RESEARCH ON LEGEND DESIGN FOR ELECTRONIC MAP
H. Wang, Y. Chen
Zhengzhou Institute of Surveying and Mapping,
peacewhl@sohu.com
The legend is an
important tool for both traditional paper map and electronic map, especially for statistical
maps. Although the electronic map has come into being since mid-1980s, and has
got a considerable development after 1990s, only a few people are working on
the legend research of electronic map so far. At present, the electronic map
legend is faced with a series of problems, which are mainly represented as: (1)
The legend design in many statistical electronic maps still continues to use
the design methods of the paper map legend, and considers little on the
characteristics of the electronic map itself, and still has not gotten rid of
the restriction of the traditional legend design idea. (2) The legend
allocation method in the electronic screen is inanimate, and it does not
conform to people’s spatial cognition custom, which has influenced the
representation and transmission of the spatial information. From the analysis
of the two problems above, we may find out that the ultimate causation leading
to the problems is that the cartographer has neglected the advantage of the
electronic map such as flexible design, dynamic design, better interaction and
expressive force.
Aiming at the problems in the
design of the electronic map legend, this paper has investigated the advantages
of the electronic map legend compared to the paper
map legend, summarized the characteristics of the electronic map legend
in the computer environment, and presented the design principles of the
electronic map legend. At last the authors design a new scheme aiming at the
electronic map legend allocation problem which is according to the research of
the new principles and its application, and realized this scheme in their
Statistic Mapping System which designed using VC++ language partly, and have got
a good visualization effect.