ThinkGeo has released version 9.0 of Map Suite, its full line of GIS software components for .NET developers. This major milestone refreshes ThinkGeo’s Map Suite product line with a wide variety of enhancements. It includes Aerial Imagery for the Map Suite World Map Kit Online, Xamarin.Forms in the Map Suite iOS and Android Editions, support for Google Traffic and Street View in the Map Suite Web Edition, and many performance and stability improvements.
Map Suite World Map Kit Online now features beautiful aerial imagery. The all-new Hybrid View combines ThinkGeo’s detailed street-level world-wide maps with aerial imagery to provide the best of both worlds.
Xamarin.Forms has been added to Map Suite iOS and Map Suite Android Editions. Developers are now able to rapidly create maps for iOS and Android devices while sharing the vast majority of the code.
Another notable feature in ThinkGeo’s Map Suite 9.0 is the addition of Google Traffic and Street View to the Map Suite Web Edition. In the Map Suite MVC Edition, data binding and action triggers have been designed in order to simplify development. MapBox tile overlay support in the Map Suite iOS and Android Editions provides another option to the existing Google, Bing, and OpenStreetMap basemaps.
The 9.0 update includes new builds of all of Map Suite’s editions, including WebAPI, iOS, Android, Desktop (WinForms), WPF Desktop, Web (WebForms), MVC, Silverlight, Services and WMS Server Editions, as well as the Map Suite Geocoder and the Map Suite Routing extension. Many performance and stability improvements have been implemented across the Map Suite GIS product range. Complete change logs are available at the ThinkGeo Wiki, the company’s official online source for Map Suite documentation and learning material.
ThinkGeo’s next major release of Map Suite, version 10.0, is expected in the summer of 2016, but developers can expect to start receiving beta features in advance via the daily builds which can be downloaded directly from the ThinkGeo Product Center.
For more information about Map Suite, or to download the ThinkGeo Product Center and access free 60-day evaluation of each Map Suite 9.0 product, visit ThinkGeo’s website. All evaluators and users can discuss and receive support for their Map Suite applications at ThinkGeo’s Discussion Forums.
Avenza Systems Inc., a developer of cartographic software — including MAPublisher for Adobe Illustrator and Geographic Imager geospatial tools for Adobe Photoshop — has released PDF Maps app 2.5 for iOS devices with enhanced features.
Avenza’s PDF Maps app and mobile solution is used for both personal and commercial purposes and incorporates more detailed functions commonly needed when tracking, plotting points, navigating and collecting data in areas where Internet service is unavailable. To date, Avenza’s PDF Maps app has grown its commercial side to more than 30,000 regular users.
Paired with mobile devices that use GPS, such as a smartphone or tablet, the PDF Maps app provides constant access to geographic locations without the risk of losing reception due to cell-tower proximity. Over the years, the app initially attracted the attention of recreational users such as hikers who traveled through rugged areas.
Today, PDF Maps app has developed a growing list of commercial users globally, including the military, wild fire units, search and rescue teams, and conservation groups that use the app to record data, document with images and share detailed navigation points with others quickly and easily. Based on the various types of environments the app is being applied in, Avenza has further developed its latest features based on the feedback and specifications of its users. These include:
Enhanced navigation: ability to establish both GPS position and compass.
Measurement: tools to calculate distances, size and areas.
Map use: capable of overlaying search engine results on any map for offline use.
Map Collections: convenient map searching tools including the ability to pan and zoom between maps.
Personalization: ability to load a user’s own geospatial PDF, GeoPDF, GeoTIFF, JPG and TIFF maps and imagery from a file system, Dropbox, URL or email.
“Avenza’s PDF Maps app has always been popular with the recreational groups who often use the free app for use while in the air, on land or sea excursions. The mapping resource has helped many novice and expert outdoor enthusiasts navigate through areas where most digital maps fail in the details,” said Ted Florence, president, Avenza Systems Inc. “Recently, the popularity experienced on the recreational side is now being felt on the commercial end as many organizations that work in remote areas, and require use of their own custom maps and drawings on smartphones or tablets, need the ability to locate themselves and make notations and share information on detailed maps quickly. Avenza is excited to see the growth of PDF Maps, not just as a product, but as a valuable tool that is aiding commercial users such as conservation teams and similar groups. We hope the latest features of PDF Maps app 2.5 helps make a difference in their work.”
