Development of a tool for GIS map preparation using hand held GPS data

Use of map based information systems is becoming a common requirement for many uses. It is important for comparison of locations, identification of distance, establishment of networks, selection of routes etc. With the hand held GPS equipment becoming more affordable and reasonably accurate, the positions thus obtained require to be taken in to databases for meaningful and comparative applications. GIS software of present day are complex and require incorporation of suitable settings to prepare representative maps. This requires a reasonable knowledge of GIS and GIS software to develop spatial data layers from externally captured coordinates. In an environment where GIS resource persons are scarce, it is necessary to identify methods to overcome this problem of preparing GIS maps using GPS based field data as and when the field data from GPS are made available. Tool was developed using Visual Basic 6 programming language and ArcGIS. Once the captured coordinate are entered and appropriate topo sheet is selected, the ArcGIS software would upload a scanned image of the 1:50,000 topo sheet so that a user could identify and carryout associated computations or management activities. enables a non GIS expert to capture field data with a hand held GPS and support the creation of GIS maps in a very fast and accurate manner. This paper describes the tool planning, design and development which was carried out in a systematic manner. The tool which is provided as an independent software would load the ArcGIS software upon selection and then proceed with the interface operation that enables the field GIS data input through a computer terminal