Automation and Democratization of Cartography: An Example of a Mapping System at CEM,University of Durham

Abstract

Over the last three decades, the information revolution and technological advances have led to a paradigm shift in cartography. Recently, the major emphasis has been on 'democratization of cartography', where individuals can be empowered with electronic tools to analyse and visualize spatially referenced data (Morrison, 1994). But, an ordinary user can not effectively use the available GIS tools to visualize geographical data. Therefore, cartographers and/or GIS experts need to develop user-friendly map making systems to facilitate the democratization of cartography. A mapping system was designed using the advanced macro language (AML) and menus of ARC/INFO at the Curriculum for Evaluation and Management Centre (CEM) in Durham University to automate the mapping process (extending from spatial and non-spatial data extraction to the printing of a final map), so that any user can map pupils' locations of any school in the United Kingdom simply by entering some key information. The procedure followed to automate pupils' mapping is described in this paper. A similar programming approach can be helpful to automate mapping systems in a local network and on web.     

Inquisitiones Post Mortem,GIS, and the creation of a land-use map of medieval England

Although GIS are used extensively in modern socio-economic studies, their application to historical analysis, especially of relatively early periods, is in its infancy. Yet, as this paper demonstrates, GIS has particular utility both for combining information from disparate and unstandardized historical sources and for reconstructing broad distribution patterns from spatially discontinuous data. When combined with cluster analysis, it also provides a powerful tool for analysing and classifying data sets and representing the results thereby obtained. This paper describes the stages whereby data extracted from almost 10 000 original Inquisitiones Post Mortem, dating from 1300 to 1349, are ultimately transformed into a national land-use classification map for the critical period immediately prior to the Black Death of 1348.     

基于三维GIS的楼宇租赁管理研究

三维GIS应用于楼宇租赁管理,不仅空间信息的展示更为直观,而且多维度空间分析功能更加强大。本文利用侧轴投影以及后期纹理、贴图、修正等处理将三维数据转换成2.5维数据,解决了数据量大和加载速度慢的问题;通过构建三维矢量图并与2.5维地图匹配融合,可以方便地查询属性信息;室内地图的制作包括概念建模、数据转换、地图切片三个步骤。文章将楼宇外部轮廓的三维模型和室内二维地图相结合,注重精细化管理和多维度、多层次的管理需要,使用户对楼宇信息管理系统的使用更加方便。     

基于要素服务的地图在线编辑系统设计与实现

针对空间信息平台用户对空间数据的上传、下载、发布和在线编辑的需求,设计实现了基于ArcGIS Server要素服务和Flex的具有地图数据在线编辑功能的Web GIS系统。本系统应用RIA技术,实现了空间与属性数据的在线编辑,符号在线编辑和用户数据管理等,用户体验上也得到很大提升。通过工程化的设计实现,能够满足＂平台＂跨部门多应用主体的实际需求。     

基于MAPGIS的山西省安泽县1∶10000地形图数据库构建

MAPGIS作为优秀的GIS的软件,它具有完善的数据编辑、数据处理和数据管理等功能,从功能上能够满足地图数据建库的需要。本文是在MAPGIS软件平台的基础上,以山西省安泽县为例,探讨了地形图数据库构建的思路方法,分别建立了地图库、影像库和高程库,实现了数据的统一管理,方便了用户在城镇工程建设、土地管理、农林规划等方面应用的需要,最后,提出了一些结论和建议。     

GIS图层在空间数据处理管理与分析中的作用

图层是GIS数据组织和管理的基本单位,对空间数据进行分层是GIS对数据管理的重要内容,分层管理便于数据处理和分析,在GIS图层支持下,地图编辑、制图综合、专题制图会更加方便、准确、迅速,利用不同图层可完成查询检索、叠加分析等空间分析任务。     

ArcIMS网络分析功能的扩展

ArcIMS是ESRIWebGIS解决方案的重要平台产品之一,ArcIMS提供了一种通过网络来动态发布GIS数据及实现基本GIS功能的途经。ArcIMS拥有强大的数据发布能力,但高级的GIS分析功能相对较弱。以实现ArcIMS用户普遍关心的网络分析功能为例子,启发式地对ArcIMS进行扩展。采用本文的扩展模式,用户可以较容易地在ArcIMS平台上开发出其他高级GIS网络分析功能。     

ColorBrewer.org: An Online Tool for Selecting Colour Schemes for Maps

Abstract

Choosing effective colour schemes for thematic maps is surprisingly difficult. ColorBrewer is an online tool designed to take some of the guesswork out of this process by helping users select appropriate colour schemes for their specific mapping needs by considering: the number of data classes; the nature of their data (matched with sequential, diverging and qualitative schemes); and the end-use environment for the map (e.g., CRT, LCD, printed, projected, photocopied). ColorBrewer contains 'learn more' tutorials to help guide users, prompts them to test-drive colour schemes as both map and legend, and provides output in five colour specification systems.     

