Dear Allstat list members,
Thank you to everyone who responded to my query about mapping software.
Since sending my query, a new member of staff has be appointed to the
school, and he has expertise in both computing and stats, and has used
ArcView before.
However, the range of information provided by Allstat members was also
most helpful, and here is a summary, in date received order. I have
removed names and contact details.
The summary begins with a copy of the original query.
With many thanks, Cathy
-----Original Message-----
From: A UK-based worldwide e-mail broadcast system mailing list
[mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Cathy Lisles
Sent: 01 August 2006 12:58
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: QUERY: Mapping Software
Dear list members,
Apologies if this seems like a simple query.
We have data including postcodes as the key reference point, which we
would like to plot on a map of Wales.
I am looking for advice as to what kinds of software may be available so
that we can do this, or directions to resources which may enable me to
learn about the issues involved and/or compare and contrast different
approaches.
Hoping that you can advise?
With best wishes, Cathy Lisles
Research Assistant
Health Economics and Policy Research Unit
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There is a software called MapInfo (I think) that does this kind of
thing.
It is part of GIS (Geographical information systems) family of software
but it usually quite expensive. You will have to buy separately what
they call 'layers' which have the different levels of geographical
information that you need.
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I have done this for a website:
http://www.twsrt.org/calloutmap.php
The background image is a jpg and I have used fpdf to create the pdf
file which overlays the text on top of the jpg using php.
Probably more complicated than you really need.
The main advantage for us is the resulting pdf document is upto date and
we only have to update our main database.
All the software is free but you'd have to write the code "yourself".
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I believe the only free postcode database is at
http://www.jibble.org/ukpostcodes/.
I have used this to make maps. It's very easy in python
http://www.python.org using either the Imaging library
http://www.pythonware.com/products/pil/ to make png maps, or reportlab
http://www.reportlab.org/ to make pdf maps. All this is free software,
of course.
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The following softwares/companies are mostly use for mapping.
www.mapinfo.co.uk/
http://www.mapsbydesign.co.uk/index.html
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If you are just wanting to plot locations on a map of Wales then any
Geographic Information Systems (GIS) package will do the trick. ArcGIS
is a very common one but there are loads of them.
If you want to do spatial inferential statistics then I prefer GeoBUGS
(the spatial version of the WinBUGS Bayesian stats package).
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Software is not an issue to plot. You can use SAS, Stata or SPSS I
really tried all these software work fantastic. But you need a postcode
map file which is the reference to your postcode and X and Y
coordinates. Otherwise GIS software like MapInfo or Arc View can do with
some layer technology.
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Assuming you are an Athens Registered HE user you can have free access
to the All Fields Postcode Directory via UKBORDERs (which is a way
better resource than the one the mailing list has pointed you towards).
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Excel has the ability to make maps --- it is an add-in feature. I'm not
sure how good the maps are.
SAS will make maps, but the built in one has only these regions: CLWYD,
DYFED, GWENT, GWYNEDD, MID GLAMORGAN, POWYS, SOUTH GLAMORGAN, WEST
GLAMORGAN. Since SAS is a US company, the map is a North American's
view of Wales. :-)
I am currently looking for a way to plot number of people per postcode
region, but I cannot find a free dataset of the postcode boundaries from
which to make a map. There are commercial dataset, but they are
expensive.
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As Cathy Lisles's institue is registered with Athens.ac.uk she may
download the All Field Postcode Directory for free at:
http://www.edina.ac.uk/ukborders/
There are also digital boundaries (by LADs, HAs, English PCTs, GORs) if
one needs to draw maps.
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