Monday, 18 February 2013

Quantum GIS

Quantum GIS (QGIS) is a powerful and user friendly Open Source Geographic Information System (GIS) that runs on Linux, Unix, Mac OSX, Windows and Android. QGIS supports vector, raster, and database formats. QGIS is licensed under the GNU Public License.


QGIS Feature
QGIS is a cross-platform (Linux, Windows, Mac) open source Geographic Information system.
The QGIS project offers different applications for your use cases:
  • QGIS Desktop -  The classic QGIS desktop application offers many GIS functions for data viewing, editing, and analysis.
  • QGIS Browser - A fast and easy data viewer for your local, network and online (WMS) data.
  • QGIS Server - A standard-compliant WMS 1.3 server that can be easily configured using QGIS Desktop project files.
  • QGIS Client - A web front-end for your web mapping needs based on OpenLayers and GeoExt.

QGIS Desktop

The major features include:
  1. Direct viewing of vector and raster data in different formats and projections. Supported formats include: 
    • PostGIS and SpatiaLite,
    • most vector formats supported by the OGR library, including ESRI shapefiles, MapInfo, SDTS and GML
    • raster formats supported by the GDAL library*, such as digital elevation models, aerial photography or landsat imagery,
    • GRASS locations and mapsets,
    • online spatial data served as OGC-compliant WMS , WMS-C (Tile cache), WFS and WFS-T
  2. Mapping and interactive exploration of spatial data. Tools include:
    • on-the-fly reprojection
    • print composer 
    • overview panel
    • spatial bookmarks
    • identify/select features
    • edit/view/search attributes
    • feature labeling
    • vector diagram overlay
    • advanced vector and raster symbology
    • graticule layer
    • map decorations like north arrow, scale bar and copyright label
  3. Create, edit and export spatial data using:
    • digitizing tools for vector features
    • field and raster calculator
    • the georeferencer plugin
    • GPS tools to import and export GPX format, convert other GPS formats to GPX, or down/upload directly to a GPS unit
  4. Perform spatial analysis, including:
    • map algebra
    • terrain analysis
    • hydrologic modeling
    • network analysis
    • and many others
  5. Publish your map on the internet using QGIS Server or the "Export to Mapfile" capability (requires UMN MapServer)
  6. Adapt QGIS to your needs through the extensible plugin architecture.

QGIS Browser

QGIS Browser is a simple and fast data viewer. It allows the user to explore attribute and meta data of local and online source.

QGIS Server

QGIS Server currently offers WMS 1.3.0 and 1.1.1 implementation. Features include:
  • Enhanced WMS (Web Map Service) via HTTP GET. Supports GetCapabilities, GetMap, GetStyle, GetFeatureInfo and custom styling with Styled Layer Descriptor (Supported standards: WMS 1.3.0, WMS 1.1.1, and SLD 1.0.0).
  • SOAP via HTTP POST. Compatible with the ORCHESTRA and SANY Service Oriented Architecture.
  • Native configuration with SLD. User friendly map symbolisation using QGIS Desktop. 
  • Cartographic extensions to SLD (diagrams, patterns and custom symbols with Scalable Vector Graphics). Exchange of cartographic rules with the GetStyle operation.
The QGIS mapserver is a FastCGI/CGI application written in C++. It works together with a webserver (Apache in most cases) invoking the FastCGI application. It uses QGIS as backend for the GIS logic and for map rendering.
Supported plattforms include Linux, Windows XP (only CGI at the moment) and MacOSX. Other Unixes possible, but not tested.
QGIS mapserver is an open source program released under the GPL license.
Installation instructions are provided on the QGIS Wiki.

QGIS Client

Latest version Quatum GIS 1.8.0: QGIS OSGeo4W 1.8.0.exe

QGIS 1.8.0 User Manual  : QGIS 1.8.0 UserGuide.pdf

Thursday, 7 February 2013

ERDAS ER Viewer 2013




ERDAS ER Viewer


Free, Easy-to-Use Image Viewer


ERDAS ER Viewer is a free, easy-to-use image viewer that enables you to interactively roam and zoom large JPEG 2000 and ECW files. It can also read most other common file types. ERDAS ER Viewer also lets you embed large geospatial images in your Microsoft Word documents.