面向非专业用户的道路修测系统的设计与实现

为了提高导航用电子地图的现势性,本文结合GPS在数据采集中的应用介绍了道路数据的采集和处理的工作原理,详细阐述了运用单机导航定位采集道路数据以及利用MapX控件对道路数据进行可视化编辑的关键技术,并以实例进行了试验。实现了满足导航精度的非专业性道路修测。     

时空信息云平台在乱占耕地建房整治上的应用

为满足农村乱占耕地建房问题整治工作的需要,基于Web AppBuilder框架,以拥有宿主寄存技术的智慧黄山时空信息云平台为依托,利用ArcGIS Server服务发布技术结合即用型微件创建了农房核查程序,提供了地图操作、数据编辑、数据汇总统计等功能,为农房核查提供了方便快捷的技术支持。该程序具有易操作、可移植、可交互、响应时间短、用户界面友好等特点。     

空间统计分析与GIS在区域经济分析中的应用

首先概述了度量空间自相关、空间关联的一些空间统计分析方法以及识别区域空间关联的标准,然后探讨了将空间统计分析嵌入到一个GIS系统中的可行性,开发了一个分析空间关联的模块,并举例说明其在区域经济分析中的应用。     

Integrating spatial data analysis functionalities in a GIS environment: Spatial Analysis using ArcGIS Engine and R (SAAR)

Spatial data analysis (SDA) tools to efficiently handle and explore spatial data have become readily available. Although these SDA tools have their own strengths and purposes, they suffer from limited support in terms of a development environment offering easy customization and high extensibility, a strength of open source software. This article presents a standalone software package for SDA in a geographic information system (GIS) environment, called Spatial Analysis using ArcGIS Engine and R (SAAR), which provides an integrated GIS and SDA environment. A set of SDA tools in SAAR utilizes functions in R using R.NET, while other tools were developed in .NET independent of R. SAAR provides an efficient working environment for both general and advanced GIS users. For general GIS users with limited programming skills, SAAR furnishes advanced SDA tools in a popular ArcGIS environment with graphical user interfaces. For advanced GIS users, SAAR offers an extensible GIS platform to help them customize and implement SDA functions with relatively little development effort. This article demonstrates some functionalities of SAAR using census data for Texas counties.     

Seven possible states of geospatial data with respect to map projection and definition: a novel pedagogical device for GIS education

ABSTRACT

Conceptually, the theory and implementation of “map projection” in geographic information system (GIS) technology is difficult to comprehend for most introductory students and novice users. Compounding this difficulty is the concept of a “map projection file” that defines map projection parameters of geo-spatial data. The problem of the “missing projection file” appears ubiquitous for all users, especially in practice where data is widely shared. Another common problem is inadvertent misapplication of the “Define Projection” tool that can result in a GIS dataset with an incorrectly defined map projection file. GIS education should provide more guidance in differentiating the concepts of map projection versus projection files by increasing understanding and minimizing common errors. A novel pedagogical device is introduced in this paper: the seven possible states of GIS data with respect to map projection and definition. The seven possible states are: (1) a projected coordinate system (PCS) that is correctly defined, (2) a PCS that is incorrectly defined, (3) a PCS that is undefined, (4) a geographic coordinate system (GCS) that is correctly defined, (5) a GCS that is incorrectly defined, (6) a GCS that is undefined, and (7) a non-GCS. Recently created automated troubleshooting tools to determine a missing map projection file are discussed.     

A New GIScience Application for Visualized Natural Resources Management and Decision Support

This article presents two decision support plug‐ins in free GIS software: ArcGIS Explorer Desktop. The ubiquitous WebGIS Analysis Toolkit for Extensive Resources (uWATER) focuses on providing GIS analysis functions: spatial and attribute queries in the public services tool for users with limited access to commercial GIS software. The interface of uWATER is general enough to support decision‐making in numerous management issues in natural resources, economics and agriculture. The uWATER‐Pumping Assessment (uWATER‐PA) toolkit, on the other hand, is an extended package targeting the specific environmental issue of groundwater pumping impacts. The uWATER‐PA package is an excellent alternative to evaluating complex groundwater pumping assessment issues before investing significant time, labor, and funds in monitoring and detailed scientific study. It incorporates simulation of the physics of groundwater flow and user interaction into GIS software. A graphical user interface makes both data entry and interpretation of results intuitive to non‐technical individuals. Results are presented as colored drawdown maps and can be saved in GIS format for future dissemination. The impact of drawdown on existing wells can be characterized and mapped, through the use of uWATER's spatial query capabilities and the drawdown maps generated by uWATER‐PA.     

