201 	Putting information on a map and analyzing spatial data are fundamental to a 

   201 	Putting information on a map and analyzing spatial data are fundamental to a

   202 	wide range of areas such as navigation, working with climate or geological data, 

   202  	wide range of areas such as navigation, working with climate or geological

   203 	disaster management, presentation of modelling results, demographics, social networking etc.

   203  	data, disaster management, presentation of modelling results, demographics,

   204 	</li>

   204  	social networking etc. However, making and viewing maps is just the tip of

   205 	<li>

   205  	the iceberg: to communicate spatial information much work is needed under

   206 	This tutorial will give a practical introduction to tools and techniques 

   206  	the hood to read, write, manipulate and process the data underpinning the

   207 	available for processing spatial information and, through a few hands-on 

   207 	maps.

   208 	exercises, give the participants a sense of how to manipulate and visualise 

   208 	</li>

   209 	spatial data using Python. Topics covered include reading and writing 

   209 	<li>

   210 	of important data formats for both raster and vector data, looking at the layers, 

   210 	T This tutorial will give a practical introduction to tools and techniques

   211 	awareness of issues with datums and projections, calculating centroids of polygons, 

   211  	available for processing spatial information and, through hands-on

   212 	calculation of distance between points on the surface of Earth, interpolation from raster 

   212 	 exercises, give the participants a sense of how to manipulate spatial data

   213 	grids to points etc. The tutorial has been developed for Ubuntu Linux and will provide source code, 

   213 	 using Python. Depending on time, topics covered include reading and writing

   214 	tests and data for this platform. However, the content and messages should be general and apply to any platform.

   214 	 of important data formats for both raster and vector data, looking at the

   215 	</li>

   215  	layers with qgis, awareness of issues with datums and projections,

   216 	<li>

   216  	calculating area and centroids of polygons, performance enhancement using

   217 	I assume that participants know how to write and run 

   217  	vector operations, numerical stability issues, calculation of distance

   218 	Python scripts and would suggest you install qgis as well as 

   218 	 between points on the surface of Earth, interpolation from raster grids to

   219 	the python dependencies numpy, matplotlib and gdal on your 

   219 	 points etc. The tutorial has been developed for Ubuntu Linux 11.04/11.10 and

   220 	laptop. I don't assume any previous knowledge of mapping or Geographic Information Systems (GIS).		

   220 	 will provide source code, tests and data for this platform. However, the

   221 	</li>

   221 	 content and messages should be general and apply to any self-respecting

   222 	<li>

   222 	 platform.

   223 	If you have some spatial data you want to manipulate in Python feel free to bring it along and grab me during a lunch break.

   223 	</li>

   224 	<li>

   225 	I assume that participants know how to write and run Python scripts and are

   226  	OK having a crack at implementing simple numerical operations such as

   227  	summations in Python. I don't assume any previous knowledge of mapping or

   228  	Geographic Information Systems (GIS). The tutorial depends on the

   229  	packages qgis and gdal-bin as well as the python dependencies python-numpy

   230  	and python-gdal which are preloaded on the distributed live-DVD. The

   231  	tutorial material itself will be available in the Subversion repository

   232  	http://oles-tutorials.googlecode.com/svn/trunk/scipy2011 and also on a USB

   233  	stick that I will bring along.		

   234 	</li>

   235 	<li>

   236 	If you have some spatial data you want to manipulate in Python feel free to

   237  	bring it along and grab me during a lunch break.