GTI releases new versions of 3 products today:
- GTViewer version 7.0
- Pocket GTViewer 7.0
- GTVx version 7.0
These new releases have a variety of enhancements, fixes, and new features.
Wednesday, January 31, 2007
Trippple Sevens – New versions of GTViewer, Pocket GTViewer, and GTVx
GTI releases new versions of 3 products today:
Thursday, January 18, 2007
GTI at GITA 2007
GTI's Charlie Marlin will be a speaker at GITA 2007 at the Mobile Field Data Collection Technology Alternatives Knowledge Immersion Seminar. For more information see page 7 of the GITA conference program. Also, see page 15 for a picture of GTI's Mike Rogers at the Data Aquisition Seminar from GITA 2006 in Tampa.
GTI is also proud to be sponsoring the breakfast at the Ten Sails Smallworld Symposium following the GITA conference.
GTI is also proud to be sponsoring the breakfast at the Ten Sails Smallworld Symposium following the GITA conference.
Monday, January 08, 2007
Why use a 3rd Party Viewer for your GIS Data
By Joey Rogers and Charlie Marlin
A question that GTI sometimes gets asked is “Why should I use your viewer for my GIS when I could use the viewer sold by my GIS vendor?” This is a question that deserves some deliberation.
Focus – Where is the “A” team?
GIS vendors are focused on making their GIS work correctly: creation of features, topology, updates, conflict resolution, etc. This characteristic is obvious if you take a look at popular GIS vendors and how their viewers are positioned (if they have a viewer at all). This focus is not a bad thing. You want the GIS data to be created and maintained properly. Let the GIS vendor do what it does best.
GTI is focused on developing the best viewer possible. While GTViewer capability spans the data analysis and data collection realms, its primary objective is providing the best viewer possible for people who need access to the GIS data.
GIS Vendors try to provide a full suite of products starting with the GIS itself then all of the periphery applications: Design, Analysis (or interfaces with Analysis packages), Plotting, Viewing, Data Collection. As the GIS vendors attempt to provide the full suite, the non-core applications have historically been neglected or overlooked. In the GIS data world, these applications that get pushed to the bottom are the ones used by the most people. This situation is ironic. Viewing applications should be given just as much attention as any other part of the GIS, especially since many more people use the GIS data through a viewer application than in any other way. The cost of the GIS viewer is not a significant part of an overall GIS solution, and GIS vendors have traditionally invested their money, time, and development in the higher dollar components. Reflecting its focus, GTI devotes all of its resources to the GIS viewer.
Design – For whom?
Many GIS viewers are simply stripped down versions of a full GIS seat or cannibalized parts of other applications that were never designed to be viewers. In some cases, a full GIS seat may be recommended by a GIS vendor as the viewing application (requiring the full GIS seat cost and complexity for a viewing seat). GTI has a very different approach to this problem. The overwhelming majority of actual users are not “GIS” users; they are customer service representatives, marketers, planners, linemen, tree trimmers, leak inspectors, construction foremen, supervisors, managers, etc. GTViewer was designed from the ground up as a usable, productive viewing tool without the distractive influences of a GIS. Why would you force the majority of the users of GIS data to learn an overly complicated interface designed for the smallest group of users?
The primary benefit of a field or office viewing product is that it allows people to use geospatial data to do their regular jobs more efficiently (which is the whole point of having a GIS). It is not economical to require such users to become GIS professionals. GIS professionals require extensive training and education. And they produce results that bring tremendous value to their companies, governments, and agencies. But forcing all users of geospatial data to become GIS professionals is like making all car passengers become mechanics. As an aside, I might remark that in the early days of automobiles, this may have been a reasonable requirement. Cars failed often. And anybody who drove one needed to work on it often to keep it going. (Many GIS veterans will say the same about the early days of their field!) But those times have passed. Cars are more popular and useful today than they were during their first 30 years precisely because they do not require full time maintenance. They can be designed for users rather than for mechanics. Likewise, today’s third party geospatial viewers can enhance a worker’s productivity by fitting in with that work directly, rather than by requiring advanced skills from a different occupation.
Integration – Fact or Fantasy?
