uDig

uDig is an open source desktop GIS development platform. It is also a working open source desktop GIS application.

A flexible application

As an application, uDig is designed to integrate well with as many GIS file formats, databases, and web services as possible. uDig offers a rich collection of desktop and internet GIS functionality to the end user:

  • A high performance rendering pipeline able to handle even the largest data sets
  • Read/write support for ESRI Shape files, PostGIS, DB2, Oracle Spatial, and ArcSDE
  • Complete integration with standard internet data sources such as OGC Web Map Service (WMS) and read/write suport for Web Feature Service (WFS)
  • Coordinate reference system support for all data sources, and on-the-fly coordinate system transformation
  • Integrated access to free public online data, like NASA Landsat archives and daily satellite monitoring

A modular platform

As a platform, uDig provides modular Java development components for the Eclipse "Rich Client Platform" (RCP). These "plugin" components allow developers to embed geospatial intelligence in any Eclipse RCP application.

  • All user interface components built as Eclipse "views", "editors" and "perspectives".
  • All functionality broken down into discrete Eclipse "features" or easy mixing and matching.
  • Full support for network-based installation of optional features and upgrading of existing features.

The uDig platform can also be customized with standard Eclipse RCP "plugins". Like a collection of Lego™ bricks, the uDig environment can be extended, or it can be used as an extension.

Open Source Company

Refractions Research sponsors and develops uDig as an open source project in collaboration with developers from around the world. Visit the uDig open source community site at udig.refractions.net.

Our uDig Projects

uDig Training Session – International Potato Center, Peru

The International Potato Center wanted to migrate their potato genetics modelling application to uDig and Eclipse RCP. Refractions prepared a one-week training course and delivered it on-site in Lima, Peru to a group of developers from around the world.

Line Cleaner – BC Ministry of Forests

The British Columbia Ministry of Forests needed a tool to conflate multiple roads databases into a single working layer. Refractions delivered the algorithms and a user interface based on the uDig platform.

Open Web Services, Phase 3 – Open Geospatial Consortium

The Open Geospatial Consortium runs regular “testbed” projects to field-test new concepts in geospatial interoperability. Refractions was a part of the OWS-3 initiative, and built a uDig-based “GeoDSS” client to provide access to several other OGC standard services, including a prototype GeoVideo service.

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