SF.net SVN: matplotlib: [5453] trunk/toolkits/basemap/doc/users

[<js...@us...>]

Revision: 5453
          http://matplotlib.svn.sourceforge.net/matplotlib/?rev=5453&view=rev
Author:   jswhit
Date:     2008-06-10 05:21:55 -0700 (Tue, 10 Jun 2008)

Log Message:
-----------
added intro to users guide.

Modified Paths:
--------------
    trunk/toolkits/basemap/doc/users/index.rst

Added Paths:
-----------
    trunk/toolkits/basemap/doc/users/intro.rst

Modified: trunk/toolkits/basemap/doc/users/index.rst
===================================================================
--- trunk/toolkits/basemap/doc/users/index.rst	2008-06-10 02:19:15 UTC (rev 5452)
+++ trunk/toolkits/basemap/doc/users/index.rst	2008-06-10 12:21:55 UTC (rev 5453)
@@ -8,3 +8,5 @@
 :Date: |today|
 
 .. toctree::
+
+    intro.rst

Added: trunk/toolkits/basemap/doc/users/intro.rst
===================================================================
--- trunk/toolkits/basemap/doc/users/intro.rst	                        (rev 0)
+++ trunk/toolkits/basemap/doc/users/intro.rst	2008-06-10 12:21:55 UTC (rev 5453)
@@ -0,0 +1,38 @@
+Introduction
+============
+
+The matplotlib basemap toolkit is a library for plotting 2D data on maps
+in `Python <http://www.python.org>`_. It is similar in functionality to
+the `matlab mapping toolbox <http://www.mathworks.com/access/helpdesk/help/toolbox/map/map.shtml>`_,
+the `IDL mapping facilities <http://www.msi.umn.edu/software/idl/tutorial/idl-mapping.html>`_, 
+`GrADS <http://www.iges.org/grads/downloads.html>`_, or the 
+`Generic Mapping Tools <http://gmt.soest.hawaii.edu/>`_. 
+`PyNGL <http://www.pyngl.ucar.edu/>`_ and
+`CDAT <http://www-pcmdi.llnl.gov/software/cdat/support/vcs/vcs.html>`_
+are the only other libraries that provide similar capabilities in Python.
+
+Basemap does not do any plotting on it's own, but provides the facilities to transform coordinates to one of 19 different map projections (using the 
+`PROJ.4 <http://trac.osgeo.org/proj/>`_ C library).  Matplotlib is then
+used to plot contours, images, vectors, lines or points
+in the transformed coordinates.
+Shoreline, river and political boundary
+datasets (from `Generic Mapping Tools <http://gmt.soest.hawaii.edu/>`_)
+are provided, along with methods for plotting them. The `GEOS library 
+<http://geos.refractions.net>`_ is used internally to clip the coastline and polticial boundary features to the desired map projection region.
+
+Basemap provides facilities for reading data in `netCDF 
+<http://www.unidata.ucar.edu/software/netcdf/>`_ and `Shapefile
+<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shapefile>`_ formats, as well as 
+directly over http using `OPeNDAP <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/OPeNDAP>`_.
+This functionality is provided through the `PyDAP <http://pydap.org/>`_
+client, and a python interface to the `Shapefile C library 
+<http://shapelib.maptools.org/>`_.
+
+Basemap is geared toward the needs of earth scientists, particular 
+oceanographers and meteorologists.  I originally wrote Basemap to help in my
+research (climate and weather forecasting), since at the time 
+`CDAT <http://www-pcmdi.llnl.gov/software/cdat/support/vcs/vcs.html>`_ was 
+the only other tool in python for plotting data on map projections.  Over
+the years, the capabilities of Basemap have evolved as scientists in other
+disciplines (such as biology, geology and geophysics) requested and 
+contributed new features.  


This was sent by the SourceForge.net collaborative development platform, the world's largest Open Source development site.