One of the longest-running abuses of large software companies is their practice of leading customers to believe that because multiple software products are sold by the same company, they will work together seamlessly. Sadly, such integration is often not actually realized. For instance, many GIS vendors require the source GIS data to be converted or prepared for mobile applications, which is the same workflow taken by most third party viewing vendors. Alternatively, if the GIS vendor is not converting their data to a “mobile-ready” format, they are probably not providing geospatial data in the way that works best on mobile devices
The major GIS vendors have also invented the concept that only they can provide effective components for their GIS systems; it’s sort of like Ford Motor Company trying to claim that its cars can only use Ford tires. This concept is wholly untrue and in fact usually turns out to be a limiting characteristic instead of a strength. For example, viewers from one GIS vendor have never been effective when used on data from another GIS vendor. By contrast, GTViewer is not bound to any one GIS format, so it can support data from multiple GIS sources simultaneously whether you simply need support for multiple GIS sources or are transitioning from one GIS to another.
Price
The major GIS vendors have generally priced their viewing software fairly high and then discounted it heavily when bundled with their mainstream products. Just because something is sold at half its list price doesn’t mean it then has twice the value. A poorly designed tool that sells for less than a better-designed rival will only save money the first day. The buyer will pay for the difference every day his employees use a second-best tool.
Pedigree
How did the software start out? Was it a CAD product that morphed into a mapping tool? Did it result from a crash program to create a me-too product, driven by market pressure? GTViewer has a unique history. It was designed starting with a clean sheet of paper by a software architect who had spent years working with viewing software and its users. GTViewer reflects insights gained through practical experience. Now in its fifth major release, GTViewer does what people should expect. It scales to large data sets. It shows aerial photography. It allows users to sketch intuitively. It provides a rich array of view controls that can declutter or emphasize what the user wants to see with minimal or no effort from the user. Printing, GPS integration, and a query subsystem are all included. Snappy performance is standard. Crucially, all these features are provided through an engaging and approachable user interface that is suitable for people without GIS backgrounds.
A question that GTI sometimes gets asked is “Why should I use your viewer for my GIS when I could use the viewer sold by my GIS vendor?” This is a question that deserves some deliberation.
Focus – Where is the “A” team?
GIS vendors are focused on making their GIS work correctly: creation of features, topology, updates, conflict resolution, etc. This characteristic is obvious if you take a look at popular GIS vendors and how their viewers are positioned (if they have a viewer at all). This focus is not a bad thing. You want the GIS data to be created and maintained properly. Let the GIS vendor do what it does best.
GTI is focused on developing the best viewer possible. While GTViewer capability spans the data analysis and data collection realms, its primary objective is providing the best viewer possible for people who need access to the GIS data.
GIS Vendors try to provide a full suite of products starting with the GIS itself then all of the periphery applications: Design, Analysis (or interfaces with Analysis packages), Plotting, Viewing, Data Collection. As the GIS vendors attempt to provide the full suite, the non-core applications have historically been neglected or overlooked. In the GIS data world, these applications that get pushed to the bottom are the ones used by the most people. This situation is ironic. Viewing applications should be given just as much attention as any other part of the GIS, especially since many more people use the GIS data through a viewer application than in any other way. The cost of the GIS viewer is not a significant part of an overall GIS solution, and GIS vendors have traditionally invested their money, time, and development in the higher dollar components. Reflecting its focus, GTI devotes all of its resources to the GIS viewer.
Design – For whom?
Many GIS viewers are simply stripped down versions of a full GIS seat or cannibalized parts of other applications that were never designed to be viewers. In some cases, a full GIS seat may be recommended by a GIS vendor as the viewing application (requiring the full GIS seat cost and complexity for a viewing seat). GTI has a very different approach to this problem. The overwhelming majority of actual users are not “GIS” users; they are customer service representatives, marketers, planners, linemen, tree trimmers, leak inspectors, construction foremen, supervisors, managers, etc. GTViewer was designed from the ground up as a usable, productive viewing tool without the distractive influences of a GIS. Why would you force the majority of the users of GIS data to learn an overly complicated interface designed for the smallest group of users?
