Table of Contents

  1. Introduction
  2. Using the Community Web Mapping Portal
  1. Overview of the Map Page
  2. Search and Results
  3. Main Map Window
  4. View Selection
  5. Map Controls
  6. Toolbar
  1. Sites
  2. Site Fields
  3. View site
  4. Create site
  5. Edit site
  6. Delete site
  7. Move site

Introduction

The Community Web Mapping Portal (CWMP) is a web mapping application where individuals and community groups can view, create and share infromation about their local landscape. The application is built using Google Maps technology and has the same base satellite imagery and street map information as the Google Maps website (http://maps.google.com.au/). The website also contains a preliminary version of Spatial Vision's Map Book digital dataset as a base layer.

Users of the website can create simple point based records of sites in the landscape, enter textual information about the site and create web links to other web pages that contain further information about the site. The web application provides a place where information about the landscape can be shared and exchanged.

Spatial Vision has developed that initial version of the CWMP for the Connecting Country project. Connecting Country is a unique landscape-scale project which aims to increase, enhance and restore biodiversity across the Mount Alexander Shire. The project is led by the Friends of the Box-Ironbark Forest (FOBIF) and involves a wide range of groups and agencies. FOBIF have recently received funding from the Norman Wettenhall Foundation to develop "biodiversity blueprint". The blueprint aims to be a central point where knowledge and community decision making can coincide. Spatial Vision's Community Web Mapping Portal is a key tool to achieving this aim. Note that the CWMP is a prototype application at this stage.

Using the Community Web Mapping Portal

Overview of the Map Page


Figure 1: The Spatial Vision Community Web Mapping Portal showing the various sections

The Spatial Vision Community Web Mapping Portal map page contains six major sections:

Search and Results

This enables the user to search through the portal for information. The results show a refined search and hence the search results displayed are relevant to the search criteria entered.

Main Map Window

This section displays maps which can be clicked on and dragged to view surrounding areas. 

Map Controls

These shortcuts consist of arrow keys and a 'Zoom' button located at the top left hand corner of the map.

View Selection

This enables the selection of the desired imagery for the map to be viewed in. It consists of five buttons:

  1. Map

  2. Satellite

  3. Hybrid

  4. SVMapBook

  5. Earth


Toolbar

There are several toolbar icons that allow the creation and editing of site information by the user.

Address Search and Quick Links

This section enables the user to find an address on the map by entering all or part of the address and clicking the ‘Find Address’ button. 

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Search and Results

Search Section


This section contains a text input field, ‘Search’ button and results area.The search engine enables the user to search for sites by name, description and observer name.

The search results are displayed below the search field and only the sites found in the search are displayed on the map. Clicking the 'Reset'  clears the search and displays all the sites on the map.

Clicking on a site on the result list displays that site and its details on the map.

Figure 2: Result display below the search engine


Address Search and Quick Links


This section contains a drop down list that enables the user to select the particular area they wish to view i.e. Australia, Mt. Alexander Shire, Victoria or West Gippsland. Selection from the drop down list changes the map to display the selected area.


Figure 3: Address Search and Quick Links

Address Search

This section enables the user to find an address on the map by entering all or part of the address and clicking the ‘Find Address’ button. The address entered can be a locality or even a street only. If the address is found, the map will display the address. 


Figure 4: Address search section

Here is an example of a search carried out on a locality.
                       


Figure 5: Search for a locality in Victoria. Australia selected from the drop down list

The map then displays the search results for this locality.
                   


Figure 6: Result displays the address on the map

In this example, Collins Street is used for the search.

Figure 7: Search using a Street

The map displays the positioning of the Collins Street on the map.

Figure 8: Result shows the position of the Street on the map

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Main Map Window

This section displays maps which can be clicked on and dragged so as to view surrounding areas.

View Selection

This section allows the user to choose the desired map view. It consists of five buttons i.e.:

  • Map – Displays the default Google Map View.


Figure 9: 'Map' view selection

  • Satellite – Displays a satellite image view. Satellite imagery may not be available in certain areas when zoomed in very close.


Figure 10: 'Satellite' view selection

  • Hybrid – Shows the satellite view with map features overlaid.


Figure 11: 'Hybrid' view selection

  • SVMapBook – Displays a view based on  Spatial Vision's Vicmap Book. This is similar to the Google map view but with more detailed rural map topography information included. 


Figure 12: 'SVMapBook' view selection

  • Earth – This feature uses the Google Earth plugin in order to produce a three-dimensional representation of the image. If the Google Earth plugin is not already installed on your computer, you will be prompted to download and install it.


Figure 13: 'Earth' view selection

The ‘Map’ through to ‘SVMapBook’ view enable the user to add and edit sites but the ‘Earth’  view allows only viewing site information.

