Longitude/Latitude Application Needs

[a_lost_packet_]

I need some help...<br /><br />Quite frankly, I "suck" at using the entire system of geographic coordinates that our race has been using for hundreds of years. Sure, I can enter coordinates in an application and watch in dumbfounded amazement as a little red dot appears on a map, translating the location entered into a believable and physical representation. Isn't technology great? !!<br /><br />But, I need an application that can help me compare various sets of geographical location data. What I need is to be able to enter several sets of location data and be able to differentiate those sets on a map. If that app also was able to operate on a linear time scale (time variables associated with entries in a data set) that would be outstanding.<br /><br />ie:<br />Set one (red dots)<br />Set two (blue dots)<br />Set three (paid dots...)<br /><br />The application has to be able to accept multiple data entries. I don't want to have to create a macro for entering multiple entries when I can just enter a delimited text string. Of course, I'd do it if that was all that was available... I just don't want to <i>have to</i> do it. While it is "possible" I can do my work, in its entirety, by writing statistical formulae and then translating high correlations, I'd still have to eventually plot the points seperated by data sets on a map.<br /><br />Considering the application needed and the experience that most in this forum have, I hope that someone can point me in the right direction. Otherwise, I'm probably going to have to write the darn thing myself and I'm worse at coding scripts than I am at finding out where the heck I am... <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <font size="1">I put on my robe and wizard hat...</font> </div>

 

[spacester]

Google Maps would seem to offer the functionality you're looking for. I just got done implementing one, see my sig line. Currently I just use one style marker but custom markers can be done. Everything so far has been relatively simple, in fact this project doubled as my first AJAX project, and my javascript skills were no more than basic going into it. The documentation does assume you are a coder but sorting thru it all was a terrific learning experience all around. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[a_lost_packet_]

Very interesting. I've heard of it but haven't used it. I suppose I could embed it in an html doc and as long as there was a live connection, there'd be a map. Thanks. I'll muck around with it a little.<br /><br />Still looking for a standalone application though. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <font size="1">I put on my robe and wizard hat...</font> </div>

 

[spacester]

Yeah, if a gmap is the main feature on your site, you are beholden to Google for your existence, and that bothers me a bit. But as the eternal optimist I have decided to go ahead and trust Google until they betray that trust.<br /><br />Reading between the lines, it appears that at some point there will be a price to pay for the service, prolly they will require your site to do the AdSense thing.<br /><br />The main thing from my point of view is that not only can you get a map up and running in maybe 1% of the time needed to develop an app yourself, but it truly is a terrific introduction to manipulating the DOM (Document Object Model), which is the key to creating dynamic web pages. Creating a gmap amounts to a very nice tutorial on the subject.<br /><br />In regards to your original question, also note the GeoCoder services available from several places. You send an address, or even just some part of an address and they send back a complete, formatted address along with Lat/Long. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[a_lost_packet_]

Well, like any good whiner, I finally went out and answered my own question:<br /><br />http://www.ngdc.noaa.gov/seg/tools/geovu/geovu.shtml<br /><br />This is about as versatile as it gets although a little bit cumbersome. But, it has advantages that I hadn't thought of being able to use. Plus, I can easily import data or export it.<br /><br />Now, I just have to have the will to learn how to use it effectively. <img src="/images/icons/smile.gif" /> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <font size="1">I put on my robe and wizard hat...</font> </div>