The primary benefit of a field or office viewing product is that it allows people to use geospatial data to do their regular jobs more efficiently (which is the whole point of having a GIS). It is not economical to require such users to become GIS professionals. GIS professionals require extensive training and education. And they produce results that bring tremendous value to their companies, governments, and agencies. But forcing all users of geospatial data to become GIS professionals is like making all car passengers become mechanics. As an aside, I might remark that in the early days of automobiles, this may have been a reasonable requirement. Cars failed often. And anybody who drove one needed to work on it often to keep it going. (Many GIS veterans will say the same about the early days of their field!) But those times have passed. Cars are more popular and useful today than they were during their first 30 years precisely because they do not require full time maintenance. They can be designed for users rather than for mechanics. Likewise, today’s third party geospatial viewers can enhance a worker’s productivity by fitting in with that work directly, rather than by requiring advanced skills from a different occupation.
Integration – Fact or Fantasy?
One of the longest-running abuses of large software companies is their practice of leading customers to believe that because multiple software products are sold by the same company, they will work together seamlessly. Sadly, such integration is often not actually realized. For instance, many GIS vendors require the source GIS data to be converted or prepared for mobile applications, which is the same workflow taken by most third party viewing vendors. Alternatively, if the GIS vendor is not converting their data to a “mobile-ready” format, they are probably not providing geospatial data in the way that works best on mobile devices
The major GIS vendors have also invented the concept that only they can provide effective components for their GIS systems; it’s sort of like Ford Motor Company trying to claim that its cars can only use Ford tires. This concept is wholly untrue and in fact usually turns out to be a limiting characteristic instead of a strength. For example, viewers from one GIS vendor have never been effective when used on data from another GIS vendor. By contrast, GTViewer is not bound to any one GIS format, so it can support data from multiple GIS sources simultaneously whether you simply need support for multiple GIS sources or are transitioning from one GIS to another.
Price
The major GIS vendors have generally priced their viewing software fairly high and then discounted it heavily when bundled with their mainstream products. Just because something is sold at half its list price doesn’t mean it then has twice the value. A poorly designed tool that sells for less than a better-designed rival will only save money the first day. The buyer will pay for the difference every day his employees use a second-best tool.
Pedigree
How did the software start out? Was it a CAD product that morphed into a mapping tool? Did it result from a crash program to create a me-too product, driven by market pressure? GTViewer has a unique history. It was designed starting with a clean sheet of paper by a software architect who had spent years working with viewing software and its users. GTViewer reflects insights gained through practical experience. Now in its fifth major release, GTViewer does what people should expect. It scales to large data sets. It shows aerial photography. It allows users to sketch intuitively. It provides a rich array of view controls that can declutter or emphasize what the user wants to see with minimal or no effort from the user. Printing, GPS integration, and a query subsystem are all included. Snappy performance is standard. Crucially, all these features are provided through an engaging and approachable user interface that is suitable for people without GIS backgrounds.
GTI at DistribuTECH, Feb 4-6, 2007
Come to San Diego and visit GTI in booth 644 at the DistribuTECH conference, February 4-6. See GTViewer, the price-performance leader in geospatial viewing, along with advanced applications such as valve isolation, circuit tracing, and outage inference. GT/Field, a configurable data collection application, will be featured on hand-helds and laptops. New editions of GTWeb will also be demonstrated.
Wednesday, December 27, 2006
GTVx Version 5.0.x.12 is Available
Version 5.0.x.12 of GTVx is available.
-----------------------
05.00.00.12 - 12/27/06
-----------------------
- FIX - The Export button on the Display Preset Dialog was always enabled even when no preset item was selected.
-----------------------
05.00.00.11 - 12/08/06
-----------------------
- FIX - QueryActivate and QueryPerform were not recognizing Query Type 13 as thematic query.
GTViewer version 5.0.x.27 is Available
Version 5.0.x.27 of GTViewer is available.
-----------------------
05.00.00.27 - 12/27/06
-----------------------
- CHG - Change to the NMEA GPS reader to better support virtual COM ports or GPS sharing devices.
- FIX - The Export button on the Display Preset Dialog was always enabled even when no preset item was selected.
Friday, December 01, 2006
GTViewer version 5.0.x.26 is Available
Version 5.0.x.26 of GTViewer is available.
