Dear All,
Let me briefly list some of the problems we are having to grapple with and this might give a clue to possible future directions.
1) Linear schemes: we want a standard GIS format for contractors to depict pipelines, cable routes, and the associated archaeology along these routes. Standard symbols or shading for different things would be great so that when you bring up all the linears in the County, they all have the same legend.
2) GIS layers: Admittedly MapInfo may be limited in the number of cosmetic layers it can overlay, but the problem of increasing numbers of data sets to overlay is not so much of a problem as the non-standard way different data sets become layers (cf Bob Sydes problems with adding developments onto his GIS). We want standard algorithms for the creation of layers; i.e. should SMR and NMR data be included as one layer or as two; should linear developments be kept as a separate layer from other forms of development ?? This may seem trivial to some, but if you have 50+ data sets and only 20 or so overlays to act as indeces to such data sets, what are the standard ways of coding layers to act as indeces to all this data ?? How do you sort out the dozens of data sets that might relate to one location ?
3) Iconic Representation: as above, how do you sort out the dozens of symbols or icons that might overlie one location ? I'm tired of crosses, dots, triangles, squares, etc, that mean different things for each different GIS/SMR you look at. How about a book for an archive reference, a trowel for a dig, a metal detector for a detected find, a Roman column for a "monument", a headframe wheel for an industrial site, etc ?? What will be the standard ways of representing / indexing data sets within GISs be ?
This is just a starter!
Cheers,
Neil
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