Introduction to the TatukGIS Editor and free Viewer products

 

The TatukGIS Editor is professional desktop GIS mapping and data editing application with built-in scripting environment making the product fully customizable. Except for certain features omitted from the free Viewer, the Editor and Viewer are the same product and share the same documentation. Each use of the term Editor or program can be interpreted to mean the Editor or the Viewer, except relating to the following Viewer omitted functionalities:

 

 

 

The TatukGIS Editor window.

 

 

Viewing

The program opens most GIS/CAD vector and raster (image, grid) files and SQL geodatabase layers, even advanced spatial databases such as Oracle Spatial, Microsoft SQL Spatial, ESRI ArcSDE, PostGIS... Maps can be opened from the web using WMS, WMTS, and WFS (OpenGIS) protocols. Support for each data type is “native", meaning that layers are opened directly without a format conversion or import operation. Comprehensive visual layer property, legend, and scale controls provide for deep customization of the map appearance, colors, line styles, labels, symbols, thematic presentations, layer hierarchies, sub-layers, legend, scale … The data grid table provides for SQL type queries in combination with advanced spatial selections. Besides TatukGIS map projects, the program opens most ESRI ArcView v.3 or MapInfo Professional projects and projects exported from ESRI ArcGIS/ArcMap v.9 & 10 using the free Arc2TatukGIS plug-in to ArcGIS.

 

Coordinate systems

State-of-the-art support for coordinate systems includes thousands of pre-defined projected and geographic coordinate systems, user-defined coordinate systems, on-the-fly reprojection of vector and raster layers between coordinate systems, and automatic coordinate system recognition for all supported layer types. The support reflects EPSG codes and OpenGIS WKT coordinate system definitions.

 

Databases

Support is for most database engines (Microsoft SQL Server, Oracle, IBM DB2, IBM Informix, Interbase, Firebird, Sybase, PostgreSQL, SQLite, MS Access...) and compatible SQL and spatial databases, offering a wide-open choice for enterprise-level data storage. Vector layers can be joined to external databases.

 

Editing

The Editor can create, edit, translate, and export data to a number of vector, raster (image, grid), and SQL geodatabase formats, including advanced spatial databases such as Microsoft SQL Spatial, Oracle Spatial and Oracle GeoRaster,  ESRI ArcSDE, PostGIS.... The topology unit can be used to systematically clear geometry related errors (overlapping polygons, holes between polygons, missed line intersections, dangling nodes, etc.) from vector line or polygon layers.

 

3D Mapping

3D features include 3D vector rendering, DTM models with raster/vector layer draping, flood simulation, light & shadow control, camera/scene control, volumetric line and points rendering, Z & M value settings, 3D objects texturing...

 

Rectification

Rectification features correct distortions from aerial images, scanned maps, old vector maps, or CAD drawings, and georeference to any coordinate system.

 

Scripting

The built-in scripting IDE for writing and debugging code (Pascal and Basic) can be used to modify the Editor, including full menu redesign, custom dialog boxes, etc., or extend the program with additional features. The scripting engine exposes a powerful object API to enable the development of almost any kind of GIS application. Scripted customizations, new features, or even sophisticated end-user run-time applications can be deployed to other users.

 

Specifications & Formats

A list of features, specifications, and supported data formats is presented on the Editor Feature Matrix page of the TatukGIS web site.

 

Documentation, Help, & Support

Help and support resources include the integrated help file with descriptions of each menu item and feature, searchable on-line knowledge base, on-line tutorials, dozens of tutorial source code scripts, e-mail technical support, frequent product updates/upgrades, user forum, etc. Refer to the common question & answer item Editor & Viewer help and support resources on the TatukGIS web site.

 

Check for Updates

The Editor and Viewer products are frequently updated with improvements, bug fixes, and new features. Notification of each new version is presented on the product Welcome Page. The Help/Check for updates feature provides for checking on-line for a new version. When the program is in regular use, this feature automatically checks for updates once per week. (This feature can be turned off by unchecking the Autocheck setting under the menu Help/Check for updates.)

 

Bug Reporting Feature

The program includes a bug/error reporting tool. If an error is encountered, the program attempts to send an e-mail to TatukGIS with information documenting the problem using the computer's default e-mail client. Please allow sending any error reporting e-mails. Properly reported software bugs/errors are often fixed in the next product release version.

 

License

The TatukGIS Editor is licensed per user and requires the purchase of a license. The TatukGIS Viewer is a free product that can be used without a license purchase. Use of either product is governed by the terms of the TatukGIS license agreement. Both products are the intellectual property of the company TatukGIS and developed using the TatukGIS Developer Kernel (SDK) product.