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Map Controls

These shortcuts are located at the top left hand corner of the map and enable the user to pan left, right, up and down with the arrow keys. The plus (+) and minus (-) buttons allow the user to zoom the map view in or out. All these buttons can be clicked with the mouse or the corresponding keyboard key used.

Figure 14: Keyboard shortcuts

There is also the ‘Zoom’ button which, when clicked, enables the user to zoom in. Click and drag out the area that you would like to view.

                                                                                             

                                                                

Figure 15: The 'Zoom' button






Figure 16: Selecting the region on the map to zoom into

In the event that the user wishes to go back to the previous view of the map, there is the ‘Zoom back’ button which enables this.

Figure 17: 'Zoom back' button

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Toolbar

There are several toolbar icons that allows the creation and editing of site information by the user. These include:

    Pan map – Enables the user to move the map view by clicking and dragging in the desired direction. With this tool you can also click on a site to view its details.

    Edit existing site – Enables editing of information for an existing site

    Delete site – Enables the deletion of an existing site. This function is password protected.

Sites

The Community Web Mapping Portal (CWMP) allows people to create seven different types of sites. The site types are:

    Fauna record – Enables the user to create a site to record a fauna site.

    Flora record – Enables the user to create a site to record a flora site.

    Weed record – Enables the user to create a site to record a weed site.

    Revegetation site – Enables the creation of sites a revegetation site.

    Remnant vegetation management site – Enables the creation of sites that may be fenced off to protect remnant vegetation. Remnant vegetation is made up of small patches of plants that remain after conversion of landscapes to agricultural or other use.

    Significant site – Enables the creation of sites considered significant for example, historical sites that preserve a certain historic event.

     Other site – Enables the creation of sites of types other than those mentioned above.

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Site Fields

There are two main tabs containing site fields. These are:

  • Site Details – Contains the site name, description, observer and observation date.

  • Web links – Contains links to web pages with further information about the site.

The ‘Cancel’ button closes the information window, cancelling any edits made but not saved. This works the same as the ‘X’ to the right hand corner of the pop-up window.

The ‘Save’ button saves any changes made and closes the pop-up window.


Figure 18: 'Site' tab with the site details

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View site

This enables the site information to be viewed by clicking on the site icon within the map. It is in view only mode and does not allow editing. In the event that editing is required, the ‘Edit existing site’ icon must be selected. Clicking a link will open that website in a new window.



Figure 19: 'Site' tab with the site details







 Figure 20: 'Links' tab with the attached links to an external website for a particular site

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    Create site

This enables the creation of a desired site. The process is as outlined below:

  • Ensure the map view shows the location of the site to be created.

  • Using the relevant icon, choose the type of site to be created i.e. fauna, flora, weed, revegetation etc and click on the map at the desired location.



 Figure 21: 'Create revegetation site' icon

  • A pop-up window is displayed with two tabs which are the 'Site Details' and 'Web Links' tabs. 

  • Enter the required site information in the 'Site Details' tab then click the 'Save' button.

  • The 'Site Details' tab has four input fields i.e.:

  • Site name – Enter a short, descriptive site name

  • Description – Enter a description of the site and what was observed

  • Observer – Enter your name (or whoever made the observation)

  • Observation date – Enter the date you made the observation

                          


    Figure 22: 'Site Details' tab for the input of the new site's details

    • If further information is available about a particular site on an external website, click on the 'Web Links' tab and insert the required links then click the 'Save' button to save them. Up to three links can be entered.

    • The 'Web Links' tab has two input fields i.e.:

  • Title - A brief description of the external website which will be displayed to the user

  • URL - The full URL for the website page.

    		•
                                  


    Figure 23: 'Web Links' tab for the input of any links to external websites related to the new site

    • This example shows a fauna record with a web link created to redirect the user to a Wikipedia page holding further information.


    Figure 24: Web link created for a fauna record





    Figure 25: Wikipedia page as the external website with further information

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        Edit site

    This enables site information to be edited. The type of site is automatically set and is displayed at the top of the ‘Site Details’ tab.To change a site type, the user would have to delete the existing site and create a new site of the desired type.



    Figure 26: 'Edit existing site' icon



                   


    Figure 27: 'Site Details' tab allows the editing of site details

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        Delete site

    This enables site administrators to delete an existing site. Select the Delete icon and click on the site to be deleted. Enter the password in the pop-window which appears. The ‘Delete’ button confirms the deletion of the site.



    Figure 28: 'Delete site' icon



                   


    Figure 29: Password for authentication

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    Move site

    Sites can be moved by clicking on an existing site and dragging them to a new location, then releasing the mouse button . You are then prompted to either 'Save' or 'Cancel' the move.

                                                        

                          

                                            

    Figure 30: Selection of the site to move from one section of the map to another


    Figure 31: Confirmation of new location

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