how to create image from gis data in C#

Question

I'm using C# to pull spatial data from a sql server 2008 database. I'm then trying to perform operations on that data, but to start... I want to be able to visualize it. That is, I would like to create an image of the data, preferably in jpg format.

I thought that I might do it by hand, but that is proving more challenging than I had originally thought that it would, given that the degrees are not whole numbers, and I can't just truncate them to draw onto a graphics object.

Can someone point me to the right library that might help me to perform this operation?

NOTE: Paying for a library is not an option for me, at this time.

Answer 1

Not sure if you want to create images in your program using C# or if you just want to see some images in any way possible outside of your program (you didn't state either way). If you just want a stand alone GUI for doing this, there is QuantumGIS which is free and can visually represent GIS data for you. It was invaluable for me when I started figuring out geospatial data, it looks like this:

alt text http://www.gaia-gis.it/spatialite/resource/qgis1.png

You could also use the SqlSpatial tool from SharpGIS:

_{(source: bostongis.com)}

Answer 2

You can export the data to google earth. The API also allows you to take screenshots programatically.

Answer 3

• GDAL

A translator library for raster and vector geospatial data formats that is released under an X/MIT style Open Source license by the Open Source Geospatial Foundation. As a library, it presents a single raster abstract data model and single vector abstract data model to the calling application for all supported formats. It also comes with a variety of useful command line utilities for data translation and processing. The NEWS page describes the January 2017 GDAL/OGR 2.1.3 release.

http://www.gdal.org/

• Read/Write API Tutorial

http://www.gdal.org/ogr_apitut.html

Answer 4

You can use SharpMap to view or export GIS data. It is native C# and doesn´t have many dependencies.