Data Preparation

MapLink Pro provides a number of ways to manage and process your map data.  Pre-processing data allows more control over the map content, including layering, tiling, masking and clipping.  These improve map display performance, reduce disk space, limit processing power needed and most importantly, allow the presentation of clear and relevant data to the user for the current zoom level.

MapLink Studio provides all the tools required to process map data.  The Spatial Data Manager (SDM) provides the ability to manage map data and control the versions available to a user.

MapLink Studio

MapLink Studio is a sophisticated map processing tool for fast run time applications. This allows fusion of a wide range of vector and raster map data with transformation and re-projection into a single integrated window.

Data Preperation

All major formats are supported and facilities such as dynamic symbol substitution and specialist rendering come as standard. VPF, Raster Imagery, SHP, MIF/MID, ASCII and DXF formats are supported as standard and the following data formats are available as options:

  • ADRG
  • ARCS Charts
  • ASRP
  • CADRG/CIB
  • DAFIF
  • DBDB-V
  • DTED (raster and vector)
  • DFAD
  • GDF
  • Jeppesen
  • NITF/NSIF
  • OS MasterMap
  • OS NTF
  • S-57 (ENC/AML)

The wide range of facilities provided by MapLink Studio means that maps of any degree of complexity are easily produced.

  • Generation of multi-layers is made easy.
  • A huge range of rendering options means that almost any effect can be provided in the map.
  • Extensive sets of projections and datums are supported, so that it is easy to combine data originating from disparate systems, and to transform data into an appropriate output coordinate system.
  • Handling of a huge range of projections.
  •  Many specialised facilities give you a unique degree of control over your maps.

The output base map produced by MapLink Studio is completely self-contained, and includes all the information that is needed for effective management of the map in run-time applications.

Spatial Data Manager (SDM)

The MapLink Spatial Data Manager provides the capability to manage the MapLink Spatial Data Library.

Spacial Data Manager

The Spatial Data Manager (SDM) provides the following capabilities:

  • Organization of mapping and other geospatial data into a well defined data hierarchy. This includes tools to allow source data to be imported and cataloged to identify its type, geographic extent, and key meta-data.
  • Invocation of map processing functions based on formatting templates to import raw map data. Processing is defined by a Processing Template, identifying the content to be present in the processed map and an Area of Interest Template identifying the geographic coverage required.
  • Maintenance of meta-data and its storage in the catalog. This typically includes classification, geographic area, compilation scale, and descriptive data. Data can be sorted on criteria such as revision or revision date.
  • Maintenance of version history, allowing traceability of changes. Implementation of a version control model, allowing out of date maps to be identified and the invocation of processing to update map data for all dependent map sets.

Symbol Studio

The MapLink Symbol Tool allows you to create your own scalable vector symbols, drawing your symbols according to your own specification.

Image Studio

Image Studio is a powerful tool designed to project a raster image into different coordinate spaces. The output can subsequently be overlaid onto maps or used in custom applications.

Image Studio achieves this projection with the aid of ‘referencing points’ to map a number of points in the raster image onto latitude/longitude coordinates on the reference layer. Image Studio then uses an image warping algorithm to output a projected image in raster pyramid format (MapLink raster data layer file *.rdl).

Print Template Studio

MapLink Pro provides the capability to print the contents of any MapLink display.  Common requirements for these prints are:

  • Embed the map in a frame.
  • Display a key to the map features.
  • Add additional labeling, such as the name of the file, a copyright message, or the current date and time.
  • Multiple displays, such as a map with a call-out displaying a zoomed in section.

Print Template Studio is used to manage the framework around the map display when printing from within MapLink Pro.  As well as identifying the position and size of the map displays, the application configures features such as labeling, keys and frames.