GIS 664 Topic Four: Web GIS Software
Schedule Week of Lecture/discussion Hands-on/labs February 26 Introduction to Web GIS Software installs & HTML/JavaScript/CSS March 3 Networks and the Internet ArcGIS Server services March 10 Web Design/Programming Web GIS customization; Project proposal due 12th March 17 Web GIS Software Quiz 1 (17th) Project work March 24 (No meetings AAG Meeting) March 31 Standards and Web Services Project work April 7 Quiz 2 (7th) Project work April 14 Project presentation (16th)
Topic Four Web GIS Software Some tips for Web GIS customization Project work
Web GIS Software Early Web GIS packages Current offerings Low-end options GIS vendor packages Open-source packages Location-based services (LBS)
Earlier Packages (Selection) Xerox PARC Map Viewer 1993 GRASSLinks 1993 NAISMap Canada MapObjects IMS 1996 ArcView IMS 1997
Earlier Packages: Xerox PARC Xerox PARC Map Viewer 1993 Palo Alto Research Center source of many innovations, e.g., mouse, Smalltalk, worms Map Viewer used CGI Perl scripting Produced maps on the fly
Earlier Packages: GRASSLinks GRASS Early raster GIS package By US Army Corps of Engineers Now maintained as opensource GIS GRASSLinks - 1993 By Susan Huse at UC Berkeley REGIS Produced maps for online users Some analysis tools Still available at some sites
Earlier Packages: MapObjects IMS MapObjects early 1990s Programmer components COM based Used for desktop Windows applications Still available but most moving to ArcObjects Added link to Web server (IIS, Netscape) Required programming all output Some templates developed later No longer sold, but still in limited use MapObjects Internet Map Server (MO-IMS) 1996
REDI: SANDAG Economic Development MapObjects IMS Application
Current Offerings: Low-end Options Static maps Export from desktop GIS Clickable with embedded MAP tags Simple interactive maps Some free or low-cost software Many Java-based Many based on export from desktop GIS SVG extensions for ArcView/ArcGIS E.g., EasySVG More on this under Open Source GIS
Major GIS Vendors: ESRI ArcIMS Basic GIS functionality for Web ArcGIS Server Advanced GIS functionality via ArcObjects
Major GIS Vendors: AutoDesk AutoCAD has major share of CAD market MapGuide Plug-in (ActiveX, Java) more capabilities MapTips Right-click menus Example: City of Springfield, Ohio "Lite" version Simple pan/zoom map Example: City of Virginia Beach New version Enterprise Open source
Major GIS Vendors: Intergraph Strong in utilities and public sector GeoMedia WebMap Standard and Professional versions Uses IIS-ActiveX or Netscape plug-in Example: Northern Illinois Univ. Map
Major GIS Vendors: MapInfo Strong in business sector & LBS MapXtreme Windows and Java versions Examples MapMartData Locator SkyTel Service Coverage Check
Other Commercial Products MapDotNet ObjectFX's SpatialFX Java-based map engine Focus on business market GE Smallworld Focus on utilities industry Has a map server product Oracle Spatial and Locator Extends database for spatial queries Can use in custom web applications
Open Source Products Open source = source code available Doesn't necessarily mean free Usually no formal support Most implement via 3rd party vendor services Minnesota MapServer Most-used open source Web GIS package Remote Sensing Lab, Forestry School at Univ. of Minnesota Funded by NASA, Minn. DNR Can compile for many OS's Complex to install and use Supports many data types Simple GIS functionality
Location-Based Services (LBS) Parallel industry to GIS Focus on location for business use Usually for mobile devices phones, PDAs Adds issues for locating (GPS), mobile device limitations Limited GIS functionality Street maps, geocoding, routing, proximity analysis (find within some distance) Data for U.S., western Europe, some Latin America Some allow uploading custom data (points of interest) Usually a hosted service No software/data locally request maps and data via the Web Usually a Web service (XML/SOAP) Some deploy in-house = overlap with IMS software
LBS Vendors Web mapping services MapQuest Services Microsoft Virtual Earth/MapPoint Specific vendors Kivera (TCS) NAC Geographic decarta (Telcontar) GIS vendors ESRI ArcWeb Services More next week AutoDesk LocationLogic (Insert Screen shot)
Project Start working on Map and other services Initial Web page design