French and Spanish Missions in North America

Technical Information

• User Guide: Information on how to use the publication and the dynamic maps.
• Data files: Information and data used to create the publication and the dynamic maps.
• Shape files: Data in GIS format used to create the publication maps.
• TimeMap: TimeMap™ credits and contact information

Technical Review
Summary of the technology used for the publication

The contents of the publication are primarily presented through TimeMap™ dynamic maps and basic html text. The data used to create the publication maps is also available to the user to download in standardized formats to increase persistence and longevity of the publication.

Data
The primary data files used to create the publication are linked to the web site as a set of Microsoft Excel worksheets. Tab delimited versions are also available. A comprehensive data dictionary explaining the content of the specific tables and data fields is included. See: Data Files. Information on the collection and source of the Mission data, see: Mission Source Information.

Text
The primary documents for the publication are in basic html format.  Links to external URLs when included are not essential to the functioning of the publication. They are included as a snapshot of the information available on the web at the time of publication. Attempts have been made to include links from established institutional organizations, which will hopefully have reasonable stability.

Images
Images in the texts are all web quality images from various online sources. Permission to use copyrighted materials for educational purposes has been received.

Maps
Video map displays were created using TimeMap™ software and stored in AVI format.

Static map images are screenshots of the dynamic maps or small jpeg versions of Historical Maps from the David Rumsey Collection.

Dynamic maps are presented using the TimeMap™ TMJava display software.  They require online access to data from distributed sources. David Rumsey Collection Historical Maps are served though connection from the ECAI Clearinghouse middleware to Luna Imaging Servers provided by David Rumsey.

A stand alone TMJava version of the primary map is also available. This version can be viewed from the website or downloaded.

The historical mission spatio-temporal data is served through the ECAI data server at UC Berkeley.  The shapefiles created from the publication primary data files are available to directly download and use in your own GIS system. 

Further information on the various map formats, map data, and stand-alone versions of the dynamic maps is available on the Map Summary page. 

TimeMap™

ECAI uses a customized version of TimeMap™ software for the ECAI community. For information about ECAI's information technology, see the technology section of the ECAI website: URL: http://ecai.org/tech/index.html.

This publication is using the TimeMap™ software's TMJava browser for the dynamic maps. The maps are best viewed with Java plug-in 1.3 or better.
TimeMap™ is developed and maintained by the Archaeological Computing Laboratory, Spatial Science Innovation Unit, University of Sydney, Australia.

TimeMap™ is a registered trademark of the University of Sydney. For more information please see: www.timemap.net

Electronic Cultural Atlas Initiative

Copyright © John Corrigan, Tracy Leavelle
December 2004

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International and Area Studies
University of California, Berkeley