PlanetGIS User Guide/Preface

From PlanetWiki

Contents 1 Introduction to PlanetGIS 2 The PlanetGIS Software Suite 2.1 PlanetGIS Explorer 2.2 PlanetGIS Cartographer 2.3 PlanetGIS Professional 2.4 PlanetGIS Enterprise 2.5 PlanetGIS Web server 2.6 PlanetGIS Intranet 2.7 PlanetGIS OCX component (PlanetX) 3 Getting Started with this Guide 3.1 The format of this guide 3.2 How to use this guide

Introduction to PlanetGIS

PlanetGIS is a fast, friendly and compact Geographic Information System (GIS) software suite that comprises the following components:

• PlanetGIS Explorer
• PlanetGIS Cartographer
• PlanetGIS Professional
• PlanetGIS Enterprise
• PlanetGIS Web Server
• PlanetGIS Intranet
• PlanetGIS OCX Component

These are individual software packages that can all work with PlanetGIS project files (.map files) to fulfil various needs from viewing and printing maps to building advanced decision support GIS solutions.

PlanetGIS provides an alternative to the product offerings of "mainstream" GIS software vendors, for those who:

• are looking to reduce initial & maintenance costs;
• need an easy to use GIS that can be learnt in just a few days;
• want their spatial data to be rendered at high speed;
• need unlimited database connectivity; and
• want to increase their productivity.

PlanetGIS, at its current state of development, does not cater for all needs of the GIS community. The focus of PlanetGIS is on improving those tasks that are used most often, by the majority of GIS users. Highly specialized spatial analysis and raster operations, for example, have not been implemented although some are planned for future versions. PlanetGIS' strong points are its rendering speed, customizability and database connectivity, making it the ideal platform for building decision support, inventory and management systems.

PlanetGIS provides a wide range of functionality that is required by most GIS users. In summary:

• Open most popular GIS exchange formats (SHP, MIF, DXF, DGN, FEA, SDL, E00);
• Capture and edit all types of spatial entities (including raster images);
• Link entities to many popular databases (ODBC, Dbase, Paradox, Access, Foxpro, Oracle, SQL server, Sybase, Interbase, Firebird, PostgreSQL, MySQL, SQLite);
• Produce highly aesthetic maps (on-screen and hard copy);
• Create thematic maps based on attribute information;
• View and edit attribute information linked to features;
• Link features to documents, multimedia, images, web pages, etc.

The PlanetGIS Software Suite

There are 7 components to the PlanetGIS software suite. Each can be used on its own, but all components can work with the same map and/or database. The different options are explained here briefly. For a more complete comparison, please refer to the PlanetGIS website: http://www.planetgis.co.za

PlanetGIS Explorer

This is a freely available and re-distributable viewer for your GIS projects. Many users of GIS data never need to make changes (or shouldn't be allowed to) and this is the perfect package for distributing your work to such end-users. With Explorer the user can view, interrogate and print maps. Some changes are allowed, for example changes to styles, but these cannot be saved.

PlanetGIS Cartographer

Cartographer is the entry-level GIS package suitable for schools and private use. This product allows you to create maps, import spatial information, link spatial features to attribute tables (databases), etc. but lacks the data manipulation functions needed by professionals. The only raison d'etre for PlanetGIS Cartographer was to provide a low-cost option for schools.

PlanetGIS Professional

PlanetGIS Professional is our most popular product aimed at the GIS professional that needs all the available tools for manipulating GIS data and Planet's spatial analysis functions. PlanetGIS Professional can export to all supported GIS exchange formats and import/export features to database tables.

PlanetGIS Enterprise

PlanetGIS Enterprise is our flagship product and is aimed at government organizations and large corporates where multiple users will be accessing the same GIS data. The Enterprise Edition can import features from SDE and Oracle Spatial and keep changes to GIS data synchronized through SQL tables. The Enterprise edition is normally bundled with training and support agreements.

PlanetGIS Web server

PlanetGIS Web Server is an extension for Internet Information Server or Apache HTTP server on Windows to publish PlanetGIS maps live on the Internet. An example of a PlanetGIS Web Server in action is here: www.c2a.co.za.

PlanetGIS Intranet

A web browser plugin and server software for intranet applications running at large organizations. As at end of 2008, 25 municipalities in South Africa are using PlanetGIS Intranet.

PlanetGIS OCX component (PlanetX)

The PlanetGIS OCX Component is an ActiveX Control that adds GIS functionality to software applications.

Getting Started with this Guide

The format of this guide

This guide is divided into the following parts:

1. Getting started - installation instructions, licensing information and how to obtain technical support
2. Tutorial - starts with a primer to get you going really fast and continues with all the basics that you need to know to complete basic to advanced GIS tasks, without going into too much detail
3. Reference - a complete listing and explanation of all software functions
4. Practical - real-world exercises in various GIS operations
5. Web publishing - a guide explaining the installation and workings of the web publishing component
6. Component API - a reference for the OCX component application programming interface

How to use this guide

This document is ordered in a natural sequence for learning the workings of the software. A lot of functions will be overlooked at first and introduced later when most appropriate.

The Getting Started section contains installation instructions, important licensing information and information on how to obtain technical support.

The first chapter of the Tutorial section is a primer derived from the FAQ (frequently asked questions) list. Reading this short chapter will give you a huge jump start, especially if you are familiar with other GIS software packages. The early chapters of the Tutorial section may contain explanations that are obvious to knowledgeable users and the later chapters might be too specialized for your needs. It is recommended that you read the Tutorial section from first page to last, skimming over the parts that you feel are not relevant.

The Reference section is not meant to be read from first page to last, although that would give you a very thorough understanding of everything that is possible with the software. The last two sections are product-specific. If you do have the PlanetGIS Web server or OCX component, you will benefit from at least glossing through the tutorial section.

If you are using PlanetGIS Explorer, the first three chapters will suffice. Many of the advanced features of PlanetGIS Professional & Enterprise are only described in the reference section.