An examination of techniques for reformatting digital cartographic data/part 1: The raster-to- vector process.

Cartographica: The International Journal for Geographic Information and Geovisualization
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Abstract

Current graphic devices suitable for high-speed computer input and output of cartographic data are tending more and more to be raster-oriented, such as the rotating drum scanner and the color raster display. However, the majority of commonly used manipulative techniques in computer-assisted cartography and automated spatial data handling continue to require that the data be in vector format. This situation has recently precipitated the requirement for very fast techniques for converting digital cartographic data from raster to vector format for processing, and then back into raster format for plotting. The current article is part one of a two-part paper concerned with examining the state-of-the-art in these conversion techniques. In part one, algorithms to perform all phases of the raster-to-vector process are systematically outlined, and then compared in general terms. Examples of existing implementations of the raster-to-vector process are also described and evaluated. Part two will outline and compare algorithms to perform the reverse process, vector-to-raster conversion. Part two will also discuss raster-to-vector and vector-to-raster conversion as an integrated process.

Publication type Article
Publication Subtype Journal Article
Title An examination of techniques for reformatting digital cartographic data/part 1: The raster-to- vector process.
Series title Cartographica: The International Journal for Geographic Information and Geovisualization
DOI 10.3138/VL12-8581-0733-0Q11
Volume 18
Issue 1
Year Published 1981
Language English
Publisher University of Toronto Press
Description 15 p.
First page 34
Last page 48
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