Working with maps

Today more and more programming products utilize the possibilities that maps provide. Why is that?

• Applying a geographic component provides great opportunities for data analysis – new insights can be made when data is broken down by location;
• Using maps often encourages user engagement – that is, users can spread important information and mark it on a map.

What does working with maps mean from a developer’s perspective?

This can be performed using various programming technologies – say, Java, C++, or JavaScript.

When working with maps in Java and C++, our programmers use third-party tools to add or display a point on the map; we don’t write this functionality from scratch.

What are other possible issues that working with maps in C++ and Java involves? Sometimes Customers need reports to be generated based on coordinates – e.g., average sales in several locations.

Some databases have a special extension (in other words, a set of special components) to deal with maps and coordinates. Such an extension gives developers an opportunity to calculate the values that are limited to certain geographic locations. For instance, it is possible to take a particular rectangle on a map and define a certain indicator value in a given location. As a rule, relational databases can cope with this.

In case of working with maps in JavaScript, a request to a server is made, then coordinates are obtained, and a certain point is shown on a map. The main challenges in this process are:

• Geocoding which assumes finding geographic coordinates of a certain place based on a postal address;
• Reverse geocoding – vice versa (defining an address based on given coordinates).

ISS Art guys know for sure how to implement geocoding – they’ve done this successfully when working on one of E-commerce projects. To achieve this, PostGIS and OpenStreetMap were utilized.

Showing points on a map isn’t an issue for our team, too. One of the projects where we delivered this feature is a platform showing global events on a world map. The information about events is provided by users – they have an opportunity to highlight a certain area and put markers there. Markers, by the way, can be of different colors. This was accomplished with the help of Google Maps and Scribble Maps.

This was about web applications. If a desktop app is the case, and its interface is built in Java, then the point on the map will be shown with the help of Java, too.

What competencies should a programmer have to apply the advantages of maps successfully?

Actually, it is important to be savvy with add-ons for databases that allow working with coordinates.

And, a few words about mobile platforms. Is working with maps possible in such platforms as Android? Yes! As long as this platform is based on Java, the specifics working with maps in Java is also applicable to Android.

Do you need your desired project to deal with maps? We know how to help you! Just drop us a line, and we will get back to you for a detailed discussion.