[latest update: 27-June-08] 

Windows Presentation Foundation (WPF), a new extension to the .Net Framework from Microsoft, provides exciting new possibilities for rich data visualization. Long a fan of this intersection between art and science, I’m beginning a deap dive into WPF.

The company I’m working with currently deals in computer aided mass assesment (CAMA) of real property for government jurisdictions across the US. One important component of CAMA is GIS. During the process of mass assessment of real properties, visualization of these properties in map form is often critical. For example, imagine a new subdivision going up which must be valued, parcel by parcel, for tax assessment. A handful of parcels contain waterfront access, a few others border a golf course, yet others back up to a busy roadway. Each of these groups may incure a special adjustment above or below the remaining parcels. This agregation is best performed with rich interactive data visualization. Just the sort of task WPF should excell at .

My goal is to create a shapefile/parcel viewer using WPF. To that end, I have searched for relevant work on the web and have found several items:

• MSDN: Create Dynamic Maps with WPF. A great introduction to WPF basics and map drawing.
• ESRI: ESRI Shapefile Technical Definition (pdf)
• OpenSourceGIS.org
• MapTools.org and specifically their shapefile C library
• Wikipedia: Shapefile
• Shape2Earth (requires MapWindowGIS) GIS shapefiles to Google Earth KML
• MapWindow: wiki. This is the home of the MapWindow, MapWinGIS and MapWinX documentation.
• MapServer tutorial for C# mapscript (ASP.NET)
• Codeplex: SharpMap mapping library for use in web and desktop applications.
• CodeProject: WPF Application for Importing Shapefiles 
• SharpGIS.net
• Shapefile to SqlServer 2008 to WPF
• del.ico.ious: shapefile,  shapefile+.net

More related stuff:

• Google Maps API: clickable polylines and polygons; GPolygons, GGeoXML, Maps API forum, shapefiles, shape digitizer
• Yahoo Maps API: Getting Started Guide
• ESRI: Export to KML script
• Fort Collins GIS data: http://fcgov.com/gis/downloadable-data.php
• On forming a national cadastre: http://www.esri.com/news/arcnews/summer04articles/a-retrospective-look.html  (full report: http://dels.nas.edu/besr/docs/Cowen_Craig_PDF.pdf)
• Latitude Geographics map viewer: http://demos.latitudegeo.com/imf-5.1.006-sdg2/sites/sdg/jsp/launch.jsp
• Beth Massi’s excellent example showing use of the Virtual Earth API and LINQ
• Virtual Earth blog: http://blogs.msdn.com/virtualearth/default.aspx
• CAD vs. GIS. CA counties respond: http://calmapping.org/articles/cadvsgis.htm
• Guide to Parcel Mapping; GIS/CAMA Integration
• David J. Cowan: A Retrospective Look ath the Need for a Multipurpase Cadastre
• geodata.gov: One-stop accesss to all registered geographic information in the US
• fgdc.gov: Federal Geographic Data Commitee; standards
• Replacing ESRI with open source software? Here is a discussion on the topic.
• ESRI Developer Networ: Effective GeoDatabase Programming (video).
• Reverse GeoCoder for Google Maps API
• Arnoud de Jong’s wpf map control
• FlashDynamix.com: ActionScript API for Google, Virtual Earth and Yahoo maps
• Charlie Savage: Google Maps Deconstructed; and a simplified treatment on codeproject
• WPF + Virtual Earth + Facebook: Facebook Earth
• Andrew Trice on Visualizing Geographic Data Sets using Google Maps Flash/Flex API (19-JUN-08)
• Chris Lovett’s VirtualCanvas for WPF zoomable interfaces.
• Rooftop Geocoding:  Virtual Earth (44 million rooftops); Google Maps (50 million rooftops) — May08
• Other geocode web services: geocoder.us;

WANTED: Open source Parcel Editor/Viewer! Especially WPF or Silverlight-based.
I’m planning on moving this post to a separate well-organized page soon.

Filed under: Software Design