Global Mapper v25.0

Global Mapper Feature Suggestion Poll

PaulTocknell
PaulTocknell Forum AdministratorUnconfirmed
edited May 2012 in Suggestion Box
Mike has been kind enough to send me his famous Global Mapper feature "to do" list. This list comprises some of the suggestions that have been made for future Global Mapper features & functionality. You now have a chance to vote on which features you would like to see added in the next revision(s) of Global Mapper.
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Comments

  • tjhb
    tjhb Global Mapper User Trusted User
    edited September 2009
    I notice that new votes in this thread do not pop it to the top of the "latest 5 posts" thread. So many users may miss it.
  • redbeard
    redbeard Global Mapper User Trusted User
    edited September 2009
    Agreed, could you lock this post near the top? I wouldn't want Global Mapper catering to a select few users and not the majority....
  • PaulTocknell
    PaulTocknell Forum Administrator Unconfirmed
    edited September 2009
    This post has been made a "sticky" that means it will always appear at the top of the Suggestion Forum. I'm investigating how I can make it appear on the home page of the forum section without being too obnoxious.
  • redbeard
    redbeard Global Mapper User Trusted User
    edited October 2009
    If I could vote again...I'd add one for the watershed function, but alas it says I already voted.
  • DustyRobinson
    DustyRobinson Global Mapper User Trusted User
    edited October 2009
    Is there a way to tweak the voting so each person can vote for their top 3?
  • PaulTocknell
    PaulTocknell Forum Administrator Unconfirmed
    edited October 2009
    Clearly, I need to expand the voting options.

    When you first vote, you can actually vote on as many as you want. But once you click "vote" it is set in stone (actually not stone, a cookie)

    Let me see what other options there are for voting.
  • global_mapper
    global_mapper Administrator
    edited November 2009
    I thought I'd mention that a couple of these items are now done. There is now support for easily adding text to the map layout. In addition, I just finished adding support for creating buffer areas around selected lines and areas in the Digitizer Tool. The new option is under the Advanced Feature Creation submenu (a toolbar button is coming soon).

    I have placed a new build at http://www.globalmapper.com/global_mapper11.zip with the changes for you to try. Simply download that file and extract the contents into your existing v11.xx installation folder to give it a try. If you are using the 64-bit version, there is a new build available at http://www.globalmapper.com/global_mapper11_64bit.zip .

    Let me know if I can be of further assistance.

    Thanks,

    Mike
    Global Mapper Support
    support@globalmapper.com
  • global_mapper
    global_mapper Administrator
    edited November 2009
    I have added a new poll item for direct database access, like pulling data from SQL databases.

    Thanks,

    Mike
    Global Mapper Support
    support@globalmapper.com
  • tjhb
    tjhb Global Mapper User Trusted User
    edited November 2009
    Wow!

    Want to add another one, to ask what database(s) might be supported first? E.g. SQL Server 2008, PostGIS/PostgreSQL, Oracle Spatial, MySQL, ESRI personal geodatabase, ESRI file geodatabase.

    (The last one is impossible I think, because the format is kept intentionally closed by ESRI, so that they can lock large organisations into a perpetual revenue stream, once they've sold the idea that file geodatabases are the best long-term storage strategy. Not that they are without merit—especially being able to define a database topology. A shame not to make them open.)
  • global_mapper
    global_mapper Administrator
    edited November 2009
    I honestly have no idea which would come first, I'd have to research more first once I determined a demand.

    The ESRI Personal Geodatabase from a MDB file is already supported, and if they ever release the file geodatabase format like they promised that support would be added more quickly as those should be loadable similar to a normal file. It is really the SQL-type databases that I'm referring to.

    Thanks,

    Mike
    Global Mapper Support
    support@globalmapper.com
  • redbeard
    redbeard Global Mapper User Trusted User
    edited November 2009
    I'd say my interest is towards the PostGIS support, as it is free and would give users easier access to a real database. I watched this today, and it was quite interesting. http://blog.cleverelephant.ca/2009/11/state-of-postgis.html
  • global_mapper
    global_mapper Administrator
    edited January 2010
    I have completed adding support for assigning area feature styles based on attribute values. There will now be an Area Styles tab on the Options dialog for any vector layer with area features allowing the user to setup how area styles are assigned for the layer.

