QGIS doesn’t support direct import of a DBF file as a map layer, however, we can use some command line magic to convert it to a CSV file and then use the Delimited Text plugin to get the job done.

Your DBF file should have an id for each record and fields containing X and Y values. If it has additional fields that should be OK as well.

First convert the DBF to a comma delimited file using ogr2ogr:
ogr2ogr -f CSV my_csv my_data.dbf

If you don’t have ogr2ogr see http://www.gdal.org/index.html.

This will create my_data.csv in the my_csv directory. You are now ready to bring it into QGIS.

Here are the steps to import the CSV:

1. Start QGIS
2. If not already enabled, use the plugin manager to enable the Delimited Text plugin
3. Click on the Delimited Text icon in the Plugin toolbar or choose it from the Plugins menu
4. Browse to the location of your CSV file
5. Enter a name for the layer
6. Under Selected delimiters, check Comma
7. If your X and Y fields aren’t automatically determined, set them using the drop-down boxes
8. The sample text should show how the file is being parsed—if it looks right click OK, otherwise adjust the settings
9. The layer is added to QGIS

At this point the layer behaves pretty much like any other QGIS layer. To save it as a shapefile, right click on its name in the legend and choose Save as…

It includes an example that uses CSV, GDAL/OGR VRT, QGIS, and fTools to figure out if I was in danger of being buried in a volcanic ash fall (not much danger but sounds dramatic).

What’s a beta book? Well in this case it’s a lot like software—feature complete and ready for you to give it a spin.

The announcement from the Pragmatic Bookshelf:
The Pragmatic Bookshelf | Desktop GIS
“From Google Maps to iPhone apps, geographic data and visualization is quickly becoming a standard part of life. Desktop GIS shows you how to assemble and use an Open Source GIS toolkit. You’ll find strategies for choosing a platform, selecting the right tools, integration, managing change, and getting support. You’ll get a good introduction to using the many tools available so you can visualize, digitize, and analyze your own mapping data.”