GeoinformaticsattheCTUinPrague ...geo.fsv.cvut.cz/~landa/publications/2012/ogrs2012/... · the...
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Free Software and Open Source in Education Geoinformatics at the CTU in Prague Martin Landa [email protected] Department of Mapping and Cartography Faculty of Civil Engineering, Czech Technical University in Prague Background Free Software and Open Source (FOSS) plays an important role at Faculty of Civil Engineering (FCE), Czech Technical University (CTU) in Prague, study branch Geodesy, Cartography and Geo- informatics. Students learn how to effectively use FOSS tools in several courses. It covers topics like introduction into database management systems, programming in C ++ , and GIS or Remote Sensing oriented subjects. Namely thanks to Professor Čepek, FOSS has been used at the CTU in Prague since early 90’s. FOSS at FCE CTU The students of the branch Geodesy, Carto- graphy and Geoinformatics at the CTU work du- ring their studies with different FOSS tools. In the second semester the students learn ba- sics of SQL (Structured Query Language). SQL is a standard language for accessing object- relational databases. The assignments for “In- troduction into Database Systems” course are developed with PostgreSQL as a widely used open-source object-relational database manage- ment system. For the evaluation of the students there is used a web based interactive tutorial of SQL – GNU SQLTutor (http://sqltutor.fsv. cvut.cz). This program was developed at the CTU in Prague by Professor Čepek in 2007. La- ter in 2010 there were added several geospatial datasets for interactive learning of spatial SQL based on PostGIS geodatabase [1]. Fig. 1: SQLTutor in Action. In the third semester the students learn progra- mming in C++. The assignments are developed with QT framework. The programming course is focused on developing simple graphical-based applications using QT graphical library. In the fifth semester the students work on semes- ter project, the goal is to develop a web-based CGI application written in C++ using QT fra- mework and light-weight SQLite database. In other semesters the students have also the possibility to learn programming in Java. Other FOSS tools used by the students during their studies are Octave for computations, R for statis- tics, L A T E X for writing technical reports or GNU Gama. The GNU Gama (http://www.gnu.org/ software/gama/) is dedicated to adjustment of geodetic networks. The project was founded by Professor Cepek, and most of the contributors to this project are former or current students from the CTU in Prague. FOSS in GIS Education Beside the commonly widespread proprie- tary Esri ArcGIS platform, the students are also introduced into FOSS in Geoinformatics (FOSS4G). One of the basic GIS-oriented courses is “Intro- duction into Spatial Data Processing” which is based on PostGIS geodatabase. Some lessons are also dedicated to the SpatiaLite database. Fig. 2: wxGUI Animation Tool (developed by the student from the CTU, Anna Kratochvílová). Most important from this point of view is the “Free Software in GIS” course. Within this course, the students learn about the FOSS4G environment in general, including a community- driven development, or OSGeo role. The assign- ments are mainly developed with GRASS GIS, QGIS, and gvSig. Some lessons are focused also on programming in C ++ or Python using GDAL/OGR library, writing plugins for QGIS or scripting in GRASS GIS. One practical exer- cise is also dedicated to OpenStreetMap project including active mapping near the university. The assignments for another important course “Remote Sensing” are developed with GRASS GIS. The students have also opportunity to re- port bugs in GRASS software or suggestions di- rectly to the teacher. Smaller bugs are usually fixed in the next lessons. Fig. 3: wxGUI Supervised Classification Tool (de- veloped by the students from the CTU, Anna Kra- tochvílová and Václav Petráš). References & Acknowledgement [1] Martin Landa and Aleš Čepek. “Learning PostGIS using Sqltutor”. In: FOSS4G Barcelona. 2010. c 2012 Martin Landa. This poster is licensed as Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported. Acknowledgement: This work has been supported by the Czech Grant Agency FRVS No. 1915/2012. Students Contribution FOSS may be really attractive for the students. They can freely contribute to the open-source projects, not only as developers (currently three students from the CTU are actively contributing as developers to GRASS GIS project), but also as testers, bug-hunters, translators or power users. GRASS GIS Since 2008 three students from the CTU in Pra- gue participated in Google Summer of Code (GSoC) program and developed 3D visualization tool for GRASS GIS (fig. 4), or GUI front-end for GRASS vector network analysis tools (fig. 5). Fig. 4: 3D Visualization Tool for GRASS (GSOC 2008, 2010, 2011 – developed by the students from the CTU, Anna Kratochvílová and Martin Landa). Other GRASS tools which were developed by the students from the CTU is wxGUI Carto- graphic Composer, wxGUI Supervised Classi- fication Tool (fig. 3), wxGUI Animation Tool (fig. 2), or the new GRASS module for down- loading WMS (Web Map Service) data. Fig. 5: wxGUI Vector Network Analysis Tool (GSOC 2012 – developed by the student from the CTU, Štěpán Turek). QGIS Some students from the CTU are also involved in QGIS development. QGIS plugin for Czech cadastral data (fig. 6) or Workflow builder for QGIS Sextante Project were developed by the students from the CTU recently. Fig. 6: QGIS plugin for cadastral data (developed by the students from the CTU, Anna Kratochvílová and Václav Petráš).
Transcript of GeoinformaticsattheCTUinPrague ...geo.fsv.cvut.cz/~landa/publications/2012/ogrs2012/... · the...
