[lug] Re: LUG digest, Vol 1 #853 - 14 msgs

[Eric Hillmuth]

>Message: 6
>Date: Mon, 12 Mar 2001 15:07:30 -0700
>From: "D. Stimits" <stimits at idcomm.com>
>To: lug at lug.boulder.co.us
>Subject: Re: [lug] Re: LUG digest, Vol 1 #851 - 10
>msgs
>Reply-To: lug at lug.boulder.co.us
>
>Eric Hillmuth wrote:
> 
> >
> > -- __--__-- 
> >
> > Message: 1
> > Date: Sun, 11 Mar 2001 12:28:23 -0700
> > From: "D. Stimits" <stimits at idcomm.com>
> > To: lug at lug.boulder.co.us
> > Subject: Re: [lug] Boulder maps
> > Reply-To: lug at lug.boulder.co.us
> >
> > Evelyn Mitchell wrote:
> > >
> > > Try tiger.census.gov
> > >
> > > The maps are rather good:
> > >
> 
> > > Evelyn Mitchell
> > > efm at tummy.com
> >
> > Yes, this seems to be what I need. I'm searching
now
> > for the underlying
> > "Tiger" data used, I think I can create my own
> > custom bitmapping.
> > Thanks.
> >
> > D. Stimits, stimits at idcomm.com
> >
> > -- __--__-- 
> >
> 
> You can go after TIGER data here:
> http://www.esri.com/data/online/tiger/index.html but
> it seems like the site only allows download of a few
> counties at a time and registration is required. You
> can also get tiger data here
> http://goldrush.berkeley.edu/GovData/info/tiger.html
> on a state by state basis.
> 
> One note here if you really want to get into making
> maps from the raw data. I do this kind of mapping
for
> a living and tend to not use the TIGER data unless I
> have too, there is such a thing as too much detail.
I
> usually use data from
> http://www.nationalatlas.gov/atlasftp.html or
> http://www.gisdatadepot.com/ for region level
mapping.
> 
> Of coures once you get a hold of the data you may
need
> some tools to make a map, http://www.freegis.org is
a
> good resource for opensource and linux based mapping
> apps. GMT and GRASS are both highly regarded but
there
> is a bit of a learning curve to both. Good luck.
> 
> --
> Eric Hillmuth
> Principal
> Digital Meridian
> http://www.digitalmeridian.net
> Phone: 303-809-8972
> Fax: 303-443-9427
> 
> 
>
>I've bookmarked these links. I'm debating between
>writing my own
>(probable) or using tools. Basically the tiger data
is >suitable for SQL
>format (my prior job revolved around SQL and
>geocoding, but used
>unsuitable proprietary API's from Autodesk or
>MapInfo). I'm trying to
>think of non-plugin/non-activeX means of doing some
>minor interaction
>with custom maps. Needless to say, it is a lot of
>work.

It is a lot of work to do this kind of thing but I
think that a lot of vendor's solutions are overkill
for  many situations. However there are some
opensource tools and libraries out there that can help
with the basics:

 http://mapserver.gis.umn.edu/index.html
 http://openmap.bbn.com/
 http://mapserver.arsdigita.com/

I've looked into these a bit but have yet to have the
time to make one of them work. I'd love to be apprised
of you progress.

-- 
Eric Hillmuth
Principal
Digital Meridian
http://www.digitalmeridian.net
Phone: 303-809-8972
Fax: 303-443-9427


__________________________________________________
Do You Yahoo!?
Yahoo! Auctions - Buy the things you want at great prices.
http://auctions.yahoo.com/