-----------------------
05.00.00.26 - 11/30/06
-----------------------
- FIX - Export as Dgn was not setting the origin correctly in orphan cell headers which caused all grouped elements from the GTViewer data to scale and rotate incorrectly in Microstation.
- NEW - Export as Dgn will now export Extended Style Information as UDLS tags on the dgn elements.
- FIX - Fixes to the Style Manager's Import Map and Def funtionality.
- NEW - ExternalStyleMapFile and ExternalStyleDefinition entries can be added to the addprop.ini file or the Additional Properties section of the .GTM. If defined, these entries will import the specified .map or .def files.
- FIX - Text Elements with embedded data would lose the embedded data if edited with the Element Properties dialog.
- FIX - Reading an element would partially reset a DrawSetData. It will now fully reset the information.
- FIX - Right Mouse Menu would not activate when in Draw Dimension or Leader line modes.
- FIX - Updates to Magnify Window to provide a smoother appearance when scrolling, especially with dark or black backgrounds.
GTVx version 5.0.x.10 is Available
Version 5.0.x.10 of GTVx is available.
-----------------------
05.00.00.10 - 11/30/06
-----------------------
- FIX - Export as Dgn was not setting the origin correctly in orphan cell headers which caused all grouped elements from the GTViewer data to scale and rotate incorrectly in Microstation.
- NEW - Export as Dgn will now export Extended Style Information as UDLS tags on the dgn elements.- FIX - Text Elements with embedded data would lose the embedded data if edited with the Element Properties dialog.
- FIX - Reading an element would partially reset a DrawSetData. It will now fully reset the information.
- FIX - Right Mouse Menu would not activate when in Draw Dimension or Leader line modes.
- NEW - ExternalStyleMapFile and ExternalStyleDefinition entries can be added to the addprop.ini file or the Additional Properties section of the .GTM. If defined, these entries will import the specified .map or .def files.
Thursday, November 16, 2006
Can Pocket GTViewer be a Usable Viewing Platform?
Many people today still view Pocket PC or Windows Mobile devices as a novelty with little or limited practical use. There are generally 3 arguments against the handheld device for any application: 1) they are not powerful enough, 2) they can not hold enough data to be useful, and 3) their screens are too small to see anything (especially maps). I hope to dispel these myths and attempt to get more people looking at the handheld platform. Pocket GTViewer is an excellent application for the mobile community. If you are not utilizing this application in some way, you are missing out on a rich resource for viewing, data collection, and general accessibility to your GIS information.
Pocket GTViewer has been in existence as long as the desktop version of GTViewer, and it has progressed through several generations of Windows CE. The first version of Pocket GTViewer, introduced almost 6 years ago, supported Window CE 2.11 and the processor of the time was the Hitachi SHO running at 133 MHz. Pocket GTViewer has since supported Windows CE 3.0, Pocket PC, Handheld PC 2000, Pocket PC 2002, Windows Mobile 2003, Windows Mobile 2003 Second Edition, Windows CE.NET, and now Windows Mobile 5.0 (Window Mobile 6.0 is coming soon). I list all of the different platforms to show how quickly the handheld devices are evolving.
Let’s go through the arguments against viewing your GIS data on the handheld platform one item at a time and see how they are no longer valid excuses. The first argument is that the devices are not powerful enough. I think this argument has always been untrue. While the handheld devices are certainly not as powerful as a desktop PC, the devices of 6 years ago were more than capable of viewing complex vector map data. Pocket GTViewer was designed from the beginning to work with these slower processors and with minimal resources. On today’s handhelds, with processors 5 times faster, video hardware acceleration, and quadruple speed (or more) memory, Pocket GTViewer screams.
The second argument is not enough storage. Six years ago this might have been partially true. CF cards of that time were commonly in the range of 16M to 40M and a 100M CF card could easily cost more than the handheld device. At that time, you had to be a little more selective with what data you took with you; however, 40M of GTViewer data is a lot of information and rarely did I see a problem with not being able to take all the data along that was needed. Also, the 1G Microdrive provided some relief early on for those who needed extra storage at a premium price. These mechanical drives were very fast and usable even if they were deemed a bit fragile and consumed some precious battery power. Today, storage problems are all out the window; 4G+ memory cards (CF and SD) are common place and 2G cards very inexpensive ($70 or less). Solid state, fast, huge, and non-volatile, what more could you ask for?
