Avenza Systems’ MAPublisher 6.2 is a GIS environment that works as a plug-in for Adobe Illustrator CS2 (and other vector drawing applications like Freehand). MAPublisher focuses on the map graphics first with the right GIS data management tools to facilitate the map rpoduction process.

MAPublisher’s approach is in direct contrast with most GIS software that are designed and written for the analysis of data, with desktop publishing of map data coming second. This means that as powerful as most GIS systems are for analysis, they were not designed for cartographic or publication quality mapping. Cartographers on the other hand, need tools such as Bezier curves and CMYk colour separation for publication quality output. MAPublisher provides just that.

I tested MAPublisher as an Adobe Illustrator CS2 plug-in. The plug-in is installed in its own folder outside of the Illustrator plug-ins folder, with an alias inside that folder pointing to the MAPublisher folder. As the MAPublisher plug-in by itself is only one element of a system including some other files as well, this is nice and clean. If anything bad happens as a result of the plug-in, you just have to remove one alias, and you’re done.

When MAPublisher is installed, the Illustrator CS2 toolbar will have a couple of additional tools, and the Illustrator Filter and Tools menus will have a bunch of additional menu selections to choose from. MAPublisher is based on data import and automatic boundary generation --that’s my way of putting it by lack of a better terminology. What happens is that MAPublisher imports a data file that can hold data to describe a map’s outline, its geographical locations, legend information, etc.

What happens then is that MAPublisher will draw the map for you, is the data describes the map outline, or that it will load data points in its internal database which you can select from by using the palettes and tables MAPublisher provides. All this happens inside the Illustrator environment, and most the features directly result in the creation of vector lines and surfaces.

Changing Your Mind

The cartographer can concentrate on the drawing process, provided he or she keeps in mind that everything that is drawn outside of MAPublisher’s “proprietary” layers is not related to the GIS data in its database. In other words, drawing cartographic elements must be done using MAPublisher’s tools. This, however, does not hinder or restrict the cartographer in any way.

MAPublisher has all the power you need to create the best looking maps in true desktop publishing fashion. The only restriction is in the integration between the data and the Illustrator layers, that you must be aware of. MAPublisher layers are in a sense proprietary, as they contain the GIS data that determines where elements must be drawn in relation to the map coordinates.

Maintaining the link between data and elements is very easily done, because each layer is created in relation to the import of a data file. For example, a country map’s outline will be drawn on one layer, while the map’s roads will be drawn on another layer, and its hotels and parking lots on yet another layer.

The elements themselves can then be styled and formatted using Illustrator’s own tools. For example, city names can have a bullet next to them with the bullet size changing in relation to the number of inhabitants. The bullet can be defined using Illustrator’s Styles and Symbols palettes. The size will be defined using MAPublisher tools.