ERDAS ER Viewer prints to common large-format printers, and supports the following file formats:
  • JPEG 2000
  • ECW
  • Universal Data Format (UDF) images
  • ER Mapper images
  • TIFF and GeoTIFF images
  • SPOT View images
  • Esri BIL (ARC/INFO and ArcView) images
  • Smart Data ER Mapper algorithms
  • National Imagery Transmission Format (NITF)
  • ERDAS IMAGINE (IMG)
  • ArcInfo ASCII Grid (ASC)
  • Portable Network Graphics (PNG)
  • USGS SDTS (DEM)

Latest version ERDAS ER Viewer 2013: ERDAS ER Viewer 2013.zip

Tuesday, 5 February 2013

PTGui


PTGui is panoramic stitching software for Windows and Mac OSX. Originally developed as aGraphical User Interface for Panorama Tools (hence the name), PTGui now is a full featured photo stitching application.

Use PTGui to stitch any number of photos into a panoramic image. Some benefits of PTGui, when compared to other stitching software:
  • PTGui can stitch multiple rows of images
  • Create 360 degree cylindrical panoramas, 'flat' partial panoramas and even spherical 360x180 degree panoramas
  • No need to keep the camera level: PTGui can stitch rotated and tilted images
  • Virtually unlimited output size: create Gigapixel panoramas from hundreds of images!
  • Layered output allows full control over the final stitched result
  • PTGui stitches most panoramas fully automatically, but at the same time provides full manual control over every single parameter. This enables stitching of 'difficult' scenes, where other programs fail.
  • Full 16 bit workflow for best image quality
  • all features...

Example

Cathedral in Amiens, France, 6 images:

Stitched using PTGui: (click on image for high resolution version)
Stitched with PTGui 
See how to create a panorama using PTGui in the video tutorial.

More examples

Visit the gallery to see more examples of panoramas created by users of PTGui.

Latest version PTGui Pro 9.1.6 : PTGui Pro 9.1.6.exe
Latest version PTGui 9.1.6       : PTGui 9.1.6.exe

Tuesday, 29 January 2013

Surfer 11

Powerful Contouring, Gridding, and 3D Surface Mapping Software for Scientists and Engineers

Surfer is a full-function 3D visualization, contouring and surface modeling package that runs under Microsoft Windows. Surfer is used extensively for terrain modeling, bathymetric modeling, landscape visualization, surface analysis, contour mapping, watershed and 3D surface mapping, gridding, volumetrics, and much more.
Features
Surfer’s sophisticated interpolation engine transforms your XYZ data into publication-quality maps. Surfer provides more gridding methods and more control over gridding parameters, including customized variograms, than any other software package on the market. You can also use grid files obtained from other sources, such as USGS DEM files or ESRI grid files. Display your grid as outstanding contour, 3D surface, 3D wireframe, watershed, vector, image, shaded relief, and post maps. Add base maps and combine map types to create the most informative display possible. Virtually all aspects of your maps can be customized to produce exactly the presentation you want. Generating publication quality maps has never been quicker or easier.
  • Contour Maps
  • 3D Surface Maps
  • Image Maps
  • Shaded Relief Maps
  • Base Maps
  • Post Maps
  • Watershed Maps
  • 3D Wireframe Maps
  • Vector Maps
  • Map Layers
  • Stacking Maps
  • Map Projections
  • Profiles
  • Customize Your Map
  • Superior Gridding
  • Grid Note Editor
  • Variograms
  • Faults and Breaklines
  • Grid Functions
  • Using USGS and SRTM Data 
  • Worksheet
  • Object and Property Manager
  • Automation
  • Additional Features
  • Supported File Formats
Latest version Surfer 11: Surfer 11.exe  

MapGuide Open Source 2.4

MapGuide Project Home

MapGuide Open Source is a web-based platform that enables users to develop and deploy web mapping applications and geospatial web services. MapGuide features an interactive viewer that includes support for feature selection, property inspection, map tips, and operations such as buffer, select within, and measure. MapGuide includes an XML database for managing content, and supports most popular geospatial file formats, databases, and standards. MapGuide can be deployed on Linux or Windows, supports Apache and IIS web servers, and offers extensive PHP, .NET, Java, and JavaScript APIs for application development. MapGuide Open Source is licensed under the LGPL.

