Can I map a cemetery with Map It?

[Naomi Y]

I have a group of students that want to use the Map It App to map a local cemetery as part of a comprehensive project. How do I go about adding the location of specific graves to the app? I am learning with the kids so my knowledge is limited. Do I need GPS coordinates? If so, what is the easiest way to get them? 

[SteveJG]

You need geocoordinates (that can be GPS coordinates).  You need a latitude, longitude pair for each grave site to post on a map.

You cannot use MapIt as it is but the concept is basically correct.  MapIt oriented to street addresses.

What you want is a list of each marker and the geocoordinates, a simple database program to make the data persistent and a StaticMap or ActivityStarter map (like used in MapIt).

How do you add the coordinates for each marker?    It depends. 

 Do you already know the geocoordinates for the markers (that is does the cemetery provide that information)?  Then you already have the information you need to put in your list      gravemarkername, "  33.0,-97.8"      or perhaps   gravemarkermame, 33.0,-97.9    .  This information could be put into the app by using a csv file to populate a List in the app .  Yu might use a spreadsheet program to create the csv.  The List should then be stored in a TinyDB or perhaps a FusionTable.    Your app will require either a WIFI or network (data) connection.

If you do not already have the grave marker coordinates, use the GPS receiver in your Android to 'capture' the coordinates to a List and then save to perhaps a csv file.   Ages ago, there was an app in the MIT gallery that used AI2 to capture the locations where ecological observations were made.   You need to code an app like that  OR, more simply , you could code a very simple app that uses the locationsensor and the GPS to display the current geocoordinates by visiting each marker, recording them in a notebook.   Save the information, then use a spreadsheet program and enter the data in the spreadsheet, then use the spreadsheet to create a csv file.

I will see if I can find the reference and post it later today.   See the Plant Data app  http://jabmobilecomp.strikingly.com/ .   It uses a FusionTable to store data.  This stores the GPS geolocation and lots of other data about each location.  There may be more here than you need in your project.   It depends upon what data about each marker you want to collect.

I will post a simple app that captures a current location and posts a map later...

Regards,

Steve

[Abraham Getzler]

Also see https://www.google.com/search?q=fusion+tables+butterfly

ABG

[Hossein Amerkashi]

@Naomi,

Are you referring to below MapIt tutorial? It uses geo location to get addresses of interest:

http://appinventor.mit.edu/explore/displaying-maps.html

-Hossein.

http://AppyBuilder.com

 

[SteveJG]

Here are the 'minimum' blocks to capture a grave marker's geocoordinates:

Here is an elaborate version.  It has a TinyDB database, ability to retrieve saved markers, an example of one way to populate the ListPicker with the markers etc.  This app saves everything internally in the app.  Currently it saves a marker ID and it's location.   If you need to save more information, I recommend you use a FusionTable.  The butterfly example pointed by ABG will allow the students to save significantly more information if adapted for cemetery markers and allow any copy of the app to view the data and map.  The benefit of using that approach is that the FusionTable has a map that can display ALL the cemetery markers on a single map and anyone can view them.  This app can store a data base of markers and coordinates.

This is a LOT of blocks.   Which approach you do depends on the scope of the project and what you want the app to do.  Be a tool to record marker locations   or a tool to  Find a marker using a simple database to allow users to go to a specific grave site.

A FusionTable as described https://support.google.com/fusiontables/answer/2527132?hl=en  can be accessed using App Inventor and can be relatively easy to set up IF you have the grave site coordinates in hand.   Simply make a FusionTable with All the information each grave site requires and post the geocoordinates in the appropriate field.  It is like filling in an Excel spreadsheet.  From here it gets more difficult to use AI to show  specific grave site information on a device ...see the Pizza Party tutorial for the basics about how to query the database.   An AI app can DISPLAY just the map by using the WebViewer to point to the fusiontable  map table's url.   It is so much easier to populate a database using a keyboard .  I you intend  multiple users to see the results and a map with all the grave sites, really recommend you store the grave information all in a Fusion Table .  If you do then you can do something like:

to retrieve data about individual butterflies or in your case, grave site markers.

@ Hossein ... MapIt won't work for Naomi because it searches addresses, not locations and geocoordinates are needed instead of addresses to plot specific graves

Regards,

Steve