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Where we are ... in the process

1. How To Make a Map & What Is A Map?

2. What's Your Map For?

• PDF MM 3rd) But Do You Really Need a Map?

• PDF MM 3rd) Who's Your Map For?

• PDF MM 3rd) How Are You Going to Show It?

• PDF MM 3rd) Document, Evaluate, Review

• PDF MM 3rd) Annotated Voyager Map

  
  

4. Map Making Tools

• Making Maps Without Computers
  • Glacial Geomorphology Maps

  • French Manuscript Maps

  • Making Maps PDF) Ch 4. Making Maps Without Computers

Making Maps with Computers: some background

• computer mapping: computers used in the process of making maps

• automated mapping: computers automate part/all of the mapmaking process

• Geographic Information Systems: Computer hardware and software for the capture, storage, retrieval, analysis, and output (paper or digital display) of spatial data. Maps play a vital role in the analysis (visualization) and display components of GIS.

• a problem with the term "computer mapping" - almost all mapping is now done by computer

• so the term computer mapping has become redundant

A Brief History of Computers and Mapping

• late 1950s mapping experiments with early computers

• SYMAP: Harvard 1965 mainframe; line printer output: patterns made of characters:

  

• Similar to earlier use of typewriters to create maps: ca. 1905
  

  
  Source: "Machine-Made Line Drawings for the Illustration of Scientific Papers" by R. A. Daly. American Journal of Science, Mar 1905, p. 227.

  
  

• development of computer pen plotters: replicate human tasks: replace people drawing maps with pens with computers drawing maps with pens:
  

  Source

  
  
• late 1970s: development of desktop publishing and subsequently desktop mapping computer technologies
  • Innovation: WYSIWYG

• desktop publishing: computer set up with graphics and page layout capabilities connected to print quality output device (all on one desktop)
  • Postscript, LaserPrinters

• desktop mapping: all computer operations necessary to digitally assemble the map's component parts (base maps, data, lettering, symbols, etc.) and to produce final output
  • OSU MAP, Atlas Graphics, ArcView

• constant change: new computer tools
  • animation, interactivity, sound, multimedia, hypermedia, analysis

  • future: WWW-based multimedia GIS

Map Making Tools (continued):

• Making Maps on the Internet
  • Making Maps PDF) Ch 4. Map making on the internet

  
  
  

• Making Maps with GIS
  • Making Maps PDF) Ch 4. Map making with GIS

    
    

  • ex) ArcGIS
    • tools that aid in the process of analyzing data and creating maps

    • offers diverse map symbolization functions: choropleth, dot maps, etc.

    • linked to spreadsheet of data and data analysis capabilities (analysis)

    • basic map design capacity: legends, scales, etc.

    • problem: not much flexibility to move beyond basic design (but more map design functions in new version, 9.2)

      
      

• Making Maps with Graphic Design Tools
  • Making Maps PDF) Ch 4. Graphic design and other map making tools

    
    

  • ex) Freehand, Corel Draw, Illustrator
    • not designed to make maps, but often used to design sophisticated maps

    • has extensive graphic design capabilities that GIS/Mapping software lacks

    • can import base maps from GIS/Mapping software
      • benefit: flexible, powerful, many graphic design capabilities
        • multimedia software: create interactive, animated, multimedia maps

      • problem: not mapping software: no map symbolization built in

  
  
  General Rule of Thumb for making computer maps in the 'Real World':

  • use different software, make them work together

  • no single package will every do everything you want

  • this is what we will do in the Lab project

Digital File Formats and Conversions

• File: collection of records handled as a basic unit of storage in the computer

• File format: specific way the information has been stored in the file with codes which tell how to interpret the file. Many different graphic file formats

Common Graphic File Formats

• Raster file formats: Raster software generates files which are made up of pixels

• Corresponds to raster data organization / structure (see Data lecture) & raster-based GIS software

  ex) black square in raster file: turn all the pixels within a four sided area black

  ex) digital satellite data

  ex) a map digitally scanned on a flatbed scanner

  • common raster formats include PICT, TIFF, GIF, JPEG

  
  

• Vector file formats: vector software generates files which are made up of points, lines, and areas

• Corresponds to vector data organization / structure (see Data lecture) & vector-based GIS software

  ex) black square in vector file: four points, connect with line, box attribute is black

  ex) USGS DLG data, US Census TIGER data, ArcGIS digital data, Google KML/KMZ files

  ex) a map digitized on a digitizer

  • common vector formats include: ArcGIS (.shp, .lyr), PostScript (.ps), Keyhole Markup Language (.kml, compressed as .kmz)

  
  

• Usually have to work with both types of formats: convert between, or use both together

• Our lab project: begin with vector (ArcGIS .shp file) and convert to vector .kml and raster (.gif) file.

Common Non-graphic File formats

• for the lab we will need to deal with various text files

1. the text data we found on the WWW
   • a simple text file (ASCII file, .txt)

   • Open with most Word Processors, Spreadsheet software (MS Excel)

   • Convert into specialized text formats: Comma delineated text file

   
   

2. Spreadsheet file formats
   • many different types: ex) MS Excel

   • Lab: convert a comma delineated file into an DBASE (.dbf) file

   • .dbf file can be imported into ArcGIS

   
   

3. HTML (HyperText Markup Language) files
   • Text files used to create what you see on the WWW

   • Can convert word processor files into HTML for the WWW (MS Word, Powerpoint)

   • Can also generate HTML files in special HTML scripting software (SeaMonkey, Dreamweaver, GoLive)

Assign Lab 2

• first: check that Lab 1 is complete

• second: Lab Exercise 2: HyperText Markup Language (HTML) and Map Mashups

E-mail: jbkrygier@owu.edu

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