Automatically export each item in a layer as an image

Question

I have a simple CSV file with points only. Each point represents a historical location where certain last name was mentioned in the XIX century. It looks like this:

lat;lon;last_name
55.9885461;66.6202137;Shirokovskoy
44.7522963;33.8534782;Shirokozhukhov
47.434899;35.283909;Shirokolobov
47.601462;35.711934;Shirokonos
48.938369;31.959829;Shirokopoyas
48.938369;31.959829;Shirokopoyas
<...>

My data

So I successfully have added the file as Delimited Text Layer and automatically classified it by attribute 'last_name' which resulted in many colored points on the map. I would like to export each item as a png image. I've tried to use 'Export atlas layout as image' for this purpose but the best result I've got so far is a number of a PNG images which are named by each item but contains the same picture.

Is it possible to automatically export points from each item as a PNG image without showing the others? I will add that I don't even need to change view or styles for each.

• Erik: Have you tried creating an atlas?
• merchant: Yes I've tried, but it is still unclear for me how to automatically filter each output image with points from one item only.
• Erik: Do you want one map per point, or one map per category?
• merchant: I would like to get one map per category, yes. One last name could have many points.

Answer 1

According to the ideas posted here I suggest you to follow these steps:

1. Create a non-geometry layer with the names of your categories. For example, a virtual layer with SELECT DISTINCT (name_of_the_field_that_holds_the_categories) FROM name_of_the_point_layer
2. Create a rule-based symbology for your point layer, setting the rule "name_of_the_field_that_holds_the_categories" = @atlas_pagename. This way, only the points whose category match the atlas page name will be shown.
3. Create a map layout with your desired extent and generate an atlas using the layer created in step 1 as the coverage layer. This way, page names will be all point categories and, according to step 2, each page will only show points whose category match the actual atlas page.
4. Export your atlas pages in png (or any other available) format. This way, you'll get one image file representing all the points of each category.

• merchant: Thank you for the advice!

Answer 2

If I understand well the question, you don't even need to create an atlas. Having your data classified in QGIS, as in this image: enter image description here

Just check/uncheck as desired and then go to the Print Composer, set your map extent and export to PNG.

• merchant: Thank you for the advice. That is a working solution but the problem is I would have to check/uncheck manually hundreds of thousands times.