Geohosting

The Geohosting system is able to work both with data stored directly on the internal server and with information accessible via web services. Data is saved in geodatabase by default, but the system is able to work also with data in individual files of different formats. Data repositories are represented by the File Repository and the GeoDatabase. Individual SW system components are:

DataMan

DataMan is a web application designed to make users’ data accessible in the web environment. Data can be made accessible either in the form of a geodatabase or individual files can be uploaded directly on the internal server. DataMan works by default with PostGIS database, but other databases accessible through the ODBC interface can be also accessed on the basis of authorization. In the selected database, new tables can be made, their structure can be modified, or they can be deleted. It is also possible to make copies of existing tables and to modify these copies. Geographical data (points, lines, and areas) is being saved in the databases, and additional information of various data types (number, string, date and time, logic value) can be added to each table. This functionality can be used for example if the user needs an option to create his own database for geographical objects, which he could then edit directly in situ, perhaps using the Teredit application. The database table can be thus generated, edited and published by the user in MapMan.

Another function of DataMan is the possibility of uploading files with geographical data on the server. TIFF/GeoTIFF, JPEG, GIF, PNG and other raster data can be used and so can also SHP, DGN, DWG, GML and other vector data. In certain cases it is also possible to import vector data directly into the geodatabase and use them for example during a mobile collection of data. In publishing operations, metadata publication is facilitated also in the Micka system.

MapMan

MapMan, a web system for spatial data management, allows integration of data accessible through standardized web services (WMS, WFS) with spatial data saved in internal databases and files. All these data sources can be used for generating new map compositions in the web environment. Thus made map compositions can be displayed by the user in several ways – either in classic web browsers (OpenLayers, GoogleMap, DHTML client) or in desktop browsers (GoogleEarth). The possibility to publish these new compositions as a completely new WMS web service, or possibly as a WFS, constitutes, however, a significant part. 

Map Project Manager is an upgrade of the UMN MapServer system, which is being developed at the University of Minnesota. MapMan exploits the functionality of MapServer especially in coordinate system transformation and in communication with various web services. 

Project Editor constitutes the basic component of MapMan, it integrates the individual connectors onto data sources along with publication functionality. Project Editor is interconnected with Layers Storage and Symbol Storage, where individual layers and symbols can be saved. An important feature of the system is its interconnection to the metadata catalogue, which facilitates searching out of required data from external sources on the basis of metadata and also collection and publication of metadata on newly made map compositions.

Data sources can be interconnected in several different ways. Internal data sources (i.e. data accessible on the internal server) can be saved in databases or in files. At present SHP files and PostGIS are the supported files and databases; however, connectors for other databases and file types can be also relatively easily implemented.

Data files are saved in predefined data directories accessible to MapMan. External data stored on remote servers are connected through WMS and WFS web services.

Metadata Extractor

Metadata extractor is a tool to extract available metadata directly from different files (documents, presentation, etc.), edit this metadata and publish metadata and files on URM portal. Other possibility is extract metadata (and then edit) directly from existing URL addresses and store metadata on URM portal. Access to information is then through direct URL addresses.

Currently metadata extractor supports

• publishing documents on the portal – you can select any type of file on your computer, extract and edit metadata and published this file on portal:

• publishing of links to existing Web pages only putting URL of Web pages to extractor:

• or published directly new Web pages stored in Zip file. These Web pages are directly accessible trough URM portal