Currently, Avenza’s vast PDF Maps app library covering maps for domestic and international destinations includes more than 100,000 maps organized by country, state and area. All maps available through the in-app iTunes-like map store offer the following capabilities:
Access and load maps through in-app purchase, iTunes File Sharing, Wi-Fi or cellular network to read maps anytime.
Access and interact with saved maps without the need for a live network connection (offline).
View your location on the PDF map using the built-in GPS device or via Wi-Fi triangulation.
Find coordinate of any location in the map, including the ability to type in a coordinate to search.
Display coordinates as Lat/Long (WGS84), Lat/Long (Map Default), Northing/Easting, or Military Grid Reference System (MGRS/United States National Grid (USNG).
Support for GeoTIFF files to create tiles similar to how a geospatial PDF is tiled.
Map rendering in higher resolution.
Overlay Google search results.
Add waypoints and collect/record information about locations, including photos.
Measure distances and areas.
Open current map extents in the Maps app.
Quickly view, zoom and pan maps using gestures (pinch, drag and flick, double tap).
Change pin colors, position and label names.
PDF Maps app 2.5 is available now on the iTunes App Store free of charge for personal and private use. PDF Maps app is also available for use with Android devices in the Google Play Store free of charge for personal non-commercial use. A Windows version is currently in public beta targeted for a release later this year. Commercial, government and academic use licensing is available for a nominal annual fee.
For more information about PDF Maps, visit the Avenza website or the PDF Maps website. Pricing of each map is set by the publisher and free maps remain free to users through the PDF Maps app in-app store.
Screenshot of a mobile mapping service integrating USGS topographic data; hiking and biking trails south of Golden, Colo. Imagery with road and contour data overlaid via AlpineQuest.
Are you a developer, firm, or organization using mobile or web applications to enable your users? The United States Geological Survey (USGS) has publicly available geospatial services and data to help your application development and enhancement.
The USGS’ National Geospatial Technical Operations Center (NGTOC) will be hosting a 30-minute webinar on “Using The National Map services to enable your web and mobile mapping efforts” on June 16 at 9 a.m. MT.
Screenshot of a mobile mapping service integrating USGS topographic data; hiking and biking trails south of Golden, Colo. Trail data in KML/GPX overlaid via AlpineQuest.
This webinar will feature a brief overview of services, data and products that are publicly available, a quick overview on how AlpineQuest, a leading private firm, is leveraging this public data to benefit their users, and a Question & Answer session with a USGS developer to help you get the most out of the national geospatial services.
“This is an opportunity from NGTOC to bring developers and users together for some demonstrations and starting some dialogue,” said Brian Fox, the NGTOC Systems Development Branch Chief. “The webinar format allows us to improve awareness of USGS geospatial services and develop a better understanding of what users and developers need to make our data and services more available and usable.”
To access the webinar, you’ll need to activate Cisco WebEx and call into the conference number (toll free) 855-547-8255 and use the security code: 98212385. The webinar will display through WebEx.
Use this system diagnosis to ensure that you have the appropriate players installed for this WebEx enabled webinar.
The session will be recorded and closed caption option is available.
Click here to find out more about this and other NGOC webinar conferences.
Esri has unveiled a Human Health and Climate Change App Challenge, calling on the worldwide GIS community to create apps that help communities visualize, understand and combat the health impacts of climate change. Esri will award three winners more than $15,000 in cash prizes or the equivalent in software. The deadline to enter is August 14.
The app challenge is part of Esri’s comprehensive effort in support of the White House Climate Data Initiative under President Obama’s Climate Action Plan. “Esri is committed to helping communities work smarter and more efficiently to become more livable and, as a result, more resilient to climate change,” said Esri president Jack Dangermond.
Participants are encouraged to create apps using Esri’s ArcGIS platform that provide decision-making support for health professionals and empower the public to take action. Apps should help private and public organizations combine open data to gain new insights into the impacts of climate change on health.
“Understanding the geography of climate change is critical to mitigating its health effects and creating a vibrant and sustainable future,” said Este Geraghty, Esri chief medical officer.
