Home > Research > Publications & Outputs > Cartographic Algorithms

Research

Links

Text available via DOI:

View graph of relations

Cartographic Algorithms: Problems of Implementation and Evaluation and the Impact of Digitising Errors

Research output: Contribution to Journal/Magazine › Review article › peer-review

Published

Standard

Cartographic Algorithms: Problems of Implementation and Evaluation and the Impact of Digitising Errors. / Visvalingam, M.; Whyatt, J. D.
In: Computer Graphics Forum, Vol. 10, No. 3, 01.05.1991, p. 225-235.

Research output: Contribution to Journal/Magazine › Review article › peer-review

Harvard

Visvalingam, M & Whyatt, JD 1991, 'Cartographic Algorithms: Problems of Implementation and Evaluation and the Impact of Digitising Errors', Computer Graphics Forum, vol. 10, no. 3, pp. 225-235. https://doi.org/10.1111/1467-8659.1030225

APA

Visvalingam, M., & Whyatt, J. D. (1991). Cartographic Algorithms: Problems of Implementation and Evaluation and the Impact of Digitising Errors. Computer Graphics Forum, 10(3), 225-235. https://doi.org/10.1111/1467-8659.1030225

Vancouver

Visvalingam M, Whyatt JD. Cartographic Algorithms: Problems of Implementation and Evaluation and the Impact of Digitising Errors. Computer Graphics Forum. 1991 May 1;10(3):225-235. doi: 10.1111/1467-8659.1030225

Author

Visvalingam, M. ; Whyatt, J. D. / Cartographic Algorithms : Problems of Implementation and Evaluation and the Impact of Digitising Errors. In: Computer Graphics Forum. 1991 ; Vol. 10, No. 3. pp. 225-235.

Bibtex

@article{744846a5cafd4d19841d112f97904dc1,
title = "Cartographic Algorithms: Problems of Implementation and Evaluation and the Impact of Digitising Errors",
abstract = "Cartographic generalisation remains one of the outstanding challenges in digital cartography and Geographical Information Systems (GIS). It is generally assumed that computerisation will lead to the removal of spurious variability introduced by the subjective decisions of individual cartographers. This paper demonstrates through an in‐depth study of a line simplification algorithm that computerisation introduces its own sources of variability. The algorithm, referred to as the Douglas‐Peucker algorithm in cartographic literature, has been widely used in image processing, pattern recognition and GIS for some 20 years. An analysis of this algorithm and study of some implementations in wide use identify the presence of variability resulting from the subjective decisions of software implementors. Spurious variability in software complicates the processes of evaluation and comparison of alternative algorithms for cartographic tasks. No doubt, variability in implementation could be removed by rigorous study and specification of algorithms. Such future work must address the presence of digitising error in cartographic data. Our analysis suggests that it would be difficult to adapt the Douglas‐Peucker algorithm to cope with digitising error without altering the method.",
author = "M. Visvalingam and Whyatt, {J. D.}",
year = "1991",
month = may,
day = "1",
doi = "10.1111/1467-8659.1030225",
language = "English",
volume = "10",
pages = "225--235",
journal = "Computer Graphics Forum",
issn = "0167-7055",
publisher = "Wiley-Blackwell",
number = "3",

}

RIS

TY - JOUR

T1 - Cartographic Algorithms

T2 - Problems of Implementation and Evaluation and the Impact of Digitising Errors

AU - Visvalingam, M.

AU - Whyatt, J. D.

PY - 1991/5/1

Y1 - 1991/5/1

N2 - Cartographic generalisation remains one of the outstanding challenges in digital cartography and Geographical Information Systems (GIS). It is generally assumed that computerisation will lead to the removal of spurious variability introduced by the subjective decisions of individual cartographers. This paper demonstrates through an in‐depth study of a line simplification algorithm that computerisation introduces its own sources of variability. The algorithm, referred to as the Douglas‐Peucker algorithm in cartographic literature, has been widely used in image processing, pattern recognition and GIS for some 20 years. An analysis of this algorithm and study of some implementations in wide use identify the presence of variability resulting from the subjective decisions of software implementors. Spurious variability in software complicates the processes of evaluation and comparison of alternative algorithms for cartographic tasks. No doubt, variability in implementation could be removed by rigorous study and specification of algorithms. Such future work must address the presence of digitising error in cartographic data. Our analysis suggests that it would be difficult to adapt the Douglas‐Peucker algorithm to cope with digitising error without altering the method.

AB - Cartographic generalisation remains one of the outstanding challenges in digital cartography and Geographical Information Systems (GIS). It is generally assumed that computerisation will lead to the removal of spurious variability introduced by the subjective decisions of individual cartographers. This paper demonstrates through an in‐depth study of a line simplification algorithm that computerisation introduces its own sources of variability. The algorithm, referred to as the Douglas‐Peucker algorithm in cartographic literature, has been widely used in image processing, pattern recognition and GIS for some 20 years. An analysis of this algorithm and study of some implementations in wide use identify the presence of variability resulting from the subjective decisions of software implementors. Spurious variability in software complicates the processes of evaluation and comparison of alternative algorithms for cartographic tasks. No doubt, variability in implementation could be removed by rigorous study and specification of algorithms. Such future work must address the presence of digitising error in cartographic data. Our analysis suggests that it would be difficult to adapt the Douglas‐Peucker algorithm to cope with digitising error without altering the method.

U2 - 10.1111/1467-8659.1030225

DO - 10.1111/1467-8659.1030225

M3 - Review article

AN - SCOPUS:0026358286

VL - 10

SP - 225

EP - 235

JO - Computer Graphics Forum

JF - Computer Graphics Forum

SN - 0167-7055

IS - 3

ER -