User:Rajpatnaik

How to Convert Paper Maps into Digital Maps Help of GIS Software
Paper maps are always challenging to manage and modern technology has witnessed drastic change from papers maps to digital maps. Due to availability of latest technology like geo spatial technology more paper maps are being converting into digital maps day to day basis.It is quite very much possible now days to convert paper maps accurately and up to exact same way with help of technology like cartographic symbology in GIS software.

We can convert maps into Digital format with different kinds of GIS digital Mapping in which one of common technique is to convert the paper maps into digital form and digitization from satellite images and other images using image interpretation techniques. To convert the papers map into digital map, scanning of maps is first step of it. It can be done with 300 dpi level to get clarity of features to be mapped. Than we will convert that scanned image to geo referenced image after. During geo referencing, the map is projected to user defined coordinate systems and projection.

To convert paper map to digital maps, we need to have GIS software with having almost all of the world's coordinate systems, projections and datum in the form library files.Once we have that GIS software and the maps we mapped in that software with real world co ordinate, than it is easy to do digitization with help of digitization table or on screen heads up. We use polygon,line and points as three entities to define any co oridinate in GIS map.We use points to features like land marks, bus terminus, tube wells etc. We use Lines with and start point and an end point to show Road network, railway lines etc. We use Polygons with start point and end points to show Water bodies, settlements, parcel boundaries etc.

Once we maps all features in any digital map in form of points, lines and polygon we can give colors to these features to understand about them. We can also give size and styles of features in the maps.We can also use different attributes to describe & give information about that line, point and polygon and this is one of advantage for digital maps.