<table border="0" cellpadding="6" cellspacing="0" hspace="4">
<tbody><tr>
<td bgcolor="#eeeeee" colspan="2">
<table width="100%">
<tbody><tr>
<td><b>SetProjection(BatchMode)</b> (Download Now)</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
</td></tr>
<tr>
<td colspan="2" valign="top">This application sets the projection in  batch mode for Mapinfo Tables</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td colspan="2" valign="top">
<table border="0" cellpadding="6" cellspacing="0">
<tbody><tr>
<td align="right" valign="top"><b>File Name</b></td> <td>SetJiusd.zip (49KB)</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="right" valign="top"><b>Author</b></td> <td>Amzad Ali Khan</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="right" valign="top"><b>Created</b></td> <td>Apr 5, 2004, 1:00:52 AM</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="right" valign="top"><b>Modified</b></td> <td>Apr 5, 2004, 1:00:52 AM</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="right" valign="top"><b>Version</b></td> <td>1.0</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="right" valign="top"><b>Supporting GIS</b></td> <td>MapInfo Professional</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="right" valign="top"><b>OS Support</b></td> <td>Windows</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td colspan="2" valign="top"><hr size="1"></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td colspan="2" valign="top">
</td></tr></tbody></table>-->

 Geospatial Files and Tools

GIS File Library SetJiusd.zip

Utility bundle of batch file utilities for import, export and coordinate system conversion. BatchMIF imports multiple mif/mid files into MapInfo tables. MIFexp exports multiple MapInfo tables into mif/mid files. BatchProj converts multiple MapInfo tables to new coordinate systems. DXFexp exports multiple MapInfo tables to DXF format (default values).

GIS File Library batchtools-25

Save your thematic layers as default map objects in your MapInfo Table

File Name	HardCode Thematics.zip (16.01 KB)

This app was created a few years ago to assist some of the forum members here. Has now since been 99.97% tested. =)

This app will permanently APPLY the thematic styles to the map objects and thus the result will be treated as a normal layer, not a thematic layer by MapInfo Professional

This program will allow you to save your thematicised settings as the default map object styles in a MapInfo table. You are given the option to create a new table, or to use and overwrite the existing one.

Thematic Layers: thematic layer to extract

Note: As demonstrated at the MapInfo Australia's 2005 Christmas User Forums

GIS File Library HardCode Thematics.zip

Command line tool to convert SRTM-3 .hgt files to ASCII x,y,z.

Supporting GIS	Independent / Not Applicable

Converts SRTM-3 .hgt files to ASCII x,y,z (long,lat,height).

Requires the .net framework (freely available from Microsoft) in order to run.

Output is to standard output, unless redirected to a file, which allows multiple files to be concatenated together.

This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.

GIS File Library page inner hgt2xyz.exe

Appends similarly structured MI tables. Works either interactively or in bat ...

Appends similarly structured MI tables. Works either interactively or in batch mode. There is no limit to the number of files one can combine.

GIS File Library page append2-109.zip

CodeTopo CodeTopo is a software that allows to automatically draw maps from list of...

TatukGIS Coordinate Conversion Calculator This free application interactively converts the coordinates of a point...

TatukGIS Free Viewer Widely appreciated as the world’s best free desktop GIS Viewer, this...

DateWidget 0.25 Utilities for transforming dates within Maptitude GIS. GPLv3 license....

Cluster Contiguous 0.2 This macro will identify contiguous sets of polygons. It marks each...

Copy Annotation 0.3 This add-in allows a user to copy annotations (freehand text; freehand...

Area and Perimeter 0.3 This zipfile contains a pair of add-ins that allow the user to find the...

Point Coordinates 0.3 As the user clicks on points on a map, this toolbox copies each point's...

Azimuth 0.3 Finds the azimuth and length of a freehand line on a Maptitude map or...

Xtract This tool will extract a grid value to a overlying point. The user can either...

5.	Source code for converting TAB to SHP	8308

Geospatial Files and Tools search DM

Geospatial Files and Tools DM

<table border="0" cellpadding="6" cellspacing="0" hspace="4">
<tbody><tr>
<td bgcolor="#eeeeee" colspan="2">
<table width="100%">
<tbody><tr>
<td><b>Qik_AvlWriterV1.zip</b> (Download Now)</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
</td></tr>
<tr>
<td colspan="2" valign="top">Example tool of how to write avl files from Mapinfo base tables</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td colspan="2" valign="top"><hr size="1"></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td colspan="2" valign="top">
<table border="0" cellpadding="6" cellspacing="0">
<tbody><tr>
<td align="right" valign="top"><b>File Name</b></td> <td>Qik_AvlWriterV1.zip (13.64 KB)</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="right" valign="top"><b>Author</b></td> <td>Russell Lawley</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="right" valign="top"><b>Created</b></td> <td>Oct 17, 2006, 4:29:59 AM</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="right" valign="top"><b>Modified</b></td> <td>Oct 17, 2006, 4:29:59 AM</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="right" valign="top"><b>Version</b></td> <td>6.5</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="right" valign="top"><b>Supporting GIS</b></td> <td>MapInfo Professional</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="right" valign="top"><b>OS Support</b></td> <td>OS Independent</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td colspan="2" valign="top"><hr size="1"></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td colspan="2" valign="top">
</td></tr></tbody></table>-->
    			A small tool that demonstrates how it is possible to write an AVL file (for use in ESRI's ArcXXXX products). The tool converts foreground colour info from Mapinfo regions, into thematic settings within the avl. Has limited finctionality but could be expanded, contact the author for the source code.

GIS File Library Qik_AvlWriterV1.zip

<table border="0" cellpadding="6" cellspacing="0" hspace="4">
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<tbody><tr>
<td><b>Resolve Workspace Tables</b> (Download Now)</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
</td></tr>
<tr>
<td colspan="2" valign="top">Allows the user to open a workspace regardless of missing tables</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td colspan="2" valign="top"><hr size="1"></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td colspan="2" valign="top">
<table border="0" cellpadding="6" cellspacing="0">
<tbody><tr>
<td align="right" valign="top"><b>File Name</b></td> <td>RWTv0.92 (SMUT).Zip (361.33 KB)</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="right" valign="top"><b>Author</b></td> <td>Stephen Chan</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="right" valign="top"><b>Created</b></td> <td>Nov 28, 2004, 4:13:29 PM</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="right" valign="top"><b>Modified</b></td> <td>Nov 28, 2004, 4:13:29 PM</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="right" valign="top"><b>Version</b></td> <td>v0.92</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="right" valign="top"><b>Supporting GIS</b></td> <td>MapInfo Professional</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="right" valign="top"><b>OS Support</b></td> <td>Windows</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td colspan="2" valign="top"><hr size="1"></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td colspan="2" valign="top">
</td></tr></tbody></table>

-->
    			Resolve Workspace Tables from Steve's Mapinfo User's Toolbox (RWT-SMUT).