图形编辑软件的优化设计

阐述了地图数据库下图形编辑的原理、方法，ＭＤＢＧＥＳ的构成和功能，提出了库函数的建立及其分类方案，以及一整套与地图数据库接口函数的原型。在用户与ＤＢＭＳ的接口规范化方面作了有益探索。此外，还探讨了符号图形编辑的两种设想。     

FloodwayGIS: An ArcGIS Visualization Environment to Remodel a Floodway

Floodway modeling has been performed extensively using HECRAS in floodplain studies. The model output is typically exported in GIS format and the floodway boundaries are overlaid on other spatial data to further edit or remodel the floodway to meet FEMA and local development requirements. In this article, a tightly coupled system comprised of a commercial GIS (ArcGIS) and HECRAS is presented. FloodwayGIS provides a comprehensive visual environment to edit, remodel, spatially analyze, and map floodway boundaries. The environment uses the HECRAS executable engine for every remodeling iteration. Four different encroachment editing options are provided within FloodwayGIS, which eliminates the need for a modeler to switch between HECRAS and GIS in the floodway modeling process, and results in savings of modeling time. FloodwayGIS also provides a mapping algorithm based on TIN intersection to produce smooth floodway boundaries that can be mapped in Digital Flood Insurance Rate Maps (DFIRMs) with minor editing.     

Integrated GIS and Remote Sensing Approach to Map Pollution in Upper Lake,Bhopal, India

Abstract

Upper Lake is the lifeline of Bhopal City, India for drinking and other water needs. In recent years, environmentalists have expressed their serious concern on deteriorating water quality of this lake. Conventional field sampling methods for monitoring lake water quality lack spatial information about the pollution in the lake. It is desirable to have spatial information about the lake for better management and control. In the present paper the remote sensing data from IRS-1C LISS III have been integrated into a GIS environment to analyse and create a pollution zone map of the Upper Lake.

Spectral reflectance analysis was carried out to find the suitability of wavelengths for determining chlorophyll‐a concentration (chl‐a), suspended solid concentration (SSC) and secchi depth (SD). Empirical models relating spectral reflectance and chl‐a, SSC and SD were developed using least square regression analysis. These models were found valid on unused samples. Chl‐a, SSC and SD distribution maps were generated using proposed models and were incorporated as datalayers in the GIS for further analysis of pollution zones. The spatial information of pollution offered by the pollution zone map could delineate regions of lake having high pollution load. The methodology employed in this work can be used for regular monitoring of the pollution in surface water bodies and serve the data needs for better management of the water quality.     

基于ArcGIS Server富互联网地图的客户端开发

地理信息系统在各行业已经得到广泛的应用。随着新的开发平台、新技术的出现,已经逐渐融入IT主流,通过利用Internet技术,GIS能更灵活方便地为用户服务。本文介绍了ArcGIS Server的基本架构与功能,并说明在Flex环境下如何利用面向ArcGIS Server的API开发富互联网电子地图。     

基于Matlab的空间分析

空间分析被认为是地理信息系统区别于一般信息系统、CAD或电子地图系统的主要功能特征,也是评价一个地理信息系统的主要指标。从介绍Matlab强大的数值计算功能和数据可视化功能着手,分析了Matlab在空间分析方面的技术应用,重点研究了Matlab在空间数据分析中插值法的应用以及空间数据的三维表达。     

Information Rich GIS Dissemination in Disconnected Environments

Information‐rich maps are today rendered from powerful back‐end servers. Unfortunately, there may be circumstances in which access to such Internet‐resident web services is infeasible or unreliable. These disconnected environments can theoretically occur during major power outages, malicious attacks on communications infrastructure, natural disasters, or in remote operating environments. One might also envision applications in which a disconnected service is preferred over Internet‐resident services, such as when the local internet service is overloaded with traffic, making communication though it difficult. To this end, this article presents a software stack (a map stack) that can serve GIS information from low power embedded nodes. The system combines a spatially enabled SQL database, location‐based routing, and multi‐scale map rendering to serve information‐rich GIS data on common hand‐held devices at minimal energy consumption. The maps are rendered on browsers on off‐the‐shelf mobile devices such as smart phones and tablets. The system also provides a crowd sourced capability where end users can annotate maps with up‐to‐date information on the scene of the natural disaster. We have prototyped a fully functional map stack on a battery powered Gumstix Overo air platform. We show that the map stack is a highly extensible platform that provides low latency, and low energy dissemination of maps during a natural disaster.