A useful feature within QGIS is the Actions function. This enables you to automate actions which are repetitive. An example would be associating an attribute field on your map layer to your web browser in order to create a search, based on that attribute. To enable this function you first to need to select a specific layer which contains the attribute you intend to link to your search engine enquiry.

In QGIS choose the layer you want to use in conjunction with the Action function. Double click on the layer to bring up the Properties Dialogue. Choose the Actions option from the left hand menu. You may not have any actions in the Action List. If this is the case you can load the defaults by clicking on the Add default actions button.

Choose the last item in the list: “Search on web based on attribute's value.” This example code enables you to click on the map and then perform an automatic search for the relevant web page associated with the selected attribute. In the Actions properties section is the code required for this action:-

http://www.google.com/search?q=[% "ATTRIBUTE" %]

The first part of the code refers to the google search parameter. If you enter any search into Google the first part of the search will be similar to http://www.google.com/search?q= followed by your search term then lots of additional information produced by Google.

If the default actions are not listed in the dialogue box,, click on the Add default actions which will load them.  Choose the Search on web based on attribute's value action option.

The Display Menu within QGIS is used for specifically creating map tips. A new feature now allows the creation of map tips using HTML code. You can use HTML to create a complex display when hovering the mouse over a feature.

From the top menu choose the View option and then from the drop down menu select the Map Tips option to enable it. Then double click on the layer in which you want to display your HTML code. When the Layers Property dialogue box appears click on the Display option on the left side of the dialogue box. In the Display option you can choose either the Field or HTML radio button. Enable the HTML radio button.