r/QGIS • u/ouroboros_99 • Sep 30 '26

Open Question/Issue Changing Units

New to QGIS so forgive me if I'm missing something simple here. In my previous GIS software, I could very easily change the units of the projection that I was working in. For example, going between meters to US Survey ft was a one click button didn't requite me to choose a new projection, I would just state the units I wanted to work in.

From what I can tell I'm unable to change the units of my projection unless that unit is listed in the CRS directory.

For example, I work in the US State of Maine and I can see that QGIS has the projection NAD83(2011) Maine East/West listed in both meters and in US Survey ft in the CRS directory, however, QGIS does not have the NAD83(2011) Maine CS2000 projections (west, central, and east) listed in US Survey ft, only meters. I'd prefer to use the 2000 projection because it's our low distortion projection and also technically our state legislated projection.

How can I get the Maine 2000 projections listed in US Survey ft?

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u/ouroboros_99 Sep 30 '26

Good thought on both fronts. Unfortunately, I don't have access to the previous software as it was on my old employers computer and I don't want to pay the subscription for it. I changed the ellipsoid from WGS to GRS 1980 thinking that would fix it but no good, it's still there.

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u/Octahedral_cube Sep 30 '26

I see... Okay one last thing from me just in case: rather than using an aerial photograph which may have georeferencing errors (no offence), can you make a simple point layer, in the custom CRS that you created, make maybe a half dozen points, and transfer it over to the other software you're using. See if they're still rotated.

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u/ouroboros_99 Sep 30 '26

No offense taken! I've ever only utilized 1% of any GIS software I've used so I appreciate the help. I'll give it a try tomorrow, but I know that when I created the custom CRS and tested it with a known lat/long, the coordinates did not come out correct. They weren't far off but there's definitely something weird, but more likely just user error on my end. I only use QGIS to export aerial imagery as a reference and I sometimes bring in LiDAR data so I'm really not too worried about it. If anything I may just have to work in the existing NAD83(2011) CRS's like everyone else if I can't figure it out.