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Prototype Online Atlas of Australia
Danesh Prakash ChackoSupervised by: Gita Pupedis
Why an Atlas of Australia?
‘National Atlases present a synthesis of the spatial knowledge that characterises a country’
(Kraak et al, 2009)
Currently, Australia does not have a single national atlas.
Australia has theme based national atlases and comprehensive state atlases.
The purpose of the project: To propose the creation of a single national atlas to act as a geographic portal of the nation.
Researched International Atlases
Technology and structure of an Atlas
Type of Online Atlas versions: A) Static
▪ View only B) Dynamic
▪ View only▪ Interactive
Technological structure of a typical online Atlas: Map Server Tile Server (tile Cache) Client (User-interface) Geospatial data
Technology and structure of an Atlas
Potential design layout and characteristics of mapping tools in an atlas: Types of zooming applicable Legend configuration
▪ Pop-up Legends▪ Static Legends
Arrangement of key mapping tools (e.g. Zooming Printing Legend)
http://atlas.nrcan.gc.ca/site/english/maps/environment/geology/geologicalprovinces
Potential topics for the Atlas
From the analysis of a dozen online atlases, potential topics of the National Atlas of Australia are: Geography Climate Population Economy Tourism Threatened Environment History
Dataset sources: Explore Australia, Geoscience Australia, RMIT and data.gov.au
Implementation of the Atlas
3 Stages of creating the prototype: Stage 1: Creating the maps in ArcGIS Stage 2: Identification of online platform, map transfer to the platform Stage 3: Creation of a non-hosted prototype website
In the process of creating the atlas, various technological and cartographic limitations have been identified
Stage 1: Creating the maps in ArcGIS
The software utilized: ArcGIS 10.0 Desktop Sample Topics to be covered:
Physical Australia Hydrology of Australia Vegetation of Australia Tourism of Australia Population Characteristics of Australia
Stage 1: Creating the maps in ArcGIS
Example Map:
Physical Map of Australia
Stage 2: Choosing a suitable online platform
Potential Online Platforms to be chosen: ArcGIS Online TileMill Open-source Map Servers
Datasets
Maps in ArcGIS
TileMill
Map Servers
ArcGIS Online
Atlas Website
ESRI Atlas
Stage 2: Choosing a suitable online platform
After much exploration and assessing the pros and cons, it was decided ArcGIS Online was the way forward.
There is a problem: Maps in ArcGIS Desktop cannot be transferred to ArcGIS Online due to versioning process.
Datasets were uploaded online and new maps were created from scratch.
Stage 2: Choosing a suitable online platform
Example ArcGIS Online Map:
Tourism in Australia Map
Stage 3: Creation of the prototype website
The Prototype website design layout was based on the analysis of the design layout of 12 researched atlases.
A main homepage was created with two menus: A Cascading menu and a graphical menu. The website has links to other Australian atlases.
Stage 3: Creation of the prototype website
Geography ‘Home Page’ for users to explore Australian geography:
Limitations & challenges of the Atlas
Cartographic Text Labelling in ArcGIS Desktop Limitations of datasets Data Symbolization in ArcGIS Online
Technological Choosing a Suitable Online Platform Map Transfer from ArcGIS Desktop to ArcGIS
Online Web Browser Compatibility
Limitations & challenges of the Atlas
Cartographic
Limitations & Challenges of the Atlas
Technological
Atlas Homepage in Internet Explorer 8
What’s next?
Australia should consider the benefits of producing a national atlas.
Universities, the government and the private sector should be urged to collaborate on the project.
A well produced Atlas of Australia could encourage implementation of a similar Atlas in other nations.
www.jacononline.com.au
Acknowledgments
Would like to thank the support given by: Gita Pupedis (Supervisor) - for the supervision,
encouragement and points of improvement throughout the project
Bruce McGurty (Explore Australia) – for giving the permission of using datasets, references to other free datasets
Damien Demaj & Other ESRI Staff (ESRI) – for giving guidance for ArcGIS