Mapping software?

[Thomas Friebe]

Hello everybody,

by today I got an idea to prepare a map about the development of
some environmental systems, which I make a research for at the
moment.

To make the research as professional as possible, I would like to
put everything in a map with different colors, regarding to their
number in each country or state. But unfortunately I don't know
whether there is any software available at all and if so, which is
a good one. Since I need it probably only once, I would prefer
Freeware.

The research covers in one case the whole world and in another
case Europe and the U.S.

So if there is any software for my case available, please let me
know.

Thanks in advance!


Ciao sagt
Thomas Friebe

--

Selbst wenn ich Roswell entROTe wird daraus weder Farscape noch
Stargate. Du musst dich folglich täuschen. ;-)

[Heiko Nock & Stefan Rauter in de.rec.tv.misc]

 

[Dick Hazeleger]

Hello everybody,

by today I got an idea to prepare a map about the development of
some environmental systems, which I make a research for at the
moment.

To make the research as professional as possible, I would like to
put everything in a map with different colors, regarding to their
number in each country or state. But unfortunately I don't know
whether there is any software available at all and if so, which is
a good one. Since I need it probably only once, I would prefer
Freeware.

The research covers in one case the whole world and in another
case Europe and the U.S.

So if there is any software for my case available, please let me
know.

Thanks in advance!


Ciao sagt
Thomas Friebe

Tag Thomas!

Is the 'mapping' you have to do geographical type mapping (e.g. you
would want to have topographic maps of the USA, etc.) or of a different
type?

Dick

 

[Thomas Friebe]

Dick Hazeleger (Dick@post_it_in_the_newsgroup.com) wrote on 05
Mai 2005 in alt.comp.freeware:

Tag Thomas!

Is the 'mapping' you have to do geographical type mapping (e.g.
you would want to have topographic maps of the USA, etc.) or of
a different type?

Tag auch Dick!

Exact that's what I want. As for example GIS (Geographic Information
Systems) offers, but I need some easy to use software like MS Map or
so.

Like you know already, I am German, and accordingly I use a German
Windows version. And MS Map has following to that only the Map of
Germany, Austria and Switzerland included, no map of the U.S. is
available.

And since I believe, there might be some better software available
than this, I've been asking here. ;-)

Any hints?


Ciao sagt
Thomas Friebe

 

[B. R. 'BeAr' Ederson]

To make the research as professional as possible, I would like to
put everything in a map with different colors, regarding to their
number in each country or state. But unfortunately I don't know
whether there is any software available at all and if so, which is
a good one. Since I need it probably only once, I would prefer
Freeware.

Hm. There are several programs available which should do what you want.
GRASS will be somewhat above your needs. But if you see chances that
you need to deal with GIS projects more often it should be worth a try.
Look here:

http://grass.itc.it/announces/announce_grass600.html

Simple coloring of maps can be done with the free ArcExplorer software
from ESRI:

http://www.esri.com/software/arcexplorer

The program supports Shapefiles and PC ArcInfo coverages. In either case
you need to edit the accompanied *.dbf files of the maps to append your
information before you display the maps using ArcExplorer. Use a xBase
editor like dbfNavigator by ALXSoft:

http://www.alxsoft.narod.ru/ENG/dbfnav.htm

Unfortunately, their server responds very slowly. But it is one of the
best free xBase editors available.

Another GIS viewer (with limited edit possibilities) is KartenExplorer.
You find it here:

http://www.bfav.de/kartenexplorer

It is free for non-commercial use, only. I encountered some problems when
installed on systems beside ArcExplorer. So you should be carefully while
testing. (And back up your important data beforehand...)

One possible source of Maps is the ESRI basemap server:

http://www.esri.com/data/download/basemap/index.html

Other sources can be found through the FreeGIS database:

http://www.freegis.org/database

or by asking within a GIS related newsgroup like:

comp.infosystems.gis

HTH.
BeAr

 

[Dick Hazeleger]

Dick Hazeleger (Dick@post_it_in_the_newsgroup.com) wrote on 05
Mai 2005 in alt.comp.freeware:


Tag auch Dick!

Exact that's what I want. As for example GIS (Geographic Information
Systems) offers, but I need some easy to use software like MS Map or
so.

Like you know already, I am German, and accordingly I use a German
Windows version. And MS Map has following to that only the Map of
Germany, Austria and Switzerland included, no map of the U.S. is
available.

And since I believe, there might be some better software available
than this, I've been asking here. ;-)

Any hints?


Ciao sagt
Thomas Friebe

Hallo Thomas,

Well, I was looking for (European ones still wanted, BTW) digital maps
myself for use in combination with GPS, and I found USA PhotoMaps
(gives you the choice between satellite photos and maps... zoomable).
The program is available at: http://jdmcox.com (and is very small...
but you need a fast connection for the maps... they are quite large,
and have to be reloaded when zooming in or out. You can make a JPEG
from the material you already downloaded...

Would that help for the USA part?

Dick

 

[Thomas Friebe]

B. R. 'BeAr' Ederson ([email protected])
schrieb am 05 Mai 2005 in alt.comp.freeware:

Simple coloring of maps can be done with the free ArcExplorer
software from ESRI:

http://www.esri.com/software/arcexplorer

The program supports Shapefiles and PC ArcInfo coverages.

Another GIS viewer (with limited edit possibilities) is
KartenExplorer. You find it here:

http://www.bfav.de/kartenexplorer

I tried both, ArcExplorer and Karten-Explorer. And after that, I
prefer Arcexplorer - it is just the thing I had a look for!

Thanks a lot for your advice, it is surprising how good things can
be shown on the map!


Ciao sagt
Thomas Friebe