    I have placed a new build at http://www.globalmapper.com/global_mapper11.zip with the change for you to try. Simply download that file and extract the contents into your existing v11.xx installation folder to give it a try. If you are using the 64-bit version, there is a new build available at http://www.globalmapper.com/global_mapper11_64bit.zip .

    Let me know if I can be of further assistance.

    Thanks,

    Mike
    Global Mapper Support
    support@globalmapper.com
  • STH
    STH Global Mapper User Trusted User
    edited January 2010
    Regarding "Use bicubic sampling for better sub-sampling" - I hope this will also work for export to JPEGs as the quality of exporting for instance from TIF with 0.1m resolution to JPEG with 1m resolution is quite not nice. I assume the nearest neighbour is used currently?
  • global_mapper
    global_mapper Administrator
    edited January 2010
    Actually bilinear interpolation should be used by default now when you are resampling. Once bicubic sub-sampling is implemented (planned for v11.02) then sub-sampling a significant amount (like 0.1 to 1.0) should look better.

    Thanks,

    Mike
    Global Mapper Support
    support@globalmapper.com
  • tjhb
    tjhb Global Mapper User Trusted User
    edited January 2010
    Mike,

    We just tried out the new Assign Areas Styles feature. A really beautiful piece of interface design, and a great addition to the program. Couldn't be better.

    Tim
  • tjhb
    tjhb Global Mapper User Trusted User
    edited January 2010
    ...Spoke slightly too soon. (This should be under bug reports, but for continuity I'm putting it here.)

    There seems to be a rendering issue when this feature is used. I'll try to describe it simply.
    • Open a stack of layers (all vector layers, no rasters)
    • For one layer, assign area colours using the new Areas Styles dialog (either using the random colouring feature or by typing in explicit values)
    • Place this layer at the top of the layer list, so that it will draw last
    • Problem: it doesn't draw last; layer order is not respected
    • Instead, the layer(s) coloured using the Area Styles dialog show through all layers coloured by other means (manual assignment)
    Workaround: under Configuration|Vector Display, change the setting from type-before-order (the default) to order-before-type.

    This fixes the issue, but if I understand the option correctly, it shouldn't be necessary to change it. The default option, type-before-order, should show all vector layers above all raster layers; but as between vector layers, I think their rendering order should be governed by the order in the Overlay Control Center. Is that right?

    It seems that layers for which the new Area Styles dialog has been used are treated as a different layer type from other vector layers.
  • global_mapper
    global_mapper Administrator
    edited January 2010
    Actually with the default type-before-order setting all area features from all layers will be grouped together, then ordered based first on their type (i.e. parks after water, and a bunch of other rules). Within areas of the same classification, they will be sorted by their drawing style. Finally if all else is equal, then the layer order is used. So assuming all of your features are classified the same, changing the drawing style will cause the draw order to change if you are using the default type-before-order drawing option, so what you are seeing is the expected behavior.

    Let me know if I can be of further assistance.

    Thanks,

    Mike
    Global Mapper Support
    support@globalmapper.com
  • tjhb
    tjhb Global Mapper User Trusted User
    edited January 2010
    Well thank you Mike. I'm glad I was wrong about that. I'll digest your summary and file it for reference.
  • chichm
    chichm Global Mapper User Trusted User
    edited February 2010
    I'd like to see the overlay control centre menu function like the Photoshop layer manager: group layers into folders so the entire folder can be turned off with one check box; drag layers (or folders) up or down the stack without the stepper bar on the right; change or assign attributes for an entire folder of layers with a right click.

