NACIS PCD 2013: Navigating a Labyrinth of Libraries

This talk briefly and broadly introduces some popular mapping software for the desktop and web. Each is aligned on a spectrum between visualization and analysis, as a minor update to my January 2013 presentation on the same topic.

Transcript

1. LIBRARIES NAVIGATING A LABYRINTH of JoshuaStevens #nacis2013 An Overview of Cartographic Software and Capabilities
2. We’ll look at tools from here...
3. ...not here
4. Software-specific Talks + Workshops
5. What Software Does, and Where • Specialists vs Generalists Desktop Cloud/Web Analysis Visualization
6. Well, that’s just like, your opinion, man...
7. Tools for Analysis
8. ArcGIS www.esri.com
9. • An industry standard GIS • Complete vector and raster analysis • Hundreds of tools • Model builder • Python • Many training and certification options ArcGIS
10. Desktop Cloud/Web Analysis Visualization ArcGIS
11. www.arcgis.com/home/webmap/viewer.html ArcGIS Online
12. QGIS www.qgis.org
13. • Open source, actively developed • Supports GRASS, PostgreSQL/PostGIS, OSM... • Great vector and raster tools • Easy to make your own / DL from others • Scriptable: Python, GDAL QGIS
14. Desktop Cloud/Web Analysis Visualization ArcGIS QGIS
15. PostGIS (PostgreSQL) • “Spatially-enabled PostgreSQL” • Incredibly powerful; super fast • No direct GUI SELECT ST_Extent(geom) FROM places WHERE place = 'STATE COLLEGE'; www.postgis.org postgresapp.com (OS X)
16. Desktop Cloud/Web Analysis Visualization ArcGIS QGIS PostGIS (PostgreSQL)
17. R (w/ spatial packages) • Academics love it • Command-line • Powerful stats • Hamstrung by package dependency • Recommended packages: ggplot2, splancs, maps, spatstat, mapproj statisfaction.wordpress.com www.r-project.org www.rstudio.com
18. R (w/ spatial packages) Desktop Cloud/Web Analysis Visualization ArcGIS QGIS PostGIS PostGIS
19. Tools for Visualization
20. CartoDB www.cartodb.com
21. • PostGIS + CartoCSS • Upload query/analyze style share • Several base maps, user-friendly wizards • Advanced APIs (cartodb.js, R support, D3...) • Torque for time-series (http://cartodb.github.io/torque/) CartoDB
22. CartoDB Desktop Cloud/Web Analysis Visualization ArcGIS QGIS PostGIS PostGIS R
23. TileMill www.mapbox.com/tilemill
24. • Style spatial data with CartoCSS • Shp, PostgreSQL, SQLite, GeoJSON, CSV • Choose scale(s), produce tiles • Export images, embed on web/mobile, PDF... • Add interaction • Publish on MapBox.com TileMill
25. TileMill Desktop Cloud/Web Analysis Visualization ArcGIS QGIS PostGIS PostGIS R CartoDB
26. MapBox www.mapbox.com
27. • Design maps in your browser • Add public layers + base maps made by others • Load your data from TileMill • Embed or share • Free account limited to 3,000 views / month • Use with MapBox.js or vanilla Leaflet MapBox
28. Desktop Cloud/Web Analysis Visualization ArcGIS QGIS PostGIS PostGIS R CartoDB TileMill MapBox
29. Leaflet www.leafletjs.com
30. • JavaScript library for displaying tiles (“slippy map”) • Add markers, lines, polygons • Very interactive • Pairs well with other libraries (e.g., D3) • Basis for many others (MapBox.js, HugePic) • Awesome support, getting simpler (better!) Leaflet
31. Leaflet Desktop Cloud/Web Analysis Visualization ArcGIS QGIS PostGIS PostGIS R CartoDB TileMill MapBox
32. D3 (Data-driven Documents) www.d3js.org
33. • JavaScript for drawing SVG styled with CSS • Extremely capable, many examples online • Steep learning curve, requires JS proficiency • Maps are only a small facet of D3 • Great when combined with other libraries (CartoDB.js/Torque, MapBox.js, Leaflet) D3 (Data-driven Documents)
34. D3 (Data-driven Documents) Desktop Cloud/Web Analysis Visualization ArcGIS QGIS PostGIS PostGIS R CartoDB TileMill MapBox 3LHÅL[
35. Helpful Resources www.colorbrewer2.org geojson.io Sack et al (2013): Adapting Web Mapping Curriculum to Open Source Technologies
36. Thank You! speakerdeck.com/jscarto