The app challenge is open to everyone — including developers, start-ups, governments, academics and nongovernmental organizations. Participants are encouraged to use the growing pool of open data and Esri apps, maps, services and APIs to develop their app.
Judges will select the top three apps to be highlighted at the Esri Health and Human Services GIS Conference in September. In addition to awarding prizes, Esri will feature the winning apps on its collaborative resource portal.
Sixty seconds may not sound like much, but if given advance warning of an earthquake, people could take cover, trains could stop, and oil rigs could be shut down before the shaking hits.
The earthquake early warning app QuakeAlert, by Early Warning Labs, aims to provide that extra time. The app, with new technology developed in partnership the United States Geological Survey (USGS), will be tested by the USGS, the California Institute of Technology and other university researchers.
QuakeAlert is designed to alert users with a countdown to when shaking will strike their exact location, and tell the user how severe the intensity is expected in their location. The app simultaneously delivers important safety instructions to the user on how to respond if indoors, outside or in a moving vehicle. QuakeAlert will be provided to users free of charge.
The QuakeAlert app uses USGS seismic sensor network data, an Esri GIS backend and the Microsoft Azure cloud to deliver earthquake early warnings. The app is currently in private beta testing with university researchers at CalTech and USGS scientists, and will be available to the public for free once the USGS receives full funding of its early warning program and approves the technology for the public.
Early Warning Labs (EWL) is an Earthquake Early Warning technology developer and integrator in Santa Monica, Calif., and an official research and development partner with the USGS. Early Warning Labs is collaborating with university partners including Caltech, Berkeley and the University of Washington, as well as Esri.
The CT4 and other rugged handhelds by Cedar Tree Technologies will now be available through Juniper Systems.
Juniper Systems is merging its subsidiary company, Cedar Tree Technologies, into Juniper Systems. The move will allow customers to purchase Cedar’s Android-operated rugged handhelds directly from Juniper Systems.
Juniper Systems launched Cedar Tree Technologies as a rugged handheld company in August 2014.
“With a reputation for top-of-the-line, ultra-rugged handheld computers, Juniper Systems aimed to expand its products to meet the needs of customers who may not need the outstanding level of ruggedness or support that Juniper handhelds provide. And that’s how Cedar Tree Technologies began. Cedar handhelds lie somewhere between consumer devices and Juniper Systems’ ultra-rugged handhelds, providing a mesh of both ruggedness and affordability,” said a statement from the company.
Cedar handhelds run on the Android operating system, offering access to thousands of business-ready apps and Google services via the Google Play Store. This provides users with an off-the-shelf product, eliminating the need to download third-party data collection software. Juniper Systems has published a blog post that outlines the differences between Cedar and Juniper handhelds.
The Cedar product line that Juniper Systems will now be carrying includes three new handheld devices:
CT7 Rugged Tablet. Featuring a large, 7-inch display, the CT7 tablet is IP67 waterproof and dustproof, and is priced at $899 USD.
CT4 Rugged Handheld. The CT4 handheld is a more compact device than the CT7. Featuring a 4.3-inch display and an IP68 waterproof and dustproof rating, it is priced at $489.
CMP1 Miniphone. The CMP1 Miniphone is rated IP65 (dustproof and resistant to water), and is ideal for swapping out a regular smartphone for outdoor excursions, for kids, or for use as an emergency phone. The CMP1 sells for $124.
Spatial Wave Inc. has released Field Mapplet Version 8.0 and Mapplet 8.0, which support ArcGIS 10.2 and 10.3.
Field Mapplet is a mobile solution for managing utility assets. It is designed to optimize utility workflows with features that are easy to use and implement, Spatial Wave said. The latest release includes enhancements in the mobile and console client, additional features to USA and Redline Extensions and Mapplet Manager, and support for Windows Server 2012R2, SQL Server 2014, and HTTPS secure service. A crucial upgrade of FM8.0 is that is supports ArcGIS 10.2 and 10.3.
With the core Field Mapplet framework, users can upgrade from FM Version 7.1 to 8.0 with minimal effort and downtime. FMv8.0 was built for day-to-day operations such as dispatching, navigation, routing, access to as-builts, engineering drawings, and redlining of location aware data. FMv8.0 is a configurable platform for building mobile applications such as customer requests, work orders and field data collections. FMv8.0 is touch-gesture-enabled and can be used on PCs, laptops and tablets.