The last argument is the usability of the screens which probably carries the most weight when deciding against the handheld devices as a platform. In the beginning, the standard Pocket PC and Windows Mobile screens are usually 3.5” diagonal with ¼ VGA resolution (240x320). If you leave the mainstream, there have always been a variety of screen sizes available; the only downside being that they are usually more expensive and use one of the more vanilla flavors of Windows CE (like Windows CE 3.0 and Windows CE.NET) which do not have some of the built in extras you find in Pocket PC and Windows Mobile. With the addition of Windows Mobile Second Edition, the screens are the same physical size, but they can now have full VGA (640x480) resolution and can operate in either Landscape or Portrait modes. This resolution increase is a much more profound change than it may seem at first. Going from ¼ VGA to full VGA quadruples the number of pixels in the same screen area and gives an amazing amount of clarity to graphics like the vector maps Pocket GTViewer displays. (This is one of those things you have to see to fully appreciate.) With Windows Mobile 5.0, the standard screen size is no long a standard and we see different aspect ratios. For example, the Treo 700w has a square screen.
There are really two issues when it comes to screen size. One is the hardware limitation and the other is thinking “desktop” when you have a “handheld.” The hardware limitation is really not an issue now with the full VGA screens (and really never was with ¼ VGA screens either). The screens are still small, but they are now crisper than your desktop’s screen and can still fit in your shirt pocket. The second problem has to do with doing the right job with the right tool. If you are trying to view all outages in your service area, a 3.5” screen is not the right tool. The tool for this job is GTViewer or GTVx, not Pocket GTViewer. However, the 3.5” screen with ¼ VGA or full VGA resolution is ideal for viewing a map up close. For example, you want to know if there are any underground utilities at an address, or you need to see what equipment is installed on a particular pole. A handheld device is like one of those little notepads with the wire spiraled around the top. You hold it in one hand and write on it with the other. So, what would you use a notepad for in the field? Taking notes, drawing sketches, filling out forms. Couple these tasks with an intelligent map supported by all of your GIS data and you have a very power tool in the palm of your hand.
Desktop GTViewer and Pocket GTViewer work well together. One is not a replacement for the other. GTViewer on your desktop PC can extract data for the handheld to take into the field, and receive redlines and/or collected data. GTWeb is also integrated with Pocket GTViewer allowing a web interface for selecting and loading data. Pocket GTViewer extends your GIS into places that were not always accessible before. I always carry my handheld with me, but I only lug my laptop around when I have to. Having the right information at the right time can make all the difference in the world.
The future is bright in the mobile arena. Beyond the Windows Mobile devices, we have SmartPhones and Ultra Mobile PCs. More and more devices today have built in GPS capabilities as well as cameras. Wireless connectivity is also becoming faster, more reliable, and more affordable. GTI’s product lines adapt to take advantage of the latest technologies available. You will see these new technologies leveraged in Pocket GTViewer, GTViewer, GTVx, and GTWeb.
This article was originally published in COGNET's GIS Advisor Newsletter:
Monday, November 06, 2006
Disclaimers, Messages, and Descriptions
How to inform thee, let me count the ways…
System administrators often need to provide information, in some way, to the people using GTViewer. There are three ways, and each is suited to a slightly different use. Each one is implemented as a parameter in the [General Info] section of the GTM file. Let’s take them in this order: Description, Message, then Disclaimer.
Description – This property specifies a one line description of the data. This description appears in several places:
- in the display filter
- in extract file descriptions
- in the new session dialog
- in the file > properties dialog
Here is an example of each one:
Display Filter:
Extract file description in the Tools > Extract Data by Fence
The New Session Dialog:
File > Properties Dialog:
Message – This property can be used to specify text to be displayed in the File > Properties dialog in GTViewer and the GTV > About > Open File dialog in Pocket GTViewer. The Message entry can be repeated as many times as necessary and can be used for copyright information, disclaimers, etc. The example above of the File > Properties dialog shows both Message and Description.
Disclaimer – This property can be used to specify text for a disclaimer that must be accepted before the data can be opened. The Disclaimer is limited to 255 characters per entry. It can also be set to <*blank*> to insert blank lines. The Disclaimer entry can be repeated as many times as necessary.
