Is there a GIS + Google Maps website?

December 9, 2006 8:46 PM

Is there a website that lets you show GIS data (i.e. standard geographical data from various sources) on Google Maps?

I thought I had seen something like this referenced in a MetaFilter post, or here, but I can't find it anywhere. Help, o wise people.

posted by blacklite to computers & internet (6 comments total)

Isn't that what Google Earth does?
posted by about_time at 9:56 PM on December 9, 2006

Define "standard geographical data" in a GIS context. What format? Which sources?

Changes to the Google Maps API earlier this year allow you to overlay KML/KMZ files (i.e., Google Earth data) in a Google Maps interface. If you're looking for any other format presented in Google Maps, you'd have to convert it to something that can be parsed by Google Maps (its own XML, or Google Earth's KML, for example).

You need to be a bit more specific: there's an awful lot of stuff on this subject out there, and knowing exactly what your specific needs are might help us find you an answer that is actually useful.
posted by mcwetboy at 5:53 AM on December 10, 2006

You could check http://mapki.com/'s list of Google Maps mashups/websites, but from my experience there isn't a site that will put any sort of GIS data up on a Google Map automatically. The make-your-own-map sites almost always have you click to put the pins/lines in.

That said, though, it's not that hard at all to make your own Google Map site. Send me an e-mail (in my profile) if you need some help.

Full disclosure: I run mapki.com in my spare time.
posted by yellowbkpk at 7:04 AM on December 10, 2006 [1 favorite]

Well, I was being deliberately vague because I was just wondering if there was anything out there that let you take any old shapefile and throw it onto a Google Map.

Knowing that there isn't one is useful info, too. Thanks. :)
posted by blacklite at 3:31 PM on December 10, 2006

I haven't had a chance to play with it yet, but it sounds like the Google Map Creator may be what you're after.
posted by Aaaugh! at 6:56 AM on December 15, 2006 [1 favorite]

Great resource there yellowbkpk; I just registered.
posted by acro at 7:35 PM on June 11, 2007