Department of Geospatial and Space Technology | University of Nairobi

Web-based Mapping

Dr.-Ing. David. N. Siriba

dnsiriba@uonbi.ac.ke
Types of Geospatial Web Services

Map/Data Oriented Services Task Oriented Services

► Map Services (Image) Map ► Routing Services Routing
Services (Image) Services
► Feature Services (Vector) ► Geoprocessing Services
► Coverage Services (Grid)

B. Sc. (Geospatial Engineering)| FGE 344 – Digital cartography Department of Geospatial & Space Technology – Semester II (2022)| 2
Brief history
► Web has changed the way maps are accessed, distributed and
produced;

► Web evolved over three distinct periods:

 During early years of the Web, existing paper maps were digitally
converted into .jpg or .gif images that were stored and retrieved via the
web
 Introduction of interactivity and animation via the web
 Considerable range of map products
B. Sc. (Geospatial Engineering)| FGE 344 – Digital cartography Department of Geospatial & Space Technology – Semester II (2022)| 3
Types of Web Maps
► Static maps
► Dynamically-created web maps
► Distributed web maps
► Animated web maps
► Real-time web maps
► Personalized web maps
► Interactive web maps
► Analytic Web Maps
► Collaborative Web Maps

B. Sc. (Geospatial Engineering)| FGE 344 – Digital cartography Department of Geospatial & Space Technology – Semester II (2022)| 4
Examples of mapping & other spatially enabled
web applications
► Touring the world with a mouse click on a high resolution satellite
imagery (Google maps, Google Earth, Microsoft Bing maps, Yahoo
maps, MapQuest, Street View, ArcGIS Explorer Online)
► Using a smart phone to find your location on a map
► State agencies can use online mapping to track where “CDF” funds
are being spent to create a transparent government
► Police can gain situational awareness from real time information
reported by responders in the field
► Business selecting best store locations, understand their potential
customers and send appropriate messages

B. Sc. (Geospatial Engineering)| FGE 344 – Digital cartography Department of Geospatial & Space Technology – Semester II (2022)| 5
Internet Maps vs. Paper Maps
► Advantages of web-based maps
 cheaper and less time-intensive to produce,
 easier to distribute to a wide audience – increased public
awareness for maps
 easier to update and maintain.
 allow for the possibility of interactivity and connections to related
information though hyperlinks
► Disadvantages
 Internet-based maps require access to the Internet (servers and
networks problems)
 Paper maps have a higher resolution than digital display
 different skill set is required to produce web-based maps
 Possibility to breach privacy rights

B. Sc. (Geospatial Engineering)| FGE 344 – Digital cartography Department of Geospatial & Space Technology – Semester II (2022)| 6
The web and GIS
► GIS benefited from the internet paradigm of broad connectivity and
momentum the web has generated
► GIS from offices -> laboratories -> homes
► Web GIS – a combination of the Web and Geographic Information
System(s) or Science
► Internet/the web/

B. Sc. (Geospatial Engineering)| FGE 344 – Digital cartography Department of Geospatial & Space Technology – Semester II (2022)| 7
Web mapping versus Web GIS
Web mapping Web GIS
► A web applications that enable ► Web GIS enables the
the visualization of communication of all
geographically referenced data components to happen through
through a web interface the web, enabling diverse data,
available online. analysis algorithms, users and
visualization techniques that
► While most web mapping
may be hosted at any location
applications today allow users to
on the web.
perform some spatial analysis
(short path finding algorithms),
this does not constitute a GIS Web GIS
application as other, simple
sorts of analysis are not
permitted (spatial queries, Web
buffer analysis, etc). mapping

B. Sc. (Geospatial Engineering)| FGE 344 – Digital cartography Department of Geospatial & Space Technology – Semester II (2022)| 8
 Web Map Architecture

e.g. apache tomcat

e.g.
geoserver,mapserver,
ARCGIS for server

e.g.
postgres/postgis

B. Sc. (Geospatial Engineering)| FGE 344 – Digital cartography Department of Geospatial & Space Technology – Semester II (2022)| 9
Web Map Architecture - 2

B. Sc. (Geospatial Engineering)| FGE 344 – Digital cartography Department of Geospatial & Space Technology – Semester II (2022)| 10
Current Web Mapping Technologies
► Commercial: ► Public APIs:
– ArcGIS Server (ESRI) – Google Maps
– GeoMedia WebMap – Yahoo! Maps
(Intergraph) – Microsoft Virtual Earth (2D)
– MapXtreme (MapInfo) – MapQuest's OpenAPI
– MapGuide (Autodesk) ► Globes:
► Open source: – Google Earth
– MapServer – Microsoft Virtual Earth (3D)
– GeoServer – ArcGIS Explorer
– OpenLayers – NASA WorldWind
– Adobe Flex (actually part open,
part proprietary)

B. Sc. (Geospatial Engineering)| FGE 344 – Digital cartography Department of Geospatial & Space Technology – Semester II (2022)| 11
Creating a WebMap using QGIS2WEB
► https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0V0V6TWBE14

B. Sc. (Geospatial Engineering)| FGE 344 – Digital cartography Department of Geospatial & Space Technology – Semester II (2022)| 12