Here are two examples. The first shows the use originally intended, namely, to require the user to actively accept a legal notice. This is the actual disclaimer used by Jackson Electric Membership Corporation (JEMC).
The same technique can be used to present users with notices they ought to read but might skip. In this case, the administrator wants the people using GTViewer to know when their data set was exported from the GIS.
If they accept, GTViewer displays the data. If they Cancel, GTViewer exits.
I hope this blog posting has given administrators some ideas of how to inform users in the most suitable manner. And I hope at least a few readers were more amused than outraged by my distortion of Elizabeth Barrett Browning’s sonnet.
System administrators often need to provide information, in some way, to the people using GTViewer. There are three ways, and each is suited to a slightly different use. Each one is implemented as a parameter in the [General Info] section of the GTM file. Let’s take them in this order: Description, Message, then Disclaimer.
Description – This property specifies a one line description of the data. This description appears in several places:
- in the display filter
- in extract file descriptions
- in the new session dialog
- in the file > properties dialog
Here is an example of each one:
Display Filter:
Extract file description in the Tools > Extract Data by Fence
The New Session Dialog:
File > Properties Dialog:
Message – This property can be used to specify text to be displayed in the File > Properties dialog in GTViewer and the GTV > About > Open File dialog in Pocket GTViewer. The Message entry can be repeated as many times as necessary and can be used for copyright information, disclaimers, etc. The example above of the File > Properties dialog shows both Message and Description.
Disclaimer – This property can be used to specify text for a disclaimer that must be accepted before the data can be opened. The Disclaimer is limited to 255 characters per entry. It can also be set to <*blank*> to insert blank lines. The Disclaimer entry can be repeated as many times as necessary.
Here are two examples. The first shows the use originally intended, namely, to require the user to actively accept a legal notice. This is the actual disclaimer used by Jackson Electric Membership Corporation (JEMC).
The same technique can be used to present users with notices they ought to read but might skip. In this case, the administrator wants the people using GTViewer to know when their data set was exported from the GIS.
If they accept, GTViewer displays the data. If they Cancel, GTViewer exits.
I hope this blog posting has given administrators some ideas of how to inform users in the most suitable manner. And I hope at least a few readers were more amused than outraged by my distortion of Elizabeth Barrett Browning’s sonnet.
Thursday, October 26, 2006
Version 5.0.x.25 of GTViewer is available.
-----------------------
05.00.00.25 - 10/26/06
-----------------------
- NEW - The Title entry can be set to <*none*> to prevent any labels and borders from printing.
- FIX - If the session category had display thresholds, the drawing functions were disabled.
- FIX - FixedScaleFlag was not working on text elements (only symbol elements).
- NEW - Customizable support for Fixed Scale Text and Symbols. The Additional Properties section can now contain a PointFeatureThreshold entry to specify a selection tolerance based on distance from origin (instead of the text bounding box) and a FixedSymbolScale entry to the maximum zoom level to compute a symbols range for the spatial index.
- FIX - Problem with SetCurrentFilterId.
Friday, October 13, 2006
GTData version 5.0.0.4 is Available
Version 5.0.0.4 of GTData is available.
-----------
05.00.00.04 - 10/13/06
-----------
- NEW - GTStyleMgr, GTTabImport, GTMergeStyles - added to GTData.
- NEW - GTFilterImp - added to GTData.
- FIX - GTFrbConv - modified to also accept .rdl file using C(#) instead of C(Table.Attr). Non-FRB Tools .rdl files used the number of codelist tables.
- NEW - GTQuery - New silent flag will not generate the error messages, but will still provide the summary report.
- NEW - GTQuery - supports the -v1 flag to provide extra detailed information when compiling Offset Queries.
- FIX - GTQuery - If prompts were defined with a Graphic Offset Query, the query would be corrupt. Prompts are now ignored with this query type.
- FIX - GTFormatInfo - OmitFilterFlag messages in the verbose log were incorrect.
Monday, October 02, 2006
GTVx version 5.0.x.9 is Available
Version 5.0.x.9 of GTVx is available.
-----------------------
05.00.00.09 - 10/02/06
-----------------------
- NEW - Export Session Graphics as XML functionality has been added to ExportSessionGraphics and ExportSessionGraphicsEx.
