NACIS 2016 Presentation Andy Stauffer, US Geological Survey, National Geospatial Technical Operations Center Brittany L. Roche, US Geological Survey National Geospatial Technical Operations Center Seth D. Webinger, US Geological Survey National Geospatial Technical Operations Center The US Geological Survey's National Geospatial Technical Operations Center (NGTOC) currently hosts vector data themes (including elevation, hydrography, transportation, boundaries, structures, geographic names, and woodland tint) appropriate for cartographic display at approximately a 1:24,000-scale. NGTOC is evaluating methods to enable users to automatically filter the 1:24,000-scale data so that it may be appropriately used at smaller scales through database enrichment. A new attribute, named VisibilityFilter, is currently being evaluated which will tag each feature with an appropriate (smallest) scale-of-use. While the VisibilityFilter attribute will enable users to define the content appropriate at a target scale, the resulting content may still require geometric simplification for specific user needs. This presentation will define the VisibilityFilter attribute and demonstrate how it can be used.

1. +
Enabling Users to
Easily Filter
TNM Datasets to
Smaller Scales
Andy Stauffer astauffer@usgs.gov
NACIS Colorado Springs, CO
October 20, 2016

2. 2
+Agenda
 Introduce the Visibility Filter attribute
 Scope, purpose, and defining the Visibility Filter
 Generalization workflows
 Organizing generalization decisions - ScaleMaster
 Visibility Filter examples
 Hydrography
 Roads
 Airports
 Evaluating preliminary results
 Topo TNM Style Template
 Enriching the 1:24,000 scale design
 Enabling 1:24,000 scale data for 1:100,000 mapping

3. 3
+What is the VisibilityFilter Attribute?
 Database enrichment that represents results of a generalization
process
 Intend to implement with 9 benchmark scales; focus on 1:100K and 1:250K
 Defines the smallest applicable scale of use for a feature within TNM
datasetes
 ‘Level of Content’ vs. ‘Level of Detail’
 Draft Model Definition:
The VisibilityFilter attribute represents appropriate use of individual features through scale. The
attribute does not reflect capture conditions. Data are captured per respective scale-specific
specifications. The VisibilityFilter attribute is intended only to direct appropriate end use of the data. A
given VisibilityFilter coded-value indicates that the object is appropriate for use at approximately the
defined scale and all larger scales [i.e., an object with a given VisibilityFilter is not appropriate for use
at scales smaller than the defined approximate scale]

4. 4
+Defining the VisibilityFilter
SELECT *
FROM [dataset]
WHERE VisibilityFilter >= [scale denominator]

5. 5
+Formalizing generalization decisions:
Developing a ScaleMaster
ScaleMaster developed by NGTOC employees
Brittany Roche and Seth Webinger, FY2016

6. 6
+Methodology: Hydrography
 Leverage existing generalization tools
 Remove content based on estimated Upstream Drainage Area
 Data is generalized to all scales from the source High Resolution
National Hydrography Dataset (star generalization)

7. 7
+Methodology: Roads
; from Brewer et al. 2013
 Gradually remove features based on network length (ladder
generalization)
 Leverage pre-existing Functional Road Class hierarchy to prioritize
generalization

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+Methodology: Airports
SELECT *
FROM AirportPoint
WHERE AirportPoint.VisibilityFilter >= [scale denominator]
AND AirportRunway.VisibilityFilter < [scale denominator]
INNER JOIN AirportPoint ON AirportRunway.FAA = AirportPoint.FAA
 Measure and group length of features (apply minimum and
maximum length restrictions)
 Mimic feature collapses and dimensionality changes through table
joins

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+Topo TNM Style Template
 Part of an ongoing effort to “Cartographically Enable TNM Data”
 ArcMap Map Document (.mxd) file
 Contains US Topo symbology and layering
 Contains US Topo-like labeling
 Contains US Topo-like map marginalia
 Configurable to any location where TNM
data is available
 Obtainable from TNM Download Portal
 7.5’ US Topo ArcMap specifications
 Configuration instructions
 http://viewer.nationalmap.gov/tools/topotemplate/

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+Topo TNM Style Template:
Use at 1:24,000 scale
 The Topo TNM Style
Template is set up to
mimic the design of the
US Topo product
 The 1:24,000 scale
content is shown at its
native scale
 The content is clearly
displayed and only minor
symbology / labeling
problems exist in a fully
automated fashion

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+Topo TNM Style Template
VisibilityFilter to enrich map design
Topo TNM Style Template Default VisibilityFilter – Enriched Design

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+Topo TNM Style Template
Scale reduction to 1:100,000
 Zooming out in the Topo
TNM Style template
mimics a photoreduction
of the map
 The data and labels are
linked to the source,
1:24,000, scale.
 All 1:24,000 scale content
is visible but illegible

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+Topo TNM Style Template:
Rendering map at 1:100,000
 By changing the display
scale to 1:100,000, the
content becomes
overwhelming
 All 1:24,000 content is
still visible, but too dense
to generate a clear map

14. 14
+Topo TNM Style Template:
VisibilityFilter to reduce scale

15. 15
+Accomplishments and Future Work
Accomplishments
 VisibilityFilter attribute
prototyped in many TNM
feature types
 Generalization framework for
implementing VisibilityFilter
attribute has been mocked up
for two benchmark scales
 Cartographic use of TNM data
can be used fairly easily at
smaller scales in Topo TNM
Style Template
Future Work
 Continue to evaluate use of
VisibilityFilter in other feature
types, especially boundaries
 Evaluate how to extrapolate
results to an additional seven
benchmark scales (1:50K to
1:5M)
 Document ‘best practices’ for
cartographic use of TNM data
at smaller scales, perhaps with
simplification information

16. +
Enabling Users to
Easily Filter
TNM Datasets to
Smaller Scales
QUESTIONS
Andy Stauffer astauffer@usgs.gov
NACIS 2016 Colorado Springs, CO
October 20, 2016