Possibilities of systematizing cartographic rules

ABSTRACTMap production is currently based on the use of digital geographic data and advanced software tools for their processing and visualization. The source digital geographic data requires modification according to written and unwritten rules prior to its use for map creation. Both written and unwritten rules then govern the actual processing of the maps. This article suggests a systematization of the rules that are used in the whole technological cycle of map creation. The proposed system of rules is processed into the design of a knowledge ontology database intended for solving especially collapses and other complicated situations in the creation of topographic maps. It focuses on problems that are time-consuming to solve by manual cartographic processing and whose automation has a great potential to bring capacity savings in topographic map creation.RÉSUMÉLa production de cartes repose aujourd'hui sur l'utilisation de données géographiques numériques et d'outils logiciels sophistiqués pour le traitement et la visualisation des données. Les données géographiques numériques initiales doivent être modifiées en fonction de règles écrites et implicites avant leurs utilisations pour la création de carte. Ce sont autant les règles explicites que les règles implicites qui guident le processus de conception cartographique. Cet article propose une systématisation des règles qui sont utilisées lors du processus technique complet de création de cartes. Le système de règles que nous proposons est transformé en conception d'une base de données ontologique des connaissances conçue pour résoudre spécifiquement les disparitions et autres situations complexes rencontrées lors de la conception de cartes topographiques. Ce système se concentre sur des problèmes qui sont longs à résoudre lorsqu'ils sont traités de façon manuelle et pour lesquels l'automatisation a un grand potentiel de gain lors de la création de cartes topographiques.KEYWORDS: Cartographycartography rulesgeneralizationknowledge databaseontology AcknowledgementsThe Technology Agency of the Czech Republic funded this research. Projects name: ‘Research and development of methods for cartographic generalization medium-scale state maps’ (project code TB04CUZK001). Also, the Ministry of Defence of the Czech Republic partly founded this research, project name: ‘Military autonomous and robotic assets’ (Project code VAROPS).Disclosure statementNo potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).Additional informationFundingThis work was supported by Technology Agency of the Czech Republic (TB04CUZK001) and Ministry of Defence of the Czech Republic.Notes on contributorsJiří DrozdaJiří Drozda is the director of the Research Institute of Geodesy, Topography and Cartography, Zdiby, CZ. He worked for Ministry of Defence of the Czech Republic more than 20 years in the various positions at the Military Geographic Institute in Prague. Later on, he was the chief of Military Geographic Service. Since he has finished his military career he work for the Research Institute of Geodesy, Topography and Cartography. His professional focus is cartography and geoinformatics.Vaclav TalhoferVáclav Talhofer is the full professor of geodesy and cartography at the University of Defence, Brno CZ. His professional focus is cartography, geoinformatics and map projections. He has participated on a development of several digital geographic data models since 1980. He has co-operated on the development of the new defence topographic maps prepared according the NATO standards since 2021. He is the president of the Czech Cartographic Society.Filip DohnalFilip Dohnal is the assistant professor of cartography and geoinformatics at the University of Defence, Brno CZ. He graduated his PH.D. study in 2020. His professional focus is cartography, geoinformatics, and hydrology. He has co-operated on the development of the new defence topographic maps prepared according the NATO standards since 2021.