This app will process a workspace file where tables are missing and generate a new workspace file which opens.

This app is useful if your table files no longer exists as it removes all references to it in the workspace file.

This app is also useful if the location of your tables have moved as there is a directory search facility that will replace the entry of your tables with the new location. (Note search directories must be set.)

Perform Search: Uses search directories set.

Use 1st Option: Automatically uses first table found in search.

Use Only Option: Automatically uses onlt table found in search

I hope you all find it useful.  I have currently extended the app so it does batch jobs. Works well although there is some part of the code I need to look at at the moment.

GIS File Library RWTv0.92 (SMUT).Zip

<table border="0" cellpadding="6" cellspacing="0" hspace="4">
<tbody><tr>
<td bgcolor="#eeeeee" colspan="2">
<table width="100%">
<tbody><tr>
<td><b>SetProjection(BatchMode)</b> (Download Now)</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
</td></tr>
<tr>
<td colspan="2" valign="top">This application sets the projection in  batch mode for Mapinfo Tables</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td colspan="2" valign="top"><hr size="1"></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td colspan="2" valign="top">
<table border="0" cellpadding="6" cellspacing="0">
<tbody><tr>
<td align="right" valign="top"><b>File Name</b></td> <td>SetProjection.exe (44 KB)</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="right" valign="top"><b>Author</b></td> <td>Amzad Ali Khan</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="right" valign="top"><b>Created</b></td> <td>Apr 5, 2004, 1:00:52 AM</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="right" valign="top"><b>Modified</b></td> <td>Apr 5, 2004, 1:00:52 AM</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="right" valign="top"><b>Version</b></td> <td>1.0</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="right" valign="top"><b>Supporting GIS</b></td> <td>MapInfo Professional</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="right" valign="top"><b>OS Support</b></td> <td>Windows</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td colspan="2" valign="top"><hr size="1"></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td colspan="2" valign="top">
</td></tr></tbody></table>-->
    			This Application sets the projection system in batch mode for the mapinfo tables. This application provides the user to chose the projection to apply for all the files. Files can be selected by the application. Finally saves the new projected files to the user selected folder.

GIS File Library SetProjection.exe

<table border="0" cellpadding="6" cellspacing="0" hspace="4">
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<tbody><tr>
<td><b>Rotate text</b> (Download Now)</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
</td></tr>
<tr>
<td colspan="2" valign="top">Rotates text objects</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td colspan="2" valign="top"><hr size="1"></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td colspan="2" valign="top">
<table border="0" cellpadding="6" cellspacing="0">
<tbody><tr>
<td align="right" valign="top"><b>File Name</b></td> <td>txt_rotate.MBX (2.15 KB)</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="right" valign="top"><b>Author</b></td> <td>Jaromir Svasta</td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table>

Windows -->  			TXT_rotate is a MapBasic utility that rotates selected text objects a specified angle clockwise or counter clockwise. After running the utility, it adds a button to the "Tools" toolbar, which opens a dialog where user specifies how to rotate the text objects. Requires MapInfo 4.0 or higher.

GIS File Library txt_rotate.MBX

<table border="0" cellpadding="6" cellspacing="0" hspace="4">
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<td bgcolor="#eeeeee" colspan="2">
<table width="100%">
<tbody><tr>
<td><b>overlay-188.zip</b> (Download Now)</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
</td></tr>
<tr>
<td colspan="2" valign="top">This utility provides an easy way to make point/line/poly in polygon overlay ...</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td colspan="2" valign="top"><hr size="1"></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td colspan="2" valign="top">
<table border="0" cellpadding="6" cellspacing="0">
<tbody><tr>
<td align="right" valign="top"><b>File Name</b></td> <td>overlay-188.zip (5.21 KB)</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="right" valign="top"><b>Author</b></td> <td>Bart Adriaanse</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="right" valign="top"><b>Created</b></td> <td>Nov 5, 1999, 12:00:00 AM</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="right" valign="top"><b>Modified</b></td> <td>Nov 5, 1999, 12:00:00 AM</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="right" valign="top"><b>Supporting GIS</b></td> <td>MapInfo Professional</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="right" valign="top"><b>OS Support</b></td> <td></td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td colspan="2" valign="top"><hr size="1"></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td colspan="2" valign="top">
</td></tr></tbody></table>-->

This utility provides an easy way to make point/line/poly in polygon overlays between two map layers, merging the related data, just like in ArcInfo. MapBasic source code included. Version Updated for MapInfo 4.0, posted March 1997

GIS File Library overlay-188.zip

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<table width="100%">
<tbody><tr>
<td><b>sort_tab-77.zip</b> (Download Now)</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
</td></tr>
<tr>
<td colspan="2" valign="top">Sort table by a column.  Includes source code.</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td colspan="2" valign="top"><hr size="1"></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td colspan="2" valign="top">
<table border="0" cellpadding="6" cellspacing="0">
<tbody><tr>
<td align="right" valign="top"><b>File Name</b></td> <td>sort_tab-77.zip (3.45 KB)</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="right" valign="top"><b>Author</b></td> <td>Ahmet Dabanli</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="right" valign="top"><b>Created</b></td> <td>Feb 20, 1999, 12:00:00 AM</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="right" valign="top"><b>Modified</b></td> <td>Feb 20, 1999, 12:00:00 AM</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="right" valign="top"><b>Supporting GIS</b></td> <td>MapInfo Professional</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="right" valign="top"><b>OS Support</b></td> <td></td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td colspan="2" valign="top"><hr size="1"></td>
</tr>

<tr>
<td colspan="2">&nbsp;</td>
</tr>

</tbody></table>

GIS File Library sort_tab-77.zip

<table border="0" cellpadding="6" cellspacing="0" hspace="4">
<tbody><tr>
<td bgcolor="#eeeeee" colspan="2">
<table width="100%">
<tbody><tr>
<td><b>distmark-51.zip</b> (Download Now)</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
</td></tr>
<tr>
<td colspan="2" valign="top">Designed to place points along a line at a predefined distance. The start li ...</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td colspan="2" valign="top"><hr size="1"></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td colspan="2" valign="top">
<table border="0" cellpadding="6" cellspacing="0">
<tbody><tr>
<td align="right" valign="top"><b>File Name</b></td> <td>distmark-51.zip (11.96 KB)</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="right" valign="top"><b>Author</b></td> <td>Meridian GIS</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="right" valign="top"><b>Created</b></td> <td>Apr 28, 1999, 12:00:00 AM</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="right" valign="top"><b>Modified</b></td> <td>Apr 28, 1999, 12:00:00 AM</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="right" valign="top"><b>Supporting GIS</b></td> <td>MapInfo Professional</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="right" valign="top"><b>OS Support</b></td> <td></td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td colspan="2" valign="top"><hr size="1"></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td colspan="2" valign="top">
<b>Description</b>--></td></tr></tbody></table>


Designed to place points along a line at a predefined distance. The start line end is indicated by the user with the mouse click, and hence is not restricted to the line direction. The tool can handle line, polyline and multiple section polylines.

