Mapping software 2

[J Wood]

Thank you all for your responses.

> I think for the combination of vector and scanned maps (and also in 3D)=
 you
> need professional software. [...] For realy good combination of vector and
> scans there are GIS-programs. Also almost not availabale as=
 free/share-ware.

Two possibilities here are: Scan2CAD, scans & calibrates raster images and
converts to vector formats, for viewing in CAD packages etc. cost about=
 =A3100.

Manifold at www.manifold.net - commercial GIS package, looks as if it ought
to be very competent, though they dont do a demo. cost at US$250 is very
reasonable compared with other commercial GIS software.

>Take a look at http://www.freegis.org/ for free GIS related software and
>resources - a quick search there suggests that GRASS might be worth a look,
>though I've never used it.
>

It might, though my heart sank when I started to find out what I needed to
run it. Being so far a Windows person, I still find the thought of getting
unix etc running fairly daunting.

>For cave specific stuff, the (currently highly experimental) GL extensions=
 to
>aven (part of survex) are probably what you're after, though they're
currently
>a bit vapourware-ish.  If you attended the CUCC Austria talk at the BCRA
>conference last year, you saw them in action.  They allow a scanned map or
>photo to be draped over a terrain model, and viewed in 3d along with the=
 cave
>centreline surveys.
>
>The major lacks at the moment are a way to import arbitrary terrain data,=
 an
>easy way to align the images (you need to be able to attach coordinates to
>identifiable features on the map or photo), and clean integration with the
>rest of the program.  Mark Shinwell's about to start working on it again in
>a serious way - I'd guess it'll be ready for public consumption in a couple
>of months, but if you fancy a play sooner, let me know.

Yes, this sounds good, could you let us know when it is ready for public
consumption. I did see the austria talk, and had previously asked about it
on this group, but had no answer.

All the best
John