Free GIS application

MapWindow GIS Application

http://www.mapwindow.org/download.php?show_details=1

Description:

MapWindow GIS desktop application is a free, open source, standards-based standalone software package that you can use to view and edit GIS data in many file formats.

The software includes plug-ins for various geoprocessing tasks (e.g. buffer, merge, etc.), watershed delineation, accessing online data sources, and an experimental geodatabase plug-in. The attribute table editor can be used to write simple queries, and there is a complete scripting editor that allows you to write and run scripts in VB.NET and C# directly in the MapWindow program.

Download MapWindow GIS if you need a simple map viewer, or if you want to write your own custom plug-ins to distribute to other users.

The installer includes sample data and is compatible with Windows 98 and up. Source code can be downloaded using SVN code repository.

My Comment:

I really like those plug-in tools.
For example, the coordination system converter is really convenient!
From that GIS Tools menu, select Vector => Reproject a Shapefile.

Text Box tool in Acrobat PDF

Yesterday, I added a comment in a pdf file and tried to changed the font type and color of my comments in the Text Box. I supposed that this can be easily done from the text box properties. Guess what?! There is no such options! (Figure 1)
Thanks to Internet, I found the solution provided by someone who met the same problem. The tips is -------------
Use the hot key "Ctrl+e"!
The Ctrl e function can bring up the Text Box Text Properties, where font type color and other properties can be changed. (Figure 2).
I just don't understand the User Interface developers' design concept. Why not make everybody's life easier?

Figure 1: Text Box Properties (Right Mouse Click)

Figure 2: Text Box Text Properties (Ctrl+e)

How to make animated gifs?

I just learned an easy way to create animated gif pictures:
Tool: GIMP ( GNU Image Manipulation Program)
Step1:
Prepare several pictures as the frames, e.g. p1.png, p2,png.
Step 2:
File->Open->"p1.png"
Step 3:
File->Open as Layers->"p2.png"
Step 4:
Image->Mode->Indexed
Step 5:
Save as->"test.gif"->Save as Animation->Export->
Adjust the parameters, for example
"loop forever"
"Frame disposal where unspecifed: One frame per layer (replace)"

Upcoming Conferences in Transportation Field

1. the Hong Kong Society for Transportation Studies: http://home.netvigator.com/~hksts/call.htm
2. Conference List in Kevin's website: http://redvillage.homelinux.net/index.php?Page=conference
   

GIS Data

VA:
http://www.virginiaplaces.org/boundaries/gisdata.html
http://gisdata.virginia.gov/Portal/

MD:
http://www.marylandgis.net/SHAdata/

MA:
http://www.mass.gov/mgis/laylist.htm

Other regions:
http://seamless.usgs.gov/
http://arcdata.esri.com/data/tiger2000/tiger_download.cfm
http://data.geocomm.com/catalog/index.html
http://www.nationalatlas.gov/atlasftp.html
http://gisdata.virginia.gov/Portal/

Scripts for ESRI software:
http://arcscripts.esri.com/

Freeware (Forestry GIS)
http://www.forestpal.com/fgis.html

Where to find traffic data in Maryland

1. CATT Lab
Traffic Data Extraction Software (Web Based)
http://www.cattlab.umd.edu/index.php?page=research&a=00005

2. MD SHA
Internet Traffic Monitoring System (I-TMS)
http://shagbhisdadt.mdot.state.md.us/TMS_Reports_Site_RedirectPage/

3. MD SHA
GIS File Download Center
http://www.marylandgis.net/SHAdata/

Transporation Research

• FHWA: Office of Operations
• FHWA: Next Generation Simulation (NGSIM)
• UMCP: ATTAP
• UMCP: CATT
• Proceeding: Winter Simulation Conference
  
• Book: Urban Transportation Networks
• Book: Urban Operation Research