GIS File Library distmark-51.zip

<table border="0" cellpadding="6" cellspacing="0" hspace="4">
<tbody><tr>
<td bgcolor="#eeeeee" colspan="2">
<table width="100%">
<tbody><tr>
<td><b>batchtools-25.zip</b> (Download Now)</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
</td></tr>
<tr>
<td colspan="2" valign="top">Utility bundle of batch file utilities for import, export and coordinate sys ...</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td colspan="2" valign="top"><hr size="1"></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td colspan="2" valign="top">
<table border="0" cellpadding="6" cellspacing="0">
<tbody><tr>
<td align="right" valign="top"><b>File Name</b></td> <td>batchtools-25.zip (9.93 KB)</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="right" valign="top"><b>Author</b></td> <td>Justin Hyland</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="right" valign="top"><b>Created</b></td> <td>Feb 20, 1999, 12:00:00 AM</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="right" valign="top"><b>Modified</b></td> <td>Feb 20, 1999, 12:00:00 AM</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="right" valign="top"><b>Supporting GIS</b></td> <td>MapInfo Professional</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="right" valign="top"><b>OS Support</b></td> <td></td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td colspan="2" valign="top"><hr size="1"></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td colspan="2" valign="top">
<b>Description</b></td></tr></tbody></table>


GIS File Library batchtools-25.zip

The newest data portal from the Census Bureau includes new search tools and more.Website

If you have a suggestion for a data resource you'd like us to add or you've noticed an error, please email us at editors@directionsmag.com.

Articles

US Census Bureau

Award winning Esri business partner, GEO Jobe, relocates Center for Research and Engineering to new location in Gulfport, MS.

GULFPORT, Miss. - Oct. 25, 2017 -  GEO Jobe is pleased to announce a new location for our Mississippi-based office and Center for Research and Engineering. As of October, 2017 the office has moved from Biloxi to a new location in Gulfport, MS. Recall, it was in 2015 when GEO Jobe announced the opening of our new Center for Research and Engineering office in Biloxi, MS. This location enables GEO Jobe GIS to better serve clientele along the gulf coast and serve as our primary research & development location for GIS application innovation.

The Gulfport location is a full-service office with a multi-disciplined and talented GIS staff headed by David Hansen, Vice President of GEO Jobe and Director of the Center for Research and Engineering. Hansen has recently grown his team with the addition of several key, new staff members including junior and senior software engineers and, most recently, the addition of an enterprise project manager.

The office is responsible for designing and implementing custom ArcGIS-based solutions as well as  supporting enterprise scale clients. The team is also responsible for the development and support of several popular apps you've grown to love such as Mapfolio and the 2015 Most Innovative ArcGIS Marketplace Award winner, Admin Tools for ArcGIS Online which is used by over 4,000 organizations globally. Both applications can be found on the ArcGIS Marketplace. GEO Jobe GIS is a long time business partner of Esri as well as an early adopter of the ArcGIS Online platform.

"GEO Jobe's Center for Research and Engineering  has served the geospatial community for years creating such solutions as Mapfolio and Admin Tools for ArcGIS Online. It gives me great pleasure to announce that GEO Jobe's Center for Research and Engineering is relocating to a larger space in Gulfport, Mississippi. The increased space will allow us to continue to expand staff and capabilities to innovate and create world class solutions." - David Hansen Vice President of GEO Jobe.

GEO Jobe Center for Research and Engineering

Founded in 1999, GEO Jobe (@geojobegis)  is a geospatial industry leader that currently has the top three most popular apps in the ArcGIS Marketplace including Admin Tools for ArcGIS Online, Mapfolio, and the. While many geospatial firms focus on a specific industry, GEO Jobe has a focus on industry independent solutions and offerings such as providing software development and data hosting expertise and services. GEO Jobe was an early adopter of the ArcGIS Online platform and always strives to extend and push the limits of what is possible using the platform. GEO Jobe has been an Esri business partner for 16 years and has received multiple awards from Esri including the 2015 Innovative Marketplace Provider and the 2013 Organization Use of ArcGIS Online award.

A New Office for GEO Jobe GIS Center for Research and Engineering in Gulfport, Mississippi

The GIS Certification Institute (GISCI) is pleased to announce Es² as the newest GISCI-designated Endorsing Employer. Established in 1996, Es² is Louisiana small business focused on leading-edge geospatial services in GIS, Unmanned Aerial Systems, surveying, and mapping. As an Esri Gold Partner Es² provides GIS professional services to local, state, and federal government agencies, maritime ports, non-profit organizations, universities, and industry clients.
As a licensed engineering and surveying firm, Es² understands the value of professional registrations and certifications. The GISP certification provides employers with the confidence that GIS personnel are not only technically qualified but also of high moral standards. An employee with a GISP is elevated above a similarly qualified non-GISP.
The GISCI appreciates Es²’s support of their employees and the GISP program.
 
The GIS Certification Institute created the GISCI Endorsing Employer Designation Program to help increase the value of GISP® Certification for our primary stakeholders and help facilitate the growth of the GISP Program within the geospatial community. The GISCI will grant the GISCI Endorsing Employer Designation to organizations that meet the criteria established by the GISCI as supportive of GIS Professionals and the GISP Certification process by way of internal activities, programs, and policies. The designation is not only a commitment to GISP Certification for staff, but also to uphold the ideals of the GIS Certification Institute.
The GISCI Endorsing Employer Designation is available to all organizations (public, private/commercial) apart from GISCI member organizations. Organizations seeking the designation must submit a formal application listing the criteria met as verified by the organization’s HR representative. A review committee will evaluate each application and if the organization meets the criteria, the committee will forward the application to the GISCI Board of Directors for approval. Each approved GISCI Endorsing Employer will last for three (3) years, provide the organization with permission to display their organization logo on our website, and provide permission to display the GISCI Endorsing Employer designation on their website. There is no cost to obtain this designation. A list of GISCI Endorsing Organizations can be found on the GISCI website at:

The GIS Certification Institute (GISCI) is a non-profit organization that promotes the advancement of proficient GIS professionals through its international GISP® (Certified GIS Professional) certification program. The Institute fosters rigorous professional and ethical standards, community engagement, and professional mentoring within the GIS industry. GISCI’s member organizations include the American Association of Geographers (AAG), National States Geographic Information Council (NSGIC), University Consortium for Geographic Information Science (UCGIS), and the Urban and Regional Information Systems Association (URISA).

