https://tiles.lynker-spatial.com/api/tiles/lynker-spatial-modeling-fabric/{z}/{x}/{y}
        

Authentication Setup

Creating an API Token

Log in to your Lynker Spatial account at https://auth.lynker-spatial.com
Navigate to API Keys in your account settings
Click "Generate New Key"
Copy the provided JWT token
Save it securely (don't commit to version control!)

Using Credentials in QGIS

For security, use QGIS's built-in credential storage:

Go to Settings → Options → Authentication
Click Add new authentication configuration
Select "HTTP Basic" or "HTTP Digest"
Set Name: "Lynker Spatial Token"
Leave username blank, paste your token in the password field
Click OK and save

By using QGIS's credential storage, your token is encrypted locally and not exposed in your project files.

Styling Vector Tiles

Basic Layer Styling

Right-click the layer in the Layers panel
Select Properties
Go to the Symbology tab
Choose a visualization type (Single Symbol, Categorized, Graduated, etc.)
Configure colors, opacity, and strokes
Click OK to apply

Attribute-Based Styling

Style features based on their attributes:

# In QGIS Symbology tab:
Change from "Single Symbol" to "Categorized"
Select an attribute (e.g., "protection_level")
Click "Classify"
Assign colors to each category
Click OK
        

Expression-Based Styling

Use expressions for complex styling rules:

# In the Symbology tab, click the "f(x)" icon next to Fill color:

IF(
  "protection_level" >= 2,
  color_rgb(200, 50, 50),
  color_rgb(100, 150, 200)
)
        

Working with Multiple Layers

Adding Multiple Tile Sources

Repeat the "Add Vector Tile Layer" process for each data source:

Available Lynker Spatial sources:
- https://tiles.lynker-spatial.com/api/tiles/lynker-spatial-modeling-fabric/{z}/{x}/{y}
- https://tiles.lynker-spatial.com/api/tiles/wetlands/{z}/{x}/{y}
- https://tiles.lynker-spatial.com/api/tiles/rivers/{z}/{x}/{y}
- https://tiles.lynker-spatial.com/api/tiles/3dhp-non-river/{z}/{x}/{y}
- https://tiles.lynker-spatial.com/api/tiles/reservoirs/{z}/{x}/{y}
        

Layer Control

Organize and control visibility in the Layers panel:

Click the eye icon to toggle layer visibility
Drag layers to reorder them (drawing order)
Right-click for layer-specific options
Group related layers for better organization

Querying and Analysis

Identify Features

Select the Identify tool (Tools → Identify or press I)
Click on a feature in the map
View feature attributes in the Identify panel
Use "Zoom to Feature" to focus on the selected feature

Selection and Filtering

Select features using the selection tools:

Rectangle Select: Drag a box around features
Free Select: Draw any shape around features
By Expression: Use complex conditions to select features

Export Selected Features

Make a selection
Right-click the layer → Export → Save Selected Features
Choose format (GeoJSON, Shapefile, etc.) and location
Click Save

Performance Tips

Zoom to a specific area of interest rather than viewing the whole US at once
Limit the number of visible vector tile layers to improve performance
Use simpler symbolization when working with large areas
Right-click layers and set appropriate zoom level restrictions

Troubleshooting

Vector Tiles Not Loading

Problem: Layer loads but shows no data
Solutions:

Check that your token is valid and not expired
Verify the URL is correct (check spelling and zoom/x/y syntax)
In QGIS, go to Help → Check QGIS Version and ensure you're on 3.14+
Use the browser console (View → Panels → Browser) to test the connection

Authentication Errors

Problem: 401 Unauthorized errors
Solutions:

Generate a new API token from your Lynker account
Ensure the token format is Bearer <TOKEN> (with space)
Check that the HTTP header is correctly configured
Tokens expire according to your Cognito app client (this deployment uses 1 day); generate a fresh one if needed

Slow Performance

Problem: Map loading is slow
Solutions:

Zoom in to a smaller region
Hide unnecessary layers
Check your internet connection speed
Use the Network Monitor (View → Panels → Browser → Network) to check tile downloads

Attribute Data Not Visible

Problem: Can't see feature attributes when identifying features
Solutions:

Vector tiles include metadata—this is expected behavior
To see more detailed attributes, join with an external data source
Use Vector → Joins to link with attribute tables

Example Workflow: Analyzing Protected Areas

Launch QGIS and create a new project
Add a basemap layer (e.g., OpenStreetMap)
Add Lynker Spatial PADUS vector tile layer with your token
Style by protection level using graduated colors
Use the Identify tool to inspect individual protected areas
Selection features in a specific region of interest
Export selected features to GeoJSON for further analysis
Create a map composition and export as PDF/image

Database Integration (Advanced)

For advanced workflows, you can convert tiles to a PostGIS database:

# Extract tiles to shapefile/GeoPackage, then import to PostGIS:

Export vector tiles to GeoPackage format
In QGIS, use DB Manager to upload to PostGIS
Create spatial indexes for fast queries
Perform spatial analysis on the server
Connect QGIS to the database for live editing
        