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Lesson Navigation IconMapping with GIS and Cartographic Software

Unit Navigation IconGIS versus Cartography Systems

LO Navigation IconGeographic Information System (GIS) versus Cartographic Software (CAC)

LO Navigation IconOverview of CAC and GIS products

LO Navigation IconSummary

Unit Navigation IconBasic Functionalities of both Systems

Unit Navigation IconMapping with GIS and Cartographic Software Evaluation

Unit Navigation IconSummary

Unit Navigation IconRecommended Reading

Unit Navigation IconGlossary

Unit Navigation IconBibliography

Unit Navigation IconMetadata

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Geographic Information System (GIS) versus Cartographic Software (CAC)

We can roughly sub-divide the software relevant for cartographiy into two groups:

  • 'Geographic Information Systems' (GIS) and
  • 'Computer Aided Cartography' software (CAC)

GIS programs generally provide a huge potential to store, manage and analyse referenced and interconnected data. In contrast to GIS, CAC software is mainly used for high quality visualisation of given spatial information. To achieve this, CAC users work with user-friendly graphic software with a large number of special functions and tools.

GIS and CAC visualisation of spatial information example

Discover the difference between GIS and CAC visualisation of spatial information by rolling over the following example with your mouse.
A. GIS visualisation of spatial information (Land use in Rafzerfeld).
B. CAC visualisation of the same information.

map source: student work IKA, ETH Zurich
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