More information about the GISCI is available at www.gisci.org and about Es² at

GISCI Announces Es² as its Newest Endorsing Employer

The U.S. Geological Survey's Larry Moore provides an update on the US Topo effort, the Survey’s general purpose, digital, quadrangle map series. He outlines the successes thus far and the obstacles still ahead in 2013.

century, the foundation of the U.S. Geological Survey’s (USGS) national map series was 7.5-minute topographic maps. This map series was declared complete in 1992. In the 1990s and early 2000s, the USGS mapping program focused its attention on digital data for GIS. In November, 2008, the USGS began defining a new general purpose, digital, quadrangle map series. In 2009, this new series was named “US Topo.” While the older maps were handcrafted products created from primary data sources, US Topo maps are mass-produced from secondary data sources, mostly the GIS databases of The National Map. Because of this difference, the new maps have lower unit cost, better map currency, and better overall coverage, but have less content and do not completely replicate the visual appearance of a hand-drawn map.

The early phases of the US Topo program are discussed in a May, 2011 paper []. In September, 2012, the first three-year production cycle was completed and nearly full coverage of the conterminous United States with a new national map series was achieved.

The primary strategic goal of the US Topo program is to refresh the national map series for all U.S. states and territories on a regular three-year cycle. For the conterminous 48 states alone, this requires publishing 18,000 maps per year or 72 maps every work day. This production goal has been met for three consecutive years, and between late 2009 and late 2012, the conterminous 48 states were completely covered with new topographic maps.

Maps created in early 2009 were simple image maps without contours or hydrography. These were named “Digital Map – Beta” and are now regarded as experimental and temporary. These maps were removed from public view as they were replaced with contour maps in 2012. In future three year cycles, the older maps will be retained as historical data and will continue to be available for download. The second three year cycle of US Topo production began in October, 2012.

Figure 1 shows map production rates and illustrates the progress on the basic problem of mass production. Each year the production system has become more stable, and in 2012, a steady state was reached with production almost exactly matching targets.

US Topo map production, June, 2009–September, 2012. The primary strategic goal of the program is to refresh the national map series for the United States on a regular three-year cycle. This pace of map production was achieved for the first three-year cycle, 2010–2012.

The second strategic goal of the program is continuous product improvement, which can be divided into two broad categories.

The old topographic maps were created from primary sources, including extensive field observation. It is currently not possible to duplicate the content of those maps from The National Map databases, but a goal of US Topo is to add more data layers each year as data are obtained from authoritative sources and integrated into The National Map. The major improvements and content milestones to date are:

June, 2009 – Production of basic image maps started.

October, 2009 – Contour and hydrography layers added.

May, 2010 – Road data source changed from Census Bureau to commercially licensed data from TeleAtlas/TomTom.

October, 2010 – Production of maps over National Forests started, with National Forest boundaries and roads provided by the U.S. Forest Service.

April, 2011 – State and county boundaries added.

October, 2011 – Timber coverage layer added.

May, 2012 – Railroads added for selected track provided by the Federal Railroad Administration.

May, 2012 – Public Land Survey System data added for selected western states; data provided by the Bureau of Land Management.

Additional content planned for 2013 includes a shaded relief layer, National Parks and other selected federal land boundaries, and recreational trails in National Forests. In all cases, new content depends on receiving data from authoritative sources. For non-natural map features, the USGS no longer gathers data by direct field observation or from primary sources.

Continuous content improvement does have some minor drawbacks for map users. Adding a new feature class improves the quality of maps containing that feature, but temporarily reduces the consistency of the series as a whole. To minimize this problem, the USGS typically adds new content for an entire state at one time. To further help with symbol clarity, an attachment containing cartographic symbols used on US Topo maps will be included in the US Topo GeoPDF starting in the spring of 2013. The three to five year goal is to have a legend on each US Topo showing the feature set at the time the map was made.

Traditional maps are part scientific documents and part works of art, and computers cannot yet create the graceful appearance of a traditional hand-drawn map from normal GIS data. Challenges include text placement, integration of different feature classes, and positioning crowded features while maintaining clarity. US Topo maps’ visual appearance is superior to a typical GIS display, but still falls short of traditional USGS topographic map presentation standards.

Nevertheless, the first US Topo production cycle included many improvements to automated map layout. The production software can now automatically avoid most overprints of both text and features. Label density, especially for road and street names, has steadily improved. Contours and water bodies are more tightly integrated than in 2010. The overall appearance and readability of the maps has improved even as more content has been added and unit production cost has decreased.

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The images compare the linework content of a 2009 “Digital Map – Beta” (left) with the 2012 US Topo of the same area (right). The orthophoto layer is turned off in both images. Although US Topo still does not have all the feature classes of traditional USGS topographic maps, much progress has been made since the program started. More feature classes will be added in 2013. US Topo maps also have content the old topographic maps did not, such as the orthoimage layer.

Placement of name labels for physiographic features is still a significant issue. This is not primarily a software problem, but a more basic data problem. Most GIS data consists of spatial objects (points, lines, and polygons). Proper names are attached to these objects as attributes, and software can use the geometry of the spatial object to infer how text labels should be placed. However, for almost all nonwater natural features in the United States (such as canyons, mountains, plateaus, and mesas), no spatial database has ever been constructed. The official database of natural feature names, the Geographic Names Information System (GNIS), began in the 1970s as a digital repository for the records of the Board on Geographic Names (BGN). Defining boundaries for canyons and mountains was problematic, and at the time was of questionable value, and was therefore not attempted. The USGS has begun work on a national database of spatial objects for natural features, but this is an expensive, multi-year effort. The current lack of such a database is one obstacle to increasing the visual quality of mass-produced maps in a national map series.