Mapplet 8.0 is an advanced GIS viewer for viewing utility operational data and has unique capabilities to link to external data sources such as related engineering documents or tabular data. Users from an organization can gain access to business-critical data from the entire enterprise, including Customer Service, Field Operations, Engineering and Finance. The latest features include map tips, cluster symbology and heat maps. Mappletv8.0 supports ArcGIS 10.2 and 10.3 to enhance the user experience.
Boundless, a provider of spatial IT solutions, has released OpenGeo Suite 4.6, the newest version of its powerful enterprise geospatial software platform.
OpenGeo Suite 4.6 is open-source geospatial software that powers web, mobile and desktop maps and applications across large and small organizations. New capabilities and enhancements in Version 4.6 include:
Enhanced OpenGeo Suite Composer, which allows anyone to build and style maps by making it easier to add data to GeoServer, style layers, and publish to the Web. Originally released in OpenGeo Suite 4.5, the latest release of OpenGeo Suite Composer improves layer management, allows publishing to OpenLayers3 templates for easy website embedding, and makes it even simpler to use the YSLD syntax for styling. OpenGeo Composer is available to all OpenGeo Suite Enterprise customers.
Improved reliability, handling and security when executing geospatial analysis.
Multiple updates to rendering and tile design capabilities.
Numerous updates and bug fixes to all components to improve stability and reliability across the entire software stack.
OpenGeo Suite Enterprise from Boundless is open source geospatial software designed for users with complex deployment requirements who want to build robust solutions for demanding production environments that often require features such as connections to enterprise databases, advanced runtime environments, or sophisticated clustering solutions in support of scalability requirements. Organizations with complex enterprise needs should no longer feel locked in to proprietary software with significant license costs in order to accomplish sophisticated projects, Boundless said.
“Boundless is committed to making geospatial software that is open, readily available and easy to use for all business applications,” said Ann Johnson, CEO, Boundless. “OpenGeo Suite 4.6 is the next step in our continued efforts to add features, functionality and usability to meet the demands of our customer base.”
Boundless offers a host of service packages and training to help customers and free users get the most from their OpenGeo Suite deployment. Boundless also supports a variety of deployment options, including on-premise and cloud environments such as AWS and Microsoft Azure.
For years, when I was the GIS manager for the Atlanta Regional Commission (ARC), I’d get an annual visit from the Layton Graphics sales rep trying to sell me something. Layton Graphics was an Atlanta blueprint company. I never needed blueprint services so I politely listened and sent the sales rep on his way. In 2005 that changed when the sale rep demonstrated his company’s eye-opener GeoPDF, a significant leap in GIS-enabled map publishing. With the invention of the GeoPDF, the company was reformed as TerraGo, and the rest, shall we say, is history.
Screenshot of Edge on an iPhone showing data capture points in red and current location in blue.
Until GeoPDFs, we published our GIS data as Shapefiles on CDs and relied on users to display the data correctly using their own GIS software. Since many new GIS users had no cartographic training the resultant maps frequently looked terrible or, even worse, completely misrepresented the data. As the publishers of the raw data, we frequently got blamed for some very crappy-looking maps- including those created by our own ARC transportation and land-use planners. GeoPDFs changed that since the cartography remained intact. Not until Esri’s Map Publisher, now ArcGIS Publisher, and subsequent cartographic tools was cartography preserved as the originator intended.
A GeoPDF was a single Adobe document that bundled GIS data, imagery and resultant maps into one compact file with no lost data files, no improperly displayed data and no incorrect data pointers. The Acrobat file was, in effect, an interactive GIS map display that permitted a user to pan, zoom, turn layers on and off, view, import social media and navigate 3D models and many other functions in one single compact file. GeoPDFs proved so valuable that they became the Army’s and other federal agencies’ geospatial publication method of choice.
