MiraMon. GIS&RS

MiraMon ("WorldWatcher") is a program for displaying, consulting and editing raster and vector maps. It has been made without profit aim to be used for both the public and private sectors for scientific, educational and environmental management purposes and other GIS-related projects where an available and rigorous tool is needed. For raster maps we mean all kind of remote sensing data, orthophotographs, digital elevation models, conventional thematic maps in a grid-based structure, etc. For vector maps we mean all kind of graphic representation based on objects defined by points (nests, water points, etc), lines (rivers, roads, etc) or polygons (forests, administrative entities, etc).

MiraMon philosophy is not oriented towards a commercial program with all kind of 'festival' facilities, but to provide tools with which to accomplish all needed operations. Programming is a hard work and if it not done with a lucrative purpose, it must be aimed at the most important things. MiraMon takes advantage of your hardware and software, but does not need last generation components. It can run on a PC 386 with math coprocessor and Microsoft Windows 3.1, but it is recommended that you use Windows 95 or NT and to configure the graphic board so that it can show 32768 (16 bit) or more colors. The amount of RAM and the type of processor needed (486, Pentium, etc) will basically depend on the amount of data and processing requirements you have. Conventional 1:50000 topographic maps and up to 16 Mbyte raster images or DEMs can be used on 486+8Mbyte RAM machines but, of course, a dual Pentium II mother board using two Pentium II processors and 128 Mbyte RAM results in extremely fast usage of 100 Mbyte orthophotos and mosaics of dozens of topographic maps.

MiraMon is a native 32-bit application, specifically designed for Windows 95 and NT, allowing full 32-bit processing, real multitasking and access to 2-Gbytes files. When running under Windows 3.1x, it needs the free Microsoft's Win32s extension, and can acces up to 16-Mbyte files.

Outstanding features:

• 10 kinds of raster data are supported which allow storage of practically all interesting cartographic data in an adequate file size. These kinds of data are:
  • a/ Bit, byte, (short) integer, real, long (integer), all of them in normal or compressed format (except bit). These 9 kinds of data allow direct displaying as well as the operations of all the modules included in MiraMon.

  • b/ 24-bit color: You can select any RGB composite of byte images to get a real color or false color displaying. In systems with modest resources (256 colors) you can force the automatic reduction 24-bit-> 8-bit during file reading and then save an 8-bit file and optimum palette for further displaying.
  
  
• You have the chance of working with vectors being topologically structured or with vectors without topology (spaguetti). Vectors of point, line, arc/node and polygon types are supported. You can display several vectors simultaneously, as well as display them over any kind of raster. A loaded raster is not needed for vector display. Structured vectors allow access to an associated alphanumeric database (DBF). An arc layer can support several polygon databases cycled on it (a single arc file is the base for municipalities, regions, etc, using the same graphic database). In the case of non-structured vectors, string type attributes are allowed; on the other hand, this is a natural feature of the structured vectors because each vector identifier can always be refered to a database field, which can be string, integer, etc. Note that MiraMon allows to build vector topology.
  
  
• "MiraMon Maps", which are compositions of raster and vector files based on the basic file types (the map file is small because it only contains references to the used files). MiraMon Maps also store information about printing parameters (scale, layout, etc).
  
  
• On screen vector digitizing and editing (erase, connect, ...), which can be done upon rasters (false colors, orthophotos, ...), vectors, or the two kinds of maps, is available. As long as digitization of each object goes on, you can scroll the map or change the zoom level. Objects and attributes from other layes can be copied.
  
  
• Query by location (where am I?, what is here?) and by attribute (where is this phenomenon? where is such feature?), either on raster and vector files without needing to generate new files. Query by attribute is done on basis of any database field or raster cell (even in compressed files).
  
  
• All information recovery processes are actually done over the graphic database and not over simplifications prepared for fast displaying. Thus, even zoom operations allow to display all possible information at any given moment, which is a necessary feature for a geographical information system. In short, you always get the maximum visual information with regard to your graphic board resolution.
  
  
• Coordinates are always treated with double precision (15-16 significant figures), which:
  • a/ Guarantees an adequate computing and display, even if you work with very large scales (for instance, 1:1000), where submetrical accuracy is necessary.
  • b/ Avoids the problems of the softwares which work with simple precision (6-7 significant figures), that are forced to work with truncate coordinates (for instance, UTMy), forcing the user to mentally translate when comparing official cartography upon paper with his/her own database.
    
  
  
• Support for color palettes of 64, 256 and 65536 levels for each RGB component, which allows taking advantage from the better color control given by each output device and each graphic file format: for instance, TIFF files allow 65536 levels, BMP files 256 levels, and Idrisi 4.x files 64 levels, but MiraMon can work with all these kinds of palettes.
  
  
• Individual color palettes for each loaded raster or vector. Palette editing is also possible.
  
  
• It can print large files in large plotters, allowing professional control of map printing (scale, coordinates scope, paper position, grid ticks, etc).
  
  
• It comes with an easy to use viewer and editor of database tables (MiraDades).
  
  
• GIS and Remote Sensing tools included: Geometric correction using DEM (including othophoto generation), mosaicking, topology building and control, etc. All tools come with Windows interfaces, but they can also be executed from the command line (DOS box) or from other programs or BAT files you write.
  
  
• Supports a wide variety of cartographic projections and allows converting raster and vector data among them.
  
  
• Improvement of point symbology (legends can have different symbols and different sizes), including consistent point symbology in cartographic series.
  
  
• Analysis with Map calculator and reclassifier (both raster and vector!). This tool integrates reclassification, logical operations and mathematical operations in a single environment and expression.
  
  
• Analysis with Layer combinator. This tool allows crossing layers (both raster and vector!) and to obtain several cross-tabulation statistical tables.
  
  
• Allows transferring attributes between topologically structured vector layers.
  
  
• Import and export of BMP, TIFF, LAN (Erdas), GIS (Erdas), NEU (ICC), DXF (AutoCAD), Export (Arc/Info and ArcView), EMF (Windows applications), etc. Raster and non-structured vector files are Idrisi compatible.
  
  
• MiraMon Maps can be directly copied Enhanced MetaFile format to the Windows clipboard, which allows via to paste them to other applications such as Word and PowerPoint 97, Corel 7, etc. Note that special paste of enhanced metafiles is not a screen dump (bitmap), but a high quality paste, preserving the full detail of the original as in a printer output, ideal for presentations and reports.
  
  
• Support for ANSI/OEM character sets (also in character fields of databases).
  
  
• Internal design for fine running in networks (successfully used in Windows for Work Groups, Windows 95, NT and in Novell Netware). Full support to relative (..\..\Europe\Holland.MMM) and UNC addresses (\\SERVER\GIS\Europe\Holland.MMM), which is ideal for saving disk space and for database uniqueness and consistency.
  
  
• The main Windows application only needs 1 Mbyte and it does not install DLLs nor other resources. Thus, it is extremely fast when loaded from the network, always ready in memory (because of the small space required), does not produce computer collapse nor fogs other applications. Easy install, clean uninstall.
  
  
• Entirely programmed in C: Maximum efficency in the computer resources usage (disk, memory, network), very fast, very small.

Apart from being an analysis tool, MiraMon is also used as an easy to use spatial data viewer. Not only complete licenses can be purchased but also licenses specifically designed for data demos can be purchased at a very low price. The latter only allow opening a limited set of predefined files. For example, you can distribute a CD-ROM containing MiraMon together with samples of the geographical data you produce (imagery, digital elevation models, conventional topographic maps, etc), all ready to view.