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Text placement for some natural features is still a problem. Water feature names are associated with GIS geometry in the National Hydrography Dataset, so the label “Trout Cr” follows the stream as on a traditional map. Because “Sulphur Mountain” is a small feature, the name is associated with a single point (the hill summit), so this label is also placed correctly. However, “Hayden Valley” and “Crater Hills” are large areal features, and their labels cannot be placed properly by software because the names are associated with single points, not areas, in the Geographic Names Information System.

US Topo and Geographic Information Systems

US Topo was designed for map users who are not GIS specialists. The product’s primary purpose is to present GIS data as traditional maps that can be used on normal office computers without specialized software or expertise. The program creates no new data, but only repackages existing data. Almost all the data that goes into a US Topo are available in GIS formats free of charge from The National Map databases (roads, which are commercially licensed data, are the major exception).

Nevertheless, traditional symbolized and annotated maps have value even for advanced GIS users, and there is demand to have a GIS-loadable version of US Topo maps. This was not anticipated when the product was designed, and it is not a simple problem. One solution would be for GIS vendors to implement geospatial PDF import; this is technically difficult, and at this writing very little software of this kind is available. Another solution would be for the USGS to create companion products that mirror US Topo content and presentation, but are in GIS-friendly formats. The USGS is working on such products, and will probably begin serving some layers in 2014. These products will be in Esri geodatabase format with an associated template to define symbolization.

These new products may also provide better support for mobile applications.

US Topo maps are distributed through an http download service. The USGS maintains two interfaces to this service, the “Map Locator and Downloader” application at , and The National Map Viewer at .

Demand for US Topo maps has increased with supply, and in 2012, demand increased sharply as full coverage of the 48 states was approached.

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. The rate of map download has increased rapidly as coverage has improved, and in mid-2012 was near 4,000 maps per day, a large number for a USGS data product. A total of about 1.8 million maps were downloaded from USGS web sites between July, 2009 and October, 2012.

Demand for bulk distribution (deliveries of thousands of products at one time) has also grown. An efficient and standard mechanism for bulk distribution remains to be developed, though the USGS recognizes the need and is considering several possibilities. For now, bulk deliveries are accomplished by either loading files on customer-provided portable hard drives, or by sending customers a customized batch file that automates multiple downloads. The USGS is also hopeful that private companies will rehost US Topo maps and provide a wider range of delivery options.

For some applications—including outdoor recreation, wildfire management and suppression, and some kinds of emergency response—paper maps are still important. The US Topo maps present new challenges for creating and distributing paper maps.

The layered PDF format makes it easy to print the maps to scale, and to print any desired combination of layers. However, printing a full map sheet requires a large-format plotter, equipment not normally owned by individuals or small offices. High-quality or weather-resistant plots require more specialized and expensive equipment. The USGS is pursuing a printing contract that will allow the USGS to continue to sell paper maps. In the long run we are hopeful that printing can be partially or completely privatized.

Another aspect of the printing problem is that US Topo maps contain too many data layers to print together. Printing the contours over the orthoimage, for example, often makes both layers almost unreadable. This problem will get worse as more data layers are added. This may mean that the standard paper topographic map is truly a thing of the past, and the future belongs to customized, print-on-demand products.

US Topo in Alaska, Hawaii and U.S. Territories

The first years of the US Topo program concentrated on covering the conterminous 48 states, but in the next few years the program will address other areas:

Hawaii is scheduled for production in early 2013.

Planning for Alaska began in 2012 with inter-agency discussions and creation of a few prototype maps. Production of US Topo maps at 1:25,000 scale will start in 2013. The production schedule will be driven by the availability of new elevation and image data being collected by the Alaska Statewide Digital Mapping Initiative. About 12,000 maps are needed to cover Alaska. Full state coverage is expected by about 2017.

New elevation and image data over Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands are being collected by the Army Corps of Engineers. When these new datasets are available, hopefully in 2013, US Topo maps at 1:20,000 scale will be created for these areas.

The Pacific Territories are also traditionally within the USGS mapping domain. The US Topo program intends to produce maps over these areas, but no schedules have yet been set.

The Historical Topographic Map Collection

A separate USGS project, the Historical Topographic Map Collection (HTMC), is scanning the entire USGS topographic map library. This collection consists of about 200,000 map sheets dating back to 1884. The initial production phase of this project is nearly complete, and high-resolution scans in GeoPDF format have been published and are available to the public for free download.

As the second threeyear production cycle for US Topo begins in late 2012, earlier US Topo maps will remain available and will become part of the historic collection, creating a single, freely available library of USGS topographic maps covering more than 130 past years and extending into the future.

The primary goal of the US Topo program, defined in November, 2008, is to refresh the topographic map series for the entire country on a three-year cycle. In the first cycle (2010–2012), the necessary production pace was achieved and sustained for the conterminous 48 states. This accomplishment lays the foundation for improving the product and expanding the program in the years ahead.

The emphasis on a rapid map-production cycle is unprecedented in USGS mapping programs, and perhaps in any national mapping program. In all older USGS topographic programs, a primary goal was to make every map error-free. This goal, plus the fact that traditional maps were compiled and finished by hand, necessarily meant that any particular area would be mapped infrequently. The US Topo program changes this traditional philosophy, and asserts that the map series as a whole is better served by automated production, on a short refresh cycle, using the best available authoritative data sources.

The program achieved its goals for the first production cycle, and is now expanding in several directions, including adding more content and improving the readability of the base product, defining hardcopy products, defining and producing GIS-friendly products, and covering U.S. areas of interest outside the conterminous 48 states.

The National Map home page has more information.

US Topo maps are derived from The National Map GIS data. These source data can be downloaded through several different interfaces, including The National Map viewer.

See also the US Topo home page or the Historical Topographic Map Collection (HTMC).

US Topo and HTMC maps are published in PDF format, and can be downloaded free of charge through either The National Map viewer, or the “Map Locator and Downloader” application at the USGS Map Store.

Contours on US Topo maps are derived from the National Elevation Dataset

The Alaska Statewide Digital Mapping Initiative

“Pacific Territories” refers to Pacific lands within the scope of the Department of Interior Office of Insular Affairs

Questions about US Topo maps, including requests for more information about bulk delivery, can be emailed to

.(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)

US Topo - A New National Map Series, 2012 Update

A detailed 3D computer model from Bluesky is being used to communicate a £250 million transformation of the town centre of Huddersfield, UK. Created from the most up to date, nationwide coverage of aerial photography, the Bluesky model forms part of AECOM’s visualisation of plans prepared for Kirklees Council. Including a 3D fly through and realistic animations the AECOM presentation will form part of an online platform used to consult and engage with the community over the forthcoming months.

