Linked Maps/annotation layers

[sdosemagen]

Point: Stewart
Team: Shannon, Jeff, Mathew, RJ
Importance: High

• Linked maps/annotation layers- all of a map of one place can be linked or displayed on top of each other- interface questions (the layers exist)- tagging system- legibility issue
• Annotated maps- code has been written by RJ but its stalled
• Mick Thompson

[rjcorwin]

I originally tried to accomplish this with using the OpenLayers module but found that it was going to be a ton of work trying to integrate the custom map tiles folks were uploading. I then tried a services based approach where the maps turn into a javascript application that interacts with Drupal via web services. Unfortunately the Drupal Services module turned out to be undocumented and it sapped the steam I had on the project. There was some recent feedback on my request for documentation on the Services module that may offer a way forward http://drupal.org/node/1373614.

[sdosemagen]

Thanks RJ for your note and sorry that Jeff or I didn't get around earlier
as well to mentioning that in discussing who could work on these things
that your name had come up a couple of times, hope thats okay!

On Mon, Apr 16, 2012 at 12:58 AM, R.J. Steinert <
reply@reply.github.com

wrote:

I originally tried to accomplish this with using the OpenLayers module but
found that it was going to be a ton of work trying to integrate the custom
map tiles folks were uploading. I then tried a services based approach
where the maps turn into a javascript application that interacts with
Drupal via web services. Unfortunately the Drupal Services module turned
out to be undocumented and it sapped the steam I had on the project. There
was some recent feedback on my request for documentation on the Services
module that may offer a way forward http://drupal.org/node/1373614.

---

Reply to this email directly or view it on GitHub:
#131 (comment)

[gonzoearth]

Thanks RJ, I need to learn about what you have uncovered. I want to perhaps suggest we consider just starting with simple point annotations to start with if that makes it easier? I'll try to research this more myself.

[gonzoearth]

Here is what I typed up in the objective plan:
PLOTS would like to use annotations to record field notes and facilitate conversations about the things going on within the maps themselves. Map observers can comment or ask questions about what they see. Stories behind the map such as irrigation design or pollution can be told.

[gonzoearth]

It is also a good time to examine the relationship between map knitter and the plots archive. I am concerned about annotations in mapknitter. I think of mapknitter as the production workbench, and the archive as the permalink place where conversations, metadata, and annotations live with the maps.

[jywarren]

This is a duplicate of: #26

There's some interest from folks I've been talking to for making this a standalone tool, which I think i prefer (with embedding into the Archive, of course -- automated?)

Also this overlaps a good deal with: jywarren/mapknitter#89 though we don't have to solve this in MapKnitter, of course.

"MapTeller.org" or "MapTelling.org"?

[jywarren]

Ah, correction -- not exactly a duplicate as RJ points out above. I am a fan of the idea of making this its own service and attempting embedding or other integration. Also related to the ongoing efforts to just screencast/record browsing around maps with Google Earth while narrating (2 people doing this together is nice) and uploading as YouTube video, as a way to try this out.

[gonzoearth]

so many good ideas! I like the standalone approach. Perhaps we could use KML for point and polygon annotations?

[jywarren]

Very nice prototype of this by stu: http://gigapan.com/gigapans/69999

[rjcorwin]

I support making this a separate app in whatever gets the job done sooner rather than later. Having a tight integration with the Drupal PLOTS site is a nice to have feature but not necessarily a part of the minimum viable product spec. The UI for Gigapan's annotations seem decent. The panning is wonderful for having some context as to where you are looking when you select an annotation. The missing features here seem to be:

• overlay map tiles on other map tiles
• use existing PLOTS map tile server

The latter could also land in the nice to have camp...

If I had time to write this today I would create a couchdb instance for a simple key value store with a REST api and hook into the node save of a map that would PUT a new database into the couchdb instance for each map. On the map's Drupal page we would have an iframe linked to a HTML document with JS (our map annotation app). We'd feed the couchdb's url to the map annotation app and it would GET and PUT all of the annotations for that map.

[mathewlippincott]

Jeff's annotated map idea with an audio timeline and pauses to reveal vector data is an awesome idea
http://publiclaboratory.org/notes/warren/5-15-2012/annotated-maps-roundup

and I think we can get there in stages-- as stewart said, simple annotation points or boxes with attached text are a good start, each point listed in a side/bottom bar, the way they are in gigapan.

Another simple(?) start would be to toggle between/overlay different image layers, or simply to display several maps 'stacked' in one space. In butte and several folks in Atlanta have asked for the use of historical map data-- they merely want to toggle between different time periods ala google Earth historical imagery.

If these two features, points and multiple imagery layers are implemented, then we can address the use case of highlighting historic change.

The next step is, to me, is to add vector data, highlights, and do planimeter calculations of vector highlighted areas.
what about using Cartagen's vector features? can those be overlaid an an Archive or Mapknitter map?

[jywarren]

One suggestion by kanarinka on the research note I posted was to attempt to make "annotated maps" using existing tools, perhaps:

• GigaPan
• screencasts of Google Earth with voiceover, posted on YouTube
• Zeega's map feature (she is a Zeega developer)

Then to learn from how these forms work before taking the next steps in spec'ing out a system.