Python Processing Script for Splitting Layer and Saving each Feature to Shapefile

A script for a common task: Split a Layer by distinct values of an attribute-field. The script will use the value for the name of the files and remove the field from the new files.

Put this processing script to the appropiate director (in my case it's "C:\Users\Kay\.qgis2\processing\scripts") to make it work. Then it will be easily accessible from your processing toolbox.

##[User scripts]=group
##input=vector
##class_field=field input
##output=output file

from qgis.core import *
from PyQt4.QtCore import *
from processing.core.VectorWriter import VectorWriter

layer = processing.getObject(input)
provider = layer.dataProvider()
fields = provider.fields()
class_field_index = layer.fieldNameIndex(class_field)

fields.remove( class_field_index )

inFeat = QgsFeature()
outFeat = QgsFeature()
inGeom = QgsGeometry()
nElement = 0
writers = {}

feats = processing.features(layer)
nFeat = len(feats)

for inFeat in feats:
    progress.setPercentage(int(100 * nElement / nFeat))
    nElement += 1
    featAttr = inFeat.attributes()
    classField = featAttr[class_field_index]

    if classField not in writers:
        outputFile = output + '_' + classField + '.shp'
        writers[classField] = VectorWriter(outputFile, None, fields, provider.geometryType(), layer.crs())
        
    inGeom = inFeat.geometry()
    outFeat.setGeometry(inGeom)
    
    del featAttr[class_field_index]
    outFeat.setAttributes(featAttr)
        
    writers[classField].addFeature(outFeat)

for writer in writers.values():
    del writer

Windows Batch Script for Zipping Shapefile Components

@ECHO OFF
set /p $PATH="enter directory: "
pushd %$path%
FOR %%F IN (*.shp) DO "C:\Program Files\7-Zip\7z.exe" a "%%~nF.zip" "%%~nF.shp" "%%~nF.dbf" "%%~nF.prj" "%%~nF.shx"
popd
Echo Done !!!
set /p $dum="Hit [Enter] to exit..."

QspatiaLite Use Case: Connecting Lines

With QSpatiaLIte you can connect disjoint lines quite easily. With the below SQL you can allow for a grouping variable, in this case the field 'name' within the layer 'segments', by which the group vertices are collected and connected as lines! With this approach the vertices are connected in the order in which they were digitized and existing gaps are closed.

select 
  name as name,
  makeLine(t.ptgeom, 0) as geom 
from (
     select
        name as name,
        DissolvePoints(Collect(ST_Reverse(geometry)))  as ptgeom
     from segments group by name )
as t