- CHG - Text Drawing in UDLS lines will not turn off when the size is less than 4 pixels (like it does with regular text)
- NEW - New Method:
boolean GetElementFontId(long categoryId, long offset, long* fontId);
- NEW - The FixedTextPlacementScale property is supported with SetDataProperty to change the text placement size to not be zoom dependent. Set to the zoom level you want the text size to be based or 0 (default) to work as it has in the past.
GTViewer version 5.0.x.23 is Available
Version 5.0.x.23 of GTViewer is available.
-----------------------
05.00.00.23 - 10/02/06
-----------------------
- FIX - For the Link entries, if you specified a Link Description attribute that did not exist, the error message said the Link Attribute was not valid.
- CHG - The Measure readout has been moved from the status bar to the upper left corner of the view.
- NEW - The FixedTextPlacementScale property is supported with SetDataProperty to change the text placement size to not be zoom dependent. Set to the zoom level you want the text size to be based or 0 (default) to work as it has in the past.
Monday, September 25, 2006
GTWeb 5.0 - Use with your favorite Browser
The new version of GTWeb now provides a client-less mode of operation that makes it browser independent. Today, the three most common browsers are Internet Explorer, FireFox, and Opera. So, if you are fond of particular browser, if you are forced to use a specific browser due to corporate directives, or if your web app is for the public browser selection is out of your control, the new GTWeb client-less mode of operation addresses these needs.
Previous screenshots of GTWeb 5.0 have been with Internet Explorer 6.0, so the ones below are all using different browsers.
Internet Explorer 7.0 (Release Candidate 1)
FireFox 1.5
Opera 9.0
Previous screenshots of GTWeb 5.0 have been with Internet Explorer 6.0, so the ones below are all using different browsers.
Internet Explorer 7.0 (Release Candidate 1)
FireFox 1.5
Opera 9.0
Thursday, September 21, 2006
Tuesday, September 19, 2006
GTViewer 5.0.x.22 is Available
Version 5.0.x.22 of GTViewer is available.
-----------------------
05.00.00.22 - 09/19/06
-----------------------
- NEW - Intersection Query now supports more than 3 prompts.
- CHG - Text Drawing in UDLS lines will not turn off when the size is less than 4 pixels (like it does with regular text)
- CHG - GPS dialog was changed to have a Track GPS in View option and a Show Indicator option as well as an Indicator Type. The Track GPS option has also been added to the toolbar.
- CHG - GPS Leave Trail is now persistent between runs.
-----------------------
05.00.00.21 - 07/18/06
-----------------------
- NEW - Shape with Holes elements now supported styled lines for their borders.
- FIX - Connectivity Query and Offset Query would not find a record if it were the first record in the file. Problem introduced with very large .gtx file support was enhanced (4.0.0.16).
Thursday, September 14, 2006
GTFilterImp Utility added to GTData
Version 5.0.0.4 of GTData will include a new utility called GTFilterImp.
This utility will import the customizable settings (including display status, minimum display threshold, maximum display threshold, and filter flags) from one Filter Definition File (.flt) into another. Since filter files have become more complex (as seen in data that is style rule based such as ESRI, Smallworld, and G/Technology), this tool can be very useful in managing the customizable settings.
This utility will import the customizable settings (including display status, minimum display threshold, maximum display threshold, and filter flags) from one Filter Definition File (.flt) into another. Since filter files have become more complex (as seen in data that is style rule based such as ESRI, Smallworld, and G/Technology), this tool can be very useful in managing the customizable settings.
Friday, September 08, 2006
GTWeb Version 5.0 – No Client Software Required!
For several years, GTWeb has provided an easy way for a large number of users to access your GIS data with minimal administrative effort. GTWeb has minimal client requirements, requires minimal bandwidth, and is very easy to use. GTWeb version 5.0 provides a significant amount of new features to make it even more effective at what it does best.
Client-Less Operation
Version 5.0 of GTWeb offers a new approach to viewing your GIS data while still providing all of the functionality of the previous versions. The GTWeb Server can now simultaneously support the traditional GTWeb client that has been available since the product was released as well as the GTSketch client introduced in subsequent versions. The exciting new feature offered by Version 5.0 is a new mode of operation that brings GTWeb to an even greater user base by removing the need for any client component at all other than the browser.
