As a practitioner in the GIS industry, I often use some GIS software, but it always feels too professional and complicated.
Of the many functions of these GIS software, I have probably not used more than 90% of them.
For most users, the most common features are probably only the 10% of the basic features.
Here I will share what 10% of the basic functions of a GIS software should have.
Personal opinion, for reference only.
In a GIS system, two and three views should be available at the same time.
Because there are some basic functions that are enough to solve the problem in 2D and more convenient, such as labeling and drawing maps.
In 3D scenes, there is a better visual presentation, such as terrain and landforms.
2D focuses on the application of basic business, while 3D focuses on the presentation of visual effects.
However, it is important to note that the 2D view should share the layer data, i.e. the data drawn in the 2D view can also be displayed when switched to the 3D view, and vice versa.
Of course, there are some data that can only be displayed in 3D, such as oblique photography data, which can not be displayed in 2D, or a data range can be displayed to indicate the location of the data.
In a GIS software, the basic operation of viewing and displaying the map is the most basic function, otherwise everything else is impossible.
If you need to view a map, you should have basic functions such as zooming in, zooming out, and panning the map.
A basic GIS software should at least support vector layers, raster layers, and preferably special layers.
In order to facilitate the sharing of personal annotation data and **, it is best to support cloud layers, and all cloud layers belong to a "shared layer" classification.
In order to avoid a blank display when opened by GIS software, one or more commonly used raster layers are required, which can be used as the basis for the "system layer" classification.
The user-labeled layer can be classified as a local layer, which can be called "My Layer" classification.
Google Earth's simple annotation method has long been deeply rooted in the hearts of the people, especially for ordinary users from all walks of life, there is basically no threshold when annotating and drawing maps, and it is easy to get started.
However, this kind of data mixed with points, lines and surfaces is really not conducive to statistical analysis of the data, so this independent layer of points, lines and surfaces is also indispensable in a GIS software.
A basic GIS software should best meet the needs of ordinary users and professional users at the same time, so that the shallow ones do not feel the depth, and the deep ones do not feel the shallowness.
Therefore, a GIS system should have both a composite layer in the KML mode and an independent layer of points, lines, and areas in the SHP mode.
Each layer needs to have an attribute table, even a composite layer in KML mode, so as to conform to the basic logic of GIS layers.
It is best to be able to copy, paste and move the features between layers, of course, this needs to consider the compatibility between different layers due to different fields.
In general, features do not need z-values, that is, point features, or nodes of line and polygon features do not need to have z-values.
In some GIS software, features added to a layer always contain z-values, such as in Google Earth.
However, in ArcGIS layers, there is a clear distinction between creating a normal layer when the amount of data is relatively large but all the data does not have a true z-value value, such as a z-value of 0, in which case creating a normal layer can save storage space.
However, when the layer is used to record some features with z-values, such as different elevation values, it is more practical to create a layer with coordinates containing z-values, such as creating a track record layer.
Therefore, this kind of vector layer with coordinates containing z-value should also be necessary in a GIS software, but it should also allow the existence of layers without z-value for flexible application.
The two layers should be allowed to be converted to each other without being used, but in the case of losing z-values, you need to have the user confirm whether to continue the operation to avoid losses.
As mentioned earlier, you should include one or more commonly used raster layers in your system layer, but at the same time allow you to add raster layers yourself.
Adding a raster layer on your own does not mean the maintenance of the raster layer in the system layer, but can be overlaid on top of the system layer in the same way that you create a vector layer.
In order to meet the management of ordinary users, a GIS system should also have a layer.
*Mainly used to display coordinates on the map**.
Just as a point layer only stores point features, a layer stores only features.
Essentially, a layer is also a point layer.
The ** here should also include the **.
A cloud layer is not a new layer type, but simply because the layer is stored on the cloud, it can be shared with friends and even co-edited.
A good GIS software must be able to synchronize data on multiple terminals, and it can be edited by multiple people at the same time.
Therefore, in a GIS software, the function of the cloud layer should also be required.
Since it's a layer, you should be allowed to adjust the order of the layers.
Since the order of the layers can be adjusted, when the map is displayed, there should be an overlapping occlusion relationship according to the order of the layers.
This is a fundamental feature in professional GIS software such as ArcGIS.
It stands to reason that this feature should not be listed separately, and while it is indeed very basic, it is usually not available in some map widget software.
Of course, the same is true for feature sorting, but it doesn't take care of that in Google Earth, which always overlays from top to bottom in the order of points, lines, and polygons.
A GIS software should support the most basic point, polyline, and polygon feature drawing, such as Google Earth, which only supports these three.
However, it is also advisable to include the drawing of rectangles, regular rectangles, circles, ellipses, sectors, curves, surfaces, free lines, and free surfaces.
As the main function of map editing, graphic drawing can be supported as much as possible, and it is best to also support military standard posture arrows.
Generally speaking, ordinary stand-alone elements are sufficient.
However, for some national or provincial borders, etc., they may be made up of multiple elements due to the presence of enclaves.
In order to be able to display such multi-geometry features, multi-geometry features are also a GIS software that must be supported.
Since it supports display, it must support creation, editing, importing, exporting, and so on.
In addition to enclaves, there are also cases where there are voids in polygon features, which also need to be created, edited, and imported and exported, as this is also more common in maps.
The annotation of text is used a lot in map making, especially the production of historical maps.
Sometimes the text needs to be horizontal, sometimes vertical, or even distributed along a curved path.
A GIS software needs to be able to draw text elements flexibly, which is conducive to efficient map production and can make more beautiful maps.
The function of adding ** can be used to add the ** (or**) taken during the tour or during the route inspection to the system, which is convenient for viewing the scene of the shooting location.