“Working with Kirklees Council we have been able to develop a strategy to transform Huddersfield town centre and identify specific projects to achieve this,” commented Becky Mather, Regional Design Director at AECOM. “The Bluesky model gave us an accurate, up to date base from which our specialist team was able to create a stunning visualisation which, it is hoped, will help to sell the Huddersfield Blueprint to the public, investors and stakeholders.”

Kirklees Council’s ten year masterplan, known as the Huddersfield Blueprint, will see six zones within the town centre transformed. These include the areas around the train and bus stations, St Peter’s Gardens, Kingsgate and King Street and New Street. The plans also include the creation of a ‘Cultural Heart’ between the library and university which will involve the demolition of the Piazza shopping centre recently purchased by the Council.

The ambitious plans were unveiled at a launch event last month which was attended by attended by more than 300 business owners, councillors, developers and other interested parties. Presentations were made by council leaders and former Iceland chief executive Bill Grimsey. The AECOM generated presentation, including the Bluesky model, was followed by a round of applause from the audience.

Following the launch Mr Grimsey commented, “I’ve had the chance to see what Huddersfield has put together as a blueprint for the next ten years. In anything I’ve seen over the course of this year...this is up there in the top echelon.”

AECOM is a fully integrated infrastructure firm with a project life-cycle offering that brings together architects, engineers, designers, scientists and management and construction consultants. One of the largest and most dynamic built environment practices in the UK, Urban design is a core component of AECOM’s offering to clients in both the private and public sectors.

Bluesky 3D Model Helps AECOM Create Blueprint for Yorkshire Town Redevelopment

The HIV/AIDS epidemic plays a significant role in the lives of all people in Kenya. Most people know someone who is infected and living with HIV or who has died directly or indirectly from the disease. The ability to map the locations of each of the more than 7,000 clinics across all 47 counties of Kenya provides immediate visualization of the status of prevention and treatment services, supply chain and inventory levels of critical antiretroviral therapy (ARVs) medicines and beyond.

The United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) needed a seamless digital business platform in the HIV Situation Room in Kenya. There are dozens of datasets around the HIV/AIDS epidemic that provide only a singular view. The challenge is that it takes a significant multi-stakeholder coordinated response to monitor and increase service delivery operations at a community level, with the ultimate goal of eradicating AIDS by 2030 and creating a global AIDS-free generation.

Because of this multi-stakeholder scenario, datasets and their data sources are independently owned and maintained. For example, critical funding and budget data for all aspects of prevention, treatment, drugs, community programs and other purposes are maintained by a different organization than the clinical response data such as number of people on treatment and in care, number of pregnant women attending antenatal care clinics and other allied data.

Screenshot of Situation Room solution illustrating density of HIV testing services for all counties in Kenya.

In this siloed situation, there was never a complete picture of the HIV/AIDS epidemic, which created challenges in scaling community-targeted responses. It is important to "think global, but act local" because the HIV/AIDS scenario can vary county by county. For example, one county may need to focus on caring for pregnant women whereas a neighboring county may need specific programming in place to address high-risk populations such as drug users or adolescents.

The HIV Situation Room solution could bring all these parties and their data sources into a single visual solution that combined their data for the complete picture, improving the visibility into the actual progress and gaps happening at a facility- and county-level, resulting in better community-level response actions. “Business intelligence provider iVEDiX is instrumental in helping us reach our goal to end the HIV epidemic by 2030 by enabling us to work together through a connected Situation Room,” said Luiz Loures, Deputy Executive Director of UNAIDS. “The ability to visualize, compare and manipulate data at the country and facility levels in meaningful ways is invaluable.”

Given the number of data sets, a reliable and extensible tool to accurately map and visualize their data was needed. The team decided to use the Google Maps API because of their familiarity with it, its numerous services and most importantly, its reliability.

Google’s Static Maps API plots geographically related information in a manner that allows UNAIDS to easily make decisions and quickly identify location-based trends within their complex data sets. Using Google Maps’ Android APIs, they could easily display custom drawings (shapefiles), providing geographical border boundaries for subnational areas such as counties, provinces and facilities. The combination of plotting geocoordinates of every health care clinic in Kenya along with the geographical boundary granularity offered by Google Maps allowed the team to leverage diverse datasets, overlay them on the Google Map, and gain new insights into how the HIV/AIDS epidemic is progressing and where gaps exist.

Screenshot of the Situation Room solution illustrating drug stockout risk by facility for three high-burdened counties in Kenya.

Tremendous layers of support from many organizations in the public and private sector are the secret to the success of the HIV Situation Room. The roles of UNAIDS, the Kenyan Government, the National Aids Council, the Kenya Medical Supply Authority and others have provided the political and financial support to make the project successful. The platform powering the overall solution is the iVEDiX analytics platform; a significant component of the solution is data visualization thanks to the Google Maps APIs.  iVEDiX’s relationship with Onix allowed them to share the vision of the HIV Situation Room solution and identify the right Google Maps components to meet the business requirements. As an expert in the geospatial field, iVEDiX was able to work easily with Onix to identify the right solution mix and procure the licensing that is now benefiting users around the world in the UNAIDS organization — and throughout Kenya.

End HIV by 2030: Tackling an epidemic with data visualization

This article introduces you to Chameleon, a tool that
makes it a lot
easier for the non-programmer to build Web mapping applications using
MapServer. Chameleon is just one tool you could use.I'll introduce
some others at the end of the article.

First some definitions, and basics about how Chameleon fits into the
application development process.MapServer is a Web mapping development
platform originally developed by
the University of Minnesota.It is often referred to as the "UMN
MapServer project." An international team develops this software
using an open source approach, making it free to use, customise and
distribute.MapServer comes as a CGI executable application that
can be used with a Web server.

MapServer also comes with an API called MapScript, giving programmers
the option of writing custom mapping functionality that the CGI version
does not support.MapScript makes it possible to incorporate
mapping functionality into custom programs using several different
languages.But, many developers of Web mapping applications are
not programmers, and are unable to tap into the power of
MapScript.To build sophisticated MapServer Web mapping
applications, you need several sets of skills, including:

Mapping server management (e.g.MapServer map
file creation)

Interaction programming (e.g.PHP, Javascript)

Enter Chameleon.Chameleon is an open
source product
built on top of
MapScript using the
PHP programming language.It provides simplified access to many
features only accessible in MapScript, by providing pre-made
scripts as re-usable components.Chameleon makes it possible for
non-programmers to insert sophisticated mapping components into Web
mapping applications.

