Computer Science Canada

Military Application - Design a Database Generated Map with Embedded Info
Author:  MEch1981 [ Thu Jan 31, 2008 1:40 am ]
Post subject:  Military Application - Design a Database Generated Map with Embedded Info
Good day,

First and foremost, my apologies for poor form. I will be asking for help that I should be able to solve myself with research. I am unable to commit the time required and ask for your community's assistance.

Situation
I will deploy to Afghanistan as a platoon commander and will be required to track a large amount of information with respect to villages and personalities. Higher level assets exist to assist in the collection of this information, but it is not always readily available. In addition, higher level information does not always take into account the personal nature of relationships developed on the ground. I feel a lower level bank of information will be a very useful tool in ensuring my platoon's success.

Goal
Create a database backed front-end that graphically depicts our area of operation with geographically denoted links to information on villages, significant events and other areas of interest. To my untrained mind the loose solution follows.

Initial Thoughts
Front-End (PHP Driven web based?)
Database driven Map with Links to Location Info Page
Location Info page
Personality info page
User input page

Back-end (mySQL Database?)
Location Table (Loc info with all the expected fields: Grid, Population, Family, Tribe, Gen Descr etc)
-> Log Table (Events as they occur, completed by patrol commanders)
-> Development Table (Development goals in order of priority. IE: Recondition road, rework irrigation, professionalize police etc)

Personality Table (Pers info)
-> Index table to location table (Date seen, comments)
-> Index table to known associates

Event Table (Similar to location table. Less info)


Requested Assistance
I'm looking for feedback on the following questions:

1. Is this project feasible?
2. Is this project feasible for a guy with a Mech Eng degree and about three weeks to make it all happen?
2. What program melange would best suit this problem? Alternate solutions are fine. ("Go use Access!"... cringe)


Thank you to anyone who took the time to read this post and especially those who offered a good pummeling of advice. For any moderator who had the duty to crush such posts: At least I gave you something to do. Wink


All the best and thanks,
Author:  btiffin [ Thu Jan 31, 2008 5:58 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Military Application - Design a Database Generated Map with Embedded Info
First, let me offer my thanks to you for your role in the world on our behalf.

I would guess yes the project is feasible. Three weeks? Hmm.

You may want to look at something like mind mapping software. Google Mind Map for some background. An open source project can be found at http://freemind.sourceforge.net/wiki/index.php/Main_Page

You might have to wiggle around the geolocation information, but this software paradigm is great for loosely coupled associations and bringing out patterns in seeming chaotic interactions.

Again, there may be some technical issues to overlay a mind map over an actual map, but my gut reaction is that it's feasible.

Once again, thank you and all the best over seas.

Cheers,
Brian Tiffin (who started his programming career at NDHQ)
Author:  MEch1981 [ Thu Jan 31, 2008 9:49 pm ]
Post subject:  RE:Military Application - Design a Database Generated Map with Embedded Info
Thanks.

I am feeling pretty sold on PHP GD now as a simple option that I have experience with. I suppose it would make sense to go bother some web programmer types with this stuff.

Again, many thanks and any comments are very welcome.

NDHQ? <Shudder>, I am a field guy after all.

Jeff
Author:  Tony [ Thu Jan 31, 2008 10:42 pm ]
Post subject:  RE:Military Application - Design a Database Generated Map with Embedded Info
Three weeks is a tight schedule. You'd want to use some framework to at least take care of the basic CRUD, plus whatever API that makes sense to minimize unnecessary development.

My personal tools of choice would be Rails, JavaScript and Google Maps API. Though Google doesn't actually have decent maps of Afghanistan, and I would not want to be building my own mapping engine.
Author:  MEch1981 [ Thu Jan 31, 2008 11:09 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Military Application - Design a Database Generated Map with Embedded Info
Right. I am thinking that PHP GD allows me to place a static map in a background layer and dynamically generate locations, significant acts, etc on top of it using a coord system that corresponds to our Military Grid System. I am willing to sacrifice scaling and other features in order keep it simple. We'll see how it goes. I need to put in some family time this weekend, but I'm sure I can mix in some initial experimentation.
Author:  btiffin [ Fri Feb 01, 2008 2:02 am ]
Post subject:  Re: RE:Military Application - Design a Database Generated Map with Embedded Info
MEch1981 @ Thu Jan 31, 2008 9:49 pm wrote:
...
NDHQ? <Shudder>, I am a field guy after all.
...


I'll have to admit; working with the military was the only civil service job I liked. I moved to Ottawa to work for the government from the U of Waterloo co-op program. First assignment was with the Navy, and had the work term started 3 days later it would have been an on-ship posting (Winter, North Atlantic), but we ended up at headquarters. Next term they were not taking students so I took a Health and Welfare position. Sad ... I got a call from the Lieutenant about a week after accepting the Health and Welfare gig, as they wanted me back. Ok short story getting longer ... The people in headquarters liked to work and you could tell that the office posting was driving most of them nutters. Health and Welfare? People would come in at 8am and start complaining about how hard their day was going to be. It got old really fast. "Shut Up. You sit in a chair all day and you complain about hard work? Shut Up." At least with the Armed Forces it was "hurry up and wait", and gee while you're waiting you had better be prepared for the next call to hurry up. Smile Other federal departments it was "gee only a two hour lunch today". That drove me nutters.

I grew up working on a commercial fishing tug ... sitting in a chair is not hard work. Mentally stressful sure, but the bitchin' just makes that worse. Anyway, my stint as a federal government employee lasted about 2 months. I couldn't take the lack of ethic and sense of privilege in the place, so I've been a self employed contractor since then. (Mind, my first contract lasted 17 years - beautiful - polyFORTH on OpenVMS/VAX).

Sorry, this drag-on post is not helping you with your task at hand with an already short timeline. Once again, your being a field guy is appreciated. And I apologize if I just wasted some of that time.

Cheers,
Brian Tiffin

NOTE: This is not to disuade anyone reading this from civil service. It can be a good gig and I've heard the rules changed. Brian Mulroney's government made sitting in the cafeteria all afternoon a dismissable offense.
Author:  MEch1981 [ Fri Feb 01, 2008 4:10 am ]
Post subject:  RE:Military Application - Design a Database Generated Map with Embedded Info
Not at all. Shared experience is of value no matter the location in my mind. I also agree, desk work is crucial and good desk work is usually carried out by people who have work worked before. That way they have a work ethic and they commit fully because they know their work is enabling people on the ground.

This is a big problem in many different ways. I realize we don't do much as a nation anymore, but, I think everyone should be given a 'gentle opportunity' to work work for at least six months of their lives.

:


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