An Easy Web Mapping Framework

Martin Davis
Thursday 15:30 - 15:55
Session 3, Track 4, Slot 2

Browser technologies such as HTML, JavaScript and CSS have matured to a point where they can be used to develop sophisticated applications. Spatial JavaScript libraries such as OpenLayers, JSTS and D3 supply great capability for implementing mapping and graphing applications. Complex geoprocessing functions such as geocoding, routing and surface analysis can now be accessed easily via REST API’s.
These technologies provide a powerful set of tools for building the next generation of client-side web mapping applications. But this tool set is complex, and requires significant effort in UI design to make it accessible to users. The BC Government Natural Resource Sector (NRS) deploys over a hundred web mapping applications. Implementing these applications using one-off designs would be prohibitively costly in development, support and training. This talk discusses the development of a Common Web Mapping framework based on OpenLayers 2, which uses the power of modern browser technology to provide a fast and easy way to build web mapping applications.