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Internet Mapping

Internet Mapping 

The last few years have seen an explosion in the use of the internet to deploy interactive maps. Technologies such as Microsoft bing Maps (formerly Virtual Earth), Google Maps and Google Earth have brought geographic information out of the backroom and into the boardroom. The ease with which complex maps can now be deployed to the Internet has raised public awareness of the benefits of adopting a geographic approach to how information is presented. Members of the public now expect to find interactive mapping on public information websites and are adept at using this type of technology. Fast and intuitive map controls embedded in web applications are now the norm rather than the exception.

At ESRI Ireland we have developed a depth of experience and a breath of expertise in helping our Customers deploy their map based information to the Internet using interactive map controls from Microsoft bing Maps, Google Maps and Google Earth as well as our own Internet technologies.

Using the power of our ArcGIS Server product in conjunction with our Web Mapping API’s, services from ESRI Ireland can help you create bespoke high performance, information rich and cartographically beautiful web mapping. To help kick start your Internet mapping project ESRI Ireland has developed a set of Web Clients using JavaScript and Adobe FLEX technologies. These include ActiView for Google Maps, ActiView for ArcGIS Server and the ESRI FLEX Viewer. These are “soft products” which with services from ESRI Ireland can be configured to meet most Internet mapping requirements.

Data Management

Our GIS Consultants will work with you to collate and organise your map based information into a form suitable for use on the Internet.

  • Create a single source of map features
  • Define which attribute information for each feature class is to be made public
  • Create hyperlinks to other web based information
  • Select a suitable geographic projection for Internet use
  • Define and publish metadata

Cartography

Internet maps need to be visually informative to a public audience. This involves careful approaches to cartography. Our GIS Consultants will work with you to optimize your map based information into for use on the Internet.

  • Define symbolisation, labeling and zoom scales
  • Define attractive colour fills
  • Specify layer order and transparancy
  • Author map documents for publication
  • Publish web map service

Performance

On the public Internet users have a high expectation of performance. Internet mapping is often computationally intensive and if design is poor performance can suffer greatly. Our GIS Consultants will work with you to optimize the performance of your internet mapping application.

  • Define a suitable basemap on which to display your business information
  • Tune your Cartography for performance
  • Specify a caching strategy where appropriate
  • Build high performance caches

User Generated Content

One of the most exciting outcomes of Internet mapping in the Web 2.0 era has been the explosion in User Generated Content whereby members of the public can contribute geographical content via your Internet mapping site using our web editing technology. If you are interested in this form of extended collaboration our GIS Consultants will work with you to establish a framework for harvesting content from your users.

  • Establish features to e collected
  • Design & Deploy intuitive editing tools
  • Establish Quality Control and Moderation Workflows

My organisation wants to publish our map data via the Internet but we don’t know where to start, can you help?

Yes. Our GIS Consultants can engage with your organsiation to help. Typically we request a sample of your map information to help us understand to geographical aspect of your business. If you can supply that information we will create a Geodatabase for you, author a map document optomised for Internet publication, publish that map document as an internet map service and build a simple application using one of our Web Client’s. This will get you started and we can take it from there.

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What is the best choice of base map for Internet use Google Maps or bing Maps?

For internet use both are excellent choices, they provide an Internet ready, high performance base map on which you can overlay your own information. The choice of which to use depends on how you feel about the terms and conditions of use associated with each. Google Map is generally free to use but has some licensing restrictions bing Maps is chargeable but many users are more comfortable with its licensing provisions. If you are an existing ArcGIS Server Licensee or if your application is not commercial you will also have the choice of using our ArcGIS OnLine Standard Map Services.

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How do I create map information suitable for Internet publication?

We recommend using ArcGIS Desktop to author maps destined for Internet publication. Using ArcGIS Desktop you can easily author your map in a WYSIWIG environment. When you are ready you can then use the Map Publishing Toolbar to publish your map to ArcGIS Server. Your Internet map will look exactly like the map you create in ArcGIS Desktop on your PC.

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What projection should I use when creating a map for Internet publication?

You should use a map projection that is compatible with the basemap you intend to use. For Google Maps, bing Maps and (shortly) ArcGIS Online Standard and Premium Services this is the Web Mercator (WKID xxx) Projection. Although ArcGIS Server will re-project on the fly if necessary this will have an adverse affect on performance.

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