Xiaoyi Zhang

Senior GIS Programmer

Department 63

Dewberry & Davis

8401 Arlington Blvd.

Fairfax, VA 22031-4619

Tel: (703)849-0674

E-mail: xzhang@dewberry.com

Two days after Hurricane Fran landed along NC shoreline in 1996, we were asked to conduct a GPS high water mark survey and perform GIS data analysis. The purpose of this exercise was to support FEMA regional office and engineer who are not GIS professional but need to use GIS tools to perform some GIS tasks. Typically these tasks involve tasks, such as overlaying different geographic dada layers, viewing FEMA digital Q3 data, creating linkage to GPS survey points, linking the point to the digital photos , and print multiple source reports.

In about a week period, we have produced prototype of a generic GIS tool box. It includes three major components: Map, Survey Database and Image, and printing functions. The map element is embedded objects using Esri MapObjects OCX. It includes most common GIS functions, such as Zoom, Pan, Layer Properties(color, class and value), Identity, feature selection. User can also add new graphic features (points, lines and polygons). The survey Database and Image component is designed to create a survey database, data manipulation, and linkage to the digital photos. The tool box also allow user to create link between GIS data layer and survey database using SQL. The last part is collection of different elements and produce formatted report print, which includes database, image and maps.

The tool box gives us a lot of flexibility and strength. It effects our production line process. For example, we were asked to produce a large volume of final reports in color. But we did not have enough resources. So we create a CD disk with the toolbox program and all of database to local printing shop. They used this toolbox to perform GIS tasks and produce them for us, which save time and money. Another example is same tool box can be used for different tasks with minor change of some default properties, such printing GPS certificate, view FEMA Q3 products.

We have tested the strength and flexibility of MapObjects. Some Customized OLEs were created for complicated map symbology and printing functions using for images, maps and database reports.