NREL is a national laboratory of the U.S. Department of Energy Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy operated by the Alliance for Sustainable Energy, LLC

NLIT Summit 2009

Witt Sparks

June 1 – June 52009

OpenCartoA Foundation for the Geospatial Web

OpenCarto in a Nutshell

A software foundation that facilitates the rapid development

of web-based geospatial applications

Motivation

• 2005 NREL GIS analysis of hydrogen production from renewables

• Static nature of results less useful for people interested in specific regions

• Need for dynamic tool allowing users to generate their own analysis view

• Many organizations can benefit from presenting geographic data on the web

Making Maps Dynamic: GIS on the Web

Value Proposition

• No code duplication• Enhancements and bug fixes easily propagated• Uses existing geospatial standards

• SLD: Styled Layer Descriptor• WMS: Web Mapping Service• WFS: Web Feature Service

• Supports user authentication and role-based access control

Create a web-based GIS application with minimum investment

Just Add Data!

Topics

• Features and Functionality• Architecture• Open Source!

Features

• Standard Map Stuff: Pan, Zoom, Measure• Tree based layer navigation• Print• Find Location• Query – Results Downloadable to Excel• Threshold• Dynamic Layer Transparency• User-Selectable Layer Colors• Drag and Drop Layer Ordering

Look and Feel (Web 2.0)

Look and Feel of a Desktop Application

Alternative Fuels

Thresholding

Point Query

Region Query

The Printed Page

Open

• MapServer• TileCache• Ext-JS• OpenLayers

Built on a Stack of Open Source Libraries…

• Styled Layer Descriptor• Web Mapping Service

…and Standards

Extensible

OpenCarto

OpenLayersExt-JS

HyDRA TransAtlas

Architecture: Mapping Engine

TileCache

MapServer

Spatial Database

Shapefiles

Image Cache

Map Request Router

WMS/WFS

Architecture: Styling Engine

OpenLayers

Ext-JS

OpenCarto

HyDRA

Client Application(JavaScript)

Styling Engine

Map Request Router

Layer Metadata(JSON)

Styled Layer Descriptor(XML)

Layer Repository

User Preferences

Architecture: The Whole Enchilada

TransAtlas Client

Application

Styling Engine

Map Request Router

TileCache

MapServer

Access Control

Drupal Content Management System

• User Authentication

• Role-based access to data layers

Current and Planned Applications

• HyDRA – Hydrogen Demand and Resource Assessment• TransAtlas – Alternative Fueling Stations, Alt-fuel vehicle

densities, and more• BioPower – Data related to biomass resources• FleetAtlas – Help fleets improve efficiency through the

use of alternative fuels and advanced vehicle technologies

Where Can I Get Mine?

• OpenCarto as an Open Source Project• “Open Labs” as a starting point• Funding?• Consulting and Support

How to Demo an App

• TransAtlas• http://rpm.nrel.gov/transatlas/launch • No user account required

• HyDRA• http://rpm.nrel.gov/• Click “Create an Account”• Specify ‘hydra’ as the application you’re interested in• Your account will be active in 48 hours