Thursday
Mar232006
MapWindow GIS
Thursday, March 23, 2006 at 1:50AM Does anyone have any experience with MapWindow GIS? It seems like another open source GIS solution, with potentially more of a focus on functionality thatn just viewing data, but it's Windows only. I might give it a whirl tomorrow. This screenshot is pretty.
Reader Comments (4)
I've been working with MapWindowGIS OCX for a couple of days and I found it quite interesting. It's fast, nice and easy to make a GIS application which is capable of displaying maps.
Be reminded that MapWindowGIS OCX is an engine which you can embed into your own application. I'm developping application using Visual Basic and it's great to use MapWindow. Before using MapWindow, I've tried some other engines like MapObjects LT and MapObjects from ESRI. Other tools like MapX (MapInfo), JTMap or Geomedia are good but not free.
MapWindow might be a good option for developers in the world. I could make my own mapping application within 3 days and it looks like a real GIS. I'll show you later my work.
Some limitations of MapWindowGIS OCX are lack of documentation, examples and one-click functions. Hopefully they will be added in the near future. I've played with the codes and could make those functions finally. Somehow it's not easy for some who are not programming professional.
For MapWindow application, there's a chance for you to create your own plug-ins and embed it into MapWindow applications. There are several great tools for vector, raster and image processing. You'll find them very powerful, even more than ArcView GIS. I think in the future, ESRI will down price their ArcView package because of MapWindow.
Last words about MapWindow
MapWindow = Complete Application + User Application
If you cannot make your own application, just use MapWindow.
If you are a programmer, it's easy to make new applications with MapWindow's engine.
MapWindow is Great!
Hi:
I use mapwindow at my environmental consulting job. It works well, but I do wish for a few easier options. However, the developers are quick to act, and the software does much very well.
So well, in fact, that the EPA has based their watershed analysis software (BASINS) on the mapwindow GIS software.
Lots of watershed studies are now being conducted using this software, and many sources of data are available for the software.