Lab: Getting Started with Map Applications

This lab will show you how to use a web mapping library to create dynamic, interactive web maps using a library called "CanvasMap.

Introduction

Over the last 20 years, the World-Wide-Web has changed from only providing static pages of linked information to today where we can include music, videos and animations in our web pages. However, we have always been limited in developing web-based applications with spatial data because we did not have a drawing environment in the browsers. In other words, we only had "div" elements, rectangular boxes that we could move around the screen but not method to render lines and polygons. This meant that the rendering had to be done on the server, placing additional burdens on the servers and reducing the flexibility users had in web applications. HTML 5 is the new version of HTML and includes a new element, the "canvas" that is going to change this forever.

CanvasMap

CanvasMap is a new web mapping library created by Dr. Jim Graham at Humboldt State University. This library is based on object-oreinted JavaScript and is very flexible.

Note: CanvasMap is in a beta test phase and if you have problems, let Jim know about them and he'll fix them ASAP.

For this lab, visit the CanvasMap web site and go through the getting started page. Then, go through the first 3 tutorials online and review the material in tutorial 4. Download the examples file and unzip it in a folder in Reclaim. Then, continue with creating your own maps in tutorial 5.