History: Maps
Preview of version: 43
Maps
With the use of the Map wiki plugin and other associated tools you can display interactive maps of any area in the world than can be panned and zoomed, as well as having editable objects placed on top of the map layer using complex programmable logic.
The following sections provide some further detail about the historical evolution of the map capabilities with PluginMap providing more detailed information on usage methods.
It must be emphasised, however, that from Tiki12 onwards the use of MapServer is not recommended and, as mentioned above, it has been completely removed from Tiki15 onwards.
Historical overview of Maps integration in Tiki
Later on, Google Maps arrived, providing an easy to use map integration to regular web sites, even without having to manage mapping data. Thus, Google Maps specific code was added to Tiki, which was convenient for a lot of people.
Then, after a community discussion, starting in Tiki7, OpenLayers (another option was Mapstraction) was added as a native way to handle maps, which permits the use of tiles from Google Maps, Bing Maps, OpenStreetMap (which is like Wikipedia but for maps), MapQuest (which serves OpenStreetMap maps), etc.
The Cartograf project further improved maps in Tiki8, Tiki9, Tiki10 and Tiki11. Many features were added, including Street View support.
In Tiki12, all Google Maps specific code was removed in favor of using OpenLayers, so Google Maps is accessible via the OpenLayers Google Layer. In addition the Natural Access project (no longer active) added further new capabilities to upload any existing line and polygon data as files and to be able to further customise how data objects were shown on the underlying map layer.
In Tiki15 all MapServer-specific code has been removed. Also OpenLayers 2.x continues to be used for the map layer and integration with Tiki to allow editable map objects to be overlaid on the map layer but experimentation has started with the integration of OpenLayers 3.x.
In Tiki20 integration with OpenLayers 3.x and higher was improved, and more features were exposed through the corresponding PluginMap parameters, as well as adding new tilesets, some of them using vector tiles instead of just the usual raster tiles.
Map-related documentation, as of summer of 2019, still makes reference to the different historical approaches but as it continues to be improved the older methods that are no longer used will be deprecated/removed. Volunteers to help with documentation improvement : please contact marclaporte at tiki dot org
To access: Click the Maps icon on the Admin Panel
or Access http://example.org/tiki-admin.php?page=maps
Tiki 10.1
- Google Street View was already in Tiki, but is now easier to access (for 10.1)
Major improvements in Tiki7-8-9-10
There have been many fixes and improvements which were done for the CartoGraf project, an interactive web-based mapping application to enhance learning in history and geography classes in high schools. CartoGraf is mainly based on Maps, Drawings, PluginAppFrame and Trackers. This is a great example of how to use profiles to use a general purpose app (Tiki) to make a very specific application (CartoGraf).
See the page Geolocation, which tell you how to use the several options to geolocate tiki objects.
Pre-Tiki7 implementation
The system was based on the Mapserver software from the University of Minesota. Tiki provides a nice, easy and integrated interface to the Mapserver.
Applications are unlimited:
- help to decision making by providing relevant geographical information
- geology mapping
- environmental mapping
- location mapping
- creating interactive geographical manuals
- ...
This system can be part of an e-government initiative.
However, enabling this feature is not trivial (yet) as it requires installing correctly the Mapserver Software with its php mapscript extension.
The system is composed of a Map viewer, a Layer Management tool and a Mapfiles manager.
In short to create a map:
- you upload your GIS files using the Maps Layer Management.
- you create and edit a Mapfile using the Maps Mapfiles Manager
- you display the map inside the Map viewer
Maps pre-Tiki9 features
Using Mapserver.
- Maps User: How to operate the maps viewer
- Maps Editor: How to create maps
- Maps Layer Management
- Maps Mapfiles Manager
- Maps Details: Tips, tutorials and troubleshooting
- Maps Mapfile Tutorial: A tutorial on mapfile editing
- Maps MapView: Creating specifc views for a map
- Maps Admin: To install and administer the system.
- Maps Install: Installing the php mapscript extension
- Maps Config: Configuring parameters in the admin interface