Micro World Data Bank (MWDB2) System Files

PLEASE NOTE: the original MicroWorldDataBank.zip was produced with
JBuilder 2006 using Java JDK 5.  This version of MicroWorldDataBank.zip
was produced by importing the original code into IntelliJ IDEA 12 and
using Java JDK 6.  The source code and documentation in the two versions
are identical.


The Micro World Data Bank project is a combination of cartographic
data and associated programs and Java code.  The data includes these
features: coastlines, islands, lakes, rivers, country boundaries,
and state and province boundaries. This data is coded into five levels
of detail so map generation need use only as much detail as desired.  
The associated formatter program allows the user to select any 
combination of features any one of the five levels of detail.  The 
program also allow the user to select to have the desired data output in
either big endian or little endian binary formats so the data can be 
used on both Intel and non-Intel computers.  The program will also 
output the data in standard ASCII so that it can be readily viewed and 
studied.  Finally, the program will also build an indexed version of the
data.  This both reduces the size of the data files and makes data 
retrieval considerably faster when working with less than the full 
surface of the earth.

Full program code is provided for the formatter program and input/
output libraries which are used by the formatter program.  The
input/output libraries encapsulate and illustrate the use of the
high speed channels which were made available in the Java NIO (New
I/O) package.  The libraries also demonstrate how to work with both
big and little endian data.

Un-Zipping the file will create a new MicroDataBank directory in the
directory in which the MicroDataBank.zip file is located.  The
MicroDataBank.jar program will not make any changes to your system
files.  All output from the program will be located in the new
Micro_DataBank directory.  Deleting this directory will completely
erase all traces of the program.

A user manual is provided for the formatter program and a traditional
programmer's manual is provided for the I/O libraries.  An additional
manual fully describes the Micro World Data Bank cartographic data.
All of these manuals are provided in both Word doc and Adobe pdf
formats.  These manuals are not tied to the Java programming language.
For Java programmers a full set of JavaDocs is provided.

This package is a small part of an effort to explore and describe how
computers can be used to make maps.  For additional information visit:

http://webpages.charter.net/fred.pospeschil/

This is free and unencumbered software released into the public domain.
For more information, please refer to <http://unlicense.org/>

Fred Pospeschil
2011

Updated in March 2012 to adjust window size for Apple OS X requirements.