The following six steps summarise the basic requirements for creating TimeMap datasets and making them accessible over the Internet.
Once Only...
1.
Establish an SQL database server or GIS data server, accessible across the Internet, which will hold all the GIS/point database datasets you wish to make accessible to others; (Appendix B);
Note: Following GIS convention, the word 'dataset' is also used to describe image files in this help file. Serving images (currently only JPEGs and MRSIDs) can only be done via a conventional Internet web server. It is possible to serve GIS/point database datasets over a web server also, but there are many advantages to serving this type of data from an SQL server. See Appendix B for more information.
... And For Every Dataset Thereafter ...
2.
Create the data with any convenient GIS or desktop mapping system (or if your datset is a regular database of point locations, attach latitude and longitude attributes to those points, perhaps using a gazetteer). Unless they are images, your dataset will normally consist of a simple database table, or a GIS dataset of graphical (map) objects tied to underlying information (in table form) which describes the map objects. Images will need to be referenced to real-world map coordinates ('Preparing Datasets');
3.
Create a .tmm metadata file and associate it with your dataset using the TimeMap metadata editor (the Metadata Editor) -- the easiest way to do this is to use the Metadata Creation Wizard. Parts of this metadata file will be used to display information about your dataset in ECAI Metadata Clearinghouse, while the rest of the file will be used by the TimeMap viewer program (TMWin) to access the dataset ('Creating Metadata')
The dataset is now accessible, as a local dataset, to the TimeMap viewer program (TMWin) if recorded in a compatible GIS format (currently only Arc View shapefiles are supported), allowing local use and/or testing of the dataset before upload to an Internet server.
4.
Upload the local dataset to your SQL / GIS server using the Data Pump facility in the Metadata Editor ('Serving Data').
5.
Use the TimeMap Metadata Editor to register the dataset with the ECAI Metadata Clearinghouse. This step uploads the .tmm metadata file you have created for your dataset to the ECAI Clearinghouse ('Registering Metadata')
The dataset is now accessible, including remotely, to the TimeMap viewer program (TMWin). Remote users can search the ECAI Clearinghouse to find the connection to your dataset.
6.
If you want, use the ECAI Clearinghouse Search and online Viewer to test your dataset ('Viewing Data')