Tagged Questions

The study and practice of making maps.

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27
votes
4answers
2k views

GIS professionals working from home?

How many of you out there work from home? What kind of company / organization do you work for (private, government, municipal, institution..?). How did you convince your employer it was a good idea? ...
3
votes
2answers
863 views

How to show “First Vertical Derivative of the Magnetic Field” survey data on a map?

I will be given a magnetic survey raster and I am being asked to display this on a map as a "First Vertical Derivative of the Magnetic Field". I've done this before with a different older dataset but ...
4
votes
2answers
207 views

Is there an advanced way to label in ArcMap so that the label will not be dropped?

Is there an advanced way to label in ArcMap so that the label will not be dropped?
2
votes
2answers
973 views

How to Zoom in QGIS Print Composer Without a Scroll Wheel

I am attempting to print a simple map from QGIS in portrait orientation. When I use the "Add New Map" tool it brings the map in at an extent which matches my original data frame if I were to use ...
9
votes
1answer
355 views

How to create an Azimuthal Equidistant map for long-distance radio?

I'm trying to produce world or continent scale maps that use the Azimuthal Equidistant projection. I'm a radio amateur, and to an antenna, the whole world looks like spread out on a flat plane, with ...
8
votes
3answers
373 views

Put the author's name on maps?

I've been informed by my employer of a new policy where I am not to put my name on maps. I've always put my name on my maps in the past and have never run across this policy. Is it uncommon in the ...
52
votes
11answers
8k views

Examples of badly designed maps

A poorly designed map can not only look visually unappealing, but can convey the wrong message, which could lead to bad decisions being made. I would like to ask people to post examples (that are in ...
1
vote
0answers
97 views

Looking for symbology for NAICS codes

I am curious if anyone has come up or has a good graphic style they can share that is symbology for NAICS codes. I have a large dataset that I want to symbpolize based on the 2 digit NAICS industry ...
10
votes
2answers
179 views

How thick in ground units is this line on a printed map?

Sometimes in discussing how accurate this that or the other thing needs to be someone will make the observation that "a line shift of 30m at 1:1million scale is less the width of the line itself when ...
40
votes
8answers
1k views

One dimensional map of the world?

Bit of a strange question but hope this is OK to ask here. Has anyone heard of a '1-dimensional' projection of the world map - that is mapping all the points on the globe to a single line? I was ...
9
votes
4answers
197 views

Where can I find a high quality real globe of a decent size without axis?

I'm trying to find a physical globe of a high map quality that doesn't have any axis or bearings as the axis mounted on standard desk globes completely obscures the arctic regions. High-quality map ...
6
votes
5answers
2k views

How to map the frequency of overlapping points within an urban area?

I've been asked to do a favor for someone since I'm "the mapping guy" and could use some theoretical help by way of examples since my actual cartography skills are a little rusty. I have a series of ...
6
votes
1answer
95 views

How can I generate a range of pantones for a map?

When I am given a map (or make one...) I often like to get an idea of the range of colours present. One thing this does is it allows me to quickly visualize contrast (helps build maps for colour blind ...
4
votes
3answers
452 views

How to place multiple symbols on one polygon centroid?

I am using QGIS for visualizing the health conditions of elderly living in an old age home, some of the elderly have multiple medical device with them and I want to show them on the map. Suppose I ...
6
votes
2answers
1k views

Can I alter font size using label expression?

I have two label classes displaying dynamically over my parcel polygons. The owner info is the major label with larger font size and bellow it I am displaying some property type info in smaller font. ...
22
votes
9answers
1k views

Effectively displaying demographic data on a printed map

I would like to plot the following per zone (30 zones total) data on a printable/non interactive map: Average age Average household income Number of households Population density Number of people ...
22
votes
2answers
4k views

How to style beautiful road maps with QGIS?

I am trying to design a beautiful map using Qgis. As I'm a software developer not a designer, I was hoping that this will be easy, but it isn't! There is a similar question here Qgis tutorials and ...
18
votes
3answers
2k views

How to hide “internal” polygon boundaries?