The Next Geospatial Leap
Recently, TerraGo made another geospatial technology leap, doing for geospatial data collection what the company did for geospatial data display. TerraGo streamlined and sped up geospatial data collection with its new product, TerraGo Edge. TerraGo Edge is a cloud-based application that works on PCs, tablets and even smartphones. A user downloads the app and can then build a data-collection environment that is completely tailored to the needs of an organization. Field personnel can then rapidly collect enterprise data using a PC, tablet or smartphone with very little training and no additional software. The application permits the collection of tabular data, photographs, video clips and more that are georeferenced using the mobile device’s built-in GPS to locate each data point. All data is saved in the cloud and instantly shareable with designated users.
Now the even better news: If the network connection is lost or weak, the field collection can continue in the disconnected environment. The collected data is stored locally, then automatically synced when the connection is restored. The simplicity of the system and disconnected use may help make the Army’s Future Combat Systems vision, in which each soldier is a data user and data collector, a cost-effective reality.
Field Test
Bryan Burns of TerraGo collects data with his iPhone and Bluetooth-connected Bad Elf GPS.
I had to see the system in actual operation, so I paid a visit to the TerraGo Atlanta offices last week. Scott Lee and Bryan Burns of TerraGo gave me a full demo. I previously loaded the TerraGo trial app on my iPhone, which you can also do by going to your app store and downloading the free trial application. The software is fairly intuitive, and I was able to shoot a georeferenced picture and record some notes on my own. Bryan and Scott demonstrated the more advanced Edge features, especially the creation of custom collection forms that greatly speed data collection by field users.
Form creation is an important aspect of Edge, because it not only speeds data collection, it also reduces the chance of errors. As most of you know, sloppy data capture can really corrupt a database. Poor spelling, missed keystrokes, etc., can make database searches difficult and even result in missed records. Developers have found that entry errors can be minimized and collection speed enhanced with several simple data collection tools and techniques that are part of TerraGo Edge. Some of these include the use of pull-down menus for frequently used terms, numeric/alphanumeric entry key restrictions, checkboxes, the use of “radio buttons” for multiple choices, and others. As a result, field users can collect data as quickly as they can walk from one location to another with minimal data entry errors or corruption.
How Much Does It Cost?
$360 per year, with up to three devices. If you want TerraGo to host your operation, storing and backing up your data, that’s another $360 per year. The only additional cost, assuming you already have a smartphone, is additional GPS hardware to achieve better accuracy than the native 5 meters of a smartphone. The additional hardware cost depends on your accuracy needs. A Bad Elf plug-in device gives you 2-meter accuracy for $300 and 1-meter accuracy for $600. Better is a sub-meter accuracy iSX Blue II for $2,000, and even an RTK centimeter system, the EOS Arrow 200, for $6,000. This graph shows the hardware comparisons.
Keep in mind that the GPS units permit data collection even if disconnected, and all available GPS metadata is captured with each fix, so additional post-processing could be done at a later date if needed. The system also comes with a ton of GeoPDF maps, vector data such as OpenStreetMap, WMS feeds and imagery to serve as a backdrop for your data collection. As you would expect, the data you collect can be saved and exported in popular formats such as Esri Shapefiles, KML and GeoPackage, the new OGC handheld standard being supported by AGC and NGA.
How Good Is It?
This image shows the water fountain in front of the TerraGo offices. The green dots show the data points I captured with the Bad Elf Bluetooth GPS.
We then went outside for a short data-collection test using the Bad Elf Bluetooth GPS. It was easy to pair the Bad Elf to my iPhone, and I was able to collect data as fast as I could walk from one location to another. Since this was a short test in the open, I couldn’t judge how quick data collection would be in less than ideal conditions such as building canyons or tree canopy cover. I’d certainly want to spend a day collecting under different conditions to get an accurate feel for the speed, accuracy and reliability of each hardware option in a production environment.
Go to the TerraGo website for a much deeper dive. Edge looks like it will give the competition a real run for the money, not to mention the very significant smartphone accuracy improvements being tested in the labs. So, in short, you can have in your hand a networked GPS datalogger with up to cm accuracy that can operate in a disconnected environment. It seems like smartphones are slowly replacing our stand-alone devices — watches, media players, digital/video cameras, car navigation, compass, level, PC and flashlight. I can even use my iPhone as a magnetometer. Now, even high-end GPS dataloggers are in the smartphone crosshairs.
A good way to see TerraGo Edge in action will be the GPS World webinar at 1300 EDT May 28. Registration is free.
