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Subject Author Date
Info on GIS bharath_r 04-08-2008
---> Re: Info on GIS Mateusz Loskot04-08-2008
Posted by Uffe Kousgaard on April 9, 2008, 3:58 am
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 news:91ce701e-1f4d-4225-88cd-

> Yes, the GPS maps i was talking about is Google Maps. What i wanted to
> know is that, is it possible for me to develop something like
> GoogleMaps application, by getting raw data in shapefile format and
> compiling it?

Changing shapefiles (vector gis) into something like googlemaps is called
"rendering". It is the process where you draw the raw coordinates on a map,
one layer at a time with different width, colours etc. Start by drawing the
water blue, then land as yellow, roads as red etc. Final output is a bitmap
(raster gis).

This is what Google has already done for you. Created all the bitmaps at
specific scales. Other websites may offer flexible scales, so the maps are
rendered on the fly and you can decide which layers you want to see, the
colours etc.

MapServer is open source and free and can be used for rendering SHP layers.
But there are probably hundreds of other offerings for mapping servers.

Regards
Uffe Kousgaard



Posted by Paul Cooper on April 9, 2008, 5:19 am
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>news:91ce701e-1f4d-4225-88cd-
>
>> Yes, the GPS maps i was talking about is Google Maps. What i wanted to
>> know is that, is it possible for me to develop something like
>> GoogleMaps application, by getting raw data in shapefile format and
>> compiling it?
>
>Changing shapefiles (vector gis) into something like googlemaps is called
>"rendering". It is the process where you draw the raw coordinates on a map,
>one layer at a time with different width, colours etc. Start by drawing the
>water blue, then land as yellow, roads as red etc. Final output is a bitmap
>(raster gis).
>
>This is what Google has already done for you. Created all the bitmaps at
>specific scales. Other websites may offer flexible scales, so the maps are
>rendered on the fly and you can decide which layers you want to see, the
>colours etc.
>
>MapServer is open source and free and can be used for rendering SHP layers.
>But there are probably hundreds of other offerings for mapping servers.
>
>Regards
>Uffe Kousgaard
>

Geoserver is also a very good map server, and in some ways more
standards compliant than Mapserver.

Technologies you need to think about are:

Web Map Services and Web feature Services (server technology;
Mapserver and Geoserver (and others) provide this)

SLD - provides information for rendering data to maps (symbolization)

OGC SImple features - the standard that is implemented by database
systems like Postgres/PostGIS to manipulate geographic information.

The specifications of all of these are on the OpenGeospatial
Corporation (OGC) web-site.

Note that Google itself is not a good model; it does not (presently)
comply with standards and is so not interoperable. However, this is
changing.

Paul

Posted by bharath_r on April 9, 2008, 7:46 am
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> >news:91ce701e-1f4d-4225-88cd-
>
> >> Yes, the GPS maps i was talking about is Google Maps. What i wanted to
> >> know is that, is it possible for me to develop something like
> >> GoogleMaps application, by getting raw data in shapefile format and
> >> compiling it?
>
> >Changing shapefiles (vectorgis) into something like googlemaps is called
> >"rendering". It is the process where you draw the raw coordinates on a ma=
p,
> >one layer at a time with different width, colours etc. Start by drawing t=
he
> >water blue, then land as yellow, roads as red etc. Final output is a bitm=
ap
> >(rastergis).
>
> >This is what Google has already done for you. Created all the bitmaps at
> >specific scales. Other websites may offer flexible scales, so the maps ar=
e
> >rendered on the fly and you can decide which layers you want to see, the
> >colours etc.
>
> >MapServer is open source and free and can be used for rendering SHP layer=
s.
> >But there are probably hundreds of other offerings for mapping servers.
>
> >Regards
> >Uffe Kousgaard
>
> Geoserver is also a very good map server, and in some ways more
> standards compliant than Mapserver.
>
> Technologies you need to think about are:
>
> Web Map Services and Web feature Services (server technology;
> Mapserver and Geoserver (and others) provide this)
>
> SLD - provides information for rendering data to maps (symbolization)
>
> OGC SImple features - the standard that is implemented by database
> systems like Postgres/PostGIS to manipulate geographic information.
>
> The specifications of all of these are on the OpenGeospatial
> Corporation (OGC) web-site.
>
> Note that Google itself is not a good model; it does not (presently)
> comply with standards and is so not interoperable. However, this is
> changing.
>
> Paul- Hide quoted text -
>
> - Show quoted text -

Many thanks again for all the replies.

Now i think i am getting somewhere. I will get back if i have anymore
questions. Thanks a ton.

bharath

Posted by Mateusz Loskot on April 9, 2008, 12:43 pm
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bharath_r wrote:
>> bharath_r wrote:
>>> Hi,
>>> I have been looking for answers to these questions for days. I would
>>> like to know what is the difference betweenGISand GPS Maps.
>> After you read this article you will know whatGISstands for:
>>
>> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geographic_information_system
>>
>> I've never heard about "GPS Maps" term but Google Maps or maps in GPS
>> units like in Garmin, etc. So, as such, GPS maps are just maps displayed
>> with software installed on GPS unit or PDA device.
>>
>>> Also how
>>> can i convert a shapefile to GPS Map,
>> What the "GPS Map" stands for here?
>> If it is Google Maps, then you can use ogr2ogr
>> (http://gdal.org/ogr/ogr2ogr.html) tool from the GDAL/OGR package
>> (http://gdal.org/ogr/). See example command:
>>
>> http://gdal.org/ogr/drv_kml.html
>>
>>> so that i can plot lat,lon data
>>> on the Map just like we do using Google Maps.
>> We still have no idea what is "the Map".
>> If you are asking for Google Maps, then refer to Google Maps help
>> and the Google Maps API manual. Also, Don't forget
>>
>> http://www.google.com/search?q=shapefile%20google%20maps
>>
>> If you are asking about maps rendering, check
>>
>> http://mapserver.osgeo.org/http://mapnik.org/
>>
>> Greetings
>> --
>> Mateusz Loskothttp://mateusz.loskot.net
>
> Thanks a lot for all the replies.
>
> Yes, the GPS maps i was talking about is Google Maps. What i wanted to
> know is that, is it possible for me to develop something like
> GoogleMaps application, by getting raw data in shapefile format and
> compiling it?

Yes, it is possible.
As an example, learn about OpenStreetMap.org project, and how they use
Mapnik (mapnik.org) to render their maps.

BTW, this blog post may give some helpful insights too:

http://www.alistapart.com/articles/takecontrolofyourmaps

Greetings
--
Mateusz Loskot
http://mateusz.loskot.net

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