Mapping Hacks

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Chapter 7, Names and Places

#86 Track a Package Across the U.S.

HACK

Running the Hack

Compile the Java file like this.

% javac org/rajsingh/maphacks /GNISCoords.java

Now you can run the program.

—Raj Singh

HACK

#86

Track a Package Across the U.S. Hack #86

Use free data sources to map your package’s progress across the U.S.

Being able to see where a package is on its way to your door was developed

as a business process-management tool. But it has turned out to be really

popular with customers, too. What if you could take the next step, not only

seeing a list of towns your new cell phone is visiting, but seeing them on a

map! This hack presents one way of doing this.

Preparation

If you didn’t do “Java-Based Desktop Mapping with Openmap” [Hack #66],

take a quick look at it, because Openmap will be used to map our package

shipment stops. In essence, you need to install a Version 1.4 or later Java

Development Kit and Openmap 4.6. Make sure to copy the file openmap.

properties from the program’s installation directory into your home direc-

tory. After Java and Openmap are set up, you need to make a small modifi-

cation to the openmap.properties file. Open openmap.properties in a text

editor. Search for

openmap.layers=. The second occurrence should look

something like this:

openmap.layers=date dtlayer distlayer quake daynight cities test graticule

demo shapePolitical

We will be creating a new layer that we