    When I build a GIS is use a lot of base data (maps, DEM, satellite imagery, base vectors) then build project specific data. It would be very handy to put all the base data in one folder and have that folder collapsed on the control centre so the themes I don't modify (10-15 layers) are not cluttering up the stack.
  • global_mapper
    global_mapper Administrator
    edited February 2010
    Being able to group loaded layers into folders in the Control Center is high on our todo list. We hope to add that for the v12 release this summer.

    Let me know if I can be of further assistance.

    Thanks,

    Mike
    Global Mapper Support
    support@globalmapper.com
  • global_mapper
    global_mapper Administrator
    edited February 2010
    Map legend support is finally here! I have a first-pass at map legend generation completed and added to the Map Layout dialog. You can choose to create a map legend based on the loaded vector data features or on a color palette (with colors and names) selected by you. I have placed a new build at http://www.globalmapper.com/global_mapper11.zip with the change for you to try. Simply download that file and extract the contents into your existing v11.xx installation folder to give it a try. If you are using the 64-bit version, there is a new build available at http://www.globalmapper.com/global_mapper11_64bit.zip .

    Thanks,

    Mike
    Global Mapper Support
    support@globalmapper.com
  • chichm
    chichm Global Mapper User Trusted User
    edited February 2010
    How about enabling cntl-z? Just one step of undo would save rendering the deleted layer, digging out the mistake and undeleting it.
  • global_mapper
    global_mapper Administrator
    edited February 2010
    The Ctrl+Z is enabled for very limited operations (i.e. backing up through the vertex list when digitizing new area/line features). General undo support is still something for the future.

    Thanks,

    Mike
    Global Mapper Support
    support@globalmapper.com
  • Roger Edrinn
    Roger Edrinn Global Mapper User Trusted User
    edited February 2010
    None of the above.
  • STH
    STH Global Mapper User Trusted User
    edited December 2010
    I see its a long time since the list have been updated. So I suggest to delete the already implemented features and add some new ones for consideration. Here are the two I see would be most needed for the moment:


    1. UNDO-button.
    UNDO-options are very limited now. Adding a "Log" window that shows the "10-50" last actions that you can click on to go back/forward to a previous step (like the history-window in Photoshop) would be very appreciated

    2. Custom commands.
    Some actions are used many times. But instead of right click - select menu - select submenu - select submenu - select submenu to do a common action it would be nice to be able to "tag" any meny option with a custom keyboard command.

    For instance pressing "B" would be the same as right click an object - Advanced Feature Creation Options - Create Buffers Around Selected Area Features.

    Keep up the good work!
  • global_mapper
    global_mapper Administrator
    edited December 2010
    I've having a heck of a time trying to figure out how to even edit the poll at this point, seems like I've done it in the past but can't figure it out right now. Probably staring me in the face.

    Part of what is in the poll is what I think will be even remotely possible without a massive amount of work in addition to what users want most, which make a general Undo option, although in high demand, not something that will be easily possible.

    Custom commands is something that could be added though, as well as some other things like perhaps multi-core support for some operations (like large gridded exports, etc.) and some other items from the todo list. I could also remove some older things that are complete now as well once I figure out how to edit the darn thing.

    Thanks,

    Mike
    Global Mapper Support
    support@globalmapper.com
  • PaulTocknell
    PaulTocknell Forum Administrator Unconfirmed
    edited December 2010
    As an administrator, you should see a little pencil next to the title of the poll. Click that and let me know if it works for you.

    Paul.
  • global_mapper
    global_mapper Administrator
    edited December 2010
    Ah found it thanks. I've updated the poll now with some new items replacing some older stuff.

    Thanks,

    Mike
    Global Mapper Support
    support@globalmapper.com
  • STH
    STH Global Mapper User Trusted User
    edited December 2010
    Thats fast! However I think everyone that have already voted can not vote anymore. Perhaps "reset" the vote so I can vote again, since most of the options are now new anyway?
  • global_mapper
    global_mapper Administrator
    edited December 2010
    I'll need Paul's help again, how do I reset the voting to allow users that already voted to do so again?

    Thanks,

    Mike
    Global Mapper Support
    support@globalmapper.com