The new "client-less" mode uses ASP.NET 2.0 to interact with the GIS data. It allows queries, panning, zooming, and reviewing of attributes just like the original version. The GTWeb and GTSketch clients still provide a richer experience for the user (since they are very similar to GTViewer in regard to its viewing capabilities), but the gain in universality offered by the client-less version opens GTWeb (and your GIS data) up to a new, larger class of users. The client-less mode of operation grants immediate access to users without the need to install or maintain any client software other than the browser, and it provides browser independence since it can be used with IE, FireFox, Opera, etc.
Template Web Site Enhancements
The new features provided in GTWeb version 5.0 are not limited to the new client-less mode. GTWeb has always been delivered with a Template Web Site to use as a starting point for creating your own specific web application around GTWeb for your organization. The Template Site is complete and can be used as-is; generally, if any changes are needed, they are cosmetic (such as adding your company’s logo, etc.). The Template Site delivered with GTWeb version 5.0 has been rewritten to take advantage of many features found in ASP.NET 2.0, and to make the template site easier to use and customize. The new Template Site works with both the client and client-less modes of operation and can easily combine projects of both types. Some of the new Template Site features are listed below:
Client-Less Operation
Version 5.0 of GTWeb offers a new approach to viewing your GIS data while still providing all of the functionality of the previous versions. The GTWeb Server can now simultaneously support the traditional GTWeb client that has been available since the product was released as well as the GTSketch client introduced in subsequent versions. The exciting new feature offered by Version 5.0 is a new mode of operation that brings GTWeb to an even greater user base by removing the need for any client component at all other than the browser.
The new "client-less" mode uses ASP.NET 2.0 to interact with the GIS data. It allows queries, panning, zooming, and reviewing of attributes just like the original version. The GTWeb and GTSketch clients still provide a richer experience for the user (since they are very similar to GTViewer in regard to its viewing capabilities), but the gain in universality offered by the client-less version opens GTWeb (and your GIS data) up to a new, larger class of users. The client-less mode of operation grants immediate access to users without the need to install or maintain any client software other than the browser, and it provides browser independence since it can be used with IE, FireFox, Opera, etc.
Template Web Site Enhancements
The new features provided in GTWeb version 5.0 are not limited to the new client-less mode. GTWeb has always been delivered with a Template Web Site to use as a starting point for creating your own specific web application around GTWeb for your organization. The Template Site is complete and can be used as-is; generally, if any changes are needed, they are cosmetic (such as adding your company’s logo, etc.). The Template Site delivered with GTWeb version 5.0 has been rewritten to take advantage of many features found in ASP.NET 2.0, and to make the template site easier to use and customize. The new Template Site works with both the client and client-less modes of operation and can easily combine projects of both types. Some of the new Template Site features are listed below:
- Cascading Style Sheets (CSS) are now used to give the template site both a consistent look on its different pages and provides a single place to update the styles, fonts, colors, behaviors, etc. used by the different pages in the Template Site. The Query Selection, Query Form, and Query Results pages have been combined into a single page to provide a better user experience and to eliminate the need to go through multiple pages when performing a query. The page flow has been reduced from: Project Selection -> Query Selection ->Query Form -> Query Results -> Map to a much simpler: Project Selection -> Query -> Map
- Query results are now returned as DataSet objects which can be bound to many of the ASP.NET controls such as a DataGrid. This simple change eliminates a significant amount of web page code and complexity while also leverages the power of the ASP.NET controls. For example, a DataGrid can easily sort by column and automatically break results up into multiple pages.
GTWeb Web Service
Another significant new feature provided by GTWeb version 5.0 is that all of the server side functionality is available in the form of a Web Service. A Web Service is a self-describing software component that makes its functionality available over the internet in a platform independent way. A variety of development platforms (such as .NET and Java) can consume a web service and incorporate the web service’s functionality into a web page, a desktop application, a device application, or anything that can use web services. By providing all the functionality of the GTWeb Server component, a new approach to getting your GIS data on the web and into other applications is now available.
The screenshots below show some of the new template site pages and what the client-less maps look like:
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