| Scenario |
There are more than 2,000 ancient Taiwan maps in National Museum of Taiwan History. In order to promote and integrate the research results of these ancient Taiwan maps, National Museum planned to establish a WebGIS. Hence, these ancient and present maps can be queried and viewed via internet browser by not only general public but scholars. By using the Ancient Map Geographic Information System, scholars will have an in-depth and solid reference of Taiwan geographic data while doing the research on Taiwan history, academic education and culture. Therefore, National Museum of Taiwan History can really demonstrate the research of the ancient map collection by applying Ancient Map Geographic Information System.
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| Goals |
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| Ancient Map Geographic Information System |
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In order to share more than 2,000 ancient Taiwan maps with general public, National Museum of Taiwan History first time established a WebGIS to integrate their collection of ancient Taiwan maps with present base maps. Later the users are able to compare the differences of the human geography by learning the geographic information of Taiwan from ancient times to nowadays via the WebGIS.
On the other hand, to design a Web-GIS which can expand its system function in the future is a key aspect; hence, Ancient Map Geographic Information System can add other kinds of
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| GIS file formats, such as digital terrain model (DTM), remote sensing image, all kinds of vector data, other related data, etc. Meanwhile, developing of other relevant advanced functions, such as advanced query, 3D demonstration culture and travel guidance and so on, in this system is also emphasized. |
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| Solutions |
Ancient Map Geographic Information System is a query system including a map management database and a WebGIS. The software of the system adopts the internet map server, SuperWebGIS, as its platform for geographic information and Microsoft SQL 2005 as database platform. Not only the hardware is constructed in the server provided by National Museum of Taiwan History but the database of user accounts, ancient and modern maps and related spatial information, etc. so that it can use centralized management. The software structure of the system can be viewed as the following picture:
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| The Software Structure of Ancient Map Geographic Information System |
Ancient Map Geographic Information System can provide the reference of map management for management personnel by integrating the GIS technology with the mass GIS data and the metadata. Furthermore, it is convenient for common users to view the difference between ancient and modern maps and to apply the data to study and analyze historical research via the web browsers. |
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| Results |
Ancient Map Geographic Information System uses Taiwan ancient and modern maps as the major aspect to explain and compare the variation of human geography in Taiwan by using SuperWebGIS 2.1 to construct a Web-GIS. For common users, they can link to the front-end of the system through web browsers to do the basic map manipulation. As for the museum administrators, they can manage the user accounts and maintain the database in the back-end.
According to the function classifications, the system can be divided into the front-end for display and the back-end for management. The front-end includes two main parts: Browse Ancient Map and Geographic Information System.
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Browse Ancient Map: |
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The user can follow his/her interests to query under different categories and browse the results. After clicking the map thumbnail, the user can obtain the detailed information, such as publisher of every map, the size of the image, etc. |
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Geographic Information System: |
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This function shows users an integrated interface allowing user to query the ancient maps along with the present administration maps and road maps. Thus, users can compare and do the research from the differences between ancient and modern maps. Moreover, Geographic Information System contains the functions of Map Manipulation, Map Locating, Ancient Map Query, Transparent Management and Map Printing.
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| Transparent Management can support users to adjust the transparency of layers. |
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Map Manipulation: This function provides users can use the basic manipulation on the maps, such as zoom the map |
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to full-extent, zoom in/out, pan the map, etc. |
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Map Position: A user can quickly position the map according to geographical conditions he/she is looking for. In other |
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words, it can search by landmark, intersection, village, town, city and county. |
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Query Ancient Map: Users can use the map type, era, category, etc in the database to be the condition of query. |
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Then, the resulting layers would be overlaid on the maps after condition querying. |
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Transparent Management: This function allows users to change the transparent setting to show the historical |
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variation of ancient time and nowadays while demonstrating multi layers data in one spatial area. |
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Map Printing: This function gives users the option to print the resulting map after querying or save as a JPG file which |
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can has other application in Word or PowerPoint. |
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The back-end covers three models for the museum user: User Management, Commentary Management and Map Management.
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User Management: |
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The user management adopts singular sign-in way and the user permission can be divided into common user, museum manager, and system administrator. The system administrator can add a new user via this model. |
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Commentary Management: |
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Besides the ancient and modern maps demonstrated on front-end, the museum user is able to dynamically add and categorize new commentary on the maps for common users to read.
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Map Management: |
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The museum user can scan, upload, categorize, and add metadata on ancient maps and electronic maps via this model. |
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| Via Map Management, managers can upload maps easily. |
There are more than 2,000 ancient Taiwan maps in National Museum of Taiwan History. To share these maps and the geographic information with general public, National Museum of Taiwan History use Ancient Map Geographic Information System to accomplish the task. Ancient Map Geographic Information System allows users can view differences of ancient and modern maps through the web browser. As a result, the in-depth and solid reference of geographic information can be learned not only by general public but scholars to see the variation from ancient to nowadays; therefore, these data is the research material for the issue on Taiwan history, academic education and culture. In short, the WebGIS - Ancient Map Geographic Information System gives National Museum of Taiwan History the power to promote and share the geographic information in a more efficient way. |
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