We've been scratching our heads over how to tackle this for some time, and are no more illuminated than when we started. I hope you can help. Our task is thus: how to draw a lake with a solid outer ...
11
votes
7answers
1k views

Color palette conventions

I wonder if there is a "unified" source for map color conventions, that GIS map builders are encouraged to follow? EDIT To clear up my question a bit. I'm more interested in the color <-with ...
0
votes
1answer
199 views

How to reuse Thematic layer definitions in Mapinfo?

I have a map from table. Let the table be TABLE1. Now That I have created Thematic Map from Column1 of this table. Again I executed the following query Select * from TABLE1 where TABLE1.column1 ...
0
votes
1answer
213 views

Arcmap 10 corner label measured grid

I am using the corner label feature in Arcmap 10. This allows you to set the "Numer of principal digits" and the "Number of base digits". What do these properties refer to?
11
votes
4answers
470 views

What resources can you suggest for making beautiful online Maps or Mapping applications?

As a GIS developer, my design skills are rather limited. Are there any links, books or resources, that you would suggest to make my online maps more pleasing and beautiful?
19
votes
6answers
475 views

Open access repository of general GIS spatial data?

As a newcomer to using GIS for research, I am wondering if there are online repositories for spatial data, similar to package repositories for Linux distributions. For instance, I would be able to ...
10
votes
1answer
441 views

Polygon gradient fills / tint bands in QGIS

Is it possible to use a gradient fill on a polygon in QGIS? I would like to have my polygons with a colour at the edges, fading to clear/white as it moves away from the edge. The majority of the ...
13
votes
13answers
3k views

Alternative cartographic software programs?

I am looking for an alternative software product for cartography other than ArcGIS and Adobe Illustrator. The graphic quality in ArcGIS outputs is substantially poor when compared to outputs in ...
4
votes
4answers
3k views

How to reproject base layers in OpenLayers?

The issue is: I have vector/topo/image tiled maps for some places in north america which were published as ArcGIS Server REST service. These maps (A) are based in EPSG26912 projection. Now I wanna ...
4
votes
1answer
189 views

What is the most “logical” route generating site (for Europe by car)?

What is the most logical route generating site do you think is out there? By logical I mean optimizing the driving time between two points. (Not always is the fastest way to proceed found along the ...
1
vote
1answer
355 views

How to hide coordinates points in mapinfo?

I have created labels ,legends scale and North-direction pointer but I now need to conditionally hide or show the points using button in mapbasic program but I don't know the syntax. Where can I ...
9
votes
3answers
276 views

How is margin of error reported on a map?

When reporting estimates you should always include the margin of error. There are conventional ways of reporting margin of error in a table, text or graph. But, how do you report margin of error for ...
5
votes
5answers
276 views

Provincial Base Mapping Data Sources in Canada

I'm very familiar with the Ontario Base Mapping Data, and am looking for similar data for other Canadian Provinces. Perhaps we can start a list of resources here? I'm looking for something at a larger ...
30
votes
4answers
3k views

Why has Web Mercator (auxiliary sphere) become the web map standard?

I understand what the difference is between the Web Mercator projection and Web Mercator Auxiliary Sphere (WMAS). I also understand that both Google and Esri have adopted this projection as their ...
11
votes
7answers
2k views

How to obtain overlapping semi-transparent circles effect?

I have been trying to obtain the following markers effect. How can I do the same in ArcGIS (or any free software)? This image is from a book.
5
votes
3answers
587 views

How to normalize choropleth maps of census information?