MapGuide Open Source 2.4 released

The project that initially emerged from Autodesk and became MapGuide Open Source just released its version 2.4.

There seems to be numerous improvements to MapGuide OS's core, to Fusion Tools and FDO. Here's what looks like their list of major new items:

Latest version MapGuide Open Source 32-bit: MapGuide Open Source 2.4.0.7096 x86.exe
Latest version MapGuide Open Source 64-bit: MapGuide Open Source 2.4.0.7096 x64.exe

Links to Related Applications and Tools

MapGuide Maestro:

OpenLayers:

GeoREST:

Autodesk DWF Viewer:

BS Contact 8.1

Interactive 2D/3D Viewers

Bitmanagement offers interactive and realtime 3D software, its documentation and support/development. The multimedia–software for 2D/3D, audio and video performs the visualization in your software- and/or hardware related concept or product, based on ISO-Standards VRML, X3D, MPEG-4 and Collada. These ISO formats which are exported as data format from almost all tools for 3D content creation are suitable for the Internet and used worldwide.

The 3D software from Bitmanagement is used by customers on a variety of markets as visualization software. If you want to enhance your software concept from 2D to 3D, from 3D into the Internet or integrate 3D and video, please contact us for using our 3D enabling software in your concept/product. 3D Content can be visualized on PCs, CD ROM, via e-mail or on the Internet.

BS Contact

BS Contact is a realtime and online capable viewer offering full interactivity.
 
Bitmanagement Software (“BS”) develops BS Contact as the core product of a visualisation platform. Customers use BS Contact as frontend of their applications on almost all computers and graphics cards in the industry and the consumer market.

BS Contact can be tailored by functionality, GUI, menu or size to fit best to customer specific requirements. As middleware technology it can be used as OEM software enabling cutting edge applications.

Customers carry out their business concept with an interactive frontend that can be easily integrated to back end systems based on open standards and interfaces.

Main features:
  • Stand alone viewer or embedded in leading web browsers based on DirectX or OpenGL
  • Cross-platform on Windows, Linux (please see BS Contact Linux), Mac (please see BS Contact Mac) and Mobile (please see BS Contact Mobile)
  • Suited for 3D vector and spline formats e.g. VRML, X3D, COLLADA, KMZ
  • Broad functionality suited for all distribution channels, e.g. Web, CD/DVD or PC
  • State of the Art computer graphics with continued development since 1995 e.g. texturing with flash, physics or multi use
Advantages:
  • Millions of downloads over the years - customer feedback included in development
  • Stable rendering engine – non stop rendering, e.g. 14 days continued testing in industry
  • High performance rendering – outstanding content quality due to highest rendering frame rate per second, proven in various independent research analysis
  • Easy to navigate – over 100.000 users in a customer application in first week and several millions of users in total worldwide
  • Easy to use with up to one click for viewer and application (Instant Interactivity) – best coverage of biggest variety of computers and graphics cards worldwide
  • Cross platform - running on simple laptops up to highend multi-core 64 bit workstations
  • Broadcast quality but interactive content at far less data and bandwith required than video
  • GUI, navigation or menu of the viewer and application customisable to the customer's business model
  • Size of the viewer from 1 MB to 5 MB depending on the required functionality in OEM applications
  • Powerful API in BS SDK Package together with additional tools (BS Authoring Tools) for content enhancements, content encryption and integration of the frontend in customer applications
  • Standard complient with node extensions – future proof due to open ISO and Industry Standard formats
  • Flexible licensing scheme
  • Customers specific developments based on own source code and intensive know-how
Latest version BS Contact 32-bit: BS Contact 8.1 32-bit.exe
Latest version BS Contact 64-bit: BS Contact 8.1 64-bit.exe