Features are always displayed on the map as thumbnails, but the size of their display can be configured by styling, as well as text labels, and more.
Of course, these can also be added to attachments to features such as the points, lines, or polygons to which they belong, and the files of the features are also displayed in the attachments.
As a result, features can be displayed in bubbles through the configuration of the layer.
Features can be added to a compound layer or to the layer described earlier.
In an era when everyone uses mobile phones as cameras, if there is a function to add ** elements in the GIS software, it is a more applicable function in life and work.
In addition to the basic editing of graphic elements such as points, lines, and planes, a GIS software should also have common undo and redo functions.
In addition, it should also have cut, copy, and paste functions.
These features seem to be very basic and are available in many software, but the underlying logic involved in them is still relatively complex and requires a relatively large amount of development work.
In addition, there are functions such as adding, deleting, and editing attribute fields, which are also necessary in GIS software.
The editing function is a relatively large part of any GIS software.
Whether the editing function is easy to use or not almost determines whether the software is easy to use, so it has a relatively large weight in terms of user experience.
Bulk operations tend to increase productivity.
Therefore, functions such as batch modification of feature attributes, bulk modification of feature styles, and batch deletion are extremely important.
In addition, batch selection of multiple features or layers in the layer tree, batch selection of multiple records in the layer attribute table, etc., should also be a basic function necessary for GIS software.
However, when the amount of data is relatively large, if the batch operation involves the reading and writing of the database, etc., it may affect the lag of the program, so this function needs to take into account the smoothness of the system operation.
In order to accurately retrieve query features, when there are many features, it is not enough to query only the feature name, but also support query in the attribute table.
In general, you can use a specified field query or a full-field query to basically meet the requirements.
However, it would be even more perfect if the attribute table also supports SQL statement queries.
This allows you to query features with precision and perform a variety of flexible operations such as editing, deleting, or exporting.
Many GIS software does not perform collision detection and aggregation when displaying text labels, so that the display is usually messy when opening the map.
As for a GIS software, I think it should be the best to achieve adaptive aggregation of map labeling.
Of course, there should also be options to display all callouts for flexible user control.
In addition to the default horizontal display of the labels of point features and polygon features, the labels of line features should also be displayed along the line labels by default, and in the case of long segments, cyclic labeling is required.
If the text labels of point and polygon features are relatively long, they should also be able to be automatically displayed in separate lines.
Text annotation is a relatively large and complex function, but if you can do the above points, it has basically been satisfied.
A feature symbol is how a feature is presented, including icons, point sizes, colors, line weights, fills, and more.
The aesthetics of feature symbols directly determine the aesthetics of the entire map.
Therefore, a GIS software must have the basic function of editing the symbol of the element.
The system should not only come with some commonly used legends, but also allow users to import custom legends.
When exporting features and then importing them back into the system, it is more user-friendly to allow the user to restore the style.
In order to reduce the footprint of duplicate storage of the same legend in the compound layer, the symbols need to be maintained in the system, so that the same symbol is referenced by the same feature.
Point feature symbols should support vector symbols, ** symbols, and SVG symbols.
For independent layers of points, lines, and regions, different legends should be allowed to be grouped to display different legends, so that users can classify and count the data.
We usually need to see the information of the feature, so it is very useful to be able to display the relevant text content in a bubble when we click on the feature.
The content in the bubble comes from the content of a field, and the field can also be specified according to your own needs.
The content in the field can be displayed as text, and if it is a **, it can also be displayed as ** or **, which is very user-friendly.
Attachments should also be allowed to be saved in the feature, and these attachments should also be viewable in bubbles.
In a GIS software, there is such a bubble viewing function, which will be very convenient when viewing the element information.
However, there is no need to display bubbles when there is no content in the specified field or attachment, otherwise it will appear redundant.
There are a lot of text formats related to GIS, but if you can support KML, CSV, CSV, TXT, SHP, DXF, and DWG, you can basically solve all the problems.
When importing files such as KML, CSV, TXT, etc., it is also advisable to allow the option to import only point, line, or polygon features, and preferably to a specified layer.
When exporting features to a file, in addition to exporting the layer's attribute table by default, it is also necessary to allow users to flexibly choose whether they need to export other attributes such as the style of the feature, so that they can quickly filter the data.
In the process of data import and export, it is necessary to support projection conversion, which is the most basic import and export function of GIS software.
In addition to the larger functions mentioned above, you should also have the most basic tools such as distance measurement, area measurement, screenshots, etc.
In addition, commonly used shortcut keys are also required to improve work efficiency and have a better user experience.
In order to store data in the cloud and share it, a user login function is also required.
In order to facilitate multi-terminal data sharing, it is necessary to have three-terminal supporting products, namely mobile, web and PC.
Among them, the mobile terminal should include Android, iOS and applets, and it needs to do a good job of adaptive interaction on mobile phones or tablets of different sizes.
In order for the web to be used on different devices, it is also necessary to do a good job of adapting to the operation interface.
GIS software is widely used in enterprises and institutions, and public institutions usually need to use localized products, so the localization and cross-platform support of GIS software are also necessary.
In the case of relatively complete basic functions, some more practical system plug-ins can be developed.
According to the characteristics of different industries, plug-in extensions that need to support different industries are also required.
Of course, it is more important to support the user's own development of plug-ins, which can also be loaded into the system.
In view of the confidentiality elements of some public institutions, offline deployment also needs to be supported.
Offline deployment involves the productized server side, otherwise offline deployment is impossible, but this is also a relatively large functional item.
This article lists some basic functions that GIS software should have, if you already have such a system, can it meet your daily use?
However, the basic features listed here may not be complete enough, and there may be some things that are not well thought out.
What other functions do you think should be specific to a GIS system?
Welcome to add!