I'm trying to improve on the census-based maps on this site, which shows census values at 5 scales from Collection Districts through to State. Currently the maps show whole numbers (eg total ...
2
votes
0answers
756 views

Converting projected coordinates to google maps pixels

I have a single polygon in a local projection system. I would like to convert that polygon into an image that can be used as an overlay on google maps. I understand that it may be better to use ...
0
votes
1answer
263 views

How to point out a city from a map image of world with longitude and latitude?

have a map image 800px wide. How can I figure out a city. like New York has 40.75 latitude and -73.98 longitude. I have to pin a mark over this point. Before I have done with x_axis and y_axis which ...
4
votes
4answers
947 views

ArcGIS: Maintaining the same layer styles over multiple data frames

Let's say you have a map with three or four data frames. In each data frame there is the same road layer. Is there a way to ensure that all the symbology/labeling/annotation is the same for that layer ...
7
votes
2answers
339 views

What is your workflow for designing “antique” maps?

I currently work with ArcGIS 9.3 and have decent competence with Adobe CS4-5 of Photoshop and Illustrator. I'm more than happy to branch out to other software. Essentially, I'd like to get really ...
0
votes
2answers
184 views

How to find which table has layer in mapinfo?

Is it possible to find if table has layer Or print list of layers? Edit:: I have a table when I selete some data from table like: Select * from earth where population >100 Then it create new ...
1
vote
1answer
578 views

GeoTools Dynamic Layer

I need to change the features of a MapLayer in real-time but I don't know how I can update/refresh/repaint the layer on the map without having to remove it and add it again (which creates flickering). ...
0
votes
1answer
108 views

How to manipulate select query in mapinfo so that it does not high light the selected data?

I have select query in a button but I don't want user to see the way I am changing the map coordinate while selecting specific points and adding a layer. How is it possible to do that in a button ? ...
0
votes
1answer
59 views

What kind of table is bingHybrid?

I closed all table but I don't wan't to close underlying map eg like bingHybrid in mapinfo. How to prevent. Any detail about there map and way to handle while closing layers would be appreciated.
2
votes
1answer
292 views

How to add custom Icon to buttons on buttonpads in mapinfo?

I have made buttons with icons availabe in mapinfo but now i want to add custom icon. Is it possible my code is as follows: Include "icons.def" Declare Sub Main Declare Sub button_prompt Sub ...
3
votes
5answers
901 views

What are the elements that a good map should have?

I have drawn a map with some coordinate(longitude and latitude). What are good points that a map should have eg labels, legend, etc. Edit: The map if for the purpose of locating different objects ...
4
votes
1answer
465 views

Can I change the font type in all Text_Elements in a page?

I want to change all the font styles in a number of mxd's from "Lucinda Sans" or whatever the current one is to "Arial" without changing the font size. I wrote a simple script to find/replace text ...
1
vote
2answers
1k views

What are the best ways to connect two coordinates on mapinfo?

I have with the help of this forum drawn a coordinate system with longitude and latitude at different location. I am trying to connect these sites what is the best way to connect. Is it just drawing ...
1
vote
1answer
149 views

How to display Lidar Data in ee0 (Interchange File) on Maps

Hi I have Lidar data in ee0 files (interchange files). Can i ovaerlay them on some maps like say Bing Maps or Geoserver with Open Layers? If yes whats the right way of doing it? Thanks
11
votes
1answer
360 views

Is there a “correct” way to order legend items (high-low or low-high)?

When you symbolise a layer in ArcMap, the symbols are ordered from low value to high value by default. Is that necessarily "correct"? I've never officially studied cartography - is there a convention ...
1
vote
1answer
367 views

Create shape file of bookmark extents and/or automatically print bookmark extents to pdf

Is it possible to export the extents of all bookmarks in an active map document to a shape file containing the polygons of the shape and/or to automate the print to pdf of all the bookmark extents. ...
10
votes
4answers
564 views

How can I generate a high resolution rendering of the globe?

I am building an ANSI E poster size map collection and would like to add a nice rendering of the globe to the maps indicating the approximate position of the region on the globe. The problem is that ...
13
votes
7answers
2k views

Is it easy to digitize in ArcGIS using the Wacom tablet?

I do just enough digitizing (and touching up/ drawing when post-processing) to perhaps warrant the purchase of a Wacom tablet. Just wondering how well it plays with ArcGIS. What are your experiences? ...

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