[meteorite-list] Simple mapping software? (A little OT)

[Jeff Grossman]

There was a bug on the MetBull database site that reported longitudes 
between 0 and 1 degree west as "negative east" longitudes.  Wold 
Cottage was one.  It is fixed.  Good catch.

Also, I modified the little google maps applet in the database to 
allow you to use USGS topo maps and aerial photos as the map 
base.  Look up the detailed information for a specific meteorite and 
click on View Google Map to see this.  (Only applicable in the US, 
where these base maps are available.)

jeff

At 06:04 PM 1/10/2008, mexicodoug wrote:
>Hi Mark, Marco, and others who enjoyed the Parker Bros. Napoleonic 
>"Risk" game as kids*,
>
>Been playing around with this "DIY Map" software (macromedia based) 
>since Mark first posted.  I think I like the Meteorite bulletin - 
>USGS Google Earth interface better, and would encourage you to check 
>into the features of Google Earth allowing you to do 'kewl' stuff.
>
>But this DIY Map would do the trick for putting your collection 
>on-line impressively, or taking the results in screen capture 
>stills.  The reason Wold Cottage is in the Sea is because I used the 
>coordinates of the USGS-MB site, and Wold is incorrectly listed as 
>an eastern longitude on that site (Dr. Grossman...sorry to bother 
>you if you could change that to west).
>
>The Map is zoomable, lat/lon coordinate friendly and icon friendly 
>for a cute meteorite for example and changes tone as you mouse over.
>
>http://www.glorietamountain.com/
>
>I made an example for the list's viewing pleasure with all of the 
>witnessed falls recorded in the UK and Ireland (link above).  I 
>colored the countries, put a yellow dot at the coordinates of each 
>witnessed fall, and furthermore sized the dot based on the TKW.  A 
>sort of recovered meteorite population density concept for anyone 
>who wants to cruise to Great Britian on holiday and pick up a few 
>meteorites laying around.  When you scroll over the dot I made it 
>say the location and the fall year.  I made it clickable so 
>cursoring over the individual countries identifies the country, and 
>clicking on them zooms in on the country.  You can take over the 
>whole world nicely with you meteorite collection, but the UK/Ireland 
>was enough for me this afternoon.
>
>My attempt was quick and I'm not a programmer, so if I dedicated 
>more time it could have had all kinds of bells and whistles into 
>this, like cursor over the world and have a link on each dot opening 
>the MB-USGS database page, my pictures, cutie meteorite icons, 
>etc.  Or I could have done it to help IMCA members worldwide hook up 
>with the masses ... just kidding.
>http://www.glorietamountain.com/
>
>Just it is a terribly unfriendly interface - but it works superbly 
>and is extremely powerful, not to mention it's generously free for 
>all kinds of use.  Lets you color countries and puts lots of things 
>in them and can do coordinates and the zooming/interactive functions 
>are great.  Note the maps can even be resized.  Price is right - 
>free...and if you want to invest the time in cutting, pasting and 
>configuring the files as required, it really is powerful and results 
>are very professional and multilevel (states, countries, 
>regions).  Also can manages lat/lon to some degree if you have the 
>patience to figure it out looks like you will be rewarded with great results.
>
>http://drupal.org/project/diymap
>
>Other than this sort of software, if you want to do better than 
>Excel, MS Access (with Microsoft Offie professional) makes real 
>professional databases where you can link pictures and all kinds of 
>customized queries (it is a great tool for real estate listings and 
>photo employee databases).
>
>Best wishes, Doug
>* http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Risk_(game)
>
>----- Original Message ----- From: "Marco Langbroek" 
><marco.langbroek at wanadoo.nl>
>To: "Meteorite List" <meteorite-list at meteoritecentral.com>
>Sent: Thursday, January 10, 2008 7:51 AM
>Subject: Re: [meteorite-list] Simple mapping software? (A little OT)
>
>
>>Hi Mark,
>>
>>Browse around a bit on http://www.sourceforge.net which is a well 
>>known large repository of open source software for all kinds of 
>>things. There is certainly mapping software on there (search with 
>>keywords like "map" and/or "gps" I suggest).
>>
>>- Marco
>>
>>-----
>>Dr Marco Langbroek
>>Dutch Meteor Society (DMS)
>>
>>e-mail: meteorites at dmsweb.org
>>DMS website: http://www.dmsweb.org
>>private website: http://home.wanadoo.nl/marco.langbroek
>>-----
>>
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>
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Dr. Jeffrey N. Grossman       phone: (703) 648-6184
US Geological Survey          fax:   (703) 648-6383
954 National Center
Reston, VA 20192, USA