How to highlight specific country on world map image

Question

I have a real-time flow of IPs' data.
I would like to display geodata, corresponding to received IPs, on world map image using QT & C++.
What would you recommend in that case?

PNG or SVG?
Are there any images out better than Wikipedia's blank maps?
What geodata database would you recommend?

Thank you!

Answer 1

You could create a QWidget which subclasses QGraphicsView, with a QImage of the world in the background, and QPolygons representing overlays (in the shape of each country) on top of the map.

Then call update() every few milliseconds. In your overloaded PaintEvent function, check for new data and highlight a country based on where the IPs are from. Keep that country highlighted for a certain number of milliseconds or seconds, and fade its alpha or something.

As for earth imagery, check with NASA. They can provide you with high, high resolution images of earth in your standard map projection.