P.S. With Mother’s Day and Memorial Day coming up soon, I’d like to call your attention to my column last year. We frequently read about the bravery and hardships of our military, but the families at home not so much. The mother in the column was so selfless I can’t forget her. You won’t either.
CHC has launched the LT500 series of handheld GPS receivers. The LT500 series LT500N /LT500T/LT500H covers three accuracy ranges from sub-meter to centimeter accuracy and is a cost-effective full GNSS positioning solution for survey, construction and GIS professionals.
Powered by the Windows Embedded Handheld 6.5 operating system, the LT500 is accurate, rugged and versatile, CHC said. User productivity is enhanced with the built-in gyroscope, an innovative laser plummet for positioning the accurate handheld receiver over a point, an E-compass for showing the direction and G-sensors for leveling.
The LT500 series is competitively priced and comes with several bundled software programs, including SurvCE, DigiTerra, MapCloud and other third-party software.
“CHC’s LT500 series is our brand-new GNSS handheld, which has amazing features and specifications. It meets more customers’ needs with more options and affordable prices,” said George Zhao, CEO of CHC. “The introduction of the LT500 demonstrates CHC’s commitment to provide the GIS community with a full spectrum of rugged, cost-effective professional GPS handhelds.”
The LT500 series features these specifications:
1-GHz high-speed CPU with 512-MB RAM and 16-GB flash memory built-in
GIS Cloud is previewing Maplim, an application that allows for fast, intuitive real-time collaboration on a map using any device. GIS Cloud is offering sign-ups for free, early access to Maplim.
According to GIS Cloud, “The idea is to put a map in the context of an organization board where you created projects and cards while engaging with your colleagues in discussions, making drawings (redlining and annotations), attaching documents, or just leaving comments.
Features:
Organization. Create real-time collaboration streams as cards, to which you can add any content around a map and share it with your colleagues. Maplim adapts to your project, team, and workflow.
Redline and Comment. Seamlessly make drawings on a map, add notes, marks, and comments, and provide your team with everything they need to get things done in real time.
Sharing. Attach and access important media such as photos, videos, PDFs, and Excel and Word documents relevant to a card.
Sync. Maplim stays perfectly in sync across all your devices, wherever you are. Post comments for instant feedback, follow your team’s activity in real time, and share results with anyone, anywhere, and on any device.
GIS Cloud is offering a free webinar on Maplim on April 28.
Editor’s Note: Learn more about how the TerraGo Edge replaces single-use GPS handheld devices and enables mobile workers and field crews to easily collect and share field data. Attend GPS World’s May webinar, Say Goodbye Proprietary GPS Devices, Hello TerraGo Edge.
TerraGo, a geospatial collaboration and enterprise mobility software company, is offering a new version of its OpenGeoPDF software, now available with TerraGo Publisher for ArcGIS, TerraGo Composer and TerraGo Toolbar. The latest release gives end users powerful new spatial database features, including the ability to search and update feature attributes, with an interactive OpenGeoPDF map accessible to any end user without requiring them to purchase any software.
“TerraGo’s OpenGeoPDF lets people turn static maps into interactive GIS-lite applications by letting ArcMap users share a free portable client application,” said Kevin Coles, manager of Enterprise GIS at Lumos Networks. “With OpenGeoPDF, end users can do more than view maps and imagery. They can interact with maps in ways previously only available with GIS software including the ability to control layers, measure distances, query, update and extract feature data in a universal format.”
OpenGeoPDF produces a measurable return on investment by enabling organizations to leverage their GIS investment to create free GIS-Lite solutions for non-GIS users. One of the many benefits of the OpenGeoPDF approach is that GeoPDF maps with embedded feature attributes can be accessed, searched, updated and extracted as an OGC (Open Geospatial Consortium) GeoPackage.
“The incredible value of geospatial data and an organization’s investment in GIS should result in more than a paper map or flat image in a PowerPoint,” said TerraGo Chief Technology Officer George Demmy. “OpenGeoPDF offers limitless, new possibilities for geospatial data interchange and creates much richer analytical applications for end users.”
To start a trial of TerraGo Publisher for ArcGIS, download here.
To start a trial of TerraGo Toolbar for Adobe Reader, download here.
