FOCUS ON:
Renewed GeoConnections
The 2010 Federal Budget announced renewed funding for the GeoConnections program. The Budget provides $11 million in funding over the next two years to continue development of the Canadian Geospatial Data Infrastructure (CGDI) and to provide consolidated geographic-related information to Canadians via the Internet.
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June 15 2010 Results of Data Needs Assessment for Integrated Landscape Management Decision-Making Processes Now AvailableUpcoming Events
Resources & Tools
User-friendly Desktop Internet GIS (uDig) for Spatial Data Infrastructures
This project will create an open-source desktop geographic information system (GIS) application known as uDig. This application will help ordinary computer users view, edit, and print data accessible through the Canadian Geospatial Data Infrastructure (CGDI) and local data sources.
Integrating the best parts of two existing open-source Java libraries--the GeoTools data access library and the JUMP Unified Mapping Platform interface library--uDig will create an interactive Transactional Web Feature Server (WFS-T) client application capable of editing Web Feature Server (WFS) data directly on-line with a desktop interface. uDig will enable users to view and edit local files and database data integrated on-the-fly with CGDI data from WFS and Web Map Services (WMS).
Users need way to combine CGDI and other data into unified desktop view
Today, no single piece of desktop software can take information from the numerous CGDI services, and bind this information into a unified desktop view. WFS-T is an OGC standard for transactional editing over the Internet, but its acceptance has been limited because there exists no widely available, easy-to-use interface to WFS data that can both read and edit transactional data. Current WFS client software is either entirely browser based or bundled with expensive desktop GIS software. Organizations that want to build WFS-T functionality into their business applications face a similar problem: WFS client component software is proprietary, and multi-seat licensing can be prohibitively expensive.
uDig to enable users to integrate, view, edit, and print data easily
uDig will overcome these shortcomings by providing an interactive WFS client with viewing and editing capabilities. An open-source application, uDig will bring CGDI data to the desktop and integrate it with local data to enable people to view, edit, and print data easily.
In addition, uDig will enhance the CGDI by enabling organizations to interlink their data holdings without compromising data quality. This characteristic will dissuade data users from maintaining their own data silos, a costly and time-consuming approach. Instead, users will be able to rely on single organizations to keep complete sets of quality data and offer open access to that data.
Moreover, uDig, as a free open-source product will provide a data access and maintenance tool that governments and the private sector can use regardless of budgets. Users of uDig will be able to access the CGDI without buying expensive proprietary desktop GIS licenses simply to view CGDI data. Consequently, uDig will make CGDI data accessible to a much wider potential audience.
Primary Partner:
Refractions Research
Victoria,
British Columbia;
Partners: BC Ministry of Sustainable Resource Management, ImageLinks, The Open Planning Project
Funding From GeoConnections: $200,000.00 ( 45.7 %)
Estimated Inception Date: April, 2004
Estimated Completion Date: February, 2005