Two messages on VPF and the DCW.----------Johnnie
 
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      Mon, 21 Jun 1993 19:02:26 -0600 (MDT)
      [log in to unmask] (THOEN WILLIAM )
         Re: VPF (was World Atlases)
 
 
> >From : [log in to unmask]
>
> Has anybody out there used DCW (Digital Chart of the World) or know anything
> about the file formats the maps and vectors are stored in.It is produced
 
Chadwyk-Healey also sells the documentation that goes with it. Order
MIL-STD-600006, Vector Product Format, and MIL-D-89009, Digital Chart of
the World.  US citizens can these free by requesting them in writing to:
 
Dept. of the Navy
Defense Printing Service Detachment Office
700 Robins Ave.
Philadelphia, PA  19111-5094
 
Allow a couple of weeks (and up to 6) for delivery.
 
It's pretty nice data.  We just created a 3D view of the UK that looks
excellent.  Perhaps the Ordnance Survey may reconsider their pricing
schedule, since these data are pretty accurate with good resolution, and
may be just the thing for maps of 1:1,000,000 or smaller scale.
 
I found it was easier to write my own unpacker though than to try to use
the source code that comes with the package (if you can believe that!).
I found the format to be difficult to understand, but once I did see how it
works, I was fairly impressed.  It's a good job, and a VERY useful data
set.
 
- Bill Thoen
 
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      Tue, 22 Jun 93 10:03:37 EDT
      [log in to unmask] (Keith Clarke)
         Re: World Atlases
 
 
VPF, the vector product format, as advanced by the U.S. Defense
Mapping Agency, is the NATO standard for the transfer of digital
spatial data. Technical documentation on the standard is available from
the DMA. The DCW data sets are distributed in the U.S. by the U.S.
Geological Survey for $200 (not #200), and can be ordered by calling
1-800-USA-MAPS in the U.S. or by writing to the Earth Science Information
Center, U.S.G.S. National Center, Reston, VA 22092, USA.
 
The data is indeed uncopyrighted. The source maps were digitized from
the 1:1,000,000 DMA JNC and ONC charts under contract by ESRI of Redlands, CA.
I'm not totally sure, but think that there are about 14 layers, including
vegetation, hydrology, political boundaries, coastlines, contours, place
names, transportation, etc.
 
In spite of the format (I think several vendors now will import the
files, including ESRI and Intergraph), this is a real bargain. The
software on the CD-ROM for the DOS environment is very slow, even on
a 486, and seems to be designed for direct retrieval from the CD.
 
Keith Clarke
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