Wednesday, December 22 2004 @ 02:49 PM EST Contributed by: glosser
Get this, you can take OpenOffice Calc, follow these instructions and create your own map editing program. Yeah, it's a little abstract, but we aren't afraid to try something new. :)
OpenOffice.org's Calc isn't only about rows and columns. If you look long enough at the empty spreadsheet, you will soon realise that it looks like a map grid, and, indeed, with a bit of imagination you can use Calc to create a simple yet handy mapping application. This how-to guides you through building a Calc-n-map -- an application for marking points of interest on a city map.
First of all you'll need to find a map in any Calc-supported graphics format. The easiest way to get a map is to use a dedicated Web site like Maporama, which features an easy-to-use interface and numerous options and map styles. Find the map you want to use and save it to your hard disk by right-clicking on the map and choosing the Save Image As... option (in Mozilla Firefox).
