The local MAILER bounced this reply, so I am hoping that the addressee
will find it here. Since I cannot answer some of the questions, maybe
a GRASS guru can supply additional information.
From: dcmr6!bdatyd@relay.nluug.nl
Subject: MAPGEN problems
To: gie@charon.er.usgs.gov
Date: Thu, 17 Jun 93 14:12:18 METDSTUtrecht (the Netherlands), June the 17th 1993
Dear sir,Some time ago, I asked the GRASS email group about information about
the usage of MAPGEN in GRASS. You reacted, being the author of MAPGEN,
but said that other persons had more experience with GRASS.
I can only discuss MAPGEN as I distribute it because I do not have
direct experience with changes and "value added" material that has
be put in the GRASS version.
However, no other reactions came, and therefore I would like to repeat
part of my questions, and I hope you can give an answer on these
particular issues:
- Please could you indicate the order of steps to be taken to plot a
map with MAPGEN (I do not have a recent manual, and I am only aware
of the possible commands, not of the proper usage of them. Maybe you
have some newer manual?)
The best starter's manual for basic MAPGEN is available
USGS Books and Reports Sales
Federal Center, Box 25425
Denver, CO 80225
USA
(303) 236-7476
and titled: "User's Manual for MAPGEN (UNIX version): a method of
transforming digital cartographic data to a map,", G.I. Evenden, J.M.
Botbol, USGS Open-File Report 85-706, 58p. It is out of date but
still can be used as a guide as long as details are extracted from
current man file pages.
Other documentation material for graphics and cartographic projection
parts of the system can be obtained from charon.er.usgs.gov in the
form of PostScript files. See README on that system. But, what is
on charon may not match what is distributed by GRASS.
- Do you know a way to get around the usage of M.SETPROJ ? MAPGEN
indicates an error that the projection is not set. However,
for this particular use the projection of the map is totally
irrelevant. Could you otherwise indicate some information about the
amount of parameters and the range of values of them associated with
the possible projections in m.setproj (the GRASS 4.0 Manual does not
give an indication of the parameters required by m.setproj), or
provide me some adresses of persons having more experience with
m.setproj ?
m.setproj is not mine, thus I do not know what it does. MAPGEN itself
only requires that a program called "mapdef" be executed to establish
a map definition file that is referenced by overlay generating
MAPGEN procedures. The map definition file contains cartographic
projection information as well as graphical control.
By virtue of its name, m.setproj may be an interface to program
proj's parameters which is executed by program mapdef. But that is
just a guess. Program proj is well documented in charon's ftp but
it is a different version than that currently in GRASS.
I would very much appreciate your help, because I have not so far not
succeeded in overcoming these problems, despite a lot of work. Thanks
in advance.Sincerily yours,
Marc Groenenboom
bdatyd@dcmr.nl
Sorry, but confusion reigns. I had hoped that some GRASS expert
would have added something to the post that you noted.
I can assist with MAPGEN as available from charon, but I am at
an extreme disadvantage when discussing GRASS's version.
Again, my apologies.
Gerald (Jerry) I. Evenden Internet: gie@charon.er.usgs.gov
voice: (508)563-6766 Postal: P.O. Box 1027
fax: (508)457-2310 N.Falmouth, MA 02556-1027