5 replies to this topic

[DaPhotoGuy]

It's there a website where an admin can create a group that people would have to register with. After their registration is approved the users could enter GPS coordinates (lat and long) and a few other key attributes about the coordinate (like description and maybe even a website link). Admin would be able to remove any posted waypoints and drop/ban user if needed.

Users could also see a map of the world and any coordinates that they and others have posted.

Surely something this simple already exists. I just can find it.

[jrat]

www.arcgis.com

[David Medeiros]

Yes there is, and much more user friendly than ArcGIS at that... take a look at Google Fusion Tables. http://www.google.co...iontables/Home/

It's essentially a cloud database that can either geocode addresses or coordinates and visualize them over Google Maps. Attributes with values can be used to generate heat maps or charts and graphs. Attributes with time data can be used to create timelines. A table can be set to private allowing only invited users to access it. Check it out, should meet your requirements.

[French cartographer]

If you want, you can use ArcGIS Online > http://www.arcgis.com/about/

[rudy]

Yes there is, and much more user friendly than ArcGIS at that...

How can you be friendlier than dragging and dropping a spreadsheet onto a map?

[David Medeiros]

If you check the original question in full you'll see he's asking for more than just mapping a spreadsheet. He's talking about collaborative mapping with administrative control. And likely for dispersed users. Arcs ability to read a spreadsheet is not enough to recommend it for that setup. And it fails to easily meet his collaborative, administered requirements at all. Fusion tables on the hand meets them all and is free!

I'll add to that that Arc does not not just map a spreadsheet when you add it. First it has to be in the right format, the current xlsx will not work (in 10.0 anyway) so you must save it as an older 97-2003 xls. Once added to ArMap you still need to either display the xy points or create a feature class from xy points to view the data on the map.

ArcGIS is a great program for research and analysis (I use it and teach others to use it everyday), but it simply is not a program one can expect to make meaningful use out of in a short amount of time and almost never the best option for basic mapping needs. It's getting better, but is still a very difficult program for the unfamiliar to learn quickly, on their own.

Yes there is, and much more user friendly than ArcGIS at that...

How can you be friendlier than dragging and dropping a spreadsheet onto a map?