Chameleon is an excellent framework for building web
mapping sites.It
can use MapServer behind the scenes or pull data together using the
Open Geospatial Consortium (OGC) specifications for web map servers
(WMS).Figure 1 shows a typical configuration.

DM Solutions Group
(Ottawa, Canada) developed a set
of re-usable
components for clients in the Government of Canada.The result is the
large set of components that make up the Chameleon framework.They
needed a way to integrate web map servers and make them accessible
through easy-to-use web interfaces.Now, MapServer-like functionality
can be added to any Web application.

Chameleon
is a set
of over 300 PHP scripts that
provide access to mapping-related "widgets" and functions.You don't
need to know how
these scripts work to use them.They are built using PHP MapScript
behind-the-scenes, but allow you to simply deal with HTML tags.For
example, by using Chameleon HTML tags, a designer can add a map,
scalebar, legend, query tools, printing tools and much more to an
application.

Application
developers use Chameleon by adding the
tags to HTML
template pages.They are called CWC2 tags, short for "Configurable Web
Mapping Client Components." Using these tags provides a simplified
method for adding mapping content to a web application.Figure 2 shows
an example of some of the behind the scenes code contained in a widget.Here is how a few of
the tags look when put into an
HTML file (click any of the code snippets for larger view):

Each tag includes parameters for customising
the function of the
widget.There are over 100 widgets available, mostly aimed at providing
options and tools to the user.Some other widgets are:ExpressionBuilder
- for building data filtersCatalogSearch - for searching OGC catalog
servicesMapSize - for changing the size of the map
on-the-flyProjectionSelector - for changing the map
projectionPrintProduction - for producing print-friendly
graphic files 

Chameleon can be easily installed on most platforms,
especially if a
binary MapServer installer/package is used.

MapServer
for
Windows (MS4W) has a Chameleon package that comes with sample
applications.FOSS GIS
Suite (FGS) is a Linux installer with many modules, including
Chameleon.

Both of these
install packages include a Web server
and a fully
functioning PHP environment with PHP MapScript ready to use.If you do
not plan to use their built-in Web server, then you will need to
configure your own aliases.

If you already have
a MapServer installation
running, with PHP
MapScript ready to use, then the installation process is not too
difficult.Simply download and extract one of the Chameleon code
packages and configure some XML-based configuration files. 

Chameleon comes with a handful of sample applications
that are great
for getting started.These examples show you how a typical Chameleon
application is put together.There is usually a PHP file as the
starting page, indicating several settings:Where the
Chameleon system files are locatedWhat MapServer map file (or OGC map context
Document) to use for
drawing features and accessing data sourcesWhat template HTML file to use for laying out
the page

Web designers can focus on the Web layout and
application look and
feel.Geospatial application developers can manage the map presentation
and interaction components.Data custodians can focus on pre-processing
data and making it available to the application.

Chameleon comes with a default "skin".This
provides
clear and
attractive tool buttons which are laid out using cascaded style sheets
(CSS).Web designers can create their own button images and page
formatting, but for those who are not Web designers, a set of
attractive tools is ready to use out-of-the-box.Figures 3 and 4 show
screenshots of two Chameleon-based Websites.

Chameleon also provides the interactivity that you may
be used to from
desktop mapping applications, such as dragging zoom boxes or panning.
You do not need to set up any Javascript or DHTML components because
they are already integrated within Chameleon.Thankfully, Java-based
components are no longer necessary for the interactive sites because
Javascript and DHTML are readily supported by most modern web browsers.
This makes Chameleon lightweight and standards-based.Here are what I
view as the key benefits to ChameleonRe-usable
components.As you develop or
customise your own
widgets and templates, they can be re-used in other Chameleon
applications.Advanced features.The enhanced sample
application is quite
impressive.It includes Postal Code look-ups, interactive annotating
and labelling, changing map size, printing, querying and more.Shortened development cycle.Understanding how
to set up and use
Chameleon allows you quickly create new sites, based on settings used
in other ones.In many cases, the only changes needed are within a
MapServer configuration file.

Chameleon has an active
and growing support network.An
interactive help
viewer shows widget documentation, including syntax examples.
Mailing list support is excellent, with direct assistance coming not
only from DM Solutions but from other developers and users worldwide.
Users and developers openly share custom widgets and templates to help
new users.Commercial support is available from many of the companies
who develop using Chameleon, as well as from DM Solutions.

Not
being an avid
programmer, I had shied away from
using any
MapScript-based applications in the past.When Chameleon first came
out, I wasn't sure how useful it would be for my needs.Now it is the
MapServer framework I use most.Chameleon has encouraged me to dust off
my programming skills, taking existing widgets or templates and making
small changes, rather than starting from scratch.With a minimal amount
of work I can quickly create a map file and make a professional
looking, sophisticated web mapping site literally in minutes.

Chameleon Web Mapping Framework

Thank you for joining us for this edition of

. Today our distinguished columnist, Dr. Joseph Kerski, features Mr. Dennis Hunink, geography instructor, accomplished GIS developer, and creator of the innovative course, “

When I first started hearing about an amazing geography instructor in the Netherlands a few years ago, who was also an accomplished GIS developer, I immediately wanted to find out more. How can someone be so instructionally proficient and yet technically expert as well? How does a full-time educator have time to learn how to develop GIS applications for student use? I finally had the pleasure of meeting the man behind the stories, Dennis Hunink, face-to-face at the EUROGEO conference in Belgium, and it seemed appropriate that our first joint project would be a short field trip to where latitude 51 north and longitude 4 east cross, in a field in Belgium.  My colleagues and I were so impressed with his work that we invited him to the Esri User Conference in San Diego to present his innovative activities. These include Veldwerk 2.0, which uses Esri’s Collector for ArcGIS app in the field to engage students in spatially understanding their own community. Now it is several years later, and my respect for Dennis continues to grow. My hope is that upon reading this column, you will agree that he merits inclusion as one of the planet’s GeoInspirations.

Dennis serves as a geography teacher at a high school in Zwijndrecht in the Netherlands. He also is working part-time on a broad variety of projects, of which many relate to education in general and geography education in particular. One such project is “Topografie in de Klas,” which engages students in learning about topography through mapping. Dutch students are required to learn the locations of 300 specified cities, bodies of water, and mountain ranges around the world. Dennis took this rather dry topic and enlivened it through the use of GIS. What is especially innovative about this, to me, is that he had to write his own application to accomplish it. In other words, he is practicing what we are often telling students: that by learning to code in the field of GIS, you open up so many possibilities. Another of his innovations is Veldwerk 2.0, where students collect data on trees, light poles, pedestrian counts, and a variety of other physical and cultural aspects of their campus and community and understand them using web maps and spatial analysis. Once students load the specified map into the Collector for ArcGIS smartphone app, they go into the field and answer all the questions displayed on the map that appears on their phones. They can do so with or without an internet connection, thanks to the offline capabilities featured in the smartphone app.

