Archive for February, 2009

Add Your XMap Map to the Map Gallery and Win a PN-40

February 24, 2009

 

DeLorme is seeking submissions from XMap users for an online map gallery that will showcase interesting and creative uses for the software. This is your opportunity to share your work with the XMap community at large and maybe even win an Earthmate PN-40 GPS receiver for your trouble. 

Maps can be submitted in any one of a number of formats:

  • A screenshot captured using your computer’s Print Screen function
  • An image file saved using XMap’s Print tab
  • A MapShare site created using the MapShare button on XMap’s toolbar 
  • An XMap Web site

map_library_sample

In each case, an accompanying paragraph should clearly describe the content of the map and any specific steps that were followed to create it.

The final date for submission is June 30, 2009, however maps will be posted to the gallery as soon as they have been submitted and reviewed by DeLorme staff. Shortly after the deadline, a random drawing will be conducted among those who submitted an entry and the winner will receive an Earthmate PN-40.

If you have any questions or if you would like to submit your map for consideration, email mapgallery@delorme.com

Posted in XMap Developments | Leave a Comment »

Tab Tip – Transferring GIS Data to the PN-20 or PN-40

February 24, 2009

 

One of the features of DeLorme’s PN-Series GPS receivers that sets it apart from other devices is its ability to display an incredible variety map data, both vector and raster. For XMap users, this flexibility means that GIS data can be carried right to the jobsite, wherever that might be. On the PN-Series device, layers transferred from XMap retain their symbology and labels, providing a snapshot of your maps as they were created in XMap and offering a rugged mobile GIS viewer.

pn_gisNote that while any current version of XMap can be used to transfer GIS data to the PN-Series device, only the Enterprise and Editor versions have the tools necessary for editing or updating the data.

Before transferring GIS layers from XMap to the PN-Series device, there are several considerations that should be taken into account:

  • It is likely that the lighting conditions will be significantly different in the field than in your office, so you may need to adjust the display characteristics of the relevant data layers. A layer whose color or shading is easily discernable on your PC may not be as clear under bright sunlight conditions. Usually darker colors work best on the device.
  • If you intend to layer a polygon over an aerial image on the device, you should make sure the polygons are unfilled using the Symbolize Layer functionality in XMap.
  • If possible, point data layers should be symbolized using the Earthmate PN-Series symbol set, as the same symbols are preloaded unto the device. This ensures that you will see an exact match of the layer as it appears in XMap.
  • To enable searching on the PN-Series device, the objects in the layer must be labeled using the relevant attribute field. For instance, if you would like to be able to search for objects by name, make sure that the name field is assigned as the label for the layer. You cannot search for unlabelled objects on the PN-Series device.
  • If you would like to be able to control the appearance of labels on the PN-Series device, create a copy of the appropriate layer, adjust the symbology so that the objects on the copied layer are transparent, and assign labels as normal. The result is a layer in which the actual objects cannot be seen but the labels can. Displaying this layer in conjunction with original, allows you to turn the labels on or off as needed by simply choosing not to display the copied layer.

hh_export

As with any type of map data, the transfer of GIS layers to the PN-Series GPS receiver requires that you first create one or more map packages. While it is possible to combine all of the required layers—as well as imagery and topographic maps—in a single map package, it is recommended that you create separate packages for each layer. This allows you to turn on or off each layer individually on the device. If all layers are incorporated into a single map package, all GIS layers will be displayed or turned off concurrently.

 

 

Follow these steps to create a map package containing a GIS layer:

  • In the GIS tab, clear the check boxes for all of the layers except the one you want to include in the map package.
  • Click the Handheld Export tab and click the Options button.
  • Clear the check boxes for all of the Data Type choices except for GIS layers.
  • Adjust the zoom level range for the layer. Note that on the device, the layer will be visible only within the selected range.
  • Select either Less Detail or More Detail. This setting adjusts the resolution and visual clarity of the display of the data on the device and, as a consequence, it determines the size of the file that is created.
  • Click OK to apply the selected options.
  • In the Handheld Export tab adjust the grid size to the extent that it is easy to select grids that cover your area of interest.
  • Use the Select/Edit tool to highlight the required grid tiles.
  • Type a name for your map package, preferably using the same name as the GIS layer that it contains. 
  • Click the Save button and repeat this process for each required GIS layer
  • When all of the necessary map packages have been created, attach the PN-Series device to your PC and click the Exchange button.
  • Note that in most cases, map packages containing only GIS layers are relatively small so it is usually possible to transfer them directly to either the internal or the external memory of the device using the Send button. If your map package is large, you can remove the SD card from the battery compartment of your device and use a USB SD card reader to transfer the file.

