DonationCoder.com Software > N.A.N.Y. 2013

NANY 2013: Please post requests!

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lifespurpose:
What I'd like to see: a simple map-creating program. Map as in real map, roads and bridges. Why: paper maps can sometimes be inaccurate, so I need to make corrections, or I may need to annotate, such as add buildings, with notes about them. (The notes should be hideable, so they don't cover everything up, or insertable at odd angles so they fit between roads.)
Method: scan an existing map to create a picture file. Set it as a background. Draw features on top of it, adding/correcting as you go. The background of course would have copyright issues, but your hand-copy should not, especially since the entire purpose is to create something different. Obviously it would take too long to hand-make an entire city, but that is not my need. Typically all I need is a neighborhood. Print the custom part, leaving the scanned part behind.
Drawing features: It is important that the "pen" be able to draw with standard map symbols. For instance, an unpaved road should be two lines running parallel, not a single black line. A paved road, two lines, with black bars between them, spaced. You know, you've seen maps. (Freebie maps lately are useless, as roads and rivers are all single lines, the only way to tell them apart is the roads are completely covered over in numbers, which hides any other possible useful detail. This is a big reason I'd like to make my own local maps.) Building symbols built-in (resizable squares, rectangles, etc.) And of course thin-line drawing, and new symbol creation.
You may say, just use GPS. OK, but I want something I can keep for later, complete with notes, and go back and add to it later. And print out to give to others, say with driving directions on it. How do you do that on a GPS?
Don't recommend SmartDraw, as that is not the KIND of maps I mean, and it is huge.
Creating/editing a road should be simple and intuitive, for example: connect two endpoints using the "unpaved road" pen, then using a "pusher" or "bulldozer" cursor, nudge the road into curves. Sort of like putting a bead chain down on a table-top and pushing it around with your finger. Not infinitely segmented, but finely enough that the end result is reasonable. (Alternately, click along the road to create hinges, then select each in turn and pull it to the place needed. Probably easier to code. In fact this is what the circuit-board program ExpressPCB does. If that program permitted picture background and road-line drawing, plus more simultaneous color choices, it would already do what I need.)
Since no one on planet earth is offering this kind of map-specific drawing program (and even if a massive graphics program could do this, I'd prefer something easier to learn and use and compact; but I don't think they can do this) this is an opportunity for some enterprising coder.

TaoPhoenix:
What I'd like to see: a simple map-creating program. Map as in real map, roads and bridges. Why: paper maps can sometimes be inaccurate, so I need to make corrections, or I may need to annotate, such as add buildings, with notes about them. (The notes should be hideable, so they don't cover everything up, or insertable at odd angles so they fit between roads.)
Method: scan an existing map to create a picture file. Set it as a background. Draw features on top of it, adding/correcting as you go. The background of course would have copyright issues, but your hand-copy should not, especially since the entire purpose is to create something different. Obviously it would take too long to hand-make an entire city, but that is not my need. Typically all I need is a neighborhood. Print the custom part, leaving the scanned part behind.
Drawing features: It is important that the "pen" be able to draw with standard map symbols. For instance, an unpaved road should be two lines running parallel, not a single black line. A paved road, two lines, with black bars between them, spaced. You know, you've seen maps. (Freebie maps lately are useless, as roads and rivers are all single lines, the only way to tell them apart is the roads are completely covered over in numbers, which hides any other possible useful detail. This is a big reason I'd like to make my own local maps.) Building symbols built-in (resizable squares, rectangles, etc.) And of course thin-line drawing, and new symbol creation.
You may say, just use GPS. OK, but I want something I can keep for later, complete with notes, and go back and add to it later. And print out to give to others, say with driving directions on it. How do you do that on a GPS?
Don't recommend SmartDraw, as that is not the KIND of maps I mean, and it is huge.
Creating/editing a road should be simple and intuitive, for example: connect two endpoints using the "unpaved road" pen, then using a "pusher" or "bulldozer" cursor, nudge the road into curves. Sort of like putting a bead chain down on a table-top and pushing it around with your finger. Not infinitely segmented, but finely enough that the end result is reasonable. (Alternately, click along the road to create hinges, then select each in turn and pull it to the place needed. Probably easier to code. In fact this is what the circuit-board program ExpressPCB does. If that program permitted picture background and road-line drawing, plus more simultaneous color choices, it would already do what I need.)
Since no one on planet earth is offering this kind of map-specific drawing program (and even if a massive graphics program could do this, I'd prefer something easier to learn and use and compact; but I don't think they can do this) this is an opportunity for some enterprising coder.
-lifespurpose (November 29, 2012, 05:13 PM)
--- End quote ---

Wow. That's beyond a NANY app. My suggestion is to use one of the Google - Yahoo - Mapquest Apps and then save it as a picture and then draw on top of it like "you want to go here". The universal map data itself takes millions of $ to get complete.

Ath:
+1, way to big for the  roughly 1 month left for this year's NANY.

I already have a pledge going pretty well, and I think I almost committed myself to second one in another thread... :-[

tomos:
What I'd like to see: a simple map-creating program.-lifespurpose (November 29, 2012, 05:13 PM)
--- End quote ---
As said already, far too big for a Nany App.

Thoughts - in no particular order:

I draw fairly small maps at times for my work - I use graphics programmes, and do trace from older maps - some of which have copyright. If it's only for your own purposes I personally wouldnt worry about copyright - if for publication, you should get permission (= pay an arm & leg to original publisher). They actually have little quirks in maps that they can use in court to prove that you copied their maps ;-)

I know a guy who creates detailed maps for orienteering via copying/tracing and some surveying/field work - he uses some type of cad software - well 'cad' is part of the name - I can check and get back to you - but it is fairly expensive AFAIK.

These days you can download a lot of maps - contour maps of the States, UK etc. I'm not familiar with these in terms of format etc. Probably a lot of GIS based info.

Have you looked at openstreetmap.org ?
OpenStreetMap is a free worldwide map, created by people like you.
The data is free to download and use under its open license. Create a user account to improve the map.
--- End quote ---
Sounds good to me but I've no experience with it.
See dc thread -
An easy software to make street/road maps? for more info about same and other possible options.

Adobe Illustrator has a mapmaker plugin - again I dont know the name off the top of my head, but you're talking about lots of dosh for Illustrator to begin with + plugin cost.

BearPup7:
A project idea for someone; anyone! I'm not a coder, though I might get a batch file to work, maybe. Anyway, the idea:   how about a front end or package wrapper that would allow a user to take a program that doesn't normally start with Windows and wrap it in a shell that would allow a user to specify that the program should in fact run with windows.

For example, one of the DonationCoders made me a wonderful little program called DoubleClick, which converts the scroll wheel to a double left mouse click when pressed. I would like to convert or modify this program (as well as a few others I have) to start-up when Windows does, without having to remember to run each one separately. Any ideas or suggestions?

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