Dennis teaches courses that help other teachers use his methods and tools. He and his students recently gave a demonstration to Alida Oppers, director general of primary and secondary education in the Ministry of Education, Culture, and Science in the Netherlands. "This is a great example [of] how innovative technology can be used in education," Oppers was quoted as saying in ArcNews. "It makes classwork more visual and allows students to experiment. This type of education is effective because the students remember the lessons much better and they get the opportunity to reinforce their lessons outside of the classroom."

I asked Dennis if he could identify the most important thing, whether a class, book, person, event, or something else, that convinced him to enter this field. He shared this fascinating story: “The decision to become a teacher was a direct result of an experience I had on a Monday morning when I was only 18 years old. I just bought my very first car and decided to drop by a friend of mine, who was working as a teacher of auto mechanics for kids with a broad variety of problems. Let’s say the ‘society dropouts.’ When I visited his classroom, full of cars, 12 students and three teachers, I really felt inspired. It was so impressive to see the way those teachers were doing everything they could to influence these kids and turn their lives for the better. It instantly became clear to me: I want to do my part, I want to try to do anything and everything I can to contribute to the education of young people who are discovering life, facing difficulties, and developing themselves in every way they can.”

“From that moment on, I knew I wanted to become a teacher. The only thing left was to determine which subject I would like to teach the most. At that time, at only 18 years old and a high school graduate for just about one and a half years, my subject of choice was not that well thought through as it would be if I had to make that choice again right now (at age 27). Or let’s put it this way: Making adult decisions wasn’t really my thing at the time. Instead, I came up with a shortlist of subjects I enjoyed … [in] high-school and that I felt useful, even after high school. That shortlist featured only two subjects: Geography and economics. Since my mom had been an economics teacher for several years, I quickly crossed that one off my list. At the time, copying the career path of a parent felt as the worst way to go. What I didn’t know at the time was that choosing geography actually meant choosing both subjects.  There’s no field like geography that incorporates economics in such a broad and meaningful way. After several years of geography teacher education, I continued my own education at Utrecht University, studying social geography, while part-time teaching at the same school I work at today. During my social geography study, I enjoyed a lot of freedom to pick the courses to enroll in, which ended up to be a lot of economic geography and GIS courses. The best one was using GIS to map economic geographic data.”

I asked Dennis which person, class, or topic has inspired him most during his career. He replied, “Without a doubt: Ben de Pater.” [Dr. de Pater is associate professor of human geography, planning, and education at the University of Utrecht]. “He combines a bizarre amount of geographic knowledge with very, very inspiring and encouraging ways of activating and motivating his students. He personally gave me the greatest compliment I’ve ever received during my study: After creating a GIS map on the ACLED database, he invited me to write a co-authored article for a Dutch geography magazine. In addition, his way to bring the philosophy of science into geography education has been genius; making everyone even more skeptical, curious, and inspired than any of the other professors did.”

What project in geography is Dennis most proud of? “Again, without a doubt: Topografie in de Klas. I’ve founded it, created it, and [have managed] it for several years now. This (free) online teaching method helps students in the Netherlands master mandatory topography (content).” Dennis told ArcNews that he decided to create this because he found that the vast majority of the educational mapping materials on the web lacked a real didactic vision, nor were they cartographically correct. He partnered with Esri Nederland and used the available APIs to develop the maps and server space. Students pick specific features, such as rivers or cities, and then engage in a series of questions about them. The instructor reviews the results online, and the student can save all materials for future reference. Students can also share their results with friends via Facebook and Twitter. Today, more than half of the secondary students in the Netherlands who take topography classes use Dennis’ system.

What does Dennis believe is the most important thing we need to work on as the geographic community? “That’s a tough question. I don’t feel I’ve made all of the efforts I could make to the community and therefore don’t feel entitled to make any comments on what the community should or shouldn’t be working on. That being said, I do have a personal challenge that might be … worth something for community members as well. When I was still studying at Utrecht University, I experienced a very strong sense of belonging in regards to the community of social geography. At the same time, I felt isolated. Many of the professors and even classmates did not care about other geography disciplines, like physical geography, let alone a certain interest in other non-geographical field like economics, social behavior, etc. I do acknowledge all those amazing people who do like to work in an interdisciplinary way; I know there are a lot of them. But, in my experience, they are still a minority. I believe we have to turn that, when it comes to high school geography. Too often I meet fellow teachers who talk about ‘their subject/classes’ as something that stands totally apart from other subjects, like economics, history, etc. I think that’s wrong. I strongly believe that student learning outcomes will increase when they can link all that they’re learning during all these different subjects.”

using GIS with my students. We’re using lots of spatial data to gain insights into real-world-issues. One of the most important questions that students raise after making a spatial GIS map is the question: Why?

am I seeing concentrations of ethnic citizens at a certain location?

do shopping malls arise in a particular location, while malls on other locations close? There is simply NO WAY we can answer all these questions without combining the insights gained by historians, economists, and others. We always

to combine the academic knowledge of several fields to answer questions asked during a geography class.  So, long story short, I believe there’s a great potential for making high school geography a more meaningful experience for the students of today and tomorrow, simply by fading the boundaries of secondary-school geography and other secondary school subjects. Let’s share knowledge and skills on a broader scale, and make education even more meaningful.”

I asked Dennis if he would share some of his advice to new geographers and educators. He replied: “Keep asking yourself, ‘what can I do?’ There are a lot of people who are perfectly able to identify issues, problems, and opportunities for geography. Wouldn’t it be great if now and then someone raises his or her hand and says: ‘I’ve got some skills on this or that, perhaps I could contribute to a solution?’ The true innovations that may be ahead may come from all those skills educators have, but do not have to use in their daily profession. All of us are capable of a lot more than we need to use during our everyday jobs. Some may be skilled programmers; others may excel in video editing or even building sculptures from wood. But what would happen if one would bring these skills to the table? If an educator who builds scale models of Star Wars figures during his or her free time started to model mini-worlds to explain geographic topics, for example? That’s where innovation might come from: Mixing worlds, blending skills, and striving forward!”

For more about Dennis, read this article about his work in geography education in the GeoInformatics journal and in ArcNews

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