The PN-Series GPS receivers provide a low-cost solution for a recurring problem in the field of GIS: How can I access my maps where I need them most; at the jobsite? Now you can display all of your data layers as well as aerial imagery and topographic maps on a device that fits in your pocket.

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Westport Island Publishes GIS Data to the Web

February 24, 2009

 

Long-time subscribers to this newsletter might recall an announcement  that was made a little over a year ago about a small town on the coast of Maine that made the decision to embark on a project to apply mapping technology to the management of their municipal data. 

Westport Island is a quintessential Maine community. As its name implies, it is surrounded by water, with a single two-lane bridge its only access to the mainland. According to the census figures, its population is a little over 700 people, although, as is typical in this part of the world, this number is bolstered by the influx of summer visitors “from away.” It is fair to say, therefore, that this is a community of modest means; a fact that makes what they have been able to achieve all the more remarkable.

The previously published account of their work described the efforts of a handful of eager citizens to digitize the town’s property boundaries using XMap; a process which had yet to be completed. At that time, the subsequent phases of the project—integrating the town’s tax records and providing public access to the data—seemed a long way off.

xmap_web_westportFast-forward to the present. Not only have the town officials completed the digitization process and tied in the property ownership information, they have created GIS layers showing wetland areas, trails, shoreline zoning setbacks, and much more. All of this data is available for public scrutiny via an XMap Web site that was created and is maintained by the same town officials. Visitors to the site, which includes high-resolution aerial imagery as an optional base map, can quickly search for properties by owner, map-lot number, or several other criteria.

By way of concluding this article, it is worth reprinting the final paragraph from the original piece.

Westport Island is an example of a community with limited means who have recognized the value in efficiently managing critical municipal assets and have not been deterred by their modest size. The lesson learned form this example is that if Westport Island can successfully adopt and apply GIS technology, there is no reason why towns of a similar size cannot do the same.

Posted in XMap at Work | Leave a Comment »

The Town of Westport Island Chooses XMap for Digital Parcel Mapping

February 24, 2009

XMap at Work

 

The Town of Westport Island Chooses XMap for Digital Parcel Mapping

 

westport_mapWestport Island Maine is a forward-thinking community of around 750 residents nestled in the mid-coast region of Maine. The town’s elected officials, recognizing the importance of efficiently managing property database and tax records, recently selected XMap to build and maintain a digital parcel management system.

 

With no previous experience in the field GIS and with limited resources and technical know-how at their disposal, the town officials faced a daunting task. They needed to find a tool that they could all learn to use and that would fit within their municipal budget constraints.

 

After a brief meeting with a municipal mapping expert form DeLorme, the town’s representatives decided that XMap 5.2 GIS Editor would meet their requirements and would allow them to become self-sufficient with their mapping projects.

 

After gaining the approval of the electorate of the town to embark on this endeavor, the next step in the process was training. Several representatives from the town participated in a two day program hosted by DeLorme in which the instructor introduced the class to the principles of GIS and to the features and functions of XMap. Armed with this information, the town officials recruited a group of volunteers to begin the process of building a municipal GIS from the ground up.

 

westport_parcelThe initial phase required digitization of paper parcel maps that had been scanned and registered as a raster or image layer in XMap. Overlaid on aerial imagery, this provided a reference from which to create an accurate digital parcel layer. If needed, GPS-collected point locations will be used to verify the accuracy of the property boundaries.

 

The second phase will be to integrate the current assessor’s data so that each property polygon on the map will offer access to the relevant information about that parcel. This will make searching for properties and owner information a very easy process.

 

Coordinating the effort on behalf of the town is Dennis Dunbar. According to Mr. Dunbar, the property mapping project is just the beginning. “Looking beyond the tax maps the GIS database really shines. The town will be able to incorporate data on important natural resources (wetlands, important habitats, aquifers and etc) wells, moorings, cemeteries, fire ponds and other important historic or archeological sites that warrant monitoring and tracking. Dunbar added that when complete, Westport Island residents will enjoy one of the most advanced integrated GIS resources management systems in the state of Maine.”

 

Westport Island is an example of a community with limited means who have recognized the value in efficiently managing critical municipal assets and have not been deterred by their modest size. The lesson learned form this example id the if Westport Island can successfully adopt and apply GIS technology, there is no reason why towns of a similar size cannot do the same.

Posted in XMap at Work | Leave a Comment »