MRF GISNet

1. Introduction

 

MRF GISNet is an online, browser-based GIS-data editor. MRF strongly believes that web-based GIS editing represents the future direction of GIS. MRF GISNet is the result of many years’ research and development. It is totally web-based and allows users to edit GIS features from web browsers.

 

MRF GISNet consists of Oracle Locator, MRF SVG Map Server, MRF Digital Submittal, and MRF GIS Editor.

 

The architecture of MRF GISNet includes three major components: The MRF GISNet Server, MRF GISNet Administrator, and MRF GISNet User. The MRF GISNet Server is mainly the MRF SVG Map Server, but it includes the newly added oracle transaction module, MRF Clean processing module and other modules; The MRF GISNet  Administrator includes the User Manager, Feature Class Manager, Application Manager, Display Manager, and Transaction Manager; The MRF GISNet User is a web-based application integrated with MRF GISNet Editor for users to do routine GIS data maintenance.   

 

 

System Architecture

 

2. Major Capabilities of MRF GISNet

 

2.1 Temporal GIS

Every transaction is versioned using Oracle Workspace Manager. The user and the time of the transaction are also recorded. Versioning makes it possible for a user to find all the transactions that have occurred within a certain time period in a given geographic area.

2.2 Concurrent Multi-user Editing

Each user will extract GIS objects from the enterprise GIS database. Only the un-locked GIS objects can be extracted and locked for editing. This approach prevents simultaneous editing of the same GIS objects by multiple users.

2.3 COGO Commands

MRF GISNet supports many COGO commands for precise placement of GIS features. The currently supported COGO commands include:

2.4 Advanced GIS Editing

MRF GISNet Editor supports advanced snapping to grid, node, and line segments. When a node is moved, a user has the option to move all entities that are connected to the same node.

2.5 Closure Calculation and Least Squares Adjustment

MRF GISNet  will perform closure calculation for each polygon based on surveyed distance and bearing information. It will also perform least squares adjustment of the surveyed distances and bearings. These capabilities will make it much easier for a user to integrate a new subdivision into the parcel layer.

2.6 Digital Submittal

Users can import a CAD drawing representing a new subdivision into MRF GISNet. MRF GISNet has the utilities to extract the entities occurring in the same area as the imported CAD drawing and update them with the contents of the digital submittal.

3. Sample Screenshots of MRF GISNet

3.1 MRF GISNet User Manager

 

 

The user manager interface allows the administrator to add new users to the system. Each user or user group can be assigned different levels of access privileges (none, read only, extract, submit).

3.2 Feature Class Manager

 

 

MRF GISNet allows the administrator to create a new feature class and define its attributes. 

3.3 Main Graphical User Interface

The user usually logs into GISNet and is presented with the above main user interface. The user usually zooms into an area of interest and extracts some GIS objects for editing.

3.4 MRF GISNet Editor

 

 

 

A user extracts unlocked GIS objects into the Java editor to perform editing. The editing is done in a user’s personal workspace, ensuring that  the corporate GIS database is not affected. When the user checks-in the newly created edits and the edits pass integrity checks, the changes will then be visible to the enterprise.

3.5 View Area Transaction and View User Transaction

Since each transaction is versioned in the database, a user can easily view all the transactions of any given area as shown in the following screenshot. Similarly, we can also view all the transactions committed by a user over a specified time period.

 

 

 

4. Major Benefits of Using MRF GISNet

4.1 Enterprise GIS:

Most GIS users are using desktop GIS packages to do GIS data editing. Only a small elite group of “professional” GIS people use the desktop packages to do GIS editing. Most of the staff can only view the GIS data through a web browser and some GIS applications may be available to them to do some queries and analysis.

With MRF GISNet, any staff member can access the corporate GIS system and do viewing, querying, analysis, and GIS editing. In this regard, MRF GISNet is a true enterprise GIS.

4.2 Flexible Access to the GIS

MRF GISNet is server-based and is accessed through a web browser. This means that users can access MRF GISNet functionalities from anywhere as long as an Internet connection is available. Users could work from:

An enterprise can hire people living in a far away place to conduct GIS maintenance for the enterprise remotely. For example, the City of Los Angeles could hire some GIS people in New York City to work remotely.

4.3 Emergency Coordination

In the event of an unforeseen terrorist attack or natural disaster, there is an immediate need for coordination among federal, state/provincial, and local agencies. Using MRF GISNet, changes can be made by authorized people and all other system users will be able to view the latest information. MRF has presented its solution to City of New York and County of San Diego and received very positive feedback. City of New York felt that MRF’s solution would be very useful for events such as the September 11 attack to the World Trade Center. San Diego County felt that MRF’s solution would be a very effective communications tool for its wild fire disaster response effort.

4.4 E-government

Various levels of governments could use MRF GISNet to offer e-government services to its citizens. For example:

E-permit: Residents could use MRF GISNet to submit a permit application for a proposed garage or deck. This will save residents from having to make trips to city hall and could be done during evenings and weekends.

311: Citizens could use a GIS to report a problem to a City. The problems could relate to a pot hole, a traffic light or sign, or some objects on city streets. Using a GIS is more  convenient than phones or emails since the location descriptions are best done through a GIS map interface.

4.5 Interoperability

MRF GISNet’s Oracle database is designed to interoperate with ArcSDE, GeoMedia, MapInfo, and MicroStation GeoGraphics.

Index : MRF GISNet