Free Software and Open Source in EducationGeoinformatics at the CTU in Prague
Martin [email protected]
Department of Mapping and CartographyFaculty of Civil Engineering, Czech Technical University in Prague
BackgroundFree Software and Open Source (FOSS) plays an important role at Faculty of Civil Engineering(FCE), Czech Technical University (CTU) in Prague, study branch Geodesy, Cartography and Geo-informatics. Students learn how to effectively use FOSS tools in several courses. It covers topics likeintroduction into database management systems, programming in C++ , and GIS or Remote Sensingoriented subjects. Namely thanks to Professor Čepek, FOSS has been used at the CTU in Praguesince early 90’s.
FOSS at FCE CTUThe students of the branch Geodesy, Carto-graphy and Geoinformatics at the CTU work du-ring their studies with different FOSS tools.
In the second semester the students learn ba-sics of SQL (Structured Query Language). SQLis a standard language for accessing object-relational databases. The assignments for “In-troduction into Database Systems” course aredeveloped with PostgreSQL as a widely usedopen-source object-relational database manage-ment system. For the evaluation of the studentsthere is used a web based interactive tutorial ofSQL – GNU SQLTutor (http://sqltutor.fsv.cvut.cz). This program was developed at theCTU in Prague by Professor Čepek in 2007. La-ter in 2010 there were added several geospatialdatasets for interactive learning of spatial SQLbased on PostGIS geodatabase [1].
Fig. 1: SQLTutor in Action.
In the third semester the students learn progra-mming in C++. The assignments are developedwith QT framework. The programming courseis focused on developing simple graphical-basedapplications using QT graphical library.
In the fifth semester the students work on semes-ter project, the goal is to develop a web-basedCGI application written in C++ using QT fra-mework and light-weight SQLite database.
In other semesters the students have also thepossibility to learn programming in Java. OtherFOSS tools used by the students during theirstudies are Octave for computations, R for statis-tics, LATEX for writing technical reports or GNUGama. The GNU Gama (http://www.gnu.org/software/gama/) is dedicated to adjustment ofgeodetic networks. The project was founded byProfessor Cepek, and most of the contributors tothis project are former or current students fromthe CTU in Prague.
FOSS in GIS EducationBeside the commonly widespread proprie-tary Esri ArcGIS platform, the students arealso introduced into FOSS in Geoinformatics(FOSS4G).One of the basic GIS-oriented courses is “Intro-duction into Spatial Data Processing” which isbased on PostGIS geodatabase. Some lessons arealso dedicated to the SpatiaLite database.
Fig. 2: wxGUI Animation Tool (developed by thestudent from the CTU, Anna Kratochvílová).
Most important from this point of view is the“Free Software in GIS” course. Within thiscourse, the students learn about the FOSS4Genvironment in general, including a community-driven development, or OSGeo role. The assign-ments are mainly developed with GRASS GIS,QGIS, and gvSig. Some lessons are focusedalso on programming in C++ or Python usingGDAL/OGR library, writing plugins for QGISor scripting in GRASS GIS. One practical exer-cise is also dedicated to OpenStreetMap projectincluding active mapping near the university.The assignments for another important course“Remote Sensing” are developed with GRASSGIS. The students have also opportunity to re-port bugs in GRASS software or suggestions di-rectly to the teacher. Smaller bugs are usuallyfixed in the next lessons.
Fig. 3: wxGUI Supervised Classification Tool (de-veloped by the students from the CTU, Anna Kra-tochvílová and Václav Petráš).
References & Acknowledgement[1] Martin Landa and Aleš Čepek. “Learning PostGIS using Sqltutor”. In: FOSS4G Barcelona. 2010.
c© 2012 Martin Landa. This poster is licensed as Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported.Acknowledgement: This work has been supported by the Czech Grant Agency FRVS No. 1915/2012.
Students ContributionFOSS may be really attractive for the students.They can freely contribute to the open-sourceprojects, not only as developers (currently threestudents from the CTU are actively contributingas developers to GRASS GIS project), but also astesters, bug-hunters, translators or power users.
GRASS GISSince 2008 three students from the CTU in Pra-gue participated in Google Summer of Code(GSoC) program and developed 3D visualizationtool for GRASS GIS (fig. 4), or GUI front-end forGRASS vector network analysis tools (fig. 5).
Fig. 4: 3D Visualization Tool for GRASS (GSOC2008, 2010, 2011 – developed by the students fromthe CTU, Anna Kratochvílová and Martin Landa).
Other GRASS tools which were developed bythe students from the CTU is wxGUI Carto-graphic Composer, wxGUI Supervised Classi-fication Tool (fig. 3), wxGUI Animation Tool(fig. 2), or the new GRASS module for down-loading WMS (Web Map Service) data.
Fig. 5: wxGUI Vector Network Analysis Tool(GSOC 2012 – developed by the student from theCTU, Štěpán Turek).
QGISSome students from the CTU are also involvedin QGIS development. QGIS plugin for Czechcadastral data (fig. 6) or Workflow builder forQGIS Sextante Project were developed by thestudents from the CTU recently.
Fig. 6: QGIS plugin for cadastral data (developedby the students from the CTU, Anna Kratochvílováand Václav Petráš).
