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Getting Started - Buy Vicmap Data

Why do I want to buy data? Why not do things online, like I do now?

Buying data, and have it on your own computer means you can:

• Stop having to log on every time you want to look up property information.
• Stop relying on ISPs, phone lines, servers, or anything outside your 4 walls.
• Have data at your fingertips whenever YOU need it.
• View a larger window than what you see on our online map viewer - full screen if you want.
• Have topographic data, address data, satellite imagery, and many more datasets.
• Load it onto a laptop and take the property viewer anywhere - take it to your clients.
• Switch layers on and off.

What do I need?

1. Map Viewer What's that, and how do I get one?
2. A program to unzip the file such as WinZip, freely available online. Vicmap data is supplied in ZIP format.
3. Ability to download possibly large files - Some datasets may be up to 4mb.
4. Credit Card - Purchasing online requires a credit card (we accept: Amex, Visa, MasterCard, Bankcard).
5. Email address - We send you a notice when your data is ready.
6. Sense of adventure - Using maps is fun.

What's a Map Viewer?

To see the data that you purchase you will need to install on your system either:

• a map viewer (simple viewing tool often available free) or
• GIS or CAD software (allows more flexibility to manipulate your data but are not free)

Mapviewers

• ArcExplorer (for ESRI SHAPE files)

Go to : http://www.esri.com/software/arcexplorer/download.html

• MapInfo - free ProViewer (for TAB Files)

Go to: http://www.mapinfo.com/proviewer

GIS/CAD software available

Go to: http://software.geocomm.com/viewers

Or search the web using key words like map viewers, GIS and CAD

About Format

The format is the vendor-specific file format required by the a particular GIS/CAD application. We supply map data in shape, AutoCad and mapinfo formats. The map viewers above support these formats. Should you choose another map viewer check that they support one of the above mentioned formats.

About Coordinate System

The coordinate system is the particular spatial reference system used to define positions of points on the Earth's surface.

Coordinate systems are based on a datum that describes the size and shape of the earth. In Victoria, the datum will typically be GDA94 or AGD66.

Planar coordinate systems (Cartesian systems) also incorporate a projection. This is the mathematical transformation used to map points on the curved surface of the Earth to corresponding points a plane surface (eg. on paper, computer screen).

For more information on coordinate systems, see http://www.ga.gov.au/geodesy/datums

Okay, I have my software, now how do I get data?

Go to the catalogue for available data

You need to know